Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert (3/5)

Set 3,500 standard years after the previous book God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune picks back up during the aftermath of The Tyrant Leto's damaging choice to turn the oasis his father Paul Atriedes created out of the desert back to its original form and shows how the empire divided after he because a sandworm. The fearsome Honored Matres are in a silent battle against the ancient Reverand Mothers that continues through the duration of the novel in various forms, a popular one being the Honored Matres setting fire to and demolishing the Reverand Mothers' home planets and bases. Another community invested in this battle is the Tleilaxu who create beings called Gholas, exact copies of a person who died. The Ghola in Heretics of Dune is the Ghloa of Duncan Idaho, the fearsome warrior who died serving and protecting the young Paul Atreides then was gifted to him when he led the empire and passed on to his son Leto who always had a Duncan Idaho Ghola by his side. In this case, Duncan Idaho has been cloned once again, but this time, the Ghola was created for the use of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood. The Ghola is prepped and prepared for action on Rakis, once known as Arakkis or simply Dune, now back to its original and hostile desert environment. Introduced amidst this battle is the young girl Shenana, not yet in her teenage year, but able to summon and tame desert worms. She becomes a legend within the neighboring communities for being able to calm and communicate with Shai Halud, the sandworm God said the be The Tyrant Leto in his true form. She is placed under the immediate care and watch of Miles Teg, a part of the Atriedes bloodline to try to understand her methods and to control her abilities to their advantage. An argument is formed between two leaders of the Reverand Mothers, Schwangyu and Lucilla because they are worried that another Kwisatz Haderach will emerge. The Kwiasatz Haderach was Paul Atriedes, the God-like being that could surpass the capabilities of the Reverand Mother and hold every memory of every man and woman who lived. The book carries out the eventual destruction of Rakis to cleanse the world of The Tyrant Leto's impact.