Decode: Podcast is going to focus on the best in Space Opera, starting with Frank Herbert’s Dune. 

The Dune Universe will re-enter pop culture in a big way in the next year with the release of Denis Villenue’s feature film (originally intended for a theatrical run in December 2020 ) and HBO Max’s “Dune: The Sisterhood”-  we love the book and are deep-diving into some of the religious, historic, and linguistic influences and references from our current world in the Dune universe 10,000+ years in the future, as well as covering the story, chapter by chapter.  

In our introductory episode, we introduce ourselves- Mike Goulis and Jeff Hackert- Two guys who do a lot of talking at their day jobs in technology, and train jiu-jitsu at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu in Downtown LA and talk about our goals and what’s in store. 

Next episode, we start our analysis!   

References: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_opera 

Edition of Dune we’re using: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Frank-Herbert/dp/0441172717

Follow Jeff: https://www.instagram.com/omgnogi/ 

Follow Mike: https://www.instagram.com/mginyourface/

In our first full episode covering Dune Book 1, the boys set their objective to cover pages 1-253….and utterly failed! This episode covers chapter one exclusively but fret not, like Jeff says “This is the Dune universe- there’s a lot of detail in there and we’re here for the people that love it”.  Plus,  there’s more thrown on the plate in chapter 1 of Dune than pre-Covid Thanksgiving dinner at grandma’s.

We dive right into some of the religious, historic, and linguistic influences and references from our current world in the Dune universe 10,000+ years into the future; they’re all right there in Chapter 1. 

Recorded mid-December, 2020;  be on the lookout for future historic references to Warner Brothers announcing their entire 2021 threatre run going to HBO Max, references to the Dune 2021 movie trailer, and that its theatrical run was pushed from December 2020 to Late 2021 due to the Covid19 Pandemic. 

Links and stuff:

Edition of Dune we’re using: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Frank-Herbert/dp/0441172717

Shah: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah

Definition of fief: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fief

Duke, in nobility: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke

Rumi quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/123621-be-melting-snow-wash-yourself-of-yourself

Credits:

Hosts: Mike Goulis and Jeff Hackert

Producer: Jet Reyes 

Voice talent: David Michie

With our updated goal of: “spend the right amount of time on each chapter”, we cover chapters 2 and 3.

In chapter 2 we move to Geidi Prime, the home planet of the Baron Harkonnen; nemesis of the Atreides. We learn that the Harkonnen plot to take out the Atreides and resume control of the spice trade on Arrakis features turning the Atreides family doctor against them through treachery. However, there is also a secret twist- the Emperor is in on the plot and will be sending his specialized super troops, the Sardaukar, in Harkonnen uniforms to ensure success.

Surprisingly the feud between the Harkonnens and Atreides is legally sanctioned with rules and forms of the Emperium- this is called “kanly”, a word rooted in the sort of blood feuds common amongst the tribes of Earth’s Caucasus Mountains, circa the 19th century. Jeff fills us in on how Herbert was heavily influenced by a book called Sabres of Paradise, whose topic is the Caucasian war of Independence between Caucus mountain tribes and Russia.  

In Chapter 3 we’re back on Caladan where Reverend Mother Helen Mohiam and Jessica discuss her forbidden son, Paul, in more detail, as well as the Bene Gesserit’s ultimate agenda. We get a glimpse of Paul’s special abilities- can he predict the future? Do his dreams have meaning?  

Delving further into the Bene Gesserit, we discuss “the voice” and the pop science behind it.  We’re not an anti-Star Wars podcast, but the “Jedi mind trick” that is the equivalent of the voice is pretty lame. Also, Gandalf uses “the voice” effectively in LOTR several times.  

Speaking of Star Wars, we hear a very interesting story of how Jeff saw Star Wars in theatres for the first time in 1977.

Mike foreshadows Paul’s father Duke Leto’s fate by calling him Ned Stark and that he sucks playing the game of thrones/kanly. 

The hosts ramble about their Jiu jitsu styles and we realize it’s time to end.  

Kanly: https://dune.fandom.com/wiki/Kanly#:~:text=Kanly%20was%20the%20enactment%20of,days%20of%20the%20Old%20Imperium. 

Sabres of Paradise: https://www.amazon.com/Sabres-Paradise-Conquest-Vengeance-Caucasus/dp/0993092721 

Phoenix Jones mutual combat: https://www.youtube.com/user/ThePhoenixJones/videos 

Rumi poem: https://allpoetry.com/Who-makes-these-changes-