The House of the Mothers

the House of the mothers is a novel of Frank Herbert published into 1985 with the the United States. It is about the 7th book of the cycle of Dune. The reported history is the immediate continuation of that told in the Heretics of Dune .

Synopsis

The Bene Gesserit deals with the destruction, the Honorées Matriarches being revealed frightening adversaries. These last do not have indeed any more other enemies to fear since the destruction of the Bene Tleilax.

The Bene Gesserit plays its last assets. A project of transformation of the planet mother into news Dune is set up to be able to start again the production of the Épice. Scytale, the last Master Tleilaxu, is kept as prisoner, because it has knowledge and the means to be able to recreate its whole civilization and by the fact even the artificial production of Épice. Its capacity of negotiation is however decreased when Sheeana discovers the first worm born on planet of the Chapter.

A first long contact between the Bucket Gesserit and the Honorées Matriarches is done at the time of the meeting between Lucille and Dama. One learns some more on the motivations of these last, but the “discussion” finishes badly for Lucille because of the basic differences between their two philosophies.

Continuation inter alia with the fall of Lampadas and with died of Lucille which was the last guardian of the memories of the sisters of the center of education Bene Gesserit, an attack, conducted by the Ghola Miles Teg, is launched against the Honorées Matriarches with Gammu. The attack seems succeeded, but a use of “the weapon” by the Honorées Matriarches suddenly transforms the victory into defeat.

The principal history finishes on a toss of the dice on behalf of the Bene Gesserit. Murbella, having followed a drive Bene Gesserit since its capture in the last episode makes accept his/her former sisters whom she finally escaped to bring back for them the knowledge Bene Gesserit coveted by these last. However, because of its drive, simple Murbella having become more than one matriarche, it ensures its control on his/her former sisters by showing the superiority of its mixed heritage while easily having the matriarches which are opposed to it. It initiates a forced alliance thus, reaching, following the death of Darwi Odrade, with the double command of the Bene Gesserit and the Honorées Matriarches.

The book is concluded by a new Dispersion, guided by Duncan Idaho, certain dissatisfied the or apprehensive ones as for the future of the news and fragile alliance.

The series thus finishes by suggesting that dispersions will be being continued, thus perpetuating the expansion of the human race in the universe. New alliance, on its side, gives hope that the new order will be able to resist to the enemies that the matriarches fled and against which they had come to seek the recourse of knowledge of their remote cousins. It is not known as what it will arrive of the characters like Sheeana, Teg or Scytale (which left all), but the illustration of the Sentier of Gold is perfect since any end is a new beginning, humanity is saved of itself. Two continuations are planned for 2006 and 2007, by his/her son, the Hunters of Dune and the Worms of Dune , but the saga of Dune is far from being finished.

The House of the Mothers

Synopsis

The Cycle of Dune