Dune Talk for Sci-Fi Exhibition in Auckland

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I’m excited to be giving an in-person talk at Auckland Libraries on Thursday, February 27, 2025 on Frank Herbert’s Dune as a special feature in their Other Worlds exhibition of science fiction materials from their collections. This is a chance to gain a better appreciation of how Herbert crafted this incredible world using real-world cultures and models, and how the key themes in this story are still relevant to us today. I’ll also be selling copies of my books if you want to grab a signed copy. 🙂 Free event – come along if you’re in town and also check

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Teens and Dune

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A good proportion of teens seem interested in learning more about Frank Herbert’s Dune, especially younger ones in the prime demographic for encountering this science fiction classic. Oh, to be discovering and reading Dune for the first time – that experience certainly shaped my life! Following on from my recent presentations on the novel Dune to several junior high/high school classes (thanks to those who responded to my post about what to cover :), I wanted to report back on what teens had questions about and what piqued their attention the most. There were some basic questions like how long

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teen students wearing uniforms in library (generated by Firefly)

What do teens want to know about Dune

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I’ve been invited to give some talks on Dune to students at a local junior high and high school, so this has me wondering: what do teens want to know about Dune? I’ve done plenty of talks on this subject, but typically my audience is adults, usually at university, so I want to make sure I’m pitching my presentation at the right level. I don’t want to talk down to them, but I also want to be accessible and get them interested in reading this epic science fiction text if they haven’t already. This is a pivotal time in their

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Ryan Doherty's article for Inverse on Dune sequel adaptations

Commentary in Inverse article on Dune adaptations

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Rory Doherty in Should Denis Villeneuve Make More Dune Sequels? Dune Scholars Aren’t So Sure for Inverse interviewed me and others about potential future sequel adaptations of Dune. I find interesting that people are praising the films for supposedly changing ‘nothing characters’ into something, but also not minding the downplaying or erasure of others such as the Mentats and Guild. It’s also interesting how journalists continue to have a much broader definition of who qualifies as an expert or scholar and tend to draw from their own media pools. Academics may be harder to get a hold of but there is

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Dune Imperium Uprising game on table

Review: Dune Imperium Uprising Game

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My review of the Dune: Imperium Uprising board game from Dire Wolf is up at Dune News Net. This updated version of the original Dune: Imperium game adds new elements such as sandworms and spies and incorporates visuals from the Dune: Part Two film. It’s a fun way to immerse yourself in the Dune universe and its politics and intrigue through gameplay.

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