Citizen Federation Version 2.0 available !

[General Woundwort]

Heinlein's book is considered a classic in the genre. I have not seen the movie, but everything I've heard is that it bears only a passing semblence to the book (the title and the bugs).

The book is mainly set in boot camp and in the classroom (truth!). There are only two extended combat sequences in the entire novel - the beginning and the end. It's mainly a political and sociological treatise. I don't agree with everything Heinlein wrote in it, but some of it is downright prescient (and scary). In the book, he predicted the rise of predatory urban street gangs in the USA (remember, the book was written in 1959!), and that the Third World War would be the Russians, English and Americans vs the Chinese. Definitely food for thought....

[Pocus]

Before somebody jump on me, I went to a big Heinlein fan site. Seems the book was written in 1958, so the war critics put into the work was aimed not against Vietnam (it would have been difficult!, but against war in general).

Also about the movie, here is a commentary from the fan site:
"Starship Troopers" (1997)
Filmed by Tri-Star Pictures with a budget said to be in the neighborhood of $90 million, and directed by Paul Verhoeven. It manages to faintly resemble the action elements of the novel while missing almost the entire point. What elements of the political and social issues make it into the film are so distorted (a clearly fascist government, Sergeant Zim as a sadistic bully) as to make fans of the novel cry in their popcorn. A wretched mess, best summarized as "Bughunt 90210."

the fan site I refer is
http://www.nitrosyncretic.com/rah/

Seems that Heinlein wrote a ton of scifi books which I didnt knew about. Enjoy!

[Erax]

Heinlein raises some controversial points in the book (democracy vs. meritocracy, jail vs. physical punishment) which bear thinking about. More so now than in 1958, in fact.

Labelling the book fascist and sadistic is the easy, closed-minded way out. This is apparently what the script writer for the movie chose to do.

So if you haven't read the book... do so. I can't recommend it highly enough. I might not agree with everything that's written there, but I do recommend the book.

[trooper]

'worked well this week end : unmodded pictures are completed. Coming soon, the first Version downloadable.

PS : I would need a military-looking speech file for this race (my vocabulary is still poor)... any volunteer ?

[ May 18, 2003, 23:26: Message edited by: trooper ]

[pathfinder]

The shipset/racestyle is looking good!

[Pocus]

Superb, really superb! I cant wait to play with.

[Raging Deadstar]

Thats amazing, i like this race, it seems very industrialised, I like it. The troops are especially unique and represent the carrying infantry aspect. So this is your Last shipset for SE4, it's a great shipset to go out on. Happy to know you'll be around for starfury and SEV