Just got it

[Superdog]

Is the Dune Encyclopedia considered canon? It was approved by Frank Herbert and all, thus having more legitimacy than the "other" Dune novels. I've read there are contradictions but what exactly is contradicted? I was paging through it and most of it seems pretty legit.

I also remember reading that they had a copy on set when the made the Sci-Fi channel original series, and I was amused to find that the Sardukar uniforms were very similar, except that they decided to make the berets the size of a Great Dane for some reason.

[TheDukester]

... except that they decided to make the berets the size of a Great Dane for some reason.

Remember, as often as possible, mention how much you like the hats in the SciFi miniseries. It'll score you big points with the admins.

[Tleszer]

... except that they decided to make the berets the size of a Great Dane for some reason.

Remember, as often as possible, mention how much you like the hats in the SciFi miniseries. It'll score you big points with the admins.

The hats were truly epic.

[Freakzilla]

Keep in mind that the DE was written as an interpretation of archeological finds in-universe and not meant as an actual encyclopedia.

[Superdog]

... except that they decided to make the berets the size of a Great Dane for some reason.

Remember, as often as possible, mention how much you like the hats in the SciFi miniseries. It'll score you big points with the admins.

The hats were truly epic.

The Reverend Mother hats were even better, Mohiam looked like she had a giant butterfly perched on her head.

[SandChigger]

^^^ DING DING DING!!! AND WE HAVE A WINNER!!!


As for the question, it's entertaining and fun but it's not canon by any means.

Like the McDune travesties, it is fan fiction, but with the distinction that the editor (Prof. McNelly) and contributors ACTUALLY LOVED DUNE and were not SIMPLY INTERESTED IN MAKING A FAST BUCK or two off it.

There are some interesting things in it that FH didn't provide answers to, like how the Fremen could be speaking a form of Arabic that remains relatively unchanged after 21,000+ years. Or the idea of the "Oxygen Crisis" (or whatever it's called) that occurs early in Leto's reign as the sandworms die out and the new vegetation hasn't increased sufficiently to provide enough oxygen for the human & animal populations to breathe.

But there's also a lot that's just silly. Like the origins of the sandworms. Or of the BG. Or of the Navigators. (NOT NORMA CENVA AGAIN?!) And I remain relatively unimpressed by McNelly's Butlerian Jihad and its start.

Pick and choose what you like, though, in constituting your own Duniverse.

[Omphalos]

my favorite article is still the one about the giant clams that power the ornithopters.

[SandChigger]

Should we, like, be putting

WARNING: SPOILERS!!!

on these posts?

[Superdog]

Is there anything in it that directly contradicts anything Frank Herbert wrote?

[Freakzilla]

Is there anything in it that directly contradicts anything Frank Herbert wrote?

Not that I can think of. The DE was written as an in-universe archeological discovery between GEoD and HoD and FH gave WM an advanced copy of GEoD I believe for consistancy. So, any contradictions would be with HoD and CH:D.

Being that there's no entries from the latter two books...

[TheDukester]

Among the many great things about the DE: it's far more entertaining than anything Hacky and Whatshisname have ever written about Dune. It's not even that much of a contest, really.

[SandChigger]

Is there anything in it that directly contradicts anything Frank Herbert wrote?

Actually, yes: origin of the sandworms on Arrakis.

[Freakzilla]

Is there anything in it that directly contradicts anything Frank Herbert wrote?

Actually, yes: origin of the sandworms on Arrakis.

I take it you refer to the entry on the Oxygen Saga of Arrakis?

[SandChigger]

I do indeed.