Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr., known as Frank Herbert, was born on October 8, 1920, in Tacoma, Washington, and passed away on February 11, 1986, in Madison, Wisconsin. He is best remembered as an American science-fiction author, particularly for his seminal work, the 1965 novel Dune and its five sequels. Herbert's career was not limited to novel writing; he was also a prolific short story writer, newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.

Dune, heralded as the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, is at the forefront of the genre. The Dune saga, set in a distant future spanning millennia, delves into complex themes such as the long-term survival of the human species, human evolution, planetary science, and ecology, as well as the confluence of religion, politics, economics, sex, and power in a future where humanity has mastered interstellar travel and colonized thousands of worlds. The series has been a cornerstone in science fiction, inspiring various adaptations, including feature films, miniseries, and a forthcoming motion picture trilogy, with notable entries like the 1984 film Dune, the miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and Children of Dune, as well as the recent Dune (2021) and the anticipated Dune: Part Two (2024).