Dune speaks of climate change, war and resource loss. It’s not just a story – it’s a warning about our world
- A group of indigenous people wage war against the colonisers mining their land of a precious resource. Is Dune talking about Arrakis or our own world? It’s both
- The story’s author, Frank Herbert, intended his novel to be a cautionary tale of why we should take better care of our planet and warns against hero worship
This article contains spoilers
House Atreides has fallen. Duke Leto is dead and his son, Paul, lives in hiding, gathering his strength and awaiting the right moment to leave the Fremens and reclaim his birthright from the twisted Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
Will our hero succeed? Is he a hero at all? What new challenges must he confront living among the dunes, storms and sandworms?
The book has amassed quite a loyal following since the novel’s debut in 1965. Herbert served as an early pioneer of science fiction with a climatological and ecological spin – “cli-fi” as folks in the know call it.
A native of Tacoma in the US state of Washington, Herbert was not the first to explore the subgenre, but his insights carry over into today’s world better than most. He cemented an uncannily prescient, even chilling, legacy for his most beloved work.