20/39
Whether they’re exploring the stars, escaping dystopias, or making the world a better place, these women are what science fiction is all about. The Great Schools of Dune trilogy is a collection of short stories written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. A prequel to the original Dune, it tells how the Sisterhood of Rossak evolved into the Bene Gesserit. The incident in which Valya Harkonnen used her voice comes from a film called Mentats of Dune. All three books intertwine the evolution of the Sisterhood, the Mentats, the Navigators, and the Suk doctors. This spin-off is more like Game of Thrones than Dune. Still, Dune: Prophecy is everything I hoped it would be and more. It’s a great spin-off of a popular film series. First, I have to say that I have neither read the source material nor seen the original film. My experience with Dune is based on the two Dune movies that have come out in recent years, starring Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya. These two movies (especially Dune: Part 2) are some of my favorite movies I’ve seen in recent years. I absolutely love both of them, so I had high expectations for this series. Dune: Prophecy is a series set 10,000 years before the Dune movies, and is about how the Harkonnen sisters formed the Bene Gesserit while battling forces that threaten the future of humanity. The series may feel more like Game of Thrones than Dune, but either way, it’s very entertaining. The most important thing about this show is that it does exactly what it’s set out to do: deepen our understanding of the Bene Gesserit. You don’t need to have seen the two Dune movies to enjoy this one, but you’ll definitely enjoy it more if you have.
