After you've read the first 3 or 4 Dune books, it is very interesting to read Encyclopedia to understand the world-building that Herbert did to make Dune such a monumental achievement. DO NOT read this before you have read, or while you are reading, those books at least once on their own. It will ruin the experience.

little confused but need of time is I should say something about this book. No doubt it is not a master peice but rather than an enjoyable topic-oriented book. Love the plot and the rest.

An absolute necessity for any true Atreides vassal. I had a copy of this rarest of tomes, had it stolen by a roommate in college, then by pure chance, found a copy at a very tiny (and sparse) book sale in the neighborhood. Need I say more?

If you find one of these, keep it. If you're over my house, steal it if you can. I would totally understand. :)

I did read this. I lost my copy and I must find another one now. Please anyone who can put me in the right direction to obtain another I would appreciate your advice.

I remember checking this out at the library many, MANY times in my childhood. I probably read it as often as I read the Dune Chronicles!

This comprehensive companion to Frank Herbert's Dune novels is an invaluable resource for enthusiasts and scholars alike. I was fortunate to discover a copy at my local library.

Authored as an authentic in-universe encyclopedia, this meticulously crafted book took eight years to complete. It features thousands of detailed entries and cross-references, accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations. Readers can explore an extensive array of topics, including characters, organisations, planets, ecology, weapons, transportation, and the intricate history of the Dune universe.

I hunted for this book for years and ended up just giving up ever reading it. Then one day, at a yard sale, I found it wedged between 2 Danielle Steel pieces of crap. I grabbed it and it was like pulling Excalibur from the stone, it shone in the light as I lifted it up above my head and laughed. It was in great condition and looked like it had never been opened in its 30 years. Secretly I smiled as I went to the owner with my precious and other items when she said, "Oh, just take whatever books you want. They're going in the trash if no one takes them by the end of the day."

JOY!!!! I got 'The Dune Encyclopedia' FOR FREE! After I stopped shaking in my car, I picked it up and became engrossed in the history and back story of one of my all time favorite novels, happily forgetting I was blocking someone in the parking lot until the horn honking pulled me back to reality.

Some of the people and places, events and actions are created by McNelly, but with the approval of Frank Herbert. I would much rather read The Encyclopedia than any of the tripe that Herbert Jr. and Anderson the hack spew out on a yearly basis. Speaking of Danielle Steele level of writing...

Good reference book to keep the story going and refer back to

The reviews by Terence, Andrew and Teggan say much better than I can how great the Dune Encylopedia is. There are some factual errors that unfortunately have gained traction, and were perpetuated by Brian Herbert. [Simon's premise is wrong. The DE is obviously fan fiction, not a collection of Frank Herbert's notes and compiled into a 'source document.'] I also like that T, A and T recognize Brian Herbert's prequels and sequels as tripe. I would go further and say they are a betrayal of his father's work. He may, indeed, have found some of his father's notes after his death (or he may not have...), but that's where any similarity to the Dune universe ends. Brian has none of his father's depth of imagination. His stories are facile, contrived and trite. There are way too many examples to pick just one or two. In addition, he and his co-writer Anderson don't write very well, unlike Frank Herbert. The thing that bothers me the most, though, is that many people have read Brian's works and think they are canon. This is truly depressing. (Often, these same people believe David Lynch's Dune is a good adaptation of the book, but that is a question for another review.). The Dune Saga, Frank Herbert's six books, is one of the greatest literary feats of humankind. To think of Brian's works as part of the Dune accomplishment diminishes that greatness in ways that are hard to overstate. I only hope Denis Villanueve's screenplay follows the original Dune, in scope and underlying intent, as he has promised. I have some trepidation. It's an extremely difficult book to adapt. But I'll be there on opening day!

Good map to the Dune universe. Well done for pulling t all together.

I am unabashedly a fan of the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, in particular the first Dune book which I read for the first time when I was a freshman in high school. Since then, I have read Dune at least once a year. I have also enjoyed the largely panned 1984 David Lynch movie and the SciFi Channel miniseries.

A wonderful less known work, however, is The Dune Encyclopedia compiled by Dr. Willis E. McNelly. The book is no longer in print and no longer (and arguably never) considered canon by the Herbert Estate. The book holds a unique position, however, since it was authorized by Frank Herbert and he wrote a forward in which he stated:

I must confess that I found it fascinating to re-enter here some of the sources on which the Chronicles are built. As the first “Dune fan,” I give this encyclopedia my delighted approval, although I hold my own counsel on some of the issues still to be explored as the Chronicles unfold.

The Encyclopedia was published in 1984 between God Emperor of Dune (book 4) and Heretics of Dune (book 5) and thus Herbert’s forward was prophetic: the later books do not completely mesh with the information in the Encyclopedia. (And the expanded universe novels by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert explicitly contradict it.) Some who have enjoyed the depth in the Encyclopedia retcon this by stating that since the Encyclopedia was written in-universe in 15540 AG and many of its sources were from facts colored by propaganda, the encyclopedia was accurate as known by people of the time.

The Encyclopedia is exactly that: an alphabetical listing of people, events, organizations, and unique items in the Dune universe. What makes the book so charming is that McNelly gathered more than 30 contributors to write the entries, each with a differing style and depth. Clearly, he found botanists, political scientists, historians, economists, scientists, linguists, and other creative writers to expand upon the material found within Herbert’s books. What this does is create a depth and a witty, clever collaborative effect to the entries.

To give an example of some of the entries:

* There are multiple entries on one of the key characters in the book, Paul Atreides. One is almost a fairy tale or a mythological story about how he got his name, complete with genies which clearly shows how historical personages can be mythologized over time and distance. A second entry is a research report written that disputes that Paul ever existed as purported (complete with research footnotes). A final entry attempts to rationalize his prescient ability using a philosophical bent and the scientific method.

* Entries on the political entities (Landsraad, Sardaukar, Great Houses, Great Convention) invent a back history to describe how the tenuous arrangement came to be over thousands of years. Invented emperors, battles, Great Houses, and events are sprinkled throughout the entries to create an aura of authenticity.

* The entry on the face dancers is extremely creative. Evidently a biologist or a physician was involved as it explains physiologically how (with some advanced scientific knowledge) face dancers could be created from standard humans.

For me, this book is a never-ending fun read and I often pick it up and browse a few pages. I always find something new.

Great resource for anyone wanting to really "get" the Dune series.