Mentats of Dune

Mentats of Dune, a 2014 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, takes place in Frank Herbert’s Dune universe. It is the second installment of the Great Schools of Dune prequel trilogy, which follows the Legends of Dune trilogy. The story is set about 80 years after the events of Dune: The Battle of Corrin (2004) and tracks the early formation of the Bene Gesserit, Mentat, Suk, and Spacing Guild institutions, all under threat from rising anti-technology factions in the wake of the Butlerian Jihad.

The plot follows several threads. Prince Roderick Corrino worries that the growing power of Manford Torondo’s Butlerian forces endangers his brother, Emperor Salvador. Industrialist Josef Venport clashes with Torondo, whose actions disrupt Venport’s businesses. Gilbertus Albans fears for his Mentat School on Lampadas—and the hidden thinking machine Erasmus—as Torondo becomes bolder. When Gilbertus refuses to make his Mentats swear loyalty to the Butlerians, his school is invaded, his past as a machine sympathizer is exposed, and Torondo executes him. Anna Corrino escapes with Erasmus. A riot sparked by Torondo kills Roderick’s daughter. Salvador seizes Venport’s lucrative melange operations on Arrakis, prompting Venport to use the planet’s giant sandworms to orchestrate the Emperor’s assassination.

Raquella Berto-Anirul has rebuilt her Bene Gesserit school on Wallach IX with Venport’s help. Reverend Mother Valya Harkonnen retrieves hidden thinking-machine components including a robot brain from Rossak and aims to succeed the ailing Raquella as Mother Superior. Raquella believes the Sisterhood’s survival depends on reconciling the Wallach IX sisters with Dorotea’s faction on Salusa Secundus. She summons Dorotea and forces her and Valya to set aside their differences and work together, naming them co-leaders before dying. Valya, still bitter over Dorotea’s betrayal, uses her newfound Voice power to force Dorotea to commit suicide. Valya then declares herself sole Mother Superior and ingratiates herself with the new Emperor Roderick.

Vorian Atreides, guilt-ridden over Griffin Harkonnen’s death, secretly sends funds to Griffin’s struggling family’s whaling business on Lankiveil. He then travels to Caladan to meet his descendants, brothers Orry and Willem Atreides.