Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 3: The Prophet by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Frank Herbert, Raúl Allén and Patricia Martén (graphic novel review)

‘Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 3: The Prophet’ is the third and final instalment in the graphic novel adaptation of Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’, probably the best-selling Science Fiction novel in the world. As before, the script by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert comprises the thoughts and dialogue of the characters, taken from the original book. They have left the art to convey the scenery and action, a good choice for this medium.

That art is by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín and tells the story efficiently with occasional ruffles and flourishes. Pages 20 and 22-24 have the panels inside silhouettes of the heads of the lead characters. In the previous volume, the pictures were sometimes obscured by colouring everything in a single hue, either red or blue according to the characters involved but, except for the first few pages set on the Harkonnen homeworld, that’s not done here. The art is better for it. The colour tones are not vibrant or bright, but the beige effect suits the story setting of a desert world.

The evil Harkonnens have ousted the forces of Duke Leto Atreides and are now in control of Arrakis. Governor Rabban works the population hard to increase spice production. The Space Guild pilots use the spice or melange, made by the giant desert worms, to navigate between the stars and the Empire couldn’t run without it, so it’s the most valuable and profitable substance in the galaxy. Baron Harkonnen must cope with an assassination attempt by his nephew and heir, Feyd-Rautha, but, apart from that, he believes everything is going well. He even has Thufir Hawat, the Atreides Mentat serving him, poisoned with something to which the Baron has the only antidote.

Little does he know that the Duke’s son, Paul Atreides, survived his coup of Arrakis and is now leader of the desert Fremen, while his mother, Jessica, trained by the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, has become their Reverend Mother. The Bene Gesserit are experts in religious indoctrination and dirty fighting. Their techniques have enabled the Prophet Paul to forge the Fremen into a fanatical force ready for a bloody Jihad. The elite soldiers of Emperor Shaddam IV, the Sadaukar, drawn from survivors of a harsh prison planet, Salusa Secundus, are reckoned to be the toughest troops in the galaxy. Few know that the Fremen are tougher or how many Fremen there are tucked away in the deep desert. Paul is aided by his sister, Alia, a terrifying child born with the memories of all her ancestors because Jessica took spice while she was in the womb.

I won’t spoil the plot for those who don’t know it. The principal theme of ‘Dune’, it seems to me, is that the strong survive and the weak are conquered. To become strong, you need harsh conditions. Luxury makes you weak. Of course, once your tribe has conquered everyone else and become rich, they fall into the way of decadence and softness and get away with it for a while, but are inevitably supplanted by another bunch of tough barbarians. Technology makes a difference to this, of course, but probably just delays the inevitable. The worrying thing about this theory is that, although it’s not very nice, it might well be true. Are we Saxon softies soon to be conquered by rough Russians? Who knows?

Either way, ‘Dune’ is a terrific story and very digestible in graphic novel form. There are nearly 200 pages in this hardback edition, a good, solid read on high-quality paper. Adaptors Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson and the artists have done an excellent job and the whole three-book collection is now available as a boxset in time for Christmas. The themes of peace and goodwill to all men are somewhat absent but it will make a fine gift anyway for the Science Fiction fan in your life, even if that’s you.

Eamonn Murphy

December 2025

(pub:‎ Abrams ComicArts, 2024. 200 page graphic novel hardback. Price: £35.00. ISBN:‎ 978-1-41974-947-6. Ebook Price: £ 5.99 (UK))

check out website: https://abramsandchronicle.co.uk/products/9781419784538?_pos=2&_sid=fa45c5bf8&_ss=r