DUNE
The first intstallment of the Dune Chronicles. This is the book that inspired the Dune movie and is the all time best selling science fiction novel. If you haven't read it, you are missing out on a tale of unrestrained magnificence, for Dune is one of those rarities that pulls you into a universe of imagination and excitement.
Introduced within its pages are the Great Houses: the most powerful family based factions in the Galactic Imperium. Among the most prominent are House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino; all vying for control of the galaxy. With the discovery of melange, a prescience inducing substance, the planet Arrakis--better known as Dune--has become the focus of their efforts.
As a result of the monopoly on space transportation held by the Spacing Guild, all houses are attempting to gain support among the Guild with one thing: spice (melange). This spice, found only on Arrakis, is what gives the navigators of the Guild their ability to manipulate time/space, thus allowing spaceships to "fold space" and travel unimaginable distances.
Therefore, with the spice melange being the most valuable and rarest substance in the imperium, the Great Houses and other factions such as the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood and the desert fairing Fremen natives, are all fighting for control of the planet Dune, and contol of the universe.
Here is a passionate scene between Muad'Dib and his beloved Chani from the 1984 Dune film. While the movie is a far cry from the book, it contains some fun special effects and visuals as well as a popular soundtrack. I think all Dune fans can hope that one day we'll see a Dune movie truly worthy of the book, just as the recent Lord of the Rings Trilogy films accomplished. In the mean time, other Dune books are still being written by the inheritors of the Dune Universe.
