Frank Herbert Books in Order

Frank Herbert spent six years writing Dune. Twenty-three publishers rejected it. Chilton Books, known for auto repair manuals, finally said yes in 1965. The book won both the Hugo and Nebula awards and became the best-selling science fiction novel of all time. Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1920, Herbert had already lived several lives before Dune. Newspaper reporter, photographer, oyster diver, jungle survival instructor. He attended the University of Washington but refused to graduate, taking only classes that interested him. At eight years old, he reportedly stood on a table and announced he wanted to be an author. He sold his first story at seventeen. The idea for Dune came from an article he never finished. In 1957, Herbert flew to the Oregon coast to research how the Department of Agriculture was using European beach grass to stabilize sand dunes. He became obsessed with the ecology of desert environments, which led to Arrakis. The book took shape over years of research into ecology, religion, politics, and the psychology of charismatic leaders. Herbert wrote five Dune sequels: Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune. He was working on a seventh book when he died in 1986 from a pulmonary embolism. His wife Beverly had died two years earlier from lung cancer, and Herbert had remarried in 1985. His son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have since written numerous prequels and sequels using notes Frank left behind. The original six novels remain the core of the series for most readers.

All Frank Herbert Book Series

Author portrait

Frank Herbert

Born: 1920

Frank Herbert spent six years writing Dune. Twenty-three publishers rejected it. Chilton Books, known for auto repair manuals, finally said yes in 1965. The book won both the Hugo and Nebula awards and became the best-selling science fiction novel of all time. Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1920, Herbert had already lived several lives before Dune. Newspaper reporter, photographer, oyster diver, jungle survival instructor. He attended the University of Washington but refused to graduate, taking only classes that interested him. At eight years old, he reportedly stood on a table and announced he wanted to be an author. He sold his first story at seventeen. The idea for Dune came from an article he never finished. In 1957, Herbert flew to the Oregon coast to research how the Department of Agriculture was using European beach grass to stabilize sand dunes. He became obsessed with the ecology of desert environments, which led to Arrakis. The book took shape over years of research into ecology, religion, politics, and the psychology of charismatic leaders. Herbert wrote five Dune sequels: Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune. He was working on a seventh book when he died in 1986 from a pulmonary embolism. His wife Beverly had died two years earlier from lung cancer, and Herbert had remarried in 1985. His son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have since written numerous prequels and sequels using notes Frank left behind. The original six novels remain the core of the series for most readers.

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