Dune

Recently I reviewed a manuscript for a book a friend had written. It was a work of science fiction, not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed reading and editing the work.

It brought to mind my favourite science fiction book of all time - "Dune" by Frank Herbert - written in 1965.

To provide a brief summary of the plot, to quote Wikipedia:

"Set in the far future amidst a feudal interstellar society in which noble houses, in control of individual planets, owe allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides, the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides as his family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the "spice" melange. Melange is the most important and valuable substance in the universe, increasing Arrakis's value as a fief. The story explores the multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion, as the forces of the empire confront each other in a struggle for the control of Arrakis and its "spice".

To my mind, the value of water for mere survival in the story is even more relevant now, with global warming and climate change.

One of my favourite quotes is from when the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother visits the protagonist, Paul and his mother, Jessica on their home planet Caladan, and warns them of a difficult future on Arrakis:

'Grave this on your memory lad: A world is supported by four things...' She held up four big-knuckled fingers. '...the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous, and the valour of the brave. But all of these are as nothing...' She closed her fingers into a fist. '...without a ruler who knows the art of ruling. Make that the science of your tradition!'