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'''''The Dune Encyclopedia''''' by Dr. Willis E. McNelly is a collection of essays written by fans of ]'s '']'' novels. It was published in ]&mdash;its only edition. No further editions are planned due to copyright issues. '''''The Dune Encyclopedia''''' is a collection of essays written by 43<ref name="124">pg 124 of Touponce 1988</ref> fans of ]'s '']'' novels and by Dr. Willis E. McNelly. It was published in ] &mdash; its first & only edition. No further editions are planned due to copyright issues.


==Publication and contents== ==Publication and contents==
⚫ ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' includes many rare Dune-related pictures and drawings. The book is currently out of print and is in great demand by fans. The encyclopedia was written and compiled by Dr. Willis E. McNelly, a friend of author Frank Herbert, and others at ]. It is a companion to ]'s classic ] series ''Dune''.

⚫ ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' includes many rare Dune-related pictures and drawings. The book is currently out of print and is in great demand by fans. The encyclopedia was written and compiled by Dr. Willis E. McNelly, a friend of author Frank Herbert, and others at ]. It is a companion to ]'s classic ] series ''Dune''.


With over 536 pages, it describes in great detail many aspects of the ] not found in the novels themselves, such as biographies of the major characters, the languages of ], ], and ] (including alphabets and pronunciation), and shortened summaries of the plots of novels. ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' also includes explanations of the armies, major schools (], ], ], etc.), and major industries (including Spice), as well as descriptions of future technologies and artwork on the major concepts of the novels. With over 536 pages, it describes in great detail many aspects of the ] not found in the novels themselves, such as biographies of the major characters, the languages of ], ], and ] (including alphabets and pronunciation), and shortened summaries of the plots of novels. ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' also includes explanations of the armies, major schools (], ], ], etc.), and major industries (including Spice), as well as descriptions of future technologies and artwork on the major concepts of the novels.


==Canon dispute== ==Canon dispute==
⚫ Its ] status is a matter of some dispute: Frank Herbert approved the work, considering it "interesting and entertaining" and reputedly wrote some of it himself and drew on it, but he also did not hesitate to render it erroneous through later developments in his Dune series (the book was compiled and published some time between '']'' and '']'', although Herbert "read large portions of ''God Emperor of Dune'', then in the final stages, to McNelly during the compiling of the volume so that McNelly could keep abreast of developments."<ref name="124"/>). It is also worth noting that the nature of ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' itself makes it claim to be canon somewhat less than is normal; the book is written as an encyclopedia published in the Dune universe, rather than claiming to contain absolute fact about this universe. Thus, a lot of the information (such as the biographical or historical) is only to be seen as a possible later interpretation and not the absolute truth of the matter. One could conceivably hold ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' to be canon in this sense while agreeing that some of its information is downright wrong.

⚫ Its ] status is a matter of some dispute: Frank Herbert approved the work, considering it "interesting and entertaining" and reputedly wrote some of it himself and drew on it, but he also did not hesitate to render it erroneous through later developments in his Dune series (the book was compiled and published some time between '']'' and '']''). It is also worth noting that the nature of ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' itself makes it claim to be canon somewhat less than is normal; the book is written as an encyclopedia published in the Dune universe, rather than claiming to contain absolute fact about this universe. Thus, a lot of the information (such as the biographical or historical) is only to be seen as a possible later interpretation and not the absolute truth of the matter. One could conceivably hold ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' to be canon in this sense while agreeing that some of its information is downright wrong.


Many of its ideas go directly against prequel trilogies, written later by ], and ] (Frank Herbert's son): '']'' ('']'', '']'', '']'') and '']'' ('']'', '']'', '']''). Anderson and Brian Herbert use the original notes of Frank Herbert when writing those novels. Many of its ideas go directly against prequel trilogies, written later by ], and ] (Frank Herbert's son): '']'' ('']'', '']'', '']'') and '']'' ('']'', '']'', '']''). Anderson and Brian Herbert use the original notes of Frank Herbert when writing those novels.


Brian Herbert has declared ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' non-canon on the official Dune site, with the consent of Dr. Willis E. McNelly: Brian Herbert has declared ''The Dune Encyclopedia'' non-canon on the official Dune site, with the consent of Dr. Willis E. McNelly:
:THE DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA reflects an alternate "DUNE universe" which did not necessarily represent the "canon" created by Frank Herbert. Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert, writing with Kevin J. Anderson, IS continuing to establish the canon of the DUNE universe. This is being done with the full approval of the owner of the DUNE copyright, the Herbert Limited Partnership. :THE DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA reflects an alternate "DUNE universe" which did not necessarily represent the "canon" created by Frank Herbert. Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert, writing with Kevin J. Anderson, IS continuing to establish the canon of the DUNE universe. This is being done with the full approval of the owner of the DUNE copyright, the Herbert Limited Partnership.


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==See also== ==See also==

* '']'' * '']''
* '']'' * '']''
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* ]'s Dune (conceptional art for a Dune movie that was never made; extremely strange, departs from the original ''Dune'' almost completely) * ]'s Dune (conceptional art for a Dune movie that was never made; extremely strange, departs from the original ''Dune'' almost completely)


== References and external links == ==References and external links==
<references/>
* {{Harvard reference|
Surname=Touponce|
Given=William F.|
Authorlink=|
Year=1988|
Title=Frank Herbert|
Place=Boston, Massachusetts|
Publisher=Twayne Publishers imprint, ]|
ID=ISBN 0-8057-7514-5; PS3558.E63Z89|
URL=}} <!-- Part of Twayne's "United States authors series"; 136 pgs -->
* McNelly, Willis E. ''The Dune Encyclopedia'', October 1984. ISBN 0-552-99131-7 * McNelly, Willis E. ''The Dune Encyclopedia'', October 1984. ISBN 0-552-99131-7
* *

Revision as of 22:05, 18 October 2006

The Dune Encyclopedia is a collection of essays written by 43Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page). fans of Frank Herbert's Dune novels and by Dr. Willis E. McNelly. It was published in 1984 — its first & only edition. No further editions are planned due to copyright issues.

Publication and contents

The Dune Encyclopedia includes many rare Dune-related pictures and drawings. The book is currently out of print and is in great demand by fans. The encyclopedia was written and compiled by Dr. Willis E. McNelly, a friend of author Frank Herbert, and others at California State University. It is a companion to Frank Herbert's classic science fiction series Dune.

With over 536 pages, it describes in great detail many aspects of the Dune universe not found in the novels themselves, such as biographies of the major characters, the languages of Fremen, Galach, and Spacing Guild (including alphabets and pronunciation), and shortened summaries of the plots of novels. The Dune Encyclopedia also includes explanations of the armies, major schools (Bene Gesserit, Mentat, Sword Masters of Ginaz, etc.), and major industries (including Spice), as well as descriptions of future technologies and artwork on the major concepts of the novels.

Canon dispute

Its canon status is a matter of some dispute: Frank Herbert approved the work, considering it "interesting and entertaining" and reputedly wrote some of it himself and drew on it, but he also did not hesitate to render it erroneous through later developments in his Dune series (the book was compiled and published some time between God Emperor of Dune and Heretics of Dune, although Herbert "read large portions of God Emperor of Dune, then in the final stages, to McNelly during the compiling of the volume so that McNelly could keep abreast of developments."Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page).). It is also worth noting that the nature of The Dune Encyclopedia itself makes it claim to be canon somewhat less than is normal; the book is written as an encyclopedia published in the Dune universe, rather than claiming to contain absolute fact about this universe. Thus, a lot of the information (such as the biographical or historical) is only to be seen as a possible later interpretation and not the absolute truth of the matter. One could conceivably hold The Dune Encyclopedia to be canon in this sense while agreeing that some of its information is downright wrong.

Many of its ideas go directly against prequel trilogies, written later by Kevin J. Anderson, and Brian Herbert (Frank Herbert's son): Prelude to Dune (Dune: House Atreides, Dune: House Harkonnen, Dune: House Corrino) and Legends of Dune (Dune: The Machine Crusade, Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, Dune: The Battle of Corrin). Anderson and Brian Herbert use the original notes of Frank Herbert when writing those novels.

Brian Herbert has declared The Dune Encyclopedia non-canon on the official Dune site, with the consent of Dr. Willis E. McNelly:

THE DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA reflects an alternate "DUNE universe" which did not necessarily represent the "canon" created by Frank Herbert. Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert, writing with Kevin J. Anderson, IS continuing to establish the canon of the DUNE universe. This is being done with the full approval of the owner of the DUNE copyright, the Herbert Limited Partnership.

Further reprints of the encyclopedia were not allowed by the Herbert estate and Brian Herbert .

See also

References and external links

Categories: