4.2 Is "The Dune Encyclopedia" canon?
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This article is from the Dune FAQ, by Alan Schwartz with numerous contributions by others.
4.2 Is "The Dune Encyclopedia" canon?
_The Dune Encyclopedia" was published in 1984, between "God Emperor of
Dune" and "Heretics of Dune", as a companion piece to the Dune
Chronicles. It was presented as the interpretation of the information
found in the Rakis hoard (first mentioned in "God Emperor of Dune_) by
fictional historians two thousand years after the action of "God Emperor
of Dune" (again, some time before the action of "Heretics of Dune_).
Because of this pretext, many entries in the book were intentionally
made inconsistent with the information given in the Chronicles, to
represent misinterpretation of the data by historians and manipulation
of the records by Leto II.
_The Dune Encyclopedia" was compiled and partially written by Dr. Willis
E. McNelly, a long-time friend and associate of Frank Herbert's. The
other articles were written by various of Dr. McNelly's colleagues and
acquaintances. No part of the book, except the prologue, was written by
Frank Herbert. However, Frank Herbert read and approved every entry
before inclusion in the book. The book was also created on Frank
Herbert's initiative. As stated in his prologue, he thoroughly approved
of it.
Still, the fact remains that the book does not reflect Frank Herbert's
ideas on Dune. No instance of him adopting a "Dune Encyclopedia"
invention has been demonstrated, and on some points (the axlotl vats,
the Harkonnen badge) later novels in the Chronicles contradict it beyond
the power of the book's fictional origins to explain away.
Where "The Dune Encyclopedia" directly conflicts with the Dune
Chronicles, whether attributable to the historians who supposedly wrote
it or not, it is politely ignored. Where it fills in the holes of Frank
Herbert's novels, though, attitudes vary. Some refuse to consider it
altogether, while others tend to apply as much information from it as
possible without contradiction.
As Dr. McNelly himself replied: "Of course the DE is not canon, and of
course it IS canon."
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