When Duke Atreides and his family take up court there, they fall into a trap set by the Duke’s bitter rival, Baron Harkonnen.

Herbert’s evocative, epic tales are set on the desert planet Arrakis, the focus for a complex political and military struggle with galaxy-wide repercussions.Īrrakis is the source of spice, a mind-enhancing drug which makes interstellar travel possible it is the most valuable substance in the galaxy. ‘An astonishing science fiction phenomenon’ WASHINGTON POST As a result, information from these novels and stories is considered Expanded Dune on the Dune Wiki.Īccording to Willis McNelly, in a letter written by himself, Herbert and Anderson, the LoD trilogy is an actual expansion of the Dune universe, unlike The Dune Encyclopedia, another Expanded Dune publication, which ' reflects an alternate 'DUNE universe''.Three of the greatest SF novels in the world in one bumper omnibus due to the diversity of themes and several alleged inconsistencies, they are rejected by some fans. The prequels are intended to expand the Dune canon. The universe at the time of Legends of Dune consists of essentially three groups of populated planets: League Worlds, Synchronized Worlds and Unallied Planets. The League of Nobles would continue its resistance against Omnius for over a thousand years before the events of the books.

When the Titans had initially seized power, a group of humans formed the ' League of Nobles' to resist them. It instead incorporated them into its empire, the Synchronized Worlds. Because of its programming Omnius, was unable to harm the Titans. After turning against Xerxes, the AI-calling itself Omnius-spread to the worlds of the other Titans and quickly defeated them. Billions died under their rule.Īfter several centuries, the Titan Xerxes became complacent and dependent on an artificial intelligence.

As time passed, the Titans associated themselves less with humanity and became more oppressive. Calling themselves ' Titans,' humanity's new rulers had their brains removed and placed in robotic bodies in order to prolong their lives and rule, therefore becoming cymeks.

A small group of individuals took control of the Old Empire's computer systems and used the machines humanity had become dependent on to conquer them. In the Old Empire, humans had become complacent and reliant on machines to run their society.

Dune trilogy