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Count Fenring
Count Hasimir Fenring is a fictional character in the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert. He is featured in the 1965 science fiction novel ''Dune'' by Frank Herbert, and is also a key character in the ''Prelude to Dune'' trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. He later appears in the 2008 novel ''Paul of Dune'', and the ''Caladan Trilogy'' (2020–2022). Fenring is the longtime friend and advisor to Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, and a formidable fighter. He serves as Shaddam's agent, emissary, or assassin as necessary. Fenring and his Bene Gesserit wife Lady Margot employ a "humming" code to communicate with each other in private. Fenring is portrayed by Miroslav Táborský in the 2000 miniseries ''Frank Herbert's Dune''. Description In ''Dune'', Shaddam's daughter Princess Irulan writes via epigraph, "My father had only one real friend, I think. That was Count Hasimir Fenring...one of the deadliest fighters in the Imperium." She goes on to describe him as "a d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dune (franchise)
''Dune'', also known as the ''Dune Chronicles'', is an American science fiction media franchise that originated with the 1965 novel '' Dune'' by Frank Herbert and has continued to add new publications. ''Dune'' is frequently described as the best selling science fiction novel in history. It won the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Hugo Award in 1966, and was later adapted into a 1984 film, a 2000 television miniseries, and a 2021 film. The latter will be followed by a 2023 direct sequel. Herbert wrote five sequels, the first two of which were adapted as a miniseries called ''Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'' in 2003. ''Dune'' has also inspired some traditional games and a series of video games. Since 2009, the names of planets from the ''Dune'' novels have been adopted for the real-world nomenclature of plains and other features on Saturn's moon Titan. Frank Herbert died in 1986. Beginning in 1999, his son Brian Herbert and science fiction author Kevin J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caladan Trilogy
The ''Dune'' prequel series is a sequence of novel trilogies written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Set in the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert, the novels take place in various time periods before and in between Herbert's original six novels, which began with 1965's ''Dune''. In 1997, Bantam Books made a $3 million deal with the authors for three ''Dune'' prequel novels, partially based upon notes left behind by Frank Herbert, that would come to be known as the ''Prelude to Dune'' trilogy. Starting with 1999's '' Dune: House Atreides'', the duo have published 13 ''Dune'' prequel novels to date. In 2011 ''Publishers Weekly'' called the series "a sprawling edifice that Frank Herbert’s son and Anderson have built on the foundation of the original ''Dune'' novels." Jon Michaud of ''The New Yorker'' wrote in 2013, "The conversion of ''Dune'' into a franchise, while pleasing readers and earning royalties for the Herbert estate, has gone a long way toward obscuring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
House Harkonnen
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen () is a fictional character in the ''Dune'' franchise created by Frank Herbert. He is primarily featured in the 1965 novel '' Dune'' and is also a prominent character in the ''Prelude to Dune'' prequel trilogy (1999–2001) by Herbert's son Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson. The character is brought back as a ghola in the Herbert/Anderson sequels which conclude the original series, '' Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and ''Sandworms of Dune'' (2007). Baron Harkonnen is portrayed by Kenneth McMillan in David Lynch's 1984 film '' Dune''. Ian McNeice plays the role in the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries ''Frank Herbert's Dune'' and its sequel, 2003's ''Children of Dune''. Harkonnen is portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film '' Dune'' and its upcoming 2023 sequel '' Dune: Part Two''. Conception Frank Herbert wanted a harsh-sounding name for the antagonistic family opposing House Atreides in '' Dune''. He came across the name " Härkönen" in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eunuch
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium BCE. Over the millennia since, they have performed a wide variety of functions in many different cultures: courtiers or equivalent domestics, for espionage or clandestine operations, castrato singers, concubines, or sexual partners, religious specialists, soldiers, royal guards, government officials, and guardians of women or harem servants. Eunuchs would usually be servants or slaves who had been castrated to make them less threatening servants of a royal court where physical access to the ruler could wield great influence. Seemingly lowly domestic functions—such as making the ruler's bed, bathing him, cutting his hair, carrying him in his litter, or even relaying messages—could, in theory, give a eunuch "the ruler's ear" and impa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kwisatz Haderach
The Bene Gesserit () refers to a key social, religious, and political force in Frank Herbert's fictional ''Dune'' universe. The group is an exclusive sisterhood whose members train their bodies and minds through years of physical and mental conditioning to obtain superhuman powers and abilities that seem magical to outsiders. Members who have acquired the breadth of Bene Gesserit abilities are called Reverend Mothers. The Bene Gesserit are focused on acquiring more power and influence to direct humanity on an enlightened path. Sometimes called "witches" due to their secretive nature and misunderstood powers, the Bene Gesserit are loyal only to themselves and their collective goals. However, to attain their goals and avoid outside interference, they often screen themselves with the illusion of being loyal to other groups or individuals. Their every move is calculated toward a result. As the skills of a Bene Gesserit are as desirable as an alliance with the Sisterhood itself, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Atreides
Paul Atreides (; later known as Paul Muad'Dib, and later still as The Preacher) is a fictional character in the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert. Paul is the primary protagonist in the first two novels in the series, ''Dune'' (1965) and ''Dune Messiah'' (1969), and returns in ''Children of Dune'' (1976). The character is brought back as two different gholas in the Brian Herbert/ Kevin J. Anderson novels which conclude the original series, '' Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and ''Sandworms of Dune'' (2007), and appears in the prequels ''Paul of Dune'' (2008) and ''The Winds of Dune'' (2009). According to Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert's son and biographer, House Atreides was based on the heroic but ill-fated Greek mythological House Atreus. A primary theme of ''Dune'' and its sequels is Frank Herbert's warning about society's tendencies to "give over every decision-making capacity" to a charismatic leader. He said in 1979, "The bottom line of the ''Dune'' trilogy is: beware o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melange (fictional Drug)
Melange (), often referred to as "the spice", is the fictional psychedelic drug central to the Dune (franchise), ''Dune'' series of science fiction novels by Frank Herbert and derivative works. In the series, the most essential and valuable commodity in the universe is melange, a drug that gives the user a longer life span, greater vitality, and heightened awareness. In some humans, the spice can also unlock prescience, a form of precognition based in genetics but made possible by use of the drug in larger dosages. Among other functions, prescience makes safe and accurate interstellar travel possible. However, melange is also highly addictive, and withdrawal is fatal. Harvesting melange is also hazardous in the extreme, as its only known source is the harsh desert planet Arrakis, and melange deposits are guarded by giant sandworm (Dune), sandworms. Description Properties Melange is a drug that prolongs life and bestows heightened vitality and awareness, and in some humans unlocks ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Feyd-Rautha
Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is a fictional character in the 1965 science fiction novel ''Dune'' by Frank Herbert. He is the younger nephew and heir of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and is depicted to be as cruel, treacherous and cunning as his uncle. Feyd is portrayed by Sting in the 1984 film ''Dune'' and by Matt Keeslar in the 2000 miniseries ''Frank Herbert's Dune'', and will be played by Austin Butler in the upcoming 2023 film '' Dune: Part Two''. Description Sixteen-year-old Feyd, the younger nephew and heir of Baron Harkonnen, is described as dark-haired, and "round of face and with sullen eyes". He is lean and muscular in contrast to his morbidly obese uncle, and is a deadly fighter. The Baron also notes that the "full and pouting look" of Feyd's lips is "the Harkonnen genetic marker". Feyd and his elder brother Glossu Rabban are the legal sons of Baron Harkonnen's youngest half-brother, Abulurd Rabban, who had "renounced the Harkonnen name and all rights to the title when g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vladimir Harkonnen
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen () is a fictional character in the ''Dune'' franchise created by Frank Herbert. He is primarily featured in the 1965 novel ''Dune'' and is also a prominent character in the ''Prelude to Dune'' prequel trilogy (1999–2001) by Herbert's son Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson. The character is brought back as a ghola in the Herbert/Anderson sequels which conclude the original series, '' Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and ''Sandworms of Dune'' (2007). Baron Harkonnen is portrayed by Kenneth McMillan in David Lynch's 1984 film ''Dune''. Ian McNeice plays the role in the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries ''Frank Herbert's Dune'' and its sequel, 2003's ''Children of Dune''. Harkonnen is portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film ''Dune'' and its upcoming 2023 sequel '' Dune: Part Two''. Conception Frank Herbert wanted a harsh-sounding name for the antagonistic family opposing House Atreides in ''Dune''. He came across the name " Härkönen" in a Cali ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Epigraph (literature)
In literature, an epigraph is a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document, monograph or section thereof. The epigraph may serve as a preface to the work; as a summary; as a counter-example; or as a link from the work to a wider literary canon, with the purpose of either inviting comparison or enlisting a conventional context. A book may have an overall epigraphy that is part of the front matter, or one for each chapter. Examples * As the epigraph to '' The Sum of All Fears'', Tom Clancy quotes Winston Churchill in the context of thermonuclear war:Why, you may take the most gallant sailor, the most intrepid airman or the most audacious soldier, put them at a table together – what do you get? The sum of their fears. * The long quotation from Dante's ''Inferno'' that prefaces T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" is part of a speech by one of the damned in Dante's Hell. * The epigraph to E. L. Doctorow's ''Ragtime'' quotes Scott Joplin' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Irulan
Princess Irulan is a fictional character in the Dune (franchise), ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert. She first appears in ''Dune (novel), Dune'' (1965), and is later featured in ''Dune Messiah'' (1969) and ''Children of Dune'' (1976). The character's birth and early childhood are touched upon in the ''Prelude to Dune'' prequel trilogy (1999–2001) by Herbert's son Brian Herbert, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson, and she is a principal character in the Herbert/Anderson series ''Heroes of Dune'' (2008–2009). The character of Irulan serves as a ''de facto'' narrator in ''Dune'', with excerpts of her later writings used as epigraph (literature), epigraphs before each chapter of the novel. Within the storyline, Irulan is established as the eldest daughter of the 81st Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV and Anirul, a Bene Gesserit of Hidden Rank, and has four younger sisters and no brothers. In ''Dune'', the character appears in person only near the end of the novel, but continues as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miniseries
A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format has increased in both streaming services and broadcast television. The term " serial" is used in the United Kingdom and in other Commonwealth nations to describe a show that has an ongoing narrative plotline, while "series" is used for a set of episodes in a similar way that "season" is used in North America. Definitions A miniseries is distinguished from an ongoing television series; the latter does not usually have a predetermined number of episodes and may continue for several years. Before the term was coined in the US in the early 1970s, the ongoing episodic form was always called a " serial", just as a novel appearing in episodes in successive editions of magazines or newspapers is called a serial. In Britain, miniseries are often ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
