If you’ve watched the Dune movies, or are simply a big fan of science fiction, you definitely need to check out this complete list of Dune books in order.
The Dune books were originally written by Frank Herbert and were the inspiration for the movies Dune and Dune 2. After Frank Herbert’s death in 1986, it was his son Brian Herbert and author Kevin J. Anderson who took over the reins of the Dune universe. Together, they’ve written over a dozen novels expanding on the world Frank Herbert created.
Below is the complete release order of the Dune books, including both Frank Herbert’s original series and Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson’s follow-up novels.
The Dune saga is vast and complex and so below this publication list, I’ve broken the list down to help you get a better understanding of the reading order. I’ve colour-coded the list so you can see where the series breaks up.
Dune Books in Publication Order
Dune (1965)
Dune Messiah (1969)
Children of Dune (1976)
God Emperor of Dune (1981)
Heretics of Dune (1984)
Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)
House Atreides (1999)
House Harkonnen (2000)
House Corrino (2001)
The Butlerian Jihad (2002)
The Machine Crusade (2003)
The Battle of Corrin (2004)
Hunters of Dune (2006)
Sandworms of Dune (2007)
Paul of Dune (2008)
The Winds of Dune (2009)
Sisterhood of Dune (2011)
Mentats of Dune (2014)
Navigators of Dune (2016)
The Duke of Caladan (2020)
The Lady of Caladan (2021)
The Heir of Caladan (2022)
Princess of Dune (2023)
Dune Books in Order: Original Series by Frank Herbert
For those of you who prefer sticking to Frank Herbert’s original six books, here’s a list of them in order:
Dune Books by Frank Herbert
Dune (1965)
Dune Messiah (1969)
Children of Dune (1976)
God Emperor of Dune (1981)
Heretics of Dune (1984)
Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)
Dune Original Series by Frank Herbert: Synopsis
The first novel, Dune, marks the original starting point, tracing the journey of Paul Atreides from a reluctant heir to a messianic figure known as Muad’Dib among the Fremen.
Dune Messiah, the second novel, unfolds 12 years after the events of the first, exploring the consequences of Paul’s rule across the Known Universe.
Children of Dune, the third installment, picks up nine years later, focusing on Paul’s children, Leto II and Ghanima.
God Emperor of Dune, the fourth book, leaps ahead 3,500 years, where Leto II now reigns as the God Emperor of Dune.
Heretics of Dune, the fifth novel, introduces a fresh narrative set over a millennium and a half after Leto II’s era, as the Bene Gesserit confront a new peril from the Honored Matres.
The sixth and final novel in Frank Herbert’s incomplete series, Chapterhouse: Dune, directly continues from the events of the previous book, delving deeper into the unfolding saga.
Completion of Original Dune Series by Brian Herbery and Kevin J Anderson
Following his death, Frank Herbert’s son Brian and Kevin J Anderson also published two novels that would complete the unfinished storylines of the original series. These books are:
- Hunters of Dune (2006)
- Sandworms of Dune (2007)
Prelude to Dune Trilogy
The Prelude to Dune books serve as prequels to Frank Herbert’s original Dune series, providing background and context to the events leading up to the first novel, Dune. The trilogy consists of the following titles:
- House Atreides (1999)
- House Harkonnen (2000)
- House Corrino (2001)
Legends of Dune Trilogy
The Legends of Dune trilogy is another series of novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the Dune universe. This trilogy serves as a prequel to Frank Herbert’s original series, exploring events that took place thousands of years before the events of Dune. The Legends of Dune trilogy consists of the following titles:
- The Butlerian Jihad (2002)
- The Machine Crusade (2003)
- The Battle of Corrin (2004)
Heroes of Dune
The Heroes of Dune series is a trilogy set in the Dune universe, intended to fill in the story between Frank Herbert’s early Dune novels. The Heroes of Dune novels are:
- Paul of Dune (2008)
- The Winds of Dune (2009)
- Princess of Dune (2023)
Great Schools of Dune
This trilogy acts as another prequel to the original series, but is set after the events in the the Legends of Dune collection. The Great Schools of Dune consists of:
- Sisterhood of Dune (2011)
- Mentats of Dune (2014)
- Navigators of Dune (2016)
The Caladan Trilogy
The Caladan Trilogy is still set before the events of Dune, but takes place after the events of House Corrino in the first prequel series. The Caladan Trilogy consists of:
- The Duke of Caladan (2020)
- The Lady of Caladan (2021)
- The Heir of Caladan (2022)
Complete List of Dune Books in Order
It can be quite confusing to figure out the reading order of the Dune books so hopefully you’ve found this list helpful!