Asimov's three types of sci-fi: * Adventure Fiction/Space Opera - The technology and science are secondary to the plot, which is often very grandiose, much lik

Asimov's three types of sci-fi: * Adventure Fiction/Space Opera - The technology and science are secondary to the plot, which is often very grandiose, much like operas and horse operas that were popular at the time (the root of the latter name). * Gadget Fiction - The technology/science and the struggle of the inventor to create/discover/explain it are the source of the conflict in the story. * Social Science Fiction - The effect of the technology/science on society is the source of the conflict in the story. Star Wars is a 1 and 3 type of story, though you could hone in a bit more and say, for example, that Episode IV is also gadget fiction given the focus on the Death Star.