The Great Dune Trilogy

Dune / Dune Messiah / Children of Dune Arrakis is the source of the spice, a mind-enhancing drug that makes interstellar travel possible; it is the most valuable substance in the galaxy. When Duke Atreides and his family take up court there, they fall into a trap set by the Duke's bitter rival, Baron Harkonnen. The Duke is poisoned, but his wife and her son Paul escape to the vast and arid deserts of Arrakis, which have given the planet its nickname of Dune. Paul and his mother join the Fremen, the Arrakis natives, who have learned to live in this harsh and complex ecosystem. But learning to survive is not enough - Paul's destiny was mapped out long ago, and his mother is committed to seeing it fulfilled.