Brian Herbert
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First British Edition Hodder & Stoughton (2002) |
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| Paperback - Null (2003) |
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The Butlerian Jihad
Legends of Dune
The authors of Prelude to Dune turn to a new and pivotal epoch in the history of the Dune universe to tell the story most eagerly anticipated by its readers
The Butlerian Jihad
One hundred and ten centuries from now, humanity has spread across space. And all-powerful machines rule the humans who were once their masters.
It began in the Time of Tyrants, when ambitious men and women used high-powered computers to seize control of the heart of the Old Empire including Earth itself. The tyrants translated their brains into mobile mechanical bodies and created a new race, the immortal man-machine hybrids called cymeks. Then the cymeks’ planetary computers - each known as Omnius - seized control from their overlords and a thousand years of brutal rule by the thinking machines began.
The human race still clings to life. Some – like idealistic Serena Butler of the free planet Salusa Secundus and her betrothed, the soldier Xavier Harkonnen - even dream of overthrowing the machines and freeing their human slaves. Others - like Vorian Atreides, bastard son of the cymek Agamemnon - are proud to serve the machines.
But their world faces disaster. Impatient with human beings’ endless disobedience and the cymeks’ continual plotting to regain their power, Omnius has decided that it no longer needs them. Only the destruction of thinking machines can save the human race from extermination.
Dune, winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, with nearly fifteen million copies in print. When Frank Herbert died in 1986 his saga remained uncompleted but he left thousands of pages of notes including historical backgrounds and plot ideas. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson told the story of the years immediately before Dune began in the three volumes of Prelude to Dune - a series which has been both critically successful and a world-wide bestseller. In this volume they turn to the historical background of Frank Herbert’s universe to begin telling the Legends of Dune.
`House Harkonnen is compulsive reading. I certainly enjoyed meeting Pardot Kynes and Liet, learning more about the Fremen, as well as Gurney Halleck, Duncan Idaho and the Lady Jessica. Such vile villains . . . and such a fascinating description of splendid places.’ Anne McCaffrey
'House Atreldes is a terrific prequel, but it's also a first-rate adventure on its own. Frank Herbert would surely be delighted and proud of this continuation of his vision’ Dean Koontz
'Those who long to return to the world of desert, spice and sandworms will be amply satisfied.' The Times
'Herbert and Anderson have met the challenge admirably. Within a web of relationships in which no act has simple or predictable consequences, they lay the foundations of the Dune saga ... Even readers new to the saga will be able to follow it easily as the narrative weaves among the many interconnected tales. A terrific read in its own right… Will inspire readers to turn, or return, to its great predecessor.' Publishers Weekly
| Paperback - NEL (2002) |
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First British Edition Hodder & Stoughton (2001) |
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Prelude to Dune: House Corrino
In House Corrino, Prelude to Dune reaches its magnificent conclusion. The war which will decide the fate of three great dynasties has begun, and now, the field of battle is not one world . . . but a universe.
From the royal planet Kaitain, the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV strikes without mercy at planets which defy his edicts. He believes that soon he will grasp absolute power when he replaces the spice melange - the drug which makes space travel possible - with a new, artificial substitute he alone will control.
On dune, Liet Kynes leads the newly confident Fremen as they strike crippling blows against the planet’s Harkonnen overlords.
From his exile on Caladan, Prince Rhombur Vernius is ready at last to liberate his unhappy planet Ix from the tyranny of the Tleilaxu Masters.
On Caladan too, the concubine Jessica has conceived the child she will give her lover to heal his broken heart. She does not know that her Bene Gesserit sisters plan to use that child to create the Kwisatz Haderach, the messiah they have been breeding for centuries.
But the final war – the one which will change the future of worlds – must be between two men: Leto Atreides of Caladan and Vladimir Harkonnen of Giedi Prime.
Drawing on notes, outlines and correspondence Frank Herbert left behind at his death, as well as conversations and brain-storming sessions Brian Herbert held with his father, the thrilling saga that began with the international bestseller House of Atreides and continued in House Harkonnen now sets the stage for Dune, winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards and the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, with nearly fifteen million copies in print.
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First British Edition Hodder & Stoughton (2000) |
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| Paperback - NEL (2001) |
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Prelude to Dune: House Harkonnen
The international best seller House Atreides began the thrilling saga of the blood feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen: the background to Frank Herbert’s magnificent science fiction epic Dune. Now the story continues as more of the heroes of Dune take their places in the intrigues, the wars and the treacheries that will lead inevitably to the fall of a dynasty.
Duke Leto Atreides is now the skilful and much-loved ruler of Caladan, where two of his most loyal warriors have come to manhood. Duncan Idaho trains to become House Atreides' new Swordmaster. And Gurney Halleck, tortured slave of the Harkonnens, begins the ordeal of loss and pain that will eventually bring him to Duke Leto's side. Leto's heart is at war with his duty, for he must marry for politics and power, not love - despite the charms of Princess Kailea of the fallen House of Ix and Jessica, the exquisite, perfectly trained concubine chosen by the Bene Gesserit to be the mother of Leto's daughter.
At House Harkonnen, arch enemy of House Atreides, Baron Vladimir is slowly being consumed by a loathsome disease. His nephew and heir, Rabban, prepares to take over the Harkonnen empire. At the same time gentle, helpless Abulurd strives to undo his half?brother's cruelty and his own son’s viciousness.
On Dune - planet Arrakis - House Harkonnen ruthlessly harvests the precious, mind-enhancing spice, melange. Planetologist Pardot Kynes' twelve year old son Liet is already a Fremen warrior: learning first-hand of the savage injustices the Harkonnens inflict on his desert people and planning for the day the Fremen defeat them.
Once again, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have built on the notes, outlines and correspondence Frank Herbert left behind at his death, as well as conversations and brainstorming sessions Brian Herbert held with his father, to create an enthralling epic. This is a fitting prelude to Dune - the Hugo and Nebula-award-winning novel which is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, with nearly ten million copies in print.
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First British Edition Hodder & Stoughton (1999) |
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Prelude to Dune: House of Atreides
Frank Herbert’s Dune is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, with nearly ten million copies in print. Winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, it is universally acclaimed as the greatest classic of the field.
Now comes the epic story of what happened in the generation before Dune began, revealing more of the origins of the blood feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen.
It is the year 10,154 of the Imperial Calendar, and for four decades the planet Arrakis - called Dune by its inhabitants has been ruled by the Harkonnen family. Proud of his cruelty and ruthlessness, iron-fisted Baron Vladimir Harkonnen dreams of ever-larger harvests of the precious substance called "spice", the chemical that prolongs life and increases mental powers; the drug that mutated Spacing Guild Navigators use to control starships with their minds.
But the seeds of change have been sown. On the government planet Kaitain, the Emperor's son Shaddam plots to replace his father. On Wallach IX, the Reverend Mothers of the Bene Gesserit prepare for the climax of their programme of genetic manipulation to create the Kwisatz Haderach, a godlike man. On Arrakis, an idealistic young planetologist, Pardot Kynes, goes out into the desert to live among the Fremen, desert nomads who hold the key to the secrets of spice and the giant sandworms who guard it. And on the water and island world of Caladan, young Leto Atreides prepares to travel to the planet Ix, where he will learn to be a ruler.
Drawing on notes, outlines and correspondence Frank Herbert left behind at his death, as well as conversations and brain-storming sessions Brian Herbert held with his father, House Atreides is a breathtaking story of war, treachery and of love, loyalty and steadfastness in the face of overwhelming odds.
About The Author
Frank Herbert, who created Dune, was born in 1920 and spent most of his early life in the Pacific Northwest of America. He was a professional photographer, journalist and occasional oyster-diver; he also had stints as a radio news commentator and jungle survival instructor.
Though he is best known for Dune, he was also the author of several other important science fiction novels including The Green Brain, The Dragon in the Sea and The White Plague. He was awarded the Nebula and Hugo awards - the highest literary accolades in the world of science fiction for Dune. He died in 1986.
Brian Herbert, his son, is a widely published science fiction author in his own right. This is his first novel to call on his father's work: previously, he has created his own worlds, sometimes in collaboration. He has also written Dreamer of Dune, a comprehensive biography of his illustrious father.
Kevin J. Anderson is best known for his world-wide best-selling novels based on the universes of Star Wars and The X-Files, and is also the author of several more critically acclaimed original novels. An expert on the US space programme, he worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for ten years.
Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.
The Butlerian Jihad
(Hodder & Stoughton,
2002)
Pbk Apr 03
Prelude to Dune: House Corrino
(Hodder & Stoughton,
2001)
NEL Pbk Apr 02
Prelude to Dune: House Harkonnen
(Hodder & Stoughton,
2000)
NEL Pbk Mar 01
Prelude to Dune: House of Atreides
(Hodder & Stoughton,
1999)
NEL Pbk Apr 00
The Butlerian Jihad
by Brian Herbert
