Overview

Frank Herbert's Dune is one of the most well-known science fiction novels of all time, and it is often revered alongside time-honored classics like The Lord of the Rings. Unlike Tolkien's work, the Dune series has received remarkably little academic attention. This collection includes fourteen new essays from various academic disciplines--including philosophy, political science, disability studies, Islamic theology, environmental studies, and Byzantine history--that examine all six of Herbert's Dune books. As a compendium, it asserts that a multidisciplinary approach to the texts can lead to fresh discoveries. Also included in this collection are an introduction by Tim O'Reilly, who authored one of the first critical appraisals of Herbert's writings in 1981, and a comprehensive bibliography of essential primary and secondary sources.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dominic J. Nardi ,  N. Trevor Brierly ,  Donald E. Palumbo
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Volume:   81
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.40cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.376kg
ISBN:  

9781476682013

ISBN 10:   1476682011
Pages:   284
Publication Date:   18 August 2022
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Foreword Timothy O’Reilly Introduction: “A beginning is a very delicate time…” Dominic J. Nardi and N. Trevor Brierly Part I. Politics and Power Dune and the Metanarrative of Power Edward John Royston Political Prescience: How Game Theory Solves the Paradox of Foreknowledge Dominic J. Nardi “The greatest predator ever known”: The Golden Path and Political Philosophy as Ecology Michael Phillips He Who Controls Knowledge Controls the Universe: Leto II and the Golden Path Caroline Anne Womack Part II. History and Religion Frank Herbert’s Byzantium: ­Medieval-Futurism and the Princess Historians Irulan and Anna Komnene Maximilian Lau Beside the Sand Dunes: Arab Futurism, Faith, and the Fremen of Dune R. Ali “A critical moment”: The O.C. Bible in the Awakening of Paul Atreides N. Trevor Brierly Part III. Biology and Ecology Locations of Deviance: A Eugenics Reading of Dune Leigha High McReynolds From Taming Sand Dunes to Planetary Ecology: Historical Perspectives on Environmental Thought and Politics in the Dune Saga Paul Reef Shifting Sands: Heroes, Power, and the Environment in the Dune Saga Willow Wilson DiPasquale Part IV. Philosophy, Choice, and Ethics The Sands of Time: Dune and the Philosophy of Time Nathaniel Goldberg The Choices of Muad’Dib: Goods, Traditions, and Practices in the Dune Saga Jeffery L. Nicholas “I suggest you may be human”: Humanity and Human Action in Dune Curtis A. Weyant Belief Is the ­Mind-Killer: The Bene Gesserit’s Transcendental Pragmatism Kevin Williams Appendix: Bibliography of Scholarship Dominic J. Nardi and N. Trevor Brierly About the Contributors Index

Reviews

A welcome addition to the scholarship on the Dune novels. Seeing them refracted through this volume's diversity of critical approaches and disciplinary lenses is valuable for everyone. --Joshua Pearson, California State University, Los Angeles Discovering Dune: Essays on Frank Herbert's Epic Saga offers a welcome addition to critical analyses of Herbert's Dune series. Spanning topics from politics, history, and religion to science, technology, and philosophy, this collection of essays brings fresh perspectives to bear on this best-selling science fiction universe. Some authors take advantage of new analytical approaches, such as using game theory to explore prescience or discussing Paul Atreides through the lens of disability studies. Others focus on characters and themes that deserve extended critical attention, including Princess Irulan, Leto II, and Arabic and Islamic influences. As a whole, the collection presents itself as relevant to 21st-century concerns and will likely prompt readers to want to reread the series equipped with new insights. We need more thoughtful engagements with all of the books in Herbert's epic saga, and this essay collection delivers. --Kara Kennedy, author, Women's Agency in the Dune Universe

Discovering Dune: Essays on Frank Herbert's Epic Saga offers a welcome addition to critical analyses of Herbert's Dune series. Spanning topics from politics, history, and religion to science, technology, and philosophy, this collection of essays brings fresh perspectives to bear on this best-selling science fiction universe. Some authors take advantage of new analytical approaches, such as using game theory to explore prescience or discussing Paul Atreides through the lens of disability studies. Others focus on characters and themes that deserve extended critical attention, including Princess Irulan, Leto II, and Arabic and Islamic influences. As a whole, the collection presents itself as relevant to 21st-century concerns and will likely prompt readers to want to reread the series equipped with new insights. We need more thoughtful engagements with all of the books in Herbert's epic saga, and this essay collection delivers. --Kara Kennedy, author, Women's Agency in the Dune Universe

Author Information

Dominic Nardi is a political scientist and has published academic articles about politics in Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and Blade Runner. N. Trevor Brierly is a literature scholar and software engineer living in Northern Virginia. He has published and presented on Dune, Tolkien, worldbuilding, Shakespeare, and Northrup Frye.

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