First, Count Hasimir Fenring just happens to collect artifacts from Old Terra. Second, the Swordsmasters of Ginaz just happen to dress their students in 18th-century musketeer outfits and hold forth on the samurai code. According to Frank Herbert s original Dune, the history of the gigantic Imperium of the Padishah Emperors stretches back over 10,000 years.
Plot does matter That s especially true of the book s plots and intrigues.
At one point, Baron Harkonnen discovers that the Bene Gesserit have infected him with a nasty disease, and decides to take revenge. However, it seems that the best he can think of is to travel to the Bene Gesserit homeworld to threaten the order directly. The Sisters then chase him off with a simple Jedi mind trick. At least Herbert and Anderson are consistent. The Baron s scheme is typical for House Harkonnen , which is filled with characters who lurch around being blindsided by each other s half-baked plots.