Dune: The Duke of Caladan (The Caladan Trilogy Book 1)

by Brian Herbert

The person with the fewest accomplishments often boasts the loudest. —CHOAM Analysis of Public Imperial Histories

History is a tool to be used, a weapon to be wielded. The past must conform to the needs of the Imperium, otherwise an Emperor has failed utterly in his duty. —Emperor Fondil III, The Hunter, “Private Guidance on the Expansion of Imperial Archives on Kaitain”

The ability to survive is the ability to face and overcome unexpected dangers. —Bene Gesserit axiom

Some say that contentment with one’s station leads to a lack of ambition. On the other hand, I have observed that ambition can become a cancer that eats a person from within. A true leader must find the proper balance. —Duke Leto Atreides, private notes to his son, Paul

Do not hunger overmuch for attention. Subtle influence is a more potent key to power than a conspicuous display of wealth or bravado. Patience is a coin of great value. —Malina Aru, Ur-Director of CHOAM, sealed letter to her children

When does a student stop being a student, or is all of life a continuous lesson? —Chani Kynes, comment to her father

The most important parenting skill is knowing when to exert control and when to let go. —Lady Jessica

Anyone is capable of committing murder against another person, or against himself. —Thufir Hawat

Is the life of a king worth more than that of a peasant or thief? Is your own life worth more than that of a person of lower station? Such valuations can be used to determine whether actions are heroic, or cowardly. —Emperor Fondil III, The Hunter, “Considerations for Imperial Bias”

When do dreams become reality, and when does reality slip into dreams?

I feast on life, I feast on death. —Baron Vladimir Harkonnen

A sudden, unexpected death leaves deep scarring in the hearts of those left behind. The harm caused by unexpected survival, however, is less visible. —Suk School Investigative Report, Psychological Division

A news report is based on fact, fiction, or a combination of the two, and is presented from a certain angle. Truth belongs to those who control that perspective. —Count Hasimir Fenring

Masks and uniforms cannot hide all the secrets of our past. —Colonel Bashar Jopati Kolona, private journal

We can manipulate others through granting a thing or withholding a thing … and knowing when to do both. —Ibbo Vipp, a philosopher of Ecaz

“Ultimately, the goal of our lives is to become as human as possible, to advance as far as we can.”

Suspicions have a way of becoming “facts,” even if they have no basis in truth. —Princess Irulan, The Book of Muad’Dib

Fenring smiled thinly, rather like he smiled at people when he slipped a knife between their ribs.

Through fervent beliefs and secret revelations that are denied to others, religions can easily be manipulated. They can also act as a stabilizing influence by creating a community united by a bond of beliefs. —Bene Gesserit internal document, “Analysis of Uncontaminated Religions”

All the gold, jewels, and colorful gowns that surround an Empress cannot reveal whether her heart is a sparkling gem, or the coarsest stone. —Princess Irulan, In My Father’s House

Euphoria can be produced through a variety of means—emotional, educational, religious, or chemical. —Suk Doctor Handbook

In the universe of Imperial politics, it is necessary to take actions that are not made public. In fact, far more remains unseen than seen. —Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV

Unfortunately, in extreme cases, a medical treatment can be as fatal as the ailment itself. —Suk Medical Practicum

When you listen to the voices of power, do not heed only the loudest. Those that whisper may yield greater knowledge. —Bene Gesserit training manual, Studies in Influence

Poison comes in many forms: chaumas, or poison in the food; chaumurky, or poison in drink; and the most insidious poison of all, human weakness. No known poison snooper can detect it. —“Assassins Handbook”

Some people want to know the future so they can prepare for it. But I prefer not to know. I would rather prepare myself for eventualities and move forward with the confidence that I am strong and ready to face whatever may come. —Gurney Halleck

As a doctor and a scientist, I have studied the intricacies of nature and the mechanisms of the human body. Yet sometimes I wish I did not know the answers. —Dr. Wellington Yueh, private journals

Colorful camouflage can be used to hide secrets. Look closely, not just out of the corner of your eye but at what is directly in front of you. —The Mentat Book of Focus and Diversion

There is great skill in violating an essential rule, and in being the only one to get away with it. —Count Hasimir Fenring

The difference between delirium and insight is only a matter of perspective. —Dr. Wellington Yueh, private medical journals

Unfortunately, the most evil personalities often possess extraordinary intellectual skills that enable them to advance their dark agendas. —Princess Irulan, In My Father’s House

There is joy in discovery, an intellectual euphoria that comes from grasping a complex concept or uncovering a thing previously unknown. But some discoveries bring with them a burden and a curse. Be careful what you seek. —The Mentat’s Handbook

Allies, business associates, and friends are three entirely different categories. Do not confuse your definitions or your feelings. The results could be disastrous. —Malina Aru, CHOAM Ur-Director, Private Administrative Briefings

The most honorable course of military action rarely wins the battle. —Supreme Bashar Correa Doblé

Freedom of choice implies that one is willing to make a given choice. But what if every option is disastrous? Is it better to make no choice at all, or to choose and then face the consequences, whatever they may be? —The Mentat’s Handbook, “The Paradox of Leadership”

No matter how compelling the argument, an evil justification is still evil. —Duke Paulus Atreides, private letter about the Kolona Affair

We operate on the fringes of rules and of Imperial law. In these nether regions between destruction and success the most money is made. —Enger Ristos, Guild Banker

The worth of a person’s heart and soul is not determined by outside opinion but is measured from within. —Zensunni Wisdom

Risks are managed through careful training and observation. And yet the trickster universe presents us with an unavoidable fact—life itself poses a risk that will one day become fatal. For everyone. No one survives forever. —Swordmaster Rivvy Dinari of the Ginaz School

The Sisterhood views the future of humanity by considering an infinite number of possibilities. We can step back and consider which threads are best for the species as a whole. That is the difference between the Bene Gesserit and an individual, whether noble-born or street urchin. We do not think, “What about me? What is my future?” —Bene Gesserit Perspective on History, “Executive Summary”

Love is a dance between trust and secrets. —Lady Jessica, letter to the Duke

There is law and there is vengeance. I embody both. —Duke Leto Atreides, address to Caladan War Council

Trust, love, and honor are intertwined, yet too often they remain three separate strands. —Duke Leto Atreides, private journals (thought to be destroyed)

The person who appears to be stark raving mad, especially a Reverend Mother with an ocean of Other Memories churning inside her head, might be much more than what she seems. Rather, she could have a sharper grasp on sanity, because she sees things no one else can see. —Lariba Pyle, embattled Mother Superior in the Dark Ages after the Butlerian Jihad

Some part of human instinct allows people to sense things about others. It is an innate survival skill to intuit that another person is dangerous. This also applies on a larger societal scale, when a leader feels he may need to kill millions of people. —Bene Gesserit teaching

This sort of damage, once done, cannot be undone. I can only hope for forgiveness. —Lady Jessica, dispatch to Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

For a strong person, defeat is merely a matter of perspective. What some would consider a setback, others view as inspiration. Thus, I have been “inspired” many times. —Jaxson Aru, A New Dawn for the Noble Commonwealth

Supreme, death-defying challenges are never merely physical. They are mental as well, and the more severe the challenge, the more thought processes are required to overcome the obstacle and survive. —Duke Leto Atreides

The best leaders assemble information and take actions that lead to political stability. The worst leaders dissemble information and generate chaos. —A lesson from Imperial history

There are casualties beyond number on the battlefields of the human heart. —The Songs of Gurney Halleck