Dune was first published in two parts by Analog magazine. Shortly thereafter, Frank Herbert began efforts to publish it as a stand-alone book. 23 different publishers rejected the novel, finding it too confusing, with a slow plot. The author persisted, however, and was eventually contacted by Sterling Lanier of Chilton Books, a publisher known for automobile manuals. ¹⁾

Readers who picked up Dune generally fell in love with the book. The exception was the critics. Science fiction in the mid-20th century was dominated by tales of adventure and laser battles in space. Then comes Dune, with its distinct lack of action and a distaste for technological advancement. Who would want to read something like that? Earlier, critics rebuked Herbert for placing action scenes in subtext and focusing on cause and consequence instead of aliens and UFOs. Even today, both readers and critics misread and misrepresent parts of this novel. ²⁾

As the outline and idea for Dune took shape, Herbert realized that his story was too vast to be told with a single book. He established a certain framework for what would appear in the first part and deleted the remaining passages that did not fit the narrative. Some of these texts ended up in Messiah of Dune and Children of Dune. ³⁾

Alejandro Jodorowsky's film Dune was one of the most influential in the sci-fi world but was never filmed. Production consultants included Salvador Dali, H.R. Giger, The WHO, and screenwriter Steve O'Bannon. With the concept sketches recovered, it is clear that the work would have been truly visually spectacular. Unfortunately, no studio has agreed to give the team financial support. It is said that a Jodorowsky-directed Dune film would be one of the greatest works of all time. ⁴⁾

The surprising, cheesy ending is a deliberate effort by the author. The pace of the first novel is deliberate and slow. There are not many action scenes, instead, there are many internal monologues of the characters. The finale, however, turns everything upside down. Instead of a breathtaking, intellectually challenging ending, there are fights, murders, and dramatic encounters. This was a deliberate decision by Frank Herbert, who wanted the book's finale to contrast sharply with the earlier narrative, to give readers a sense that more could be 'squeezed out of the story. ⁵⁾