his editors and written a novel at a length of most paperbacks during the mid-1960s — roughly 20,000 words. Letters of Dune This collection of letters details the trials and tribulations that Frank Herbert went through to have Dune published in Analog magazine and later by Chilton Books. The letters detail how he was encouraged to cut the length of the novel and to ease up on his descriptions of Paul Atreides's prescient powers. "They Stopped the Moving Sands" "They Stopped the Moving Sands" is an uncompleted article about how sand dunes were held in place by specially designed grasses. The article was never published, but was the impetus for Frank Herbert writing Dune. Missing chapters from Dune and Dune Messiah Also included in The Road to Dune are deleted chapters and alternate scenes from the first two novels in the Dune chronicles, Dune and Dune Messiah. These include alternate and extended scenes between Paul and Reverend Mother Mohiam, between Paul and Dr. Yueh, between Paul and Thufir Hawat, between Paul and his father Duke Leto Atreides, the passage to Arrakis on the Spacing Guild heighliner, the escape from Arrakeen and between Paul and a muad'dib mouse. The Dune Messiah scenes include a new chapter between Alia Atreides and Duncan Idaho, a new introduction and a discarded ending that features the death of the conspirators Edric, the Reverend Mother Mohiam and possibly Princess Irulan at the hands of a Fremen mob incensed by Paul Atreides' death. Short stories The Dune short stories "A Whisper on Caladan Seas", "Hunting Harkonnens", "Whipping Mek", and "The Faces of a Martyr" by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson are included in this collection. The story "Dune: Sea Child", originally published in Elemental, a 2006 benefit anthology for children who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, is also included in the paperback edition of Road to Dune. References Books based on Dune (franchise) 2005 books Works by Frank Herbert Works by Kevin J. Anderson Novels by Brian Herbert Tor Books books