One thing I liked about Dune is how Mohiam's "human stuck in a trap" metaphor basically describes the plot of the book: Dune is a trap laid by the Harkonnens, and Paul pretends to be dead for years until he can kill them.
I forget the exact details, but the “trap” was basically that the Harkonnens launched a massive attack, like a ridiculously huge attack, they hired so many ships it required a bankruptingly huge loan that would take decades to pay off, a risk that the Atreides didn’t see coming and were wiped out by.
but why did it need to be launched against Arrakis? wouldn’t the exact same attack have completely ruined the Atreides back when they were based on Caladan?
space-wizards said: I assume because that would let them snag the ridiculously important/lucrative planet as well? it’s been a while since I read the book.
but the Harkonnens already had Arrakis, it was only them vacating it that allowed the Atreides to take possession! although I can’t remember if the Emperor ordered them to do it, but then again if the Emperor is okay with them launching a violent assault to retrieve it and also lends his own Sardaukar… oh wait yeah it was the Emperor that laid the trap, the Harkonnens were just his witting accomplices and the Atreides knew it was coming but underestimated the seriousness, okay now it makes more sense.
Please, this book sounds like a lazy metaphor for US foreign policy in the Middle East. Oh, the desert country has the precious natural resource? The bad guys can’t just occupy it, so they install a stooge government, but then they lie in wait for a pretext to invade again with billions of dollars worth of fire and fury and occupy them with world approval? Hell, they even named the place Arrakis/Iraqis.
When was it written? After 2003, right?
this analysis would work if Jeb goes native Arab instead of native Hispanic, then when George Bush invades he unexpectedly comes out on a camel and leads ISIS to victory over the United States.