Дюна
Afterword by Brian Herbert
Duneisamodern-dayconglomerationoffamiliarmyths,ataleinwhichgreatsandwormsguardaprecioustreasureofmelange,thegeriatricspicethatrepresents,amongotherthings,thefiniteresourceofoil.TheplanetArrakisfeaturesimmense,ferociouswormsthatarelikedragonsoflore,with“greatteeth”anda“bellowsbreathofcinnamon.”ThisresemblesthemythdescribedbyanunknownEnglishpoetinBeowulf,thecompellingtaleofafearsomefiredragonwhoguardedagreattreasurehoardinalairundercliffs,attheedgeofthesea.
ThedesertofFrankHerbert’sclassicnovelisavastoceanofsand,withgiantwormsdivingintothedepths,themysteriousandunrevealeddomainofShai-Hulud.Dunetopsarelikethecrestsofwaves,andtherearepowerfulsandstormsoutthere,creatingextremedanger.OnArrakis,lifeissaidtoemanatefromtheMaker(Shai-Hulud)inthedesert-sea;similarlyalllifeonEarthisbelievedtohaveevolvedfromouroceans.FrankHerbertdrewparallels,usedspectacularmetaphors,andextrapolatedpresentconditionsintoworldsystemsthatseementirelyalienatfirstblush.Butcloseexaminationrevealstheyaren’tsodifferentfromsystemsweknow...andthebookcharactersofhisimaginationarenotsodifferentfrompeoplefamiliartous.
PaulAtreides(whoisthemessianic“Muad’Dib”totheFremen)resemblesLawrenceofArabia(T.E.Lawrence),aBritishcitizenwholedArabforcesinasuccessfuldesertrevoltagainsttheTurksduringWorldWarI.
