spoiler BJ last part about earth

[Emperor Harkonnen]

I just finished reading BJ today. when will the next book come out?

and there is something I found strange, first the books says in the 5th last chapter: "But that would fade and eventually Earth would recover and return to life" but later in the same chapter Xavier thinks this: "Even if the machines were destroyed, no human would ever live on earth again"

so whats up with that? will the planet be inhabitable later or will it not?

[exatreide]

[hide] They nuke earth to hell. Its uninhabiltal due to the huge amounts of radiation, and the little thing called nuceular winter! in the later dune books it said earth was reseeded and set back as a park or holy land.[/hide]

:)

[Emperor Harkonnen]

but the radiation will only last for a few hundred years...and then life will florish again. they didn't nuke the whole surface did they? only machine strongholds

[GhostHunter]

Perhaps, but until the few hundred years pass there will be no life at all on Earth. Sad to say though, that the novels neglected to heavily mention what would happen to Earth AFTER the nukes (Referring to the FH saga of books) so I guess we'll just have to wait...

[Emperor Harkonnen]

well actually if you look on the appendix of dune you will read that all the great religions gathered on Earth after the butlerian Jihad to discuss some stuff.

[Grallon]

Humm this has always bugged me.  Leto II refers to Earth a number of times as a lost world.  This can mean it's location is lost or it's been obliterated.  So what happened to the Home World ?!  Renamed ? 

G.

[NHJ BV]

I think the amount of radiation caused by the carpetnuking of the earth in the BJ would last more like thousands of years. At least it will take more than just a few hundred years to make the planet inhabitable again. By the time Dune takes place, however, it should indeed have recovered.

[Leto le Juste]

Keep in mind that at the end of the BJ, all the human slaves of Earth were killed by the Machines. So earth became a symbol of the Butlerian Jihad, a cimetiary. So nobody 'd like to live in a cimetiary......

[TMA_1]

I think it is wonderful that frank rarely mentioned earth. I think that it goes away from the typical sci fi books that make earth a focal point for humanity. I think the earth is a pointless topic in the dune universe.

I think from reading that earth has been forgotten, like leto II said. THat after thousands of years of moving from planet to planet, and because of the butlerian jihad and whatnot, the earth is just another planet of possibly millions, among many galaxies, so that nobody knows where earth is anymore.

[Grallon]

You'd think that in a universe so permeated by religion - Mother Earth would have been used as a powerful religious symbol - especially after a nuclear holocaust (*if* that was Frank's idea...).  The cradle of life - sacrificial images - etc.

Contrary to TM-1 - it bother's me greatly it wasn't more central.  Which reminds me that when I first read the novels I thought Dune WAS a post nuclear Earth - until I learned it was one of Canopus' planets.

G.

[TMA_1]

I think it bothers people because past sci fi has always centered on earth or earth-like concepts. I like that Dune doesnt.

[Vanguard3000]

I agree with TMA.  I find it very interesting that Earth has, for the most part, been left behind, save a few relics like "Cottages at Corderville".  I think it aptly symbolizes the evolution of humanity as a civilization.

it also represents the exploratory nature of the Dune series.  Be it space, time, or some metaphysical plane, exploration is a big part of Dune.  And sometimes exploration requires us to leave that which we know behind.  I am reminded of an interesting quote, whose speaker/authour is unkniown to me:

"The Earth is the cradle for the mind.  But one cannot remain in the cradle forever."

[Emperor Harkonnen]

I also think it is cool that earth does not have a central role in dune. then it is even more special when they speak about it. it seems so distant.

[jav barri]

I think the dune novels are like earth but split up over different planets, Caladan-sea, giedi prime-industrial, dune-dessert, that snow planet in the prequels can't remember the name of, ix-computerised, ginaz-islands, rossak-jungle, i'm sure theres more. oh and the next books out in september arrrgh can't wait.

[Leto le Juste]

I quite agree jav. Each planet has a caracteristic of earth and the Imperium is earth: each planet represents a country of earth. I think wa can observe it : Giedi Prime=USSR, Ix=ASEAN, Dune=The Third World, Caladan=Europe.. For USA= Kaitain or CHOM, I don't know

[Emperor Harkonnen]

well I don't think you can generalize it as you do Leto. I also think it is a good thought that every part represents some climate on earth.

but every planet does not symbolize one country present day.