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Cover of Dune: House Harkonnen
Preludes · about 17 years before Dune

Dune: House Harkonnen

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Duke Leto, Baron Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam test each other

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Not required. It sits outside the official timeline and only shows up in Everything mode.

Where it falls in the order

  • Main storynot included
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  • Everything8 of 9
BeforeDune: House AtreidesAfterDune: House Corrino
Spoilers for this title

Quick recap

Eighteen years after Shaddam becomes emperor, he and Count Fenring bet on a synthetic spice the Tleilaxu are developing on Ix. On Caladan, Duke Leto is pressed by his concubine Kailea, who wants marriage and a future for their son, Victor. Jessica arrives, a Bene Gesserit with Harkonnen blood she knows nothing about. Kailea tries to kill Leto, but the attack kills Victor, and she takes her own life. Leto and Jessica fall in love. Among the Harkonnens, the Baron suffers from a mysterious illness, and Rabban murders his own father, Abulurd, earning the nickname the Beast. On Arrakis, young Liet Kynes carries on his father's work. Gurney Halleck escapes Harkonnen slavery and swears loyalty to the Atreides.

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3 what changed in the movie

What changed in the movie

  1. ReferenceWhy Rabban is the Beast

    The book shows how Glossu Rabban earns the nickname the Beast: he murders his own father, Abulurd. He's the Rabban Dave Bautista plays in the films.

    source ↗
  2. ReferenceHow Gurney joined the Atreides

    Gurney Halleck, enslaved and tortured by the Harkonnens after they take his sister, escapes and swears loyalty to House Atreides. It's the origin of Josh Brolin's Gurney.

    source ↗
  3. ReferenceIt became a comic too

    BOOM! Studios adapted the book in 12 issues, scripted by the authors. The series wrapped in January 2024.

    source ↗
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