Things really take shape when Scytale meets the greatest sweeper of all Sietch Tabr, Farok. We get to settle down for a dark tale from the jihad in chapter 3. Any time Scytale is present the intrigue gets kicked up to a ten. By the time the baliset ends and the darts have flown, we are left trying to figure just what the plan is. Episode Guide 01:00 Chapter Summary 01:42:15 Face Dancers 02:33:25 Edric’s Etymology on Onomatology 02:45:15 Distrans Need More to Read? “Hyperion” by Dan Simmons

Arrakis. Dune. Desert Planet. It's good to be home. We check in on Paul with chapter 2. While Paul’s with Chani we get to see good ol’ Usul from the block, but the fedaykin comes out when Irulan is around. Once more he readies to walk into the corrida. We see his free will slip away as terrible purpose emerges yet again. Leaving us with just one question: what is the price? Episode Guide 03:20 Chapter Summary 01:43:55 Lady Chani of House Atreides 02:01:50 Edric’s Etymology on...

We’re digging into the conspiracy and the conspirators this week in chapter 1! We get to meet two of the most mysterious factions in Dune right off the cielago; a Guild Steersman and a Bene Tleilaxu Face Dancer. They outline their plans, and bring Irulan into the fold. We get lost in the possible foreshadowing. Episode Guide 04:05 Chapter Summary 01:47:20 Tleilax 02:25:50 Edric’s Etymology on Onomatology Need More to Read? “The Gunslinger” by Stephen King, Book One of the Dark Tower Series

We’re back! Mike and Derek are cracking open Dune Messiah and continuing the saga of Paul Atreides. Before we can get deep in the story, Frank has a prologue to set the stage. A certain Ixian has a lot of spoilers to share. We hope you’re all ready to come along for a wild ride. Will Mike fill that Piter shaped hole in his heart? Will Derek find a hill to die on? Will Giovani come back from retirement? Hit play to find out!

We're not ready to leave Dune just yet. In this special retrospective, Mike and Derek look back on the major events and players in Dune. We talk about the overarching themes, alternate histories, and the plot lines Frank lost track of. Then we unpack chaos theory in Dune, and its echoes throughout the series. Featuring: “Plots within Plots...Patterns within patterns” Chaos Theory Concepts in Frank Herbert's Dune Novels by Donald Palumbo

Mike and Derek are ready to close the book on this one. We rejoin the imperial negotiations just in time for kanly. Paul sees his chance to enter the corrida and takes it with “harlequin abandon”. Count Fenring, after all Derek’s build up, finally has his moment in the spotlight. We take our time examining where all the pieces land when Paul claims total victory over the universe... -Red rover, red rover -Dueling Haderachs -Fremen Imposters -Apollo...Ah-Paul-Oh! Episode Guide 04:05 Chapter...

We are staring down an oil lens at the end of the book. Paul had gathered everyone, fremen and sandworm alike, along the shield wall for one last battle. When the storm hit, Paul left his mark on the shield wall and history. The day of maximum struggle. Everyone begins to make their way down, and we see Paul stop by the radio operator. By the look on his face and the muffled words from the speaker, we know it's all bad news... -Hotel Sardaukar -Atomic Semantics -Don’t test the Great...

Detective Chani arrives in style because she's allowed to use a thopter. We meet her with Otheym and get her caught up on the last thirty days. Inside, Jessica makes Chani jump through some formalities for no real reason before we get to Paul. Chani solves the problem in about the same amount of time that Jessica wasted. Paul steals the scene when he wakes up though; the Kwisatz Haderach has arrived. We eavesdrop with Otheym at the doorway and hear Paul’s plan... -Oh I get it, Cave of...

We get deja vu as Paul deals with the Stilgar matter yet again. He does have that fancy piece of paper this time though. With little resistance the room burst into “Ya hya chouhada! Muad’Dib!” in no time. Paul gives us a signal to follow him and Jessica for a reunion with Gurney Halleck. The tension of the encounter is undercut by Paul’s odd entrance, but he uses that great control to keep us focused on the matter at hand. Gurney’s knife. Threats are exchanged, feelings are shared, and a bond...

Ladies, this chapter for you. Mike and Derek stick out like a city stillsuit in the southern sietch. Jessica invites us in and offers us cushions. We get to meet Alia for the first time, and see a whole new side of Harah. Honestly, it's just nice to focus on issues other than Paul for a bit. Alia brings the room to tears when she recounts her awakening. Once the evening prayer begins we don't have much to contribute, so we step back and talk... -“I deliberately did this.” -Bootleg Adab...

The Fenring's take us as their plus one to Feyd's birthday extravaganza. We get to mingle with some terrified nobles before grabbing box seats with the Baron. It takes us some time to unravel each character's plan. Distracted by the intrigue, Derek loses track of which blade holds the poison. Impressed that Mike did not, Hasmir refills our glasses and hums… -Baron Blunders -Leto's favorite conspiracy -Thufir's got skin in the game -Then the Gurney Game speeds up Episode Guide 05:15 Chapter...

An urgent distrans from everyone's favorite Cielago.

Set your glow globes to yellow because it's fight night at Cave of Riches! The Caladan Kid steps into the ring with the Angry Arrakeen. Mike and Derek got front row seats for this one. Jamis is determined to throw down, and won’t let Jessica or Stilgar deter him. The tension is thick but at the same time everyone gets caught up in the moment. Crysknives clash and the fight is on. We cheer Paul on with Farok and Shimoon. They explain the customs to us and let us get into... Derek’s unfinished...

We're not at sietch yet, but we set up camp at Cave of Riches with our new Fremen allies. Jessica and Stilgar take a sidebar to further negotiate her position in the tribe. Eavesdropping with the rest of the troop, we get the feeling Stilgar just wants to put up the doorseal. Then things get weird. Jessica gets everyone caught up in prayer and prophecy. We turn to Paul and... Paul how you doing buddy? Sirat, am I right?!, Spicy edibles, Derek's selling Jamis hard, Then a gooey Gurney is...

With chakobsa and kung-fu Jessica takes control of a delicate situation. Mike and Derek brush up on their glossary game while a flurry of words are exchanged. Once Jessica orders Paul to climb down, it seems she's won us passage with the Fremen after all. Plans and expectations are shifting like the dunes. Before long Stilgar has us packing up and marching out single file. We take one look back at Fairyland and crack open a literjon. Farrukh joins us for a lively talk about... Judo Chop!...