Frank Herbert's Dune is one of science fiction's most influential and impactful pieces of literature. The political, religious and ecological themes surrounding the story have helped sculpt future novels for generations. That being said, while it's primarily regarded as hugely important to the masses, there's one equally important fantasy writer who had his own differing opinions on the story -- J. R. R. Tolkien.
Tolkien is best known for creating the equally sprawling work, The Lord of the Rings. Like Herbert, Tolkien's contribution to fantasy helped reshape the genre in ways that are still being felt today. As a foundation of high fantasy, the series is told and retold through various outlets. In that sense, Dune and The Lord of the Rings are like cousins due to the importance each work carries.
In 1966, Tolkien wrote a letter to a man named John Bush regarding him obtaining a copy of Herbert's book. When asked about his opinion, Tolkien gave Bush a cordial but blunt description of what he felt. According to the letter, Tolkien prefaced by saying that he finds it impossible for an author to speak about another who works in a similar subject matter. He then adds, "In fact I dislike Dune with some intensity, and in that unfortunate case, it is much the best and fairest to another author to keep silent and refuse to comment." While he is nothing but formal in his writing, Tolkien doesn't leave much to the imagination in regards to how he feels about the book.
Following that letter, Tolkien never elaborated on why he disliked Herbert's book so much, at least not publically. As a result, his feelings on the story can only be speculated. But considering Tolkien was so adept at creating living, breathing worlds with real-world themes, it creates curiosity over why he disliked something equally as layered. It also appears that Tolkien was in the minority, as the series has never lost its appeal and is also getting a new movie released this October.
In Tolkien's defense, Dune isn't for everyone. The series has a lot to say and ultimately covers six books that Herbert wrote. In those stories, themes ranging from the human condition to political morality are discussed in great detail. Action exists but isn't as abundant as the constant plotting between characters culminating in an eye-opening end. To convey these themes and maintain a large audience is hard, and it's entirely possible that Tolkien merely lost interest. However, without him here to say, it all remains in the realm of speculation.
Nevertheless, Dune is just as important as Tolkien's works and is consistently regarded as such. The new film will also be able to reach an even wider audience than ever before. But with it finally being given a modern retelling, it'll be a test to see if Tolkien's feelings on the book will be mirrored by new viewers.
Dune premieres Oct. 22 in theaters and on HBO Max.
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