Dune

Politics, religion, ecology, and the struggle for power are set against this dramatic background. When the Harkonnens betray the Atreides family, Paul is catapulted into a battle that not only forces him to run through treacherous political landscapes but also demands him to take up his predestined role as the prophesied leader of the Fremen, native inhabitants of Arrakis.

The novel sorts out the complexities of Paul’s new powers, the weight of his role, and the moral dilemmas involved as he struggles with the outcome and consequences of his actions on a planetary level. It touches on issues concerning messianism and the balance between leadership and responsibility and then further into the ecological picture of human action and its consequence on the environment.

Well known for his excellent world-building and incisive philosophical inputs, “Dune” is one of the seminal works in science fiction, and many authors were influenced by this novel and subsequent adaptations. The book is profound and offers dense characters, an engrossing plot, and discussion of deep themes that earned it a place in literature as a classic.