Dune is a classic of science fiction literature today and has also produced successful films. However, a famous fantasy writer had no use for Frank Herbert’s epic.
If you ask genre fans about the two most important books in the areas of fantasy and science fiction in the 20th century, the answers will often be “The Lord of the Rings” and “Dune.”
While J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic was published in 1954/55, “Dune” (in German “Der Wüstenplanet”) by Frank Herbert followed from 1963 to 1965.
Shortly thereafter, Tolkien got his hands on a copy of the science fiction novel. A friend sent it to him, probably to find out what the great fantasy master thought about it.
A Polite Hater
What did Tolkien think about “Dune”? From a letter to his friend John Bush from 1966, it is evident that Tolkien received the novel from him (published in “Tolkien’s Library: An Annotated Checklist”, via x.com). Previously, he had also received a copy from a fellow writer.
In the letter, Tolkien keeps it brief and shares his clear opinion:
It is impossible for an author who is still writing to do justice to another author working in a similar field. At least, that is how I feel. In fact, I do not like ‘Dune’ at all, and in this unfortunate case, it is best and fairest for another author to remain silent and refrain from any comment.
Tolkien’s view of Frank Herbert’s book is quite clear, even though he unfortunately does not reveal the details that led to his aversion. He was simply a gentleman and too polite to criticize his fellow writer at length.
What could be the reason for the aversion? From here, we enter the realm of speculation. However, looking at the two main works of the authors, “The Lord of the Rings” and “Dune”, several fundamental differences quickly stand out.
Tolkien clearly divides his world into good and evil. The latter must, of course, be fought against by heroes who can at most be led astray by a great power like the One Ring.
In “Dune”, Herbert, on the other hand, presents a much more ambivalent world. There is no classical division into good and evil. Politics, economy, and especially religion are used to gain power. It is difficult to describe Paul Atreides as a classic hero who exploits the fanaticism of the Fremen as a messiah to take vengeance.
Perhaps it was the more cynical tone of the story that displeased Tolkien. The truth is something we will probably never know, unless a letter from the author surfaces that elaborates on his opinion. What do you think could be reasons for Tolkien’s aversion? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. A film adaptation of Dune that unfortunately never made it to theaters would have been particularly curious: The craziest Dune movie was never made, but still influenced many other sci-fi films like Alien
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