Mahdi asks, Kevin J. Anderson answers

[Mahdi]

Please note: To fully understand the whole e-mail, I suggest you read the topic "Q&A with Kevin J. Anderson, as my e-mail was written in reply to it.

The Q&A:

1) Now that the miniseries has aired, can you tell us what you and Mr.

Herbert thought of it?

Brian and I thought the miniseries was a faithful adaption of the book and hope

that it will bring many more readers.

2) Was Victor Atreides a character created by yourself and Mr. Herbert or

was he created by Frank Herbert?

(Not Answered, I will ask again next time)

3) I can find no mention of the Barons desease in Dune, it seems there that

his being fat was a mixture of genes (Rabban was gaining weight) and

over-excess. Was it Frank Herbert who thought that was a good idea after it

was in Lynch's movie, or did you and Brian Herbert add it?

(Not answered, I'll ask again next time)

4) How far have the two of you gotten in writing Dune 7 and the Butlerian

Jihad trilogy?

Book 1 of the Butlerian Jihad is currently in the 2nd draft stage

5) What do you say to those fans who are worried that writing Dune 7 may be

a bad idea?

Regarding Dune 7: Dune fans have waited 16 years for Dune 7. We have Frank

Herbert's complete outline for the novel, and the story needs to be completed in

the way the Frank intended.

6) "If you're reminded of Star Wars at any point in this miniseries, just

remember that Dune reached book form in 1965, and ponder how long it took

George Lucas to file off all the serial numbers. -- Paul"

This Paul is a columnist for Science Fiction weekly and is not the first to

voice this opinion. As someone who has wrote both Dune and Star Wars

novels, have you noticed any simularity between the two

universes?

Star Wars was heavily influenced by Dune. There is a significant crossover

among the fans of Star Wars and Dune. I think that my numerous SW novels gave

me a good background in writing a galactic story with the scope of Dune. (My favourite answer of all the Q&A's:))

8) This is from my boss at Fed2k, Jesse Ried: Have you played any of the

Dune games and what did you think of them?

We have not played any of the Dune games. Our time and creative energy is

completely involved in writing the new novels.

Mahdi's full e-mail:

Thanks for your reply Mr. Anderson, I never expected you or Mr.

>Herbert to answer me personally, I thought that if anyone answered at all it

>would be a member of your staff paid to do this and this alone. I'm

>probably pushing my luck, but I've added a few more questions at the bottom

>of this e-mail. I'm also wondering about a few of your answers to the last

>set of questions.

>

>

>

> Throughout House Atreides and House Harkonnen virtually everyone has

>lasguns or pistols. Thufir used it to kill the bull, the Vernius Guards used

>them in the rebellion, Thufir smuggled in a pistol to Leto when he was in

>jail, the saudakur gaurds all carried lasguns, in House Harkonnen the Ginaz

>were attacked with lasguns and projectile weapons which were called archiac

>weapons in Dune and no one ever seems to have a shield, which virtually

>everyone had in Dune, which is why knives and swords were used. It may not

>have been your intent but to a lot of people it seems that projectile

>weapons and lasguns are replacing knives and swords.

>

> Also, the next question I asked dealing with the novels was how you

>explained the discrepancies, you said that there were none when according to

>my knowledge and that of other fans there were a few (but then again we dont

>have Frank Herberts notes, so maybe what we think are discrepancies are

>explained in them). Some of these discrepancies include Duncan Idaho's

>sister who is mentioned in God Emperor of Dune (page 25 1983 Berkley

>paperback edition) who wasn't mentined at all in House Atreides or Harkonnen

>and another being the way in which Gurney's sister died. Now I don't have a

>copy of Dune with me, but i beleive that it said she died in some unknown

>Harkonnen pleasure house, not that she was brutally raped and murdered

>before his eyes in a slave pit.

>

>

> I may be pushing my luck a bit with this, but I am wondering if you

>could answer a few more questions from me and other staff

>members at fed2k?

>

>1) Now that the miniseries has aired, can you tell us what you and Mr.

>Herbert thought of it?

>

>2) Was Victor Atreides a character created by yourself and Mr. Herbert or

>was he created by Frank Herbert?

>

>3) I can find no mention of the Barons desease in Dune, it seems there that

>his being fat was a mixture of genes (Rabban was gaining weight) and

>over-excess. Was it Frank Herbert who thought that was a good idea after it

>was in Lynch's movie, or did you and Brian Herbert add it?

>

>4) How far have the two of you gotten in writing Dune 7 and the Butlerian

>Jihad trilogy?

>

>

>5) What do you say to those fans who are worried that writing Dune 7 may be

>a bad idea?

>

>6) "If you're reminded of Star Wars at any point in this miniseries, just

>remember that Dune reached book form in 1965, and ponder how long it took

>George Lucas to file off all the serial numbers. -- Paul"

>

>This Paul is a columnist for Science Fiction weekly and is not the first to

>voice this opinion. As someone who has wrote both Dune and Star Wars

>novels, have you noticed any simularity between the two

>universes?

>

>7) Do you think writing Star Wars has helped you with Dune?

>

>

>8) This is from my boss at fed2k, Jesse Ried: Have you played any of the

>Dune games and what did you think of them?

>

>Thats it for now, thanks again for taking the time to read these and

>answering them (hopefully).

Kevin J. Andersons full e-mail:

Dear William,

Sorry it took so long to respond, but you have asked a lot of questions.

To answer them:

Brian and I thought the miniseries was a faithful adaption of the book and hope

that it will bring many more readers.

Book 1 of the Butlerian Jihad is currently in the 2nd draft stage

Regarding Dune 7: Dune fans have waited 16 years for Dune 7. We have Frank

Herbert's complete outline for the novel, and the story needs to be completed in

the way the Frank intended.

Star Wars was heavily influenced by Dune. There is a significant crossover

among the fans of Star Wars and Dune. I think that my numerous SW novels gave

me a good background in writing a galactic story with the scope of Dune.

We have not played any of the Dune games. Our time and creative energy is

completely involved in writing the new novels.

Sincerely,

Kevin J. Anderson