Last Thoughts on Dune

I finished re-reading Frank Herbert's epic novel Dune a few days ago, and had some final thoughts about the book. I asked myself "How would I have done it?"

The book is about the desert planet first and foremost, and so I'd keep that. I'd keep the interstellar intrigue plot, as well. Reluctantly, I guess I would have to leave in the psychic powers. I don't like psychic stuff, but I guess that's the best way to make the spice into the Most Valuable Stuff in the Universe.

The big change that Jim Cambias's Dune would make to Frank Herbert's original is the resolution. I wouldn't have young Paul use his precognitive powers and loyal Fremen warriors to take the throne of the Galaxy. Instead, I would throw a curve ball. 

The problem that the Fremen of Arrakis face is that their planet just happens to produce The Most Valuable Stuff in the Universe. This means that powerful off-world factions like the Houses of Harkonnen and Atreides, the Emperor himself, and the Spacers Guild will always have an interest in controlling the spice production on Arrakis. Basically, the Fremen and Paul must make a bid for power, or else they'll just get a new set of colonial overlords. The Empire and its great noble houses simply can't leave Arrakis alone.

Or . . . can they?

Only the Fremen know the "secret of the spice" — how it is produced as part of the life cycle of the giant sandworms which inhabit the deserts of Arrakis. Curiously, the Empire and other mighty powers who depend on the spice have never bothered to investigate how it's made.

So here's my curve ball: instead of arranging things so that the Emperor comes to Arrakis and then launching a coup against him, Paul works with the spice smugglers to move a series of secret parcels off Arrakis, bound for other desert worlds all over the Galaxy. We assume that the Empire contains other worlds with little or no water — many of them are probably uninhabited, but that's actually a benefit. The smugglers seed these desert worlds with sandworm eggs.

It may take a few years, but in time sandworms — and spice — will be all over the Galaxy! Spice will no longer be scarce, and will be impossible for any one faction to control. Everyone can get access to spice. The price drops by orders of magnitude. It's no longer the Most Valuable Stuff in the Universe, just a useful substance with applications in space travel and medicine.

Paul gets revenge on his enemies. Baron Harkonnen is ruined economically. The Emperor may be, as well. The Spacers Guild are likely to lose their monopoly and thus their own wealth and power. 

And Arrakis? It's now just one of dozens or hundreds of desert worlds where spice can be found. The great powers capable of ruling it are ruined, its chief resource is commonplace. Arrakis gets to be left alone. Paul remains there as a leader of the Fremen, with the woman he loves as his wife.

Naturally, there's likely to be plenty of plots, counter-plots, and the inevitable knife fights. But in the end, I'd write a novel about how economics trumps political power. 

 

 

Comments

[J. Fernando Martin]

Hi

I'm Fernando from Spain and I love Castle of Falkenstein. Last week I found an adventure called "Glass Mountain". Is it yours? If it is... Could I translate to spanish?

Thank you very much.

P.S.: My mail is [email protected] if you want to contact with me.

[Blue Tyson]

Sounds like a good setup for a Dune RPG campaign!

Also saw your City of Supers random encounters table, hadn't seen that one when I did this:

http://cosmicheroes.space/cgi-bin/superherohexcrawl.pl

[which I mined from many sources for inspiration, including some of yours I believe.