The Fall of the Dream Machine / The Star Venturers

THE FALL OF THE DREAM MACHINEWhen all the world's a stage, director Cockley will run it. If there was a single phrase that captured the public's attention more than any other in 1967, it was this one: "The Medium is the Message." Marshall McLuhan not only made a fortune with it, but established himself as a prophet and philosopher. When McLuhan says the printed word is doomed in our age of electronic communication, everyone listens. Somehow, no one seems to notice that McLuhan's own predictions are presented via the printed word and - by his own theories - are doomed from the start.Still, it frightens me to think of a future where all artistic outlets are electronic, where all of life becomes an open, sterile, and public thing. In this novel, I have tried to shape a society that has advanced along the lines of the predictions in The Medium is the Message . . . and then advanced a little further - a little to far.McLuhan says we are drawing - via electronics - together again into a Village Society. A quick look around at television, telephones, and the recorded messages of today's pop music groups makes this seem a reasonable statement. But what will follow this village stage? A Household society? And after that what will we have - and be?This is not truly a horror story. Not Quite.THE STAR VENTURERS"Heard of you?" The princess spoke with a great weariness. "We hear about all the adventurers of the galaxy. So far all have failed. You will fail too. I know it--but I must go on trying to find the prince. When you are dead and scattered into atoms we shall find another strong man and try again.""One day, perhaps, we shall succeed. Maybe you will, but I doubt it. You too will be destroyed like all the others."With these words of confidence ringing in his ears, Big Bill Jarrett was sent out on an impossible journey--one he knew could kill him if he went, and would kill him if he didn't.