One of my favorite science fiction story is Frank Herbert’s Dune. It is science fiction tale about politics, religion, and the most precious commodity in the Dune Universe. They called it Melange or Spice. And it comes from only one planet: The Desert Planet of Arrakis or Dune.
Spice allows humans to see in the future and the fold space and time. Thus allowing humans to travel across the known Universe of Dune.
Without the Spice, which comes from the Giant Worms of Dune, civilization would collapse hence the term the spice must flow. And he who controls the spice controls the universe,
It is probably the first science fiction novel I read that effectively mirrors our world. In fact in our world there are several types of melange there is our food, water and of course the most obvious is black gold or what we know petroleum and oil.
It is not an inexhaustible supply, And in fact in the Dune Novels the Atreides monopoly on spice is their power base , well among other things – including their power as the oracle or the Kwisatch Haderach Paul Atreides and as the God-Emperor Leto Atreides II.
Then there are also interesting characters from the Sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit and the different leaders of the noble houses. Of course there are the standard characters like human computers/strategists called Mental like Thufir Hawat and Duncan Idaho, soldiers like Gurney Halleck and Ecologists Pardot Kynes.
Kynes was on of the first characters to imperial in still suits, The Desert Plant is a harsh world where everything needs to be conserved Water was one of them.
Fremen the people of Dune learned to respect and conserve their resources.
There are probably a few SF stories thahas elements of religions, politics and science – in particular ecology are combined.
A very good book read. At least the one written by Frank Herbert.
Similarities and A Contest
In Dune and in Earth we must learn to use or resources wisely. When driving a car. It would be best to travel when there is zero to light traffic – early morning or laate at midnight. One saves time and money. Hmm that is my tip.
Incidentally, ou might be interested in the Shell Eco Marahon project featuted in TopGear and contest by Pilipinas Shell called, Are you the Smartest Philippines Driver? or Fuel Saving Tips.
For complete details and mechanics, log on to www.topgear.com.ph and click through the Shell Eco-marathon tab
