The Tactful Saboteur
1964
First Published
3.72
Average Rating
300
Number of Pages
Part of Series
"The Tactful Saboteur" is a novelette by the science fiction author Frank Herbert which first appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine in October 1964. It is notable for establishing the setting for Herbert's ConSentiency universe.
Avg Rating
3.72
Number of Ratings
53
5 STARS
26%
4 STARS
36%
3 STARS
25%
2 STARS
9%
1 STARS
4%
goodreads
Author

Frank Herbert
Author · 64 books
Frank Herbert (1920–1986) was an American novelist best known for the landmark science‑fiction epic Dune, a visionary saga that fused ecology, politics, religion, and power into a new literary architecture for the genre. Dune won the Hugo and Nebula Awards and spawned a cycle of sequels—Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune—that deepened its philosophical reach while shaping modern world‑building and serialized storytelling. Beyond Dune, Herbert’s craft ranged from social SF like The Dosadi Experiment to ecological thrillers such as The Green Brain, each marked by rigorous systems thinking, layered prose, and moral ambiguity. His influence endures in the canon of speculative fiction: a writer who proved science fiction could be intellectually audacious, commercially vital, and artistically consequential.