Product Description

The New York Times bestselling prequel to the classic award-winning saga by Frank Herbert.

Frank Herbert's award-winning Dune chronicles captured the imagination of millions of readers worldwide. By his death in 1986, Herbert had completed six novels in the series, but much of his vision remained unwritten. Now, working from his father's recently discovered files, Brian Herbert and bestselling novelist Kevin J. Anderson collaborate on a new novel, the prelude to Dune—where we step onto the planet Arrakis...decades before Dune's hero, Paul Muad'Dib Atreides, walks its sands.

Here is the rich and complex world that Frank Herbert created, in the time leading up to the momentous events of Dune. As Emperor Elrood's son plots a subtle regicide, young Leto Atreides leaves for a year's education on the mechanized world of Ix; a planetologist named Pardot Kynes seeks the secrets of Arrakis; and the eight-year-old slave Duncan Idaho is hunted by his cruel masters in a terrifying game from which he vows escape and vengeance. But none can envision the fate in store for them: one that will make them renegades—and shapers of history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49546 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08
• Released on: 2000-08-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 681 pages

Amazon.com
Acclaimed SF novelist Brian Herbert is the son of Dune author Frank Herbert. With his father, Brian wrote Man of Two Worlds and later edited The Notebooks of Frank Herbert's Dune. Kevin J. Anderson has written many bestsellers, alternating original SF with novels set in the X-Files and Star Wars universes. Together they bring personal commitment and a lifelong knowledge of the Dune Chronicles to this ambitious expansion of a series that transformed SF itself. Dune: House Atreides chronicles the early life of Leto Atreides, prince of a minor House in the galactic Imperium. Leto comes to confront the realities of power when House Vernius is betrayed in an imperial plot involving a quest for an artificial substitute to melange, a substance vital to interstellar trade that is found only on the planet Dune. Meanwhile, House Harkonnen schemes to bring Leto into conflict with the Tleilax, and the Bene Gesserit manipulate Baron Harkonnen as part of a plan stretching back 100 generations. In the Imperial palace, treason is afoot, and on Dune itself, planetologist Pardot Kynes embarks on a secret project to transform the desert world into a paradise.

Dune remains the bestselling SF novel ever, such that three decades later no prequel can possibly have the same impact. Yet in House Atreides the authors have written a compelling, labyrinthine, skillfully imagined extension of the world Frank Herbert created, which ably commands attention for almost 600 pages. It is powerful SF that continues a great tradition, and in itself is a very considerable achievement. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk

From Publishers Weekly
It was a daunting task to describe the origins and intricacies of the many feuds, alliances, schemes and prophesies of one of the most beloved SF novels ever written. Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, who wrote the original Dune, and Anderson (coauthor, Ai Pedrito!, etc.) 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. Duke Atreides and his son Leto are faced with an attack by their ancient rival, House Harkonnen. Eight-year-old Duncan Idaho strikes a small blow against the cruel Harkonnens by escaping their territory and defecting into the service of the duke. Emperor Elrood, Ruler of the Known Universe, takes vengeance on the machine planet Ix in retribution for a personal affront. Elrood, in turn, is maneuvered off the throne by his son Shaddam. The Bene Gesserits' 1000-year-old plan for breeding a perfect beingAthe Kwisatz HaderachAnears completion. And behind it all lies the harsh, desert world of Dune, the only planet in the known worlds to harbor the mysterious and powerful Spice, which everyone wants to control and one man, paleontologist Kynes, seeks to understand in his quest to make Dune flower again. Though the plot here is intricate, even readers new to the saga will be able to follow it easily (minute repetitions of important points help immensely), as the narrative weaves among the many interconnected tales. The attendant excitement and myriad revelations not only make this novel a terrific read in its own right but will inspire readers to turn, or return, to its great predecessor. (Oct.) FYI: Dune: House Atreides launches a proposed trilogy.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
For those of us who think Frank Herbert should have been granted a divine dispensation by which he could write Dune stories in perpetuity, the publication last year of the series prequel, Dune: House Atreides, the first volume in a scheduled trilogy, was manna from heaven. Working from a cache of recently discovered character and plot notes, son and critically praised sf author Brian Herbert and Nebula Award nominee Anderson collaborate on this lush and textured cosmos and its complex sequence of events in the 40 years preceding the inaugural book, Dune. The epic dramas and intrigues interwoven among the numerous subplots are deftly handled and include the history behind the Atreides-Harkonnen feud; the attempts of Emperor Elrood's treacherous son, Shaddam, to usurp the throne; and the maligned and long-suffering slave boy, Duncan Idaho. This work is brilliantly performed by Tim Curry, whose honeyed and stentorian voice is matched in beautiful and elegant synchronicity with the prose. Verily, a gift on all levels, this is one of the stellar audiobook contributions of the season and is an obligatory acquisition for all libraries.ABarry X. Miller, Austin P.L., TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Dune Fan
For those of you that wrote that Brian Herbert is just trying to ride his father's franchise to financial success, maybe you should have read the last pages of the "House Atreides" book. Brian, initially, did not want to resume his father's work because of the enormous shadow Frank Herbert cast with the original Dune. Also, Brian had many of his own projects at the time. Brian had already collaborated with his father and had planed to write part of the Dune series with him before he died.

The only thing the story lacks is the original writing style of the creator, Frank Herbert. Brian succeeds in telling a good story set in the Dune universe, but does not tell it in the exact manner his father would (nor is that possible). Frank probably would have approved of his sons work, had he lived to read it.

Revisiting Dune's Universe!
Brian Herbert is the son of Frank Herbert creator of Dune Saga. Brian and Kevin Anderson start with this book a difficult mission: revisit Dune's universe describing the events immediately preceding Dune, the first & unforgettable volume of the famous saga.

Did they succeed? Well, yes and... no. Yes because they deliver an interesting first step with all the elements of this fascinating universe; and no because the story is not as gripping as the original Dune.
Nevertheless Dune's fans (as me) should not be too disappointed because even Frank Herbert wasn't at the same height when writing Dune Messiah, Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune and he will recover allure only with the last two books of the series.
So let us hope the same will happen with Brian & Kevin efforts!

The variety of themes touched by the original series is still present in this book: ecology, political-religious interaction, genetic manipulation, longevity drugs and secret sisterhoods and brotherhoods.

The story is as follows.
The Scenery.
There is a Galactic Empire ruled by the Emperor. There are powerful Noble Houses that rule different planetary systems and confront each other in endless struggle, yet subject to strict rules. There is a Guild of interstellar Pilots. There is the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood following their eugenic plans and playing in backstage as advisors to all powers. Computers & AI are forbidden and replaced by human-computers called Mentat. Arrakis is Desert Planet inhabited by mysterious desert dwellers: the Fremen.

The Argument.
Consist of several threads that will mingle and interact thru the present book and the intended continuations.
A very young Leto heir of Noble House Atreides is being educated by his father Duke Paulus.
The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood following their eugenic plans is approaching their goal: to produce a male specimen that will surpass all their limitations and fulfill their mission.
Execrable Baron Vladimir head of Noble House Harkonnen, Atreides' ancestral enemy, is in command of Arrakis and planning mischievous deeds.
Prince Shaddam, the Emperor's son & heir and his intimate Fenring are getting bored of Emperor Elrood's long life and planning to shorten it.
Noble House Vernius, masters of point technology, had developed a new cruiser that will cut Emperor's income, incurring in his wrath.
All these elements and more, much more are deployed skillfully by the authors, giving way to an interesting narration.

I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers and general public too.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I have waited a lifetime
As I'm sure that a lot of Dune fans have for the continued stories of this wonderful sci-fi world. Brian and Kevin work well together and I think it pushes the writing well to a point that is very entertaining.