Frank Herbert: Dune (1984, Berkley)
Paperback
Published Jan. 15, 1984 by Berkley.
Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the "spice" melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for...
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul's family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.
A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.
I enjoyed the SciaFi classic just as much this time as when I first read it thirty years ago. Back then, I did not care as much for the couple of sequels I read, but the original book is gripping from beginning to end. The loose parallel to the Arab Revolt is not historically on point, but the novel is nevertheless a thoroughly enjoyable page turner.
