Expanded Dune is a term used on the Dune Wiki to refer primarily to Dune novels and short stories written by Frank Herbert's son Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. It also includes Dune reference materials written by anyone other than Frank Herbert.
These above mentioned novels are divided into series, and include:
- The Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy
- The Legends of Dune prequel trilogy
- The two Sequels of Dune
- The Heroes of Dune "interquel" duology
- The Schools of Dune prequel trilogy
- The The Caladan Trilogy prequels
In addition, Expanded Dune also includes Dune short stories by the new authors.
Represent Frank Herbert's Authorized Estate
These newer Dune novels and short stories by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson are canon according to Herbert Properties LLC, who represent the estate that Frank Herbert authorized. The new novels have been commercial successes, and all have appeared on the New York Times Bestsellers lists.
According to the authors, the books are widely based on Frank Herbert's unpublished notes. Time periods before, during, and after Dune, which were brought up by Frank Herbert, such as the Butlerian Jihad and the War of Assassins are explored in these novels. The lives of characters that Frank Herbert may have only mentioned, are fleshed out in their entirety, and new depths and perceptions about integral plotlines and developments are found out.
Lastly, before Frank Herbert's untimely death in 1986, according to his children and heirs, information was left as to what the elder Herbert was writing as a conclusion to Chapterhouse: Dune. These Sequels of Dune, part of Expanded Dune, are considered by many to be the conclusion of the Dune saga.
To many Dune readers, there are simply the Dune books and short stories; and they are written either by Frank Herbert, or his son; Brian Herbert, with Kevin J Anderson. The term "Expanded" Dune is used primarily on this Wiki, and is used to differentiate between the works of Frank Herbert, the publications of his son Brian and Kevin J Anderson, and the Dune Encyclopedia compiled by Dr McNelly.
Expanded Dune sometimes would refer to other materials like:
Canonicity
Many readers consider the books to be widely inconsistent with Frank Herbert's originals - both in tone and subtext, as well as factual detail. Discrepancies range from minor nit-picking, such as the color of lasgun beams, to major revisions of Frank Herbert's core concepts and philosophy, such as changing the nature of the Butlerian Jihad from a crusade against absolutist machine thinking into an actual war against aggressive artificial intelligence.
A possible rationalization of this can be found in 2008's Paul of Dune, where it is strongly implied that Frank Herbert's original Dune was an in-universe document. Paul of Dune suggests that original Dune was written by Princess Irulan Corrino as The Life of Muad'Dib, Volume 1. PoD also implies that Irulan was an unreliable narrator because Paul withheld "irrelevant parts" about his life, especially his childhood.
This suggests that the Expanded Dune books claim higher authority than the originals - which would mean they take place outside the canon of the originals.
- See also: Discrepancies between Dune novels
The Dune Encyclopedia
The Dune Encyclopedia is an in-universe document, published in the year 15540 AG, and written from an in-universe perspective by unreliable narrators.
The Encyclopedia, published in 1984 expanded on topics that Frank Herbert had not gone into detail on. It was compiled and edited by Dr. Willis E. McNelly and written by contributors who were specialists in some fields like astronomy and languages. Frank Herbert approved, but held his "own counsel on some of the issues still to be explored." The DE is adored by many fans, but not considered canonical by Herbert Properties LLC.