Frank Herbert's Dune series is a monumental saga in science fiction, known for its intricate plots, complex characters, and deep philosophical underpinnings. Navigating the expansive universe of Dune in literary form can be as challenging as it is rewarding, especially when deciding the order in which to read the books. Whether you're a newcomer to this iconic series or revisiting it, understanding the sequence—be it publication order or chronological order—can significantly enhance your reading experience. This article aims to guide you through the various ways to read the Dune books.
Dune Books in Order
If you are interested in exploring the Dune universe, there are a few things to know before you start. So, prepare to learn more about Spice Melange, Lady Jessica, Bene Gesserit, Muad’Dib, Leto, The Fremen, and all other events that started in Frank Herbert’s Dune.
Overview of the Dune Series
With the popularity of the 2021 movie by Denis Villeneuve, more and more people are eager to learn about the Dune series. This means that you will need to know the proper order. It’s an epic science fiction series that started in 1965, and the first book was written by Frank Herbert. The story line is set in a distant future where several noble houses control all planetary fiefs and all thinking machines are banned. It follows Paul Atreides, as his family accepts stewardship over the planet Arrakis, which is a desert planet. Many people said that the Dune series is to science fiction what The Lord of the Rings was to fantasy.
Original Dune Trilogy
The original series had six books, and they were split into two trilogies. All stories were written by Frank Herbert.
- Dune (1965)
- Dune Messiah (1969)
- Children of Dune (1971)
The stories were published between 1965 and 1976. It was followed by the second trilogy that started in 1981. The last book came out in 1985, a year before Frank Herbert died.
Prequel Trilogy
There is also a prequel trilogy titled Prelude to Dune. The stories were written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, and the trilogy follows the series of events that lead to the original Frank Herbert’s two trilogies.
- Dune: House Atreides (1999)
- Dune: House Harkonnen (2000)
- Dune: House Corrino (2001)
Each book in the trilogy appeared on The New York Times Bestseller list, and they were quite popular. But they are far from being the only stories about Dune.
Sequel Trilogy
The story continues with two novels, both written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. As you can probably guess, Brian Herbert is Frank Herbert’s son, and he continued writing the story after Frank died.
- Hunters of Dune (2006)
- Sandworms of Dune (2007)
- Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)
The Chapterhouse was written in 1985 by Frank Herbert, but the story ended on a cliffhanger. Thanks to Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, the story is complete with two additional books that came out in 2006 and 2007. Both Dune novels are based on notes and ideas Frank had and what he called Dune 7.
The Caladan Trilogy
This is the second prequel trilogy, and it is one of the newest ones in the Dune saga. The writers of the trilogy are Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, and the story is set after House Corrino but before the events of Dune.
- The Duke of Caladan (2020)
- The Lady of Caladan (2021)
- The Heir of Caladan (2022)
The trilogy is essentially a sequel to the prequel trilogy, and it became an instant hit.
Authors of the Dune Book Series
Frank Herbert was born in 1920, and his primary focus was on science fiction novels. He also worked as a journalist, photographer, book reviewer, consultant, lecturer, and so much more. His most popular series is Dune, and he wrote the first six books. While he had plans for the continuation of the series, he never started the seventh book and he died in 1986. His son Brian Herbert continued the series with Kevin J. Anderson, and the duo wrote numerous novels and short stories about this unique world.
Order of the Dune Series
There are two main ways you can go through the Dune series. You can read the books as they were published and start with the original Frank Herbert’s series, or you can read them in chronological order.
Publication Order of Dune Book Series
Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about anything, and you can just follow the list.
- Dune (1965)
- Dune Messiah (1969)
- Children of Dune (1976)
- God Emperor of Dune (1981)
- Heretics of Dune (1984)
- Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)
- House Atreides (1999)
- House Harkonnen (2000)
- House Corrino (2001)
- The Butlerian Jihad (2002)
- The Machine Crusade (2003)
- The Battle of Corrin (2004)
- Hunters of Dune (2006)
- Sandworms of Dune (2007)
- Paul of Dune (2008)
- The Winds of Dune (2009)
- Sisterhood of Dune (2011)
- Mentats of Dune (2014)
- Navigators of Dune (2016)
- The Duke of Caladan (2020)
- The Lady of Caladan (2021)
- The Heir of Caladan (2022)
As mentioned, the first six books were written by Frank Herbert, while the rest were written by his son and Kevin J. Anderson.
Chronological Order of Dune Book Series
The chronological order is a bit different from the publishing order thanks to all the prequel stories.
- The Butlerian Jihad (2002)
- The Machine Crusade (2003)
- The Battle of Corrin (2004)
- Sisterhood of Dune (2011)
- Mentats of Dune (2014)
- Navigators of Dune (2016)
- House Atreides (1999)
- House Harkonnen (2000)
- House Corrino (2001)
- The Duke of Caladan (2020)
- The Lady of Caladan (2021)
- The Heir of Caladan (2022)
- Dune (1965)
- Paul of Dune (2008)
- Dune Messiah (1969)
- The Winds of Dune (2009)
- Children of Dune (1976)
- God Emperor of Dune (1981)
- Heretics of Dune (1984)
- Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)
- Hunters of Dune (2006)
- Sandworms of Dune (2007)
- Sands of Dune (2024)
Graphic Novels and Comic Books
The first graphic novel was based on David Lynch’s movie, and it was published in 1985. In 2020, it was announced that another series is on the way, and it will be an adaptation of Dune.
How to Enjoy Dune books
If you are looking to go through the entire story, one of the easiest ways is to listen to audiobooks. Ordering the books on Amazon will take too long, and you will need to buy each individual novel.
Speechify
Speechify is one of the most popular audiobook platforms, and it offers a variety of titles and genres you can explore. You can easily start with the Dune series and continue exploring sci-fi, or just go for any other genre you want. The options are limitless and Speechify is a highly versatile app that will give you access to one of the richest audiobook libraries you can find. Give Speechify Audiobooks a try today.
