Paul Atreides is the central figure of Frank Herbert’s Dune. Born the heir to House Atreides, Paul is trained as a warrior and a thinker from childhood. His mother Jessica, a member of the Bene Gesserit order, teaches him their physical and mental disciplines despite his being male.
When the Emperor grants House Atreides control of Arrakis, the desert planet that produces the spice melange, Paul’s life changes. A conspiracy between the Emperor and House Harkonnen destroys his family. Paul and Jessica escape into the deep desert, where they join the Fremen, Arrakis’s native people.
Among the Fremen, Paul becomes Muad’Dib. He rises from refugee to religious leader, fulfilling prophecies that the Bene Gesserit planted centuries earlier. Herbert intended this as a warning about charismatic leaders rather than a celebration of them. The sequels make that critique explicit, showing the costs of Paul’s holy war and the trap of prescience.
Paul’s story continues in Dune Messiah, where he rules an empire built on religious fanaticism and violence. He walks into the desert at the end, blind but finally free. His children and the consequences of his choices drive the rest of the series.
Reading Order
See the complete Dune reading order for all books featuring Paul Atreides.