Why would a publisher want to do this? The only reason I can come up with is that they must be so sick of looking at the shit that they are willing and ready to give it away.
http://dunenovels.com/blog/page040.html
Hoping to get new readers hooked on the series, Rebecca and I have worked with the publisher -- Little, Brown -- to provide a *free* hardcover copy of Book 1 to fans, teachers, librarians, and service members in the US, UK, and Canada.