Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"We're seeing it all across. We have 19 or 20 books. And we're seeing it all across. We also have games being developed that we're watching the Dune canon on." — Brian Herbert
"So when you're writing in science fiction, you can explore these thought experiments and you can go, well, if this big pivotal event happens, how is the society going to react? How are science going to change our politics, everything going to change? And you can basically run an experiment and play with it and let people sort of do a test run so that when something really similar happens in real life, they go, way to second, I read 1984, I'm not ever going to believe propaganda from the government again." — Kevin Anderson
"Frank Herbert said that it gave him elbow room for the imagination." — Ben Kistle
The episode features a comprehensive interview with authors Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, delving into their extensive work on the Dune saga. They discuss the monumental resurgence in interest surrounding Frank Herbert's original novels, attributing it to various media adaptations and the inherent timelessness of the stories. Brian Herbert, managing his father's estate, highlights the significant increase in book sales and the development of new games and graphic novels, underscoring the franchise's enduring cultural impact. Kevin Anderson emphasizes how their new works, like Dune: The Duke of Caladan, serve as gateways for new readers to explore the original Frank Herbert books.
The conversation explores the philosophical depth of Dune, particularly Frank Herbert's cautionary message about the "fallacy of believing in the Superman" and the dangers of charismatic leaders. Brian Herbert clarifies his father's political leanings, noting he was a "Lincoln Republican, maybe even a Rockefeller Republican," and an environmentalist, challenging potential misconceptions. Both authors articulate why Dune has achieved such longevity, citing its focus on fundamental human experiences, relationships, and societal issues like environmentalism, women's rights, and politics, rather than being solely reliant on quickly dated technology.
The creative process behind expanding the Dune universe is a central theme, with discussions on how they approach Frank Herbert's extensive notes and the challenges of continuing such a beloved narrative. They explain their strategy of building backstory through series like the Great Houses trilogy to introduce new readers to the universe before tackling direct continuations of the original story. The authors also touch upon the difficulty of translating Frank Herbert's complex universe, the importance of meticulous research and creating a "concordance," and how they strive to maintain the "humanity" within the narrative, avoiding over-reliance on technological specifics that could quickly become obsolete.