Customer Reviews
Classic Space Opera - By: Rod Williams, 29 Sep 2008 
I fellin love with, & subsequently married this series of booksin about Nineteen Seventy-Three & have never regretted the union for one second. In times of dark depression or darker British weather I dust them off, close the blinds, put the light on & set off with the Galactic Patrol across the galaxy.
This volume introduces the central figure of the Lensman series, Kimball `Kim' Kinnison who - as the novel opens - is graduating from his training & is presented with his Lens, the lenticular crystal setin a bracelet which is attuned to the wearer's psyche & acts as both an identification insignia for members of The Galactic Patrol & as a kind of amplifier of the psychic activity of the brain, allowing the wearer to communicate with alien species, read the minds of evildoers & keepin contact with one's fellow Patrolmen.
Kinnison is soon knee-deepin adventure & alien entrails, on the trail of the drug-peddlars of Boskone &in the process teams up with Worsel of Velantia, the draconian multi-eyed future Lensman.
It's one of the most enjoyable books of the series, fast-paced, tightly written & full of cliffhangers & moments of suspense. This is Pulp Fiction at its best, at times unknowingly camp, at other times fast, exciting, & inventive, packed with extraordinary evil aliens, unexpected allies, crusty eccentric Admirals and, above all, the rather quaint notion of Nineteen Thirties American society beingin charge of the running of the galaxy.
Start here for the Lensman universe! - By: Paul Magnussen, 24 Jan 2006 Doc Smith's "Lensman" series is one of those strange cases where almost everything the reviews say -- both good & bad -- is true. The key liesin sentence foundin so many of them: "I first read this when I was a kid". I think we all retain an affection for things we loved when we were young. Nonetheless, it would be a big mistake to think these books hold nothing for adults -- I've introduce them to an adult friend who enjoyed them immensely.
I, too, first met Kim Kinnison when I was a kid,in the original "Astounding" magazines that I inherited from my uncle.
Chronologically, the first Lensman story was "Galactic Patrol", from 1937-38. This was followed by the next three stories: Gray Lensman, Second Stage Lensmen & Children of the Lens. When publicationin book form was mooted, Smith revised his earlier Triplanetary to fit into the lensman universe, & wrote First Lensman to form a bridge between that & "Galactic Patrol". Masters of the Vortex, another unrelated story, was likewise modified.
I personally feel that the four books representing Smith's original conception are the essential ones, & the others are disposable ("Vortex",in particular, being a pot-boiler with virtually no relation to the others). Although "First Lensman" certainly has entertaining moments (as when Virgil Samms is almost deafened at a Rigellian construction site, because the Rigellians have no sense of hearing & can't understand what the problem is).
There's another problem with the books, although fortunately not an insuperable one. Smith's universe, although already huge at the outset of "Galactic Patrol", expands as the series progresses. Originally, the reader didn't discover the total significance of the struggles going on within it until the end of "Children". But the books (except, for some inscrutable reason, "Patrol") feature tacked-on & needless Forewords that give away the whole plot. I *strongly* recommend first-time readers to skip these. Also, if you've never read Smith before, I, too, recommend starting with "Patrol" -- "Triplanetary" is not nearly as good, neither is it "really" the first.
Smith's dated (and sometimes banal) style has been an easy target, but it has some lovely moments as well:
"Near them there crouched or huddled or lay at ease a many-tentacled creature indescribable to man. It was not like an octopus. Though spiny, it did not resemble at all closely a sea-cucumber. Nor, although it was scaly & toothy & wingy, was it, savein the vaguest possible way, similar to a lizard, a sea-serpent or a vulture. Such a description by negatives is, of course, pitifully inadequate; but, unfortunately, it is the best that can be done."
If you want mind-boggling adventure, ever-expanding vistas, BEMs & battle laid on with a trowel, you need go no further. For my money, the depth & invention of Smith's universe, & the sheer glee with which he unfolds his narrative, more than compensate for any deficiencies. These are books I will always love.
Start here for the Lensman universe - By: Paul Magnussen, 02 Oct 2003 Doc Smith's "Lensman" series is one of those strange cases where almost everything the reviews say -- both good & bad -- is true. The key liesin sentence foundin so many of them: "I first read this when I was a kid". I think we all retain an affection for things we loved when we were young. Nonetheless, it would be a big mistake to think these books hold nothing for adults -- I've introduce them to an adult friend who enjoyed them immensely.
I, too, first met Kim Kinnison when I was a kid,in the original "Astounding" magazines that I inherited from my uncle.
Chronologically, the first Lensman story was "Galactic Patrol", from 1937-38. This was followed by the next three stories: Gray Lensman, Second Stage Lensmen & Children of the Lens. When publicationin book form was mooted, Smith revised his earlier Triplanetary to fit into the lensman universe, & wrote First Lensman to form a bridge between that & "Galactic Patrol". Masters of the Vortex, another unrelated story, was likewise modified.
I personally feel that the four books representing Smith's original conception are the essential ones, & the others are disposable ("Vortex",in particular, being a pot-boiler with virtually no relation to the others). Although "First Lensman" certainly has entertaining moments (as when Virgil Samms is almost deafened at a Rigellian construction site, because the Rigellians have no sense of hearing & can't understand what the problem is).
There's another problem with the books, although fortunately not an insuperable one. Smith's universe, although already huge at the outset of "Galactic Patrol", expands as the series progresses. Originally, the reader didn't discover the total significance of the struggles going on within it until the end of "Children". But the books (except, for some inscrutable reason, "Patrol") feature tacked-on & needless Forewords that give away the whole plot. I *strongly* recommend first-time readers to skip these. Also, if you've never read Smith before, I, too, recommend starting with "Patrol" -- "Triplanetary" is not nearly as good, neither is it "really" the first.
Smith's dated (and sometimes banal) style has been an easy target, but it has some lovely moments as well:
"Near them there crouched or huddled or lay at ease a many-tentacled creature indescribable to man. It was not like an octopus. Though spiny, it did not resemble at all closely a sea-cucumber. Nor, although it was scaly & toothy & wingy, was it, savein the vaguest possible way, similar to a lizard, a sea-serpent or a vulture. Such a description by negatives is, of course, pitifully inadequate; but, unfortunately, it is the best that can be done."
If you want mind-boggling adventure, ever-expanding vistas, BEMs & battle laid on with a trowel, you need go no further. For my money, the depth & invention of Smith's universe, & the sheer glee with which he unfolds his narrative, more than compensate for any deficiencies. These are books I will always love.
The definitive Space Opera - By: , 13 Jul 2000 Almost my first SF experience, way too many years ago to think about, however after recently re-reading it I remembered why it captured my imagination & triggered my love of SF.
Its the start of a wonderful expansive journey, spanning many generations & whilst characters come & go the underlying theme, leading to the final installment, remains. Its got aliens of every kind, goodies & baddies, big space battles, even bigger weapons, hero's & heroines, romance.....space opera at its very best. Do not expect to be intellectually challenged, or to look for deep stuff......just enjoy the entertainment & the ride (and pause to remember when this was first written).....and do remember to read the seriesin order starting with this one.!
The Original Beginning of the Lensman Series - By: Michael Walsh, 19 Jan 2000 Originally published as a multi-part serialin the late 1930s by the great John W. Campbellin Astounding Science Fiction this was the original begining of the classic Lensman series. I recently reread it after *mumble*mumble* years & found it to be pretty much as I remembered it: a storyline that just doesn't stop once it starts (to quote John Clute).
Personally, I would suggest starting with this one, reading the rest - but skipping the Smith introin the subsequent volumes; read 'em like the folksin the 1930s & 1940s did - not knowing the BIg Story behind it all.
(Of course I'm rather prejudiced about these books . . .)
