The Paul Muad'Dib - hailed as a hero, worshipped as a messiah, hated as a tyrant - has vanished into the vast deserts of the planet Dune, leaving his Empire leaderless. Now it is up to his young sister Alia and his mother Lady Jessica, with the help of the loyal Gurney Halleck, the Fremen Stilgar, and the resurrected Duncan Idaho, to hold the human race from tearing itself apart.

The rebel Bronso of Ix fuels the flames of rebellion, doing everything in his power to topple the myth of Muad'Dib, whom he blames for more deaths than any other in human history. While Alia struggles to cement her power as Regent, Jessica collaborates with Irulan, trying to uncover the truth about her son.

As the winds of rebellion and betrayal grow stronger, she discovers that Muad'Dib may have intentionally sown the seeds of his own downfall. And Bronso of Ix has his own musical mission... a mission that will force Jessica to choose between honoring her son's memory and the future of humanity...

Based on notes by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson enrich the Dune mythos, revealing unknown aspects of the heroes' lives.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]