Дюна
Afterword by Brian Herbert
LikethenomadicBedouinsoftheArabianplateau,theFremenliveanadmirable,isolatedexistence,separatedfromcivilizationbyvaststretchesofdesert.TheFrementakepsychedelicdrugsduringreligiousrites,liketheNavajoIndiansofNorthAmerica.AndliketheJews,theFremenhavebeenpersecuted,driventohidefromauthoritiesandsurviveawayfromtheirhomeland.BothJewsandFremenexpecttobeledtothepromisedlandbyamessiah.
ThewordsandnamesinDunearefrommanytongues,includingNavajo,Latin,Chakobsa(alanguagefoundintheCaucasus),theNahuatldialectoftheAztecs,Greek,Persian,EastIndian,Russian,Turkish,Finnish,OldEnglish,and,ofcourse,Arabic.
InChildrenofDune,LetoIIallowedsandtrouttoattachthemselvestohisbody,andthiswasbasedinpartuponmyfather’sownexperiencesasaboygrowingupinWashingtonState,whenherolleduphistrousersandwadedintoastreamorlake,permittingleechestoattachthemselvestohislegs.
ThelegendarylifeofthedivinesuperheroMuad’Dibisbasedonthemesfoundinavarietyofreligiousfaiths.FrankHerbertevenusedloreandbitsofinformationfromthepeopleoftheGobiDesertinAsia,theKalahariDesertinSouthwestAfrica,andtheaboriginesoftheAustralianOutback.Forcenturiessuchpeoplehavesurvivedonverysmallamountsofwater,inenvironmentswherewaterisamorepreciousresourcethangold.
TheButlerianJihad,occurringtenthousandyearsbeforetheeventsdescribedinDunewasawaragainstthinkingmachineswhoatonetimehadcruellyenslavedhumans.
