The Science of Dune: An Unauthorized Exploration into the Real Science Behind Frank Herbert's Fictional Universe (Psychology of Popular Culture) |  | Creator: Kevin R. Grazier Ph.D.
Publisher: Smart Pop
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
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Seller: Deas
Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 85393
Media: Paperback
Edition: illustrated edition
Pages: 232
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 0.6
ISBN: 1933771283
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781933771281
ASIN: 1933771283
Publication Date: December 11, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
With Sandworms of Dune—the last title in the bestselling Dune science fiction series—due to be released in August 2007, sci-fi fans wanting to brush up on their Dune trivia and analyze the books from a fresh viewpoint will be able to do so with this definitive reference. Delving into the world of Dune, this guide offers fascinating scientific speculation on topics including physics, chemistry, ecology, evolution, psychology, technology, and genetics. It also scrutinizes Frank Herbert’s science fiction world by asking questions such as Is the ecology of Dune realistic? Is it theoretically possible to get information from the future? Could humans really evolve as Herbert suggests? and Which of Herbert’s inventions have already come to life? This companion to the Dune series is a must-have for any fan who wants to revisit this science fiction world and explore it even further.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 6
 Science in science fiction! January 28, 2008
Sheryl Parsons (USA)
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
Who knew? The book is a mostly informative/entertaining compendium of essays on the science really found in Dune. Did Herbert really mean to have science in the canon? Who cares! It's there to be had. The don't miss essays are the Stars of Dune (with mileage charts) and My Tleilaxu Eyes (the most creative essay in the book). Pick it up, give it a read and enjoy the science!
A Dune nerd's wet-dream September 25, 2008
M. Torres (Lawrence, KS United States)
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
Do you like Dune? I mean...do you REALLY LIKE Dune? No no...I mean do you like it so much that you've sat around and wondered about how a stillsuit would work, or whether or not a drug like the spice could actually exist? Or how a sandworm is even possible (if at all)? Better yet, have you ever posted on a message board about these things? If you answer yes to any of these last few then you're a huge nerd and this book is for YOU.
An interesting collection of essays May 11, 2009
Greg A. Tirevold (Atlanta, GA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is really a collection of essays by various authors about topics of the Dune setting. Obviously, with so many authors the books lacks a single unifying tone or mood as some essays use more humor than others, others are more narrow in focus, etc. The result can be "uneven" especially when read in a couple of sittings.
I think my favorite essay was on "Melange" and the way the author Dr. Carol Hart relates it to LSD and other mind altering drugs is interesting approach. Very much a "you get out of it what you put into it" sort of situation. I also liked the deconstruction of the Stillsuit by John C. Smith. As an engineer I had always wondered about the thermodynamics of the device and was interested in seeing if someone had a plausible method for allowing it to function.
You don't need much "Dune" experience to understand and enjoy this book. If you have read the first novel, seen the movie or Sci-Fi channel mini-series you will know enough to relate to the essays.
Do sandworms have sex? April 10, 2010
D. J. Nardi (Washington, DC)
You'll find the answers to these and other questions in The Science of Dune: An Unauthorized Exploration into the Real Science behind Frank Herbert's Fictional Universe (Science of Pop Culture series). The book is a fun romp for fans of the Dune series. Scientists combine knowledge of terrestrial science and the Dune saga to try to fill the gaps left by Frank Herbert. At the very least, the book will give Dune fans a greater appreciation of the saga and new insights into the story (I thought the speculation on sandworm biology adds a neat twist on how spice is made). I wouldn't say the essays work well. Some don't contribute much to understanding Dune at all, but rather seem to be a primer on certain scientific fields. At other times, I thought the discussion was less than complete. For example, the chapter on biology did't even discuss the possibility of lower gravity or increased oxygen in the atmosphere as possible solutions to the problem of sandworm size (indeed, the latter seems to have contributed to the rise of dinosaurs). I'd recommend reading only those chapters that really interest you - not necessarily the entire book cover to cover.
 No 'thopters? November 7, 2009
zenheadache
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Granted, ornithopters are not exclusive to the Dune universe, but they are such a prominent part of the technological background that it's hard to imagine a book on the science of Dune omitting them. Yet somehow this book manages to do it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 6
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