Are the Dune sequel books worth reading?

Yes.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful…

If only it were that simple. But Dune is never simple. It’s a complex universe that fans of the recent movie are only just beginning to scratch the surface of. With Warner Bros. recently announcing plans to release not only a sequel to the 2020 hit adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal science fiction epic but also develop a spinoff series focusing on the Bene Gesserit, it might behoove fans to take a look at the plethora of reading material in the Dune Universe, from here on to be referred to as the Duneiverse.

If you were a fan of the recent film, you already know that Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar-winning Adaptation was only half of the story. Dune Part 2 is set to release in November of next year, and has added Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, and Florence Pugh to its cast. The upcoming movie will adapt the second half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune, the book that started it all.

If you like, you could pick up the book and just start at the halfway point, since Herbert split his novel into two parts almost exactly as the film has. But everyone knows that Dune is a good book. The question is, are the sequel novels worth reading as well?

Caution: There will be SPOILERS for the Dune sequel books below!

Dune Messiah

The novel that follows Dune is titled Dune Messiah. While many critics have decried the book for its bleakness, Dune Messiah is truly the story that starts to set the Duneiverse apart from other sci-fi epics. When the original Dune was released, it was criticized in some circles for being just another predictable hero’s journey about a prince who reclaims his power. In Dune Messiah, things get considerably more complicated.

Paul Atreides has a unique dilemma: he is burdened with visions of his influence, knowing that millions of people are bound to die in his name and unable to do anything about it. Dune Messiah asks what comes next for the hero after they “win.” How do they rule? What does power do to them? Messiah is worth the read because it poses important philosophical questions that are essential in understanding the point Herbert is trying to make with this series. War, death, and tragedy…all of these things are inevitable aspects of human nature. We are all victims of fate and circumstance and our stories never just resolve in a neat and tidy way. Dune already accomplishes that, but Messiah allows the reader to sit with the consequences of everything that happened in the first book. It explores the political ramifications of revolution, the familial divides within royalty, and the desperation to do right by the people you love without destroying them.

For Dune Part 2, Florence Pugh has been cast as Princess Irulan, daughter of the current Padishah Emperor (Christopher Walken). When Paul overthrows the emperor at the end of Dune, he takes Irulan as his wife in order to maintain peace amongst the great houses. However, his love for Chani (Zendaya) keeps him from having any children with Irulan and feeds a growing rivalry within his own circle. Irulan’s quest to bring back her house’s former glory, win Paul’s affection, and regain power is at the center of the Dune books to come. Since Pugh and Zendaya are two of the greatest young actresses in the industry today, it would be a shame if that complicated relationship didn’t get a chance to shine on screen. Irulan doesn’t have much to do in the second half of Dune, so casting a high-profile talent like Pugh suggests they want to keep her around for future books: at least for Messiah and possibly for Children of Dune after that.

The casting of Jason Momoa, another Hollywood heavyweight, as Duncan Idaho also hints at potential movies to come. In both the original Dune book and the movie, Duncan dies…but that’s not the end for his character.

In Dune Messiah, a group of genetically altered humans called the Tleilaxu revive Duncan as a “ghola,” a kind of copy of the original. The Tleilaxu intend to use the ghola to destroy House Atreides from within. This revived Idaho must grapple with who he is, what his purpose is, and where his loyalties lie. It’s a fascinating character exploration that would be a joy to watch Momoa tackle. If you’re interested in Duncan Idaho and want to see more of the character, then the Dune sequels are a must-read.

Children of Dune

1976’s Children of Dune follows the events of Dune Messiah. It revolves around twins Leto II and Ghanima, the children of Paul and Chani, as they try and keep hold on power while avoiding the treacherous machinations of Irulan, Jessica, the Bene Gesserit, and their Aunt Alia. (Yes, Paul has a sister, you’ll learn more in Dune Part 2.)

Children of Dune was already adapted as a TV miniseries on SyFy (back when it was called the Sci-Fi Channel) in the early 2000s, starring a young James McAvoy in the lead role of Leto II. Themes of betrayal, family, love, and more at the forefront. Like all the Dune books, Children of Dune has a cerebral edge to it, but it’s more of a traditional epic than was the grim Dune Messiah.

there’s potential for a multitude of movies, or even a high-budget television series with enough material to last a great many seasons. Especially if they continue into…

God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, Chapterhouse: Dune

If the other Dune books are dense, they seem like picture books in comparison to 1981’s God Emperor of Dune, a massive, highly philosophical acid trip. Without going into too much detail for fear of losing my sanity, Children of Dune essentially ends with Leto II becoming part man, part sandworm, part omnipotent being cursed to live as an eternal emperor in control of the entire galaxy. The book takes place many generations after the events of Children of Dune, and is much slower and more focused on ideas; the God Emperor spends a lot of time expositing about leadership, time, and reality.

After that, Herbert skips forward many more years for 1984’s Heretics of Dune. We’re introduced to a new villainous organization: the Honored Matres, Bene Gesserit who left the known galaxy and returned much changed. These two matriarchal groups continue to battle it out in 1985’s Chapterhouse: Dune, which ends on a cliffhanger, one that Herbert could not resolve; the author died in 1986.

However, The Duneiverse does not stop there.

The wider Duneiverse

Brian Herbert, the son of Dune creator Frank Herbert, continued his father’s work after his death. The younger Herbert, along with Kevin J. Anderson, has released 21 novels, nine comic books, and many video and board games within the Duneiverse. 2006’s Hunters of Dune and 2007’s Sandworms of Dune directly follow up on the cliffhanger from Chapterhouse.

There’s enough story here for Warner Bros. to make Dune content until the end of eternity. The stories explore the galaxy before Dune, the galaxy after Dune, and the organizations that populate the galaxy, like the Bene Gesserit and the space guilds. If reading more Dune content is something that interests you, there is more than enough out there to peruse, and it’s all fantastically written and highly entertaining.

Check out the Dune sequel books! There’s a lot in there that’s sure to interest any avid sci-fi or fantasy reader, and it’s only a matter of time before these stories make their way to the screen as Hollywood continues to explore the ever-expansive Duneiverse.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels