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Happy birthday, dear Dune. Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi epic turned 50 this year, and the Folio Society has celebrated by publishing a stunning new edition featuring painted illustrations by Sam Weber.

Winner of the 1966 Hugo and Nebula awards, Dune is a futuristic tale of noble houses grappling for control of a hostile planet — called Dune — which happens to contain the universe’s only repository of a highly valuable spice. It has been called a masterwork of science fiction, a spiritual brother to The Lord of the Rings, a sine qua non for Star Wars, and, lately, “a paradigmatic fantasy of the Age of Aquarius.”

Small wonder it was capable of inspiring some remarkable images. You can order the Folio edition here.

Cover of Folio Society edition

Shai-Hulud by Sam Weber

Baron Harkonnen by Sam Weber

Sandstorm by Sam Weber

Alia by Sam Weber

Guild ships by Sam Weber

Dune with slipcase

interior spread