Join the debate as a slate of talented writers lead by New York Times best selling authors David Brin and Matthew Woodring Stover discuss the merits and draw-backs of the most profitable and most well-known science fiction series of all times. In Star Wars on Trial, eight charges are leveled against the series, George Lucas and his counterparts, and society at large. Stover leads the defense, as Brin takes up the prosecution. The courtroom is presided over by Judge Droid.
The charges:
Charge #1: The Politics of Star Wars Are Anti-Democratic and Elitist.
Charge #2: While Claiming Mythic Significance, Star Wars Portrays No Admirable Religious or Ethical Beliefs.
Charge #3: Star Wars Novels Are Poor Substitutes for Real Science Fiction and Are Driving Real SF off the Shelves.
Charge #4: Science Fiction Filmmaking Has Been Reduced by Star Wars to Poorly Written Special Effects Extravaganzas.
Charge #5: Star Wars Has Dumbed Down the Perception of Science Fiction in the Popular Imagination.
Charge #6: Star Wars Pretends to Be Science Fiction, but Is Really Fantasy.
Charge #7: Women in Star Wars Are Portrayed as Fundamentally Weak.
Charge #8: The Plot Holes and Logical Gaps in Star Wars Make It Ill-Suited for an Intelligent Viewer.
Fun book - though I find I breezed through the negative arguments and focussed on the positive "defense" of SW. Obviously this is because I'm a fan, but also because... well, I find that side of the discussion more *fun*. It's easy to tear things apart, but much more interesting find ways to make sense of what is, in truth, a chaotic mass of material.
