Books Similar to Dune

Have you closed on all 600+ pages of the sandy Arrakis landscapes and decided you need more? You're not alone. I've read Dune twice, myself, once taking my time over several months, slowly getting to know its characters and worlds, and the second time my husband and I read it out loud over a roadtrip from California to North Carolina, as I was moving my entire life across country during COVID. Something about those southwestern landscapes really made Dune more real to me, as the world as I knew it was completely changing, I fell in love with this story and the phrase "fear is the mind killer" resonated like never before. Dune has everything you can wish for on a great science fiction novel: political intrigue, philosophy, science, space ships, of course, and interesting worlds and peoples. You could read other Frank Herbert's books in the Dune saga, but here are other books that share similar character-driven narratives, tropes like the hero and the hero's journey, survival and sacrifice. Just a heads-up, this post contains affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you buy a book from a link on this post.

Books Similar to Dune

Book Cover

Future Home of the Living God

Louise Erdrich

Erdrich's dystopian novel shares Dune's ecological concerns while exploring themes of evolution and survival in a world undergoing catastrophic change. Set in a near-future where evolution has begun running backward, the story follows Cedar Hawk Songmaker, a pregnant indigenous woman navigating a society collapsing into authoritarian control. Like Herbert's novel, this story examines how environmental transformation fundamentally alters human society and power structures. The governmental control over reproduction parallels the Bene Gesserit breeding program, while Cedar's journey mirrors Paul Atreides' struggle to maintain humanity in the face of overwhelming forces. Though more intimate in scale than Dune, Erdrich's novel offers an examination of humanity's relationship with the natural world and our adaptability in the face of extinction.

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How it's similar to Dune

Subgenre

Literary Fiction
Sci-Fi

Tone

Dark/Serious
Suspenseful/Thrilling

Narrative

Character-Driven
Dialogue-Heavy
Lyrical/Descriptive
Multi-Perspective
Plot-Driven

Character Tropes

The Anti-Hero
The Hero
The Lover
The Outsider
The Rebel

Plot Tropes

Love
Sacrifice
Survival
The Hero's Journey
The Journey

Setting Tropes

Dystopia
Mysterious Location
Nature
Ruined World

Conflict Tropes

Betrayal and Revenge
Death or Threat of Death
Dysfunctional Families
Good vs. Evil
Identity Crisis
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Self

Theme Tropes

Coming of Age
Friendship
Grief and Loss
Search for Meaning
Book Cover

Gold Fame Citrus

Claire Vaye Watkins

Watkins' debut novel evokes the landscapes of Arrakis with its depiction of a drought-devastated American Southwest. Set in a near-future California that is transformed into an expanding sea of sand dunes, this story follows survivors Luz and Ray as they navigate a world defined by water scarcity (sound familiar?). The novel's meticulous attention to how environmental catastrophe reshapes human society and creates new mythologies is similar to Herbert's ecological focus. With its lyrical prose and examination at how humans adapt to environmental extremes, Gold Fame Citrus captures the same blend of speculative fiction and ecological warning that makes Dune so relevant.

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How it's similar to Dune

Subgenre

Literary Fiction
Sci-Fi

Tone

Dark/Serious
Suspenseful/Thrilling

Narrative

Character-Driven
Dialogue-Heavy
Lyrical/Descriptive
Multi-Perspective
Plot-Driven

Character Tropes

The Anti-Hero
The Hero
The Lover
The Outsider
The Rebel

Plot Tropes

Love
Sacrifice
Survival
The Hero's Journey
The Journey

Setting Tropes

Dystopia
Mysterious Location
Nature
Ruined World

Conflict Tropes

Betrayal and Revenge
Death or Threat of Death
Dysfunctional Families
Identity Crisis
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Self

Theme Tropes

Coming of Age
Friendship
Grief and Loss
Search for Meaning
Book Cover

The Fifth Season

N.K. Jemisin

Jemisin's Hugo Award-winning novel shares Dune's ambition in creating a world where geology and environment fundamentally shape civilization. Set on a supercontinent called the Stillness, ironically wracked by catastrophic seismic activity, the story follows "orogenes" who can control energy and manipulate the earth. The Fifth Season contains a lot of the same themes that make Dune a great work of literature: explorations on grief and loss, identity crisis, man facing nature. This could make a good addition to your library.

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How it's similar to Dune

Subgenre

Fantasy
Literary Fiction
Sci-Fi

Tone

Dark/Serious
Suspenseful/Thrilling

Narrative

Character-Driven
Dialogue-Heavy
Lyrical/Descriptive
Multi-Perspective
Plot-Driven

Character Tropes

The Anti-Hero
The Hero
The Lover
The Mentor
The Outsider
The Rebel

Plot Tropes

Love
Sacrifice
Survival
The Hero's Journey
The Journey

Setting Tropes

Dystopia
Mysterious Location
Nature
Ruined World

Conflict Tropes

Betrayal and Revenge
Death or Threat of Death
Dysfunctional Families
Good vs. Evil
Identity Crisis
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Self

Theme Tropes

Coming of Age
Friendship
Grief and Loss
Search for Meaning
Book Cover

Hyperion

Dan Simmons

Like Dune, Simmons' Hyperion has intricate worldbuilding and pairs it with profound philosophical questions. The novel uses a Canterbury Tales-inspired structure, following pilgrims journeying to face the mysterious Shrike creature on the distant world of Hyperion. What makes this book truly reminiscent of Dune is its ambitious scope, spanning multiple planets with distinct cultures, and its exploration of religion, artificial intelligence (!!!), and the nature of humanity. The Time Tombs and their mysterious backward aging are like the reality-bending aspects of Herbert's spice. Readers who appreciated Herbert's blend of adventure and intellectual depth will find Hyperion equally satisfying.

Buy on Bookshop

How it's similar to Dune

Subgenre

Literary Fiction
Sci-Fi

Tone

Dark/Serious
Suspenseful/Thrilling

Narrative

Character-Driven
Dialogue-Heavy
Lyrical/Descriptive
Multi-Perspective
Plot-Driven

Character Tropes

The Anti-Hero
The Hero
The Lover
The Mentor
The Outsider
The Rebel

Plot Tropes

Love
Sacrifice
Survival
The Hero's Journey
The Journey

Setting Tropes

Big City
Dystopia
Mysterious Location
Nature
Ruined World

Conflict Tropes

Betrayal and Revenge
Death or Threat of Death
Dysfunctional Families
Good vs. Evil
Identity Crisis
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Self

Theme Tropes

Coming of Age
Friendship
Grief and Loss
Search for Meaning