title: Dune: House Harkonnen
author:  Brian Herbert 
description: Don't even think about reading <i>House Harkonnen</i> without reading its predecessor <i><a href="/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553110616/${0}">Dune: House Atreides</a></i>; anyone who does so risks sinking in the sands between Frank Herbert's original <i><a href="/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441172717/${0}">Dune</a></i> and this prequel trilogy by Herbert's son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson. The purist argument that had Frank Herbert wanted to go backwards he would have done so is, at least in part, negated by the sheer narrative verve, and by the fact that Anderson and Brian Herbert manage to pull some genuine surprises out of this long-running space-opera. <i>House Harkonnen</i> is a massive book, and there are places where it becomes plot heavy, but in following the story of Duke Leto Atreides and the conflicts with House Harkonnen, the authors succeed in spinning a gripping adventure while going off in some unexpected directions. Anderson, who has written many successful Star Wars novels, has noted his particular admiration for <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>, and his desire to emulate that film's dark take on the genre. In <i>House Harkonnen</i>, the conflict encompasses the tragedy of nuclear war, marked by grief and horror, vengeance and torment, and all while the complex intrigues continue to unfold. As one character puts it:
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  # Pelicans, Piers and Poison
  
  
  ### Dune House Cozy Mystery Series
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Cindy Bell
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 1](part0003.html#2RHM0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 2](part0004.html#3Q280-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 3](part0005.html#4OIQ0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 4](part0006.html#5N3C0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 5](part0007.html#6LJU0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 6](part0008.html#7K4G0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 7](part0009.html#8IL20-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 8](part0010.html#9H5K0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 9](part0011.html#AFM60-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 10](part0012.html#BE6O0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 11](part0013.html#CCNA0-7e5e4f2e383b4c8ea1f388299881124b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 12](