Books

First Impression. Octavo (23.5cm); black-dark brown paper-covered boards, with titles stamped in gilt on spine; dust jacket; viii, [2], 3-430, [2]pp. Two faint, tiny scuffs to the right edge of the text block, else a fresh, Fine copy. Dust jacket is unclipped (priced 30/- net), lightly edgeworn, with some mild shelf wear, a bit of bubbling to the laminate along the front joint, a closed tear (tape mended on verso) with attendant crease to the upper rear panel, with a half-dozen small spots of black touch-up to the crown and upper rear panel, noticeable chiefly on verso; Very Good+. A monumental work of science fiction, "the story of a selectively bred messiah who acquires paranormal powers by use of the spice that is the main product of the desert planet Arrakis, and uses them to prepare for the ecological renewal of the world. Politics and metaphysics are tightly bound into a remarkably detailed and coherent pattern; an imaginative tour-de-force" (Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4-268). Winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, and basis for both the 1984 David Lynch film, and Denis Villeneuve's Oscar-winning adaptations starring Timothy Chalamet. Sargent, p. 141.

In Frank Herbert's seminal science fiction novel "Dune," the intricate tale unfolds across a distant future where noble families vie for control over the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the highly coveted spice melange. The Atreides family, led by Duke Leto Atreides and his son Paul, assumes stewardship of Arrakis, navigating a perilous political landscape rife with treachery and ambition. As Paul adapts to the harsh desert environment, he encounters the Fremen, Arrakis's indigenous people, and discovers his latent abilities tied to their prophecy of a messianic figure known as the Kwisatz Haderach. Paul grapples with his destiny, mastering the complexities of politics, religion, and warfare while confronting personal struggles and ethical dilemmas. The novel explores themes of power, ecology, religion, and the human condition, set against a richly imagined backdrop of a desert planet teeming with political intrigue and mystical intrigue.