The blood feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen.the intrigues, the wars and the treacheries that will lead inevitable to the fall of a dynasty. Duke Leto Atreides is now ruler of Caladan, where two of House Atreides. most loyal warriors . Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck . have come to manhood, one a Swordmaster in training, the other, an escaped Harkonnen slave. To Caladan, too, comes Jessica, the exquisite, perfectly trained concubine chosen by the Reverend Mothers of the Bene Gesserit to be the mother of Leto.s daughter. On Dune . planet Arrakis . House Harkonnen ruthlessly harvests the precious mind-enhancing spice, melange. Planetologist Pardot Kynes.son Liet becomes a Fremen warrior, yearning for his people.s freedom. And at House Harkonnen, arch enemy of House Atreides, Baron Vladimir is slowly being consumed by a loathsome disease. His nephew and heir, Rabban, prepares to take over the Harkonne empire. At the same time gentle, helpless Abulurd strives to undo his half-brother.s cruelty and his own son.s viciousness.