God Emperor of Dune
Author: Franklin "Frank" Patrick Herbert Jr (1920-1986)
Year: 1981
Publisher: G P Putnam's Sons
Place: New York
Description:
411 pages. Octavo (9 3/4" x 5 1/2") bound in original publisher's quarter black cloth with gilt lettering to spine over grey boards in original pictorial jacket. The jacket is designed by Brad Holland. Inscribed by the author. First edition.
God Emperor of Dune is the fourth book in the Dune series which starts the second trilogy. This is a first edition, first printing which is a hardcover with a black spine and dark gray boards. On the jacket price $12.95, the number 8105 on the bottom left and "SBN 399-12593-0" on the bottom right of the front flap. On the copyright page, ISBN 0-399-12593-0, and the 1981 copyright year with no other printings. Inscribed by Frank Herber on the title with his name marked through by him.
In God Emperor of Dune, Frank Herbert analyzes the cyclical patterns of human society, as well as humanity's evolutionary drives. Using his ancestral memories, Leto II has knowledge of the entirety of human history and is able to recall the effects and patterns of tyrannical institutions, from the Babylonian empire through the Jesuits on ancient Earth, and thus builds an empire existing as a complete nexus encompassing all these methods. This galactic empire differs from the historical tyrants in that it is deliberately designed to end in destruction, and is only instituted in the first place as part of a plan to rescue humanity from an absolute destruction which Leto II has foreseen through his oracular visions. Leto II personally explores the emergent effects of civilization, noting that most hierarchical structures are remnants of evolutionary urges toward safety. Thus, by forming a perfectly safe and stable empire, Leto II delivers a message to be felt throughout history.
Condition::
Signed and inscribed "For Jodi" on the title page by Frank Herbert. Back head corners gently bumped, a few spots to rear endpapers, bookplate to front pastedown, a bit of soiling to edges. Jacket light edge wear with a few minuscule chips or tears, some sunning to spine else very good in a better than very good jacket.
