Artist commentary:
Frank Herbert (1920-1986) was an American science fiction writer most famous for his Dune series of novels. The Litany against fear is the mantra of a group of powerful women in the Dune books called the Bene Gesserit, who have achieved superhuman powers from mental and physical training. I haven’t read any of the Dune books, even though I know Dune to be considered the greatest science fiction novel ever. I guess i’m pretty intimidated by the mythology – it seems pretty hardcore, even for someone like me who’s read the works of Orson Scott Card, Harlan Ellison and watched the Star Wars saga countless times. From what I’ve read, the Bene Gesserit sound like Jedis … am I way off? Did I just ruin whatever science fiction street cred I had by asking that?
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They aren’t really alike at all? The Jedi are space wizards that use magic. The Bene Gesserit use extreme conditioning and focus to read and command people. Oh, and they are basically responsible for some crazy barbaric acts in the name of eugenics, but I don’t wanna spoil too much.
I definitely see the Bene Gesserit as Jedi inspiration, especially if you look at the early concepts of what Jedi were. I just think it's fascinating how influential Dune was to Sci-Fi. Almost as much as Tolkein and fantasy.
Also, enemies of the Bene Gesserit call them "witches" because the skills they have seem like magic to outsiders.