The Spice Must Flow, Ryan Britt
The Spice Must Flow, Ryan Britt
List: $17.50 | Sale: $12.25
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The Spice Must Flow
The Story of Dune, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies

Author: Ryan Britt

Narrator: Ryan Britt

Unabridged: 7 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 09/26/2023


Synopsis

Geek-culture expert Ryan Britt takes us behind the pages and scenes of the science-fiction phenomenon Dune, charting the series' life from cult sci-fi novels to some of the most visionary movies of all time.
 
Using original, deep-access reporting, extensive research, and insightful commentary, The Spice Must Flow brings the true popularity of Dune out into the light for the very first time. With original interviews with the beloved actors and directors behind the films—including Timothée Chalamet, Kyle Maclachlan, Denis Villeneuve, Patrick Stewart, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Newman, and many more— The Spice Must Flow also examines the far-reaching influence of Dune on art, music, politics, and, most notably, its status as the first ecological science-fiction story specifically concerned with climate change.
 
Britt skillfully and entertainingly guides readers through the history of how the Dune universe has unfolded, including the novel’s unlikely evolution from a failed piece of journalism about Oregon sand dunes into an epic science-fiction story, the way Herbert’s work inspired George Lucas, untold stories from the 1984 David Lynch film, the knife-edge balance between blockbuster hit and indie film Timothée Chalamet brings to the 2021 movie, and the exciting future of the franchise. Through a blend of narrative, oral history elements, and fascinating trivia, The Spice Must Flow is the new essential guide to the behind-the-scenes story of Dune.

The fiction of Dune is deadly serious, but the real-life story of how it came into existence is full of wonder, surprises, and spice.

About The Author

Ryan Britt is the author of Phasers on Stun! and Luke Skywalker Can’t Read. His writing has appeared in Esquire, Vulture, StarTrek.com, SyFy Wire, Den of Geek!, Inverse, The New York Times, and Fatherly, where he is a senior editor.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Gerhard on March 07, 2024

'The journey of the spice from the 1950s until now doesn’t require you to understand or even remember what has happened. The Bene Gesserit know that even they won’t live to see the results of their plans. Dune will be around for much longer than any of us. Because as long as children can recognize a......more

Goodreads review by Karen’s Library on October 01, 2023

I’m not a big reader of non-fiction, but I am Dune obsessed. I’m always looking for articles that are anything Dune related, and I’ve read every Dune book (all 26 of them) several times. I’ve read Dune itself maybe 20 times throughout the decades. I’ve watched the Dune movies (both the 1984 and 2021......more

Goodreads review by Brady on September 29, 2024

3.5/5 Solid and definitely informative although it’s obviously intended for a very niche audience. I enjoyed know the chaos and various offspring that resulted from the attempts at adapting dune into a movie. Learning about the publication of dune was also great.......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on March 10, 2024

basically everything in this book is already detailed in frank herbert biography, but since that's out of print, less are going to read that. even if it wasn't, its written by his son, which people hate because of the prequels, they don't trust him at all anymore.......more

Goodreads review by Philip on November 28, 2023

LOVE these "making of" books. Have read similar books on "John Wick," "Fury Road," "Interstellar" and even Roger Moore's diary on the making of "Live and Let Die." But along with Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain, this is one of the few to go beyond the movie-making and cover an e......more


Quotes

“Lively and entertaining… Britt’s book should appeal to “Dune” aficionados and newbies alike.” —Associated Press

"A gripping guide to the past, present, and future of Frank Herbert’s science fiction epic. Britt traces Dune’s journey to ubiquitousness, from its humble beginnings with an automotive repair manual publisher to its flurry of adaptations by the likes of David Lynch and Denis Villeneuve. The Spice Must Flow also interrogates why Dune endures, with Britt advancing a compelling argument that Herbert laid the groundwork for strains of feminist and ecological science fiction yet to come. Exhaustively researched and entertainingly told." Esquire

“This is quite simply a remarkable book…there may be a more comprehensive book about the Dune novels and films, but for right now, this book ranks number one.”
Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

"[E]ngaging and timely...full of the fan joy and insider knowledge that readers want." Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

“Britt provides an entertaining crash course on Frank Herbert’s Dune series…The result is a riveting testament to the saga’s enduring appeal.” Publishers Weekly

"The Spice Must Flow takes a daunting wealth of subject matter and makes it an accessible, illuminating read that never lets you get lost in the sands." Mashable

"A wonderfully enjoyable companion guide to Dune... Touching on everything from the nonfiction magazine article that was the earliest version of Dune, to the turbulent attempts to adapt the novel into a film, Britt also gives welcome space to how Herbert’s sandworm-populated, drugged-up sci-fi saga serves as 'an ecological guide to the future.'" —HeatMap

"Excellently researched, pulling on not just many historical articles and interviews, but also brand-new interviews with all three Paul Atreides’ (Timothée Chalamet, Kyle MacLachlan, and Alec Newman), directors Denis Villeneuve, John Harrison, and Frank Pavich; and many more members of the Dune universe... this book is the perfect gift for yourself or fellow Dune fan!" —Dune News Net

"A comprehensive, hugely enjoyable study of the entire history of Dune... [A] humor-filled but deeply respectful approach to Herbert and the universe he created." —Film Stage

“A deep dive into the Dune-iverse that is a compelling achievement. Ryan Britt gets down to the granular level, giving usa sandworm’s perspective of the planet we love. Kull wahad!”—Kyle MacLachlan