‘Dune Messiah’ ended with Paul walking into the desert. Though it seemed like a terrible conclusion to the story of a favored hero, Frank Herbert decided to provide an absolute end by initiating Paul’s death in ‘Children of Dune.’ Upon publication, the book sold over 75,000 copies, making it the first best-selling science fiction novel ever. With the book’s success, the world became open to the science fiction genre and soon, authors like Isaac Asimov had bestsellers.
Historical Context
After a hero falls, he leaves behind a shadow that haunts those who always looked up to him. The shadow becomes fanatic, and soon, the people veer astray and enter a dark path carved in the hero’s name. After concluding ‘Dune,’ Frank Herbert began growing disdain for his main character Paul Atreides. His dislike for Paul came from an ideology he had about heroes. According to him, humans treat heroes as gods; this leads to fanatism which becomes cancerous to society. With his disdain for heroism, Frank Herbert created ‘Dune Messiah.’ In ‘Dune Messiah,’ Paul became an object of scorn as Frank Herbert showed how severely flawed the great hero was. By the end of ‘Dune Messiah,’ Paul had become a shadow of his past.
In ‘Children of Dune,’ Frank Hebert ended Paul’s story, but before he did that, he rebranded Paul as a character who saw his flaws and tried to make amends by rebuking those who followed him blindly. Frank Herbert showed that once you have a name people believe in, it is nearly impossible to dissuade them from their belief. He used ‘Children of Dune’ to warn of the danger of blind faith and politics. The novel reflects the modern world and shows how the struggle for power leads to more chaos.
Cultural Context
When the power to control religion falls into the wrong hands, it becomes a force for terror and suffering. Using quotes, Frank Herbert continually pointed out the fault with blind faith, and he showed just how bad and deep it becomes when that faith gets attributed to a hero. In the novel, Frank Herbert talks about how people believe that religion gives fairness and justice to the world. He attacks this belief by pointing to the fact that the rich do not end up sad or destroyed as how people believe, but they become the controller of the masses, and the people become their servants consciously and unconsciously.
Frank Herbert’s take on ecology influenced the creation of many novels; his intricate attention to the problem of ecological transformation of Arrakis has become a debate on many forums. In the book, he showed that though the Fremen started seeing positive change in their planet’s ecology, that change came at the price of destroying the sandworms; this explained that though change can be positive for some, it can never be positive for everyone and everything.
Legacy
‘Children of Dune’ left a legacy that changed the science fiction genre. The novel’s outstanding success became an illumination and inspiration for many science fiction writers. From the story of ‘Dune’ came theatrical works like Star Wars. After the book’s success, people started becoming familiar with the science fiction genre; this led to many authors having their books turn best sellers.
Adaptation and Awards
After its publication, ‘Children of Dune’ received positive feedback from readers. Spider Robinson found the book unsatisfying and concluded that the ending was unconvincing and overfamiliar. David Pringle rated the book a two out of four, calling it dark and convoluted.
The novel got adapted for the screen for the Sci-Fi Channel. Sci-Fi adapted ‘Dune’ for the first part and ‘Children of Dune’ for the second and third parts.
The novel got nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1977.
FAQs
How long after Dune Messiah is Children of Dune?
The story of ‘Children of Dune’ begins nine years after ‘Dune Messiah.’ After Paul walks into the desert, Alia becomes the regent of the padishah empire, and in nine years, Arrakis sees a transformation that turns it greener. However, Leto II discovers that Alia got possessed by her ancestor; this forces him to seek out the preacher, a blind man whom Leto II believed to be his father.
Was Children of Dune successful?
After publishing ‘Dune,’ Frank Herbert amassed fans, and soon, his novel became a sensation among many people. With ‘Dune Messiah,’ many people seemed unhappy with the story’s structure. However, Frank Herbert came out with ‘Children of Dune.’. The novel became the first science fiction bestselling novel.
How did Leto II become a superhuman?
When Leto II journeyed into the desert to find the preacher, he got captured by a group of outlawed Fremen. Realizing that he was in danger, Jessica sent Gurney Halleck to infiltrate the group. With suggestions from Gurney, Leto got forced into a spice trance. After the spice trance, Leto II escaped his captors and fused himself with a school of sand trout, becoming superhuman.
Who is the villain in Children of Dune?
There was an intensely political atmosphere after Paul left the throne and Alia became regent. However, she got possessed by the ego of her ancestor, and it turned her mind against Paul’s children.
