That's interesting. I haven't read that book, but this point about the desert metaphor is an idea I had recently that inspired four articles so far. I had it while I was writing one on Jewish comedy. I've also been finishing the book Dune recently, and thinking about the upcoming Dune movie. Maybe that was influence. Either way, it's highly unlikely I'm the first to have drawn this explicit connection.

Monotheism looks to me more and more like a desert religion. Outside the desert it makes less sense, which is perhaps why Christianity became the most popular offshoot outside the Middle East. (Christianity is virtually polytheistic.)