Dune Book Series: Reading Order Guide

Frank Herbert's groundbreaking 1965 sci-fi epic Dune ignited readers' imaginations with its intricate political machinations and expansive world-building. While Herbert himself authored only six Dune novels, the franchise has grown exponentially under the stewardship of his son Brian Herbert and co-author Kevin J. Anderson. The saga now spans 23 canonical novels covering 15,000 years of lore. With Dune: Messiah adaptations coming soon, here's your essential guide to navigating this monumental series.

The Complete Dune Timeline

The Original Frank Herbert Novels

• Dune
• Dune Messiah
• Children of Dune
• God Emperor of Dune
• Heretics of Dune
• Chapterhouse: Dune

Prequel Era

The Butlerian Jihad trilogy establishes the 10,000-year backstory:

• The Butlerian Jihad
• The Machine Crusade
• The Battle of Corrin

The Schools of Dune trilogy explores the rise of key institutions:

• Sisterhood of Dune
• Mentats of Dune
• Navigators of Dune

Prelude to Dune

This trilogy bridges the gap to Frank Herbert's original:

• House Atreides
• House Harkonnen
• House Corrino

The Caladan Trilogy

Focuses on Paul Atreides' family prior to the original Dune:

• The Duke of Caladan
• The Lady of Caladan
• The Heir of Caladan

Mid-Saga Expansions

• Princess of Dune
• Paul of Dune
• The Winds of Dune

Conclusion of the Saga

Brian Herbert and Anderson completed Frank's vision:

• Hunters of Dune
• Sandworms of Dune

The Dune Universe Expands

With the massive success of Denis Villeneuve's films and the new Max series Dune: Prophecy, this sci-fi universe continues growing. The gaming world will soon see Dune: Awakening, an open-world survival MMO launching in 2025. Villeneuve's Dune Messiah adaptation is targeted for late 2026.