Customer Reviews

The Dune Encyclopedia

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With another God-awful post-Dune book due soon, it seems as if the blasphemers (who shall remain nameless) continue to cash in on Frank Herbert's legacy. And that's the fault of anyone who continues to buy them. It only feeds the greed.

And yet this tome, the only Dune book not written by Herbert yet endorsed by him, is out of print!

I got hooked on Dune many years ago as a teenager, right around the time Lynch's movie was coming out, and I remember flipping through the Dune Encyclopedia in a bookstore before I read the books. Something in its near-scientific comprehensiveness, it's meticulous faith to the Herbert's vision really mezmerized me.

When I finally got around to reading the first three Dune novels, I went right to that store and picked up my copy of Dune Encyclopedia. My thirst to know more about Herbert's universe was insatiable. How did the Sardaukar develop into the most fearsome tool of Corrino power? What are the other worlds of the Imperium like? How was the Guild founded? Here I found a wealth of information that made Dune much more complete and inspiring.

What's more astonishing is that the contributers are faithful Dune-thinkers. Yes this is a work of fiction, but the articles are written in the style and manner of scholarly works. In a way, this style also serves as it's own contribution to the original Dune saga: that regardless of the legendary feats of the great, the historian always has the final word.

Dune Encyclopedia is an incredible, valuable companion to Herbert's work. Find a copy and keep it safe. I still have mine, which I read regularly, with its well-worn pages and torn cover that I've mended with packing tape several times.

[If you're the publisher, please reprint it, and try to prevent another post-Dune abomination from being published while you're at it. Thanks.]

Many years ago, I had only a casual interest in the Dune series, and I had to buy this book to clarify some events and characters. Eventually, I got rid of it, and sure enough, after a re-read in college, my interest in the series grew stronger - now some lucky person is proudly displaying that copy of the Encyclopedia on their shelf, and I have none! Argh!!!

This is the best guide EVER written on any series, covering all characters, objects, and events major and minor, with plenty of illustrations, and it is very well written. It's so in-depth, it's scary. Come on, the structural formula for melange? How cool is that? I can only hope that with the new books (?) coming out, this will be put back in print.

The authors of the three Dune prequels (House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino) have repudiated The Dune Encyclopedia and it is very unlikely to be reprinted because parts are inconsistent with the prequels. Having read both, I believe that The Dune Encyclopedia is closer to Frank Herbert's vision than the prequels. For example, in the prequels the planet Ix, source of technology for the Empire, is ruled by one of the Great Houses. In Frank Herbert's books no mention is made of Ix being affiliated with the nobility, and The Dune Encyclopedia follows Frank Herbert in making it an exception to the general system. This book also fills an important place because Frank Herbert enjoyed introducing concepts such as the Orange Bible or the Bulterian Jihad without much explanation. The conclusions reached here seem plausible given the structure of the Dune books written by Frank Herbert. If you can find this book at a used book sale, buy it.

I echo the sentiments of the reader in Dallas. I foolishly let my copy of Dune Encyclopedia go several years ago, and now cannot find one anywhere for a REASONABLE price! Why? Why? Why did I ever let it go, especially when I still have all my copies of the rest of the Dune series? Believe me, if you can get your hands on this book, KEEP IT! It is THE authoritative, definitive work on the Dune series. Explains everything in minute detail!

As a devoted Dune fan, I count myself very fortunate to have a copy of this magnificent book. Even though I paid a hefty sum for a less than pristine copy, it was worth every penny. The sheer scope of this book is overwhelming, containing far more information than even hardcore Dune fans will know what to do with. As other reviewers have noted, this work is authorized by Frank Herbert himself and it was put together by a close friend of Herbert so you know you're getting a relatively pure vision of Herbert's original conceptions of the Dune universe. This is an important thing to remember, because it explains why this book will never be reprinted in its original form. See, there are multiple entries in this book that BLATENTLY contradict events described in the prequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Brian Herbert claims that these new books are based on his father's notes, but the Dune Encyclopedia claims the same thing so somebody is not telling the whole truth here. I'm inclined to believe that the Encyclopedia is closer to Frank Herbert's vision because if it were not, there is no way he would have approved its publication. I was willing to accept minor differences in the prequels but when I got a glimpse of the new prequels dealing with the Butlerian Jihad, the differences became too great to ignore because the Herbert/Anderson depiction of this event in NO WAY resembles the one in the Encyclopedia. It's not just a matter of interpretation, it's an entirely different explanation of what the war was about. Interestingly, I also have a copy of the unpublished Dune roleplaying game from Last Unicorn Games, which used Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson as creative consultants and the description of the Butlerian Jihad in this book is different from both the Encyclopedia and their own book (which would not be published for another 4 years). These inconsistencies have definately made me skeptical of the Herbert/Anderson treatments of Dune and I've made a habit of avoiding anything they've written. Unfortunately, I've heard rumors that Brian Herbert plans to reprint the Dune Encyclopedia, which would certainly be edited and rewritten to conform to his prequels. Of course, if they keep messing with the history the way they have and go on to write the seventh and eighth books in the original series as they have promised to do, its only a matter of time before they have to rewrite the original six books for the sake of continuity! (I'm kidding of course, but I am concerned that they have forced their vision of Dune upon readers who might not be familiar with the original series. Dune was never supposed to be like Star Wars for crying out loud, even if that sells books.)

I don't understand why this book hasn't seen a printing press in 16 yrs! This book elaborates on the entire Dune universe. All the planets, customs, people, etc.! While Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson say that this book isn't official Dune canon...who cares? It was written with the full knowledge and permission of Frank Herbert himself. And the first installment of the prequel by Messrs. Herbert and Anderson leave much to be desired (creatively, technically, and detail-wise). Any and every Dune fan needs this book. Berkeley/Penguin/Putnam/etc. can't you see the demand for this book. You are guaranteed a hit if you reprint this title.

Only the Tolkein reference by Prof. Robert Foster ("The Complete Guide to Middle Earth") supasses it in scope, erudition and pure delight. That having been said, this book was one of my most treasured, "read till my fingers bled" books. It had so much information--obviously culled from Herbert's own files, which he slyly hints at in the introduction whilst reserving all final answers to himself--on the Dune universe it was a pleasure itself.

It is not a dry, academic exercise, but a living appreciation of the book and the complexity of the universe it unfolds. So much information is provided here on many things that are mere hints or receive barely mention in the books are explained as thoroughly as the Britannica (and often much better written!).

My tragedy is that the book disappeared on a move (along with every Dune book of which I had multiple copies, in hard, trade and mass-market). It simply vanished. I still miss that book to this day. With all the renewed interest in Dune, with the specatular "Children of Dune" mini-series and the bestselling "prequels" of the Younger Herbert, it stuns me that Berkeley hasn't reprinted this book. Even a mass-market (tho' of course it should be trade) would be great.

But I seem to be hoping in vain. The Dune revival has been going on for several years now and nary a peep about a reprint. I near despair. The wife would have much more than a coniption fit if I spend $50 on a fifteen year old paperback, so I guess I'm hosed.

For the Dune scholar the book is indispensable and I wish I had my copy in my hand (with each of my favorite subjects tabbed, with my favorite passages highlighted--I'd planned a Dune role playing game during the days before the GUI allowed role-playing games to become what they always could).

If you've got this book, guard it like gold, or, better yet, have it bound and keep in mylar.

See, Berkeley, please hear my prayer: REPRINT THIS BOOK!!!!

(Oh yeah, and, while I'm asking, how 'bout a God Emperor of Dune mini, hunh?)

As a coda: my copy of the Dune Encylcopedia was with my ancient, book club edition of God Emperor which I recently found in our town's annual library sale. I knew it was mine by the Boris Vallejo "Ex Libris" sticker. So somebody, somewhere has my books!

I read this book back in 1986 and I do agree that a reprint is needed. It allowed a more indepth look at the Dune universe of Frank Herbert. It would be a shame if this book was allowed to crumble to dust, when many fans would like to put it on their shelves. Startrek, Starwars and some other popular series have millions of copies of their own encyclopedias. It's time to bring back the one encyclopedia we want to see again.

I have read and re-read this refferance numerous times. We need a reprint for the sake of other generations that will rise like a fremen and read and re-read what kanly means or understand sietch community. Long Live the Encyclopedia of Dune!

I just love this book. The entries are fascinating and far better than the tripe that Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson wrote to "add" to the Dune universe. As far as I am concerned, this and the 6 Dune books by Frank are the only Dune canon.