Road to Dune

Frank Herbert's Dune is widely known as the science fiction equivalent of The Lord of the Rings, and The Road to Dune is a companion work comparable to The Silmarillion, shedding light on and following the remarkable development of the bestselling science fiction novel of all time.

Herein, the world's millions of Dune fans can now read—-at long last—-the unpublished chapters and scenes from Dune and Dune Messiah. The Road to Dune also includes the original correspondence between Frank Herbert and famed editor John W. Campbell, Jr.; excerpts from Herbert's correspondence during his years-long struggle to get his innovative work published; and the article "They Stopped the Moving Sands," Herbert's original inspiration for Dune.

The Road to Dune features newly discovered papers and manuscripts of Frank Herbert, and also "Spice Planet," an original sixty-thousand-word short novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, based on a detailed outline left by Frank Herbert.

The Road to Dune is a treasure trove of essays, articles, and fiction that every reader of Dune will want to add to their shelf.

Library Journal

In this companion to Herbert's groundbreaking series, the listener meets the author through his correspondence with his editor and learns how difficult it was to find a publisher willing to take a risk on his masterpiece. Included is Herbert's unpublished article "They Stopped the Moving Sands," which foreshadowed Dune. Herbert's son Brian, along with the coauthor of the current prequels to Dune, Kevin J. Anderson, found several boxes containing Herbert's notebooks, unfinished manuscripts, and notes for new Dune stories, as well as personal papers. Immensely fascinating is Spice Planet, written by Brian and Anderson from an outline and extensive notes left by the elder Herbert. The coauthors have also included some of their short stories about Dune. The final portion of the set, and one of its high points, is an in-depth interview with Scott Brick and Brian Herbert. Brick is an excellent reader, bringing the characters to life and showing the ability to bring the Dune world and its creator into focus. A necessary purchase for libraries where the Dune series is popular.-Nancy Reed, McCracken Cty. P.L., Paducah, KY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Frank Herbert is widely considered to be the greatest of all science fiction writers. He was born in Tacoma, Washington, and educated at the University of Washington, Seattle. In 1952, Herbert began publishing science fiction, but he was not considered a writer of major stature until the 1965 publication of Dune. Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune followed, completing the saga that the Chicago Tribune would call "one of the monuments of modern science fiction." Herbert is also the author of some twenty other books, including The Eyes of Heisenberg, The Dosadi Experiment, and The Green Brain. Frank Herbert passed away in 1986.

Brian Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, is a multiple New York Times bestseller in his own right. He is the winner of several literary honors and has been nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula Awards. His science fiction novels include Sidney's Comet; Sudanna, Sudanna; The Race for God; and Man of Two Worlds (written with Frank Herbert). In 2003, he published Dreamer of Dune, a Hugo Award-nominated biography of his father.

Kevin J. Anderson has written dozens of national bestsellers and has been nominated for the Nebula Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the SFX Reader's Choice Award. His many original novels, including Captain Nemo, Hopscotch, and Hidden Empire, have received praise from critics everywhere. He has set the Guinness-certified world record for the largest single-author book signing.