James Baquet

Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction novel “Dune” is set in a feudal intergalactic empire far in the future. Paul Atreides, scion of the House Atreides, moves with his family to planet Arrakis, the only source of a spice named melange, but usually just called “the spice.” It is expensive, and grants youth, vitality and an extended lifespan to its users.

But Emperor Shaddam sees House Atreides as a threat, and conspires with another fiefdom, House Harkonnen, to destroy the Atreides family. When the combined forces of Shaddam and Harkonnen capture Paul’s father Leto, Paul and his mother flee to the desert, where the spice is harvested by the native Fremen people — and where it is guarded by ferocious giant sandworms. The Harkonnen presume Paul and his mother dead.

Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica, belongs to a mysterious and powerful order, the Bene Gesserit. Through her, Paul has special powers which in a vision reveal to him that spice is an addictive drug, and that his mother, unbeknownst to her, is actually the daughter of his father’s enemy, Baron Harkonnen.

Mother and son spend two years training soldiers among the Fremen. Paul has a son with a Fremen lover, and names him after his now-dead father: Leto II. Paul’s powers grow until at last the Fremen consider him to be a long-awaited savior. He undergoes a ritual usually forbidden to males, the drinking of the Water of Life. He remains unconscious for several weeks, but awakes with the power to see across time and space.

The Fremens’ raids have been disrupting the spice trade, so the emperor and baron attack. Paul’s son is killed, and his sister Alia — who also has special powers — is captured. But Paul and the Fremen have trained the giant sandworms, and ride them to attack the capital as Alia assassinates the baron. She escapes, and the Fremen handily defeat the Harkonnen and emperor’s troops.

At last, Paul faces the emperor himself, forcing him to abdicate. Paul prevails over the emperor’s champion in single combat, and the emperor gives Paul his daughter’s hand in marriage.

But the Fremen remain powerful, and Paul recognizes the threat they present, a challenge which will be played out in some of the book’s five sequels.

Vocabulary:

Which word above means:

1. easily

2. interfering with

3. give up

4. heir

5. feudal estate

6. spanning galaxies

7. following works

8. liveliness, vigor

9. plots

10. collected, like crops