Exploring Star Trek: Voyager - by Robert L Lively (Paperback)

Number of Pages: 286
Genre: Performing Arts
Sub-Genre: Television
Format: Paperback
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Age Range: Adult
Book theme: Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror, Genres
Author: Robert L Lively
Language: English

About the Book

"In 1995, Star Trek: Voyager brought a new dynamic to Star Trek's familiar, starship oriented, show. Lost 70,000 light-years into space, the Voyager and its crew faced an uncertain and changeable future, echoing anxieties felt in the United States at the time. These fifteen essays interrogate the context, characters, and themes of Star Trek: Voyager, as they relate to the culture and zeitgeist of the 1990s. Essays on gender show how the series both challenges and reinforces typical sci-fi stereotypes through the characters of Captain Janeway, Kes and Seven of Nine, while essays on identity examine the show's intersections with disability studies, race and multiracial identities, family dynamics, and emerging AI and humanity. Using the epic journey of the Odyssey as a starting point for the series, and ending with an examination of the impacts of inception at the birth of the internet age, this book shows the many ways in which Voyager negotiated different perspectives for what the future of the universe and the USA could be"--

Book Synopsis

In 1995, Star Trek: Voyager brought a new dynamic to Star Trek's familiar, starship oriented, show. Lost 70,000 light-years in space, Voyager and its crew faced an uncertain and changeable future, echoing anxieties felt in the United States at the time. These fifteen essays explore the context, characters, and themes of Star Trek: Voyager, as they relate to the culture and zeitgeist of the 1990s. Essays on gender show how the series both challenges and reinforces typical SF stereotypes through the characters of Captain Janeway, Kes and Seven of Nine, while essays on identity examine the show's intersections with disability studies, race and multiracial identities, family dynamics, and emerging AI and humanity. Using the epic journey of Homer's Odyssey as a starting point for the series, and ending with an examination of the impacts of inception at the birth of the internet age, this book shows the many ways in which Voyager negotiated different perspectives for what the future of the galaxy and the USA could be.

Review Quotes

"A delightfully entertaining and informative collection...recommended"--Choice

About the Author

Robert L. Lively is a professor of English at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada. His work has appeared in Rhetoric Review, Popular Culture Review, Tormented Space, Wormhole Weapons, and The Worlds of Farscape: Essays on the Groundbreaking Television Series.