# Frank Herbert

> A newspaperman from Tacoma who spent years on a desert-planet epic that about twenty publishers turned down, then saw it become one of the best-selling novels in science fiction.

- Science-fiction novelist · Dune
- Known for: *Dune* (1965) and its five sequels; Britannica says *Dune* has sold about 20 million copies, more than any other science-fiction book.[1]
- Born: October 8, 1920
- Died: February 11, 1986
- Last updated: 2026-11-14
- Editorial review: approved 2026-11-15
- Web page: https://authorbackstories.com/classic/frank-herbert/
- Reading list (PDF): https://authorbackstories.com/classic/frank-herbert/reading-list.pdf

## Featured book: Film due Dec. 18

*Dune Messiah* (1969). The second Dune novel, first published by Putnam in 1969, follows Paul Atreides as emperor while a conspiracy forms inside his own circle.[9][10] Denis Villeneuve's *Dune: Part Three*, which adapts it, is due in theaters on December 18, 2026.[15]

## At a glance

- Born: Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr., October 8, 1920, in Tacoma, Washington[4][1]
- Education: Attended the University of Washington after the Second World War but did not graduate[4][6]
- Day jobs: Reporter, photographer and editor on West Coast newspapers; political speechwriter in the 1950s[3][2]
- Full-time novelist: From the end of 1972[4]
- Died: February 11, 1986, in Madison, Wisconsin, aged 65[1][6]
- Major award: Nebula Award for Best Novel, 1965, for *Dune*[2]
- Major award: Hugo Award for Best Novel, 1966, for *Dune*[6]

## Frank Herbert's Backstory

### Early life

Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. was born on October 8, 1920, in Tacoma, Washington.[4][1] Kirkus Reviews says he decided to become a writer at eight, and as a teenager he wrote for the *Tacoma Ledger*.[6] In 1938 he moved to Salem, Oregon, to live with an aunt and uncle, and he finished high school there in 1939.[2]

### Newspapers and the Navy

He worked for newspapers up and down the West Coast as a reporter, photographer and editor, among them the *Oregon Statesman*, the *Seattle Post-Intelligencer* and the *San Francisco Examiner*.[3][2] He joined the Navy in 1942 and was discharged after a head injury, then attended the University of Washington without graduating.[4][6] His first science-fiction story, "Looking for Something," appeared in *Startling Stories* in 1952, and his first novel, a submarine thriller, was published as *The Dragon in the Sea* in 1956.[6][3] In the 1950s he also wrote campaign speeches for Oregon Republicans.[2]

### Dune

The novel began with research for an article about a U.S. Department of Agriculture project planting grasses to hold back drifting dunes near Florence, Oregon.[6][2] The article was never finished, but the material led to a desert planet he named Arrakis.[2][4] *Analog* serialized "Dune World" from December 1963 to February 1964 and "The Prophet of Dune" in 1965.[6] Publishers repeatedly turned down the book, which editors found too complex, until Sterling E. Lanier of Chilton Books, a company known for auto-repair manuals, bought it.[2][7][6] Chilton published *Dune* in 1965; it won the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award, which it shared with Roger Zelazny.[7][2][4]

### The sequels

Sales built slowly, helped by Ace's paperback, and by the time *Children of Dune* appeared in 1976 the series was a bestseller.[7][6] He wrote six Dune novels in all, ending with *Chapterhouse: Dune* in 1985, and many other novels, among them *The Dosadi Experiment* and three books with Bill Ransom.[1][3] He lectured at the University of Washington in the early 1970s and became a full-time novelist at the end of 1972, later dividing his time between Hawaii and Port Townsend, Washington.[3][4]

### Later years and death

He married three times; his second wife, Beverly, with whom he had two sons, including the novelist Brian Herbert, died in 1984.[6][4] He died on February 11, 1986, in Madison, Wisconsin; Kirkus and Wikipedia report the cause as a pulmonary embolism after surgery for pancreatic cancer.[1][6][4] Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have continued the Dune saga since 1999, beginning with *Dune: House Atreides*.[1]

## Fun facts

- He sold his first story, a Western, under a pen name when he was 17.[2]
- *Dune* grew out of research for a magazine article on a federal project to stop sand dunes near Florence, Oregon, from drifting; he chartered a plane to see them, and the article was never finished.[6][2]
- Chilton, which was known for auto-repair manuals, printed 2,200 copies of *Dune* as its first novel.[7]
- He was paid a $7,500 advance for *Dune*.[6]
- Sales were slow at first, and the Chilton editor who bought the book, Sterling E. Lanier, was dismissed.[7][8]
- Ace's 1967 paperback of *Dune* cost 95 cents.[6]
- In the 1950s he wrote speeches for Oregon Republicans, including Senator Guy Cordon's reelection campaign.[2]
- While researching *Soul Catcher*, he burned his first draft and rewrote it.[2]
- In 2019 Tacoma opened the Dune Peninsula and the Frank Herbert Trail.[4]

## Books

In order of first publication; each series is kept together in reading order.

Titles and first-publication years from the Contemporary Authors bibliography on Encyclopedia.com, checked against Tim O'Reilly's bibliography and Wikipedia; books published after his death are from Wikipedia.[3][5][4]

- 1956: *The Dragon in the Sea* (Novel). His first novel; also published as *Twenty-first Century Sub* and *Under Pressure*.[3] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Dragon%20in%20the%20Sea%20Frank%20Herbert)
- **Dune** (series, 6 books, 1965–1985). Read in publication order.[12]
  - 1965: Book 1, *Dune* (Novel). Won the Nebula and Hugo awards.[2][6] ISBN 9780441013593. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780441013593) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780441013593)
  - 1969: Book 2, *Dune Messiah* (Novel). The basis for *Dune: Part Three*.[15] ISBN 9780593201732. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780593201732) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780593201732)
  - 1976: Book 3, *Children of Dune* (Novel). ISBN 9780593201749. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780593201749) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780593201749)
  - 1981: Book 4, *God Emperor of Dune* (Novel). ISBN 9780593201756. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780593201756) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780593201756)
  - 1984: Book 5, *Heretics of Dune* (Novel). ISBN 9780593201763. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780593201763) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780593201763)
  - 1985: Book 6, *Chapterhouse: Dune* (Novel). ISBN 9780593201770. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780593201770) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780593201770)
- **Destination: Void** (series, 4 books, 1966–1988). *Destination: Void* was followed by three novels written with Bill Ransom.[3][4]
  - 1966: Book 1, *Destination: Void* (Novel). Revised edition published in 1978.[3] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Destination%3A%20Void%20Frank%20Herbert)
  - 1979: Book 2, *The Jesus Incident* (Novel, with Bill Ransom). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Jesus%20Incident%20Frank%20Herbert)
  - 1983: Book 3, *The Lazarus Effect* (Novel, with Bill Ransom). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Lazarus%20Effect%20Frank%20Herbert)
  - 1988: Book 4, *The Ascension Factor* (Novel, with Bill Ransom). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Ascension%20Factor%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1966: *The Eyes of Heisenberg* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Eyes%20of%20Heisenberg%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1966: *The Green Brain* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Green%20Brain%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1968: *The Heaven Makers* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Heaven%20Makers%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1968: *The Santaroga Barrier* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Santaroga%20Barrier%20Frank%20Herbert)
- **ConSentiency** (series, 2 books, 1970–1977)
  - 1970: Book 1, *Whipping Star* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Whipping%20Star%20Frank%20Herbert)
  - 1977: Book 2, *The Dosadi Experiment* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Dosadi%20Experiment%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1970: *New World or No World* (Anthology (editor)). Interviews on the environment, which he edited.[3][5] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=New%20World%20or%20No%20World%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1970: *The Worlds of Frank Herbert* (Story collection). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Worlds%20of%20Frank%20Herbert%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1972: *Soul Catcher* (Novel). Nominated for the National Book Award.[2] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Soul%20Catcher%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1972: *The Book of Frank Herbert* (Story collection). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Book%20of%20Frank%20Herbert%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1972: *The Godmakers* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Godmakers%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1973: *Hellstrom's Hive* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Hellstrom's%20Hive%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1973: *Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience* (Nonfiction). A companion to a documentary about the Navy's Blue Angels flight team.[5] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Threshold%3A%20The%20Blue%20Angels%20Experience%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1974: *The Best of Frank Herbert* (Story collection). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Best%20of%20Frank%20Herbert%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1980: *Direct Descent* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Direct%20Descent%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1980: *The Priests of Psi* (Story collection). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Priests%20of%20Psi%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1981: *Nebula Awards Fifteen* (Anthology (editor)). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Nebula%20Awards%20Fifteen%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1981: *Without Me You're Nothing: The Essential Guide to Home Computers* (Nonfiction, with Max Barnard). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Without%20Me%20You're%20Nothing%3A%20The%20Essential%20Guide%20to%20Home%20Computers%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1982: *The White Plague* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20White%20Plague%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1985: *Eye* (Story collection). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Eye%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1986: *Man of Two Worlds* (Novel, with Brian Herbert). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Man%20of%20Two%20Worlds%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 1992: *The Songs of Muad'Dib* (Poetry). His poetry, edited by Brian Herbert after his death.[3] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Songs%20of%20Muad'Dib%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 2012: *High-Opp* (Novel). Published after his death.[4] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=High-Opp%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 2013: *A Game of Authors* (Novel). Published after his death.[4] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Game%20of%20Authors%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 2013: *Angels' Fall* (Novel). Published after his death.[4] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Angels'%20Fall%20Frank%20Herbert)
- 2014: *A Thorn in the Bush* (Novel). Published after his death.[4] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Thorn%20in%20the%20Bush%20Frank%20Herbert)

## Latest news

- Nov. 17, 2026: Ace is publishing a movie tie-in paperback of *Dune Messiah* for *Dune: Part Three*, on sale November 17.[11]
- Mar. 17, 2026: Warner Bros. and Legendary released the first trailer for *Dune: Part Three*, Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of *Dune Messiah*, set for release on December 18, 2026.[15]

## Adaptations and other media

### Film

- *Dune* (1984). Based on *Dune*. A Universal Pictures film written and directed by David Lynch, with Sting as Feyd-Rautha.[13]
- *Dune* (2021). Based on *Dune*. A Warner Bros. film directed by Denis Villeneuve, released as *Dune: Part One*.[13]
- *Dune: Part Two* (2024). Based on *Dune*. Villeneuve's second film, continuing the story of *Dune*.[13]
- *Dune: Part Three* (2026 (scheduled)). Based on *Dune Messiah*. Announced by Warner Bros. and Legendary for December 18, 2026, directed by Villeneuve, who co-wrote it with Brian K. Vaughan.[15][14]

### Television

- *Frank Herbert's Dune* (2000). Based on *Dune*. A Sci-Fi Channel miniseries.[13]
- *Frank Herbert's Children of Dune* (2003). Based on *Dune Messiah*, *Children of Dune*. A Sci-Fi Channel miniseries covering *Dune Messiah* and *Children of Dune*, with James McAvoy as Leto II.[13]

### Video and tabletop games

- *Dune and Dune II* (1992). Based on *Dune*. Two 1992 computer games, *Dune* and the strategy game *Dune II: Battle for Arrakis*.[16]
- *Dune: Awakening* (2025). Based on *Dune*. An open-world multiplayer survival game from Funcom, which reported more than 189,000 concurrent players in its first weekend on Steam.[17][16]

## Myth and record

- Claim: *Dune* was turned down 23 times before Chilton took it, as Kirkus Reviews puts it.[6]
  The record: No count is settled: Britannica says 20 publishers, the Oregon Encyclopedia says 22, and Wikipedia says nearly twenty.[1][2][4]

## Timeline

- Oct. 8, 1920: Born in Tacoma, Washington.[1]
- 1942: Joins the U.S. Navy; a head injury leads to a medical discharge.[4][2]
- April 1952: His first science-fiction story, "Looking for Something," appears in *Startling Stories*.[6]
- 1956: His first novel, *The Dragon in the Sea*, is published by Doubleday.[3]
- Dec. 1963: *Analog* begins serializing "Dune World."[6]
- 1965: Chilton Books, a publisher of auto-repair manuals, publishes *Dune*.[7][6]
- 1966: *Dune* wins the Hugo Award for Best Novel.[6]
- 1969: Putnam publishes *Dune Messiah*.[9]
- 1976: *Children of Dune* is published and becomes a bestseller.[6]
- 1984: David Lynch's film of *Dune* is released by Universal.[13]
- 1985: *Chapterhouse: Dune*, the last Dune novel he wrote, is published.[1]
- Feb. 11, 1986: Dies in Madison, Wisconsin.[1][6]
- 2006: Inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.[2][4]
- 2021: Denis Villeneuve's *Dune* is released by Warner Bros.[13]
- Dec. 18, 2026: *Dune: Part Three*, adapting *Dune Messiah*, is scheduled to open in theaters.[15]

## What came after

*Dune: Part Three* is scheduled for December 18, 2026.[15] His son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson continue the saga in their own novels, drawing on his notes.[4][1]

## Sources

1. [Frank Herbert](https://britannica.com/biography/Frank-Herbert). Encyclopaedia Britannica. (reference)
2. [Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. (1920–1986)](https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/herbert-frank-and-the-dune-series/). The Oregon Encyclopedia (Oregon Historical Society). (reference)
3. [Herbert, Frank 1920–1986](https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/herbert-frank-1920-1986). Encyclopedia.com (Contemporary Authors). (reference)
4. [Frank Herbert](https://wiki.neonvagabond.xyz/content/wikipedia_en_all_maxi_2024-01/A/Frank_Herbert). Wikipedia (January 2024 copy). (reference)
5. [Frank Herbert bibliography](https://oreilly.com/tim/herbert/biblio.html). Tim O'Reilly. (reference)
6. [Frank Herbert's Epic Dune Series](https://kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/frank-herberts-epic-dune-series). Kirkus Reviews. (news)
7. [How to Fix Your Ornithopter: The Unlikely Publishing History of Dune](https://sfwa.org/2024/02/27/how-to-fix-your-ornithopter-the-unlikely-publishing-history-of-dune/). Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. (website)
8. [Nobody Wanted To Publish Dune Except A Car Repair Manual Company](https://jalopnik.com/dune-was-originally-published-by-a-car-repair-manual-co-1847940372). Jalopnik. (news)
9. [Herbert, Frank (1969) 'Dune Messiah', US signed first edition](https://www.firstandfine.com/?p=20091). First and Fine (rare book dealer). (website)
10. [Dune Messiah](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/342568/dune-messiah-by-frank-herbert/paperback). Penguin Random House. (primary record)
11. [Dune Messiah (Movie Tie-In)](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/854497/dune-messiah-movie-tie-in-by-frank-herbert/). Penguin Random House. (primary record)
12. [Dune series](https://penguinrandomhouse.com/series/AU8/dune). Penguin Random House. (primary record)
13. [Every Dune Movie And TV Show Adaptation, Ranked](https://www.slashfilm.com/1551074/every-dune-movie-tv-show-adaptation-ranked). /Film. (news)
14. [Dune: Part Three: Release date, plot, cast & everything we know](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/everything-we-know-about-dune-messiah). Space.com. (news)
15. ['Dune 3' Trailer: Timothée Chalamet Is Back for a Grand Finale](https://www.thewrap.com/?p=7981160). TheWrap. (news)
16. [Dune Awakening Will Feature Music From The Classic Dune And Dune II Games](https://worthplaying.com/article/2025/4/3/news/145679-dune-awakening-will-feature-music-from-the-classic-dune-and-dune-ii-games-trailer). WorthPlaying. (news)
17. [Over 189,000 Concurrent Players: Dune: Awakening Begins on The Golden Path](https://pr.funcom.com/Over-189000-Concurrent-Players-Dune-Awakening-Begins-on-The-Golden-Pat). Funcom. (primary record)