2002: Landsraad Website Interview

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2002: Landsraad Website Interview

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:Landsraad Website Interview
:September 4, 2002


Despite his very busy schedule, the author of the new Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune novels, Brian Herbert, agreed to a brief interview with BaronMoritani and The Landsraad Dune site. In this interview, Brian Herbert discusses a never before mentioned Dune novel concerning Paul Maud'Dib's Jihad, visiting the set of the "Children of Dune" miniseries, and talks about the love of his parents, Frank and Beverly Herbert. Special thanks to Byron Merritt for securing and transcribing the interview.
From Brian Herbert: I hope my answers to the Landsraad interview questions are helpful. This interview is Copyright 2002 by Brian Herbert (and transcribed by Byron Merritt).


Thanks for agreeing to this brief interview, Mr. Herbert. I know it's a busy time for you. In September, you have the first book of the Legends of Dune trilogy to be released. What other projects and books are on the horizon?

In 2003, I will have three new hardcover books coming out:

Dune: The Machine Crusade (book 2 in the Jihad series)
Dreamer of Dune (biography of Frank Herbert)
Forgotten Heroes (the story of the US Merchant Marine)

The latter two books are departures from my usual fiction pieces, as both are non-fiction. Dreamer of Dune will tell the fascinating story of my father from three angles -- how he created the "Dune" universe, the remarkable love story he had with my mother (Beverly Herbert), and the troubled relationship I had with him as a child (until we became close when I was an adult).

Forgotten Heroes will tell the little-known tale of our brave merchant seamen of World War II, and how they were abandoned by the US government and American public after the war. Aside from the "Dune" series books I am writing with Kevin J. Anderson, I have several other fiction and non-fiction projects in various stages of development.

When you first announced you would be writing and publishing Dune
prequels, there were some fans who were resistant. Over the last few years,there has been a continued positive response to your new Dune novels by critics as well as fans. How does this continued success feel?


Before we even published Dune: House Atreides, we were attacked by a few vociferous fans on a website. The attacks were vitriolic and unfair, since the detractors had not even read our first novel, but in a sense I have come to understand these fans. They are "Dune" devotees who love the series, and they were worried about what might happen to it.

These fans were just protecting the universe that they loved so passionately. After our books were published, we received apology letters from several of them, which was very heartenting to us. The overwhelming response from fans has been postive, as they continually thank us for continuing their beloved series. Both Kevin and I are"Dune" fans ourselves, so we want to do the best possible job that we can.

Why did you choose the time period of the Butlerian Jihad?

When I finally decided to write "Dune" books, I wanted to start with the Butlerian Jihad, concerning the mythical time 10,000 years before the events in Dune.

Kevin wanted to write a direct sequel to Chapterhouse Dune, but reconsidered when I proposed the prequels idea to him. We then settled on a time 30 to 40 years before the events in Dune, when we could explore the earlier lives of familiar Dune characters.

The Butlerian Jihad was a natural follow-up to our first series. The nice thing is, fans can begin reading the series in three places now: with Dune, with Dune: House Atreides, or with Dune: The Butlerian Jihad. It all depends upon where a reader wishes to start. Interestingly, the sales of Frank Herbert's classic Dune skyrocketed after we started writing the new novels. It seems that all roads lead to Dune.

It has been noted that you and Kevin J. Anderson intend on writing a
novel covering the early years of Paul Atreides. What happened to initiate this new novel?


At the conclusion of Dune: House Corrino, Paul Atreides is born. When the events in Dune begin, he is 15 years old. Paul of Dune would fill in the details of his heroic life. In this new novel, or perhaps another one, we also intend to fill in the details of the 11 years between the end of Dune and the beginning of Dune Messiah, when a great jihad occurred throughout the Imperium.

Are you and Kevin Anderson contemplating writing other Dune novels such as a Tales of the Scattering, or the early years in the reign of Leto II and Ghanima?

All of these ideas -- the Scattering, the early years of Leto II and Ghanima -- are possibilities, as novels, short stories, or as young adult tales.

I've heard from Mr. Byron Merritt that you visited the set of the new Children of Dune miniseries. Any comments regarding this production?

The new television series is a fantastic production, with terrific actors and sets. While I have seen only snippets of the project, I'm sure that "Children of Dune" will be a critical and popular success. My wife and I were treated like a royal family by the enitre porduction crew, and I was even allowed to film some of the top secret scenes on my video recorder!

Any general impressions or stories you would like to share with us regarding your father and mother, the late Frank and Beverly Herbert?

I have many stories to share regarding the love story of my parents, Frank and Beverly Herbert.

My father was the man that he was -- and the writer that he was -- because of the strength that my mother gave him during almost four decades of marriage. It is a remarkable, touching story that I will cover in detail in my forthcoming biography of Frank Herbert, entitled, Dreamer of Dune.

Thank you once again. We wish you continued great success with your life and career and look forward to more great stories in the world of Dune!

Thank you for your kind comments about the series.
Sincerely,
Brian Herbert
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