A Long Time Ago

I first read the Lensmen series in 1958 when I was 14. I saw the books again on Audible.com and thought "why not?". I am so glad I did. This has brought back memories and the books are just as enjoyable as I remember them. Two more to go and the kids are thoroughly enjoying them also. A must read for those adventure lovers amongst us especially if you loved the serials in the Saturday matinee at the movies, EXCELLENT

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9 people found this helpful

Hm…

Soo… on the downside, we have two things which I can’t decide on which is worse:
One, the whole cycle is built on a strangely good vs evil, deeply intolerant religious philosophy. The good guys do good, and only good things because good, higher-level beings nudge them in that direction - the bad guys do the (only bad) things they’re doing because bad, higher-level beings manipulate them to do them. That is just garbage, sorry. Not only were there already much more open-minded and facetted (science fiction or not) stories around then - but this really disgusting slave perspective also limits any character decelopment or any real depth to the characters to near-zero. Somewhat hard to separate from that issue is the fact that 99% of the population are really just background fodder for the heroic superbeings - and no consideration that maybe every person, even a Lensman, is just one.

The other galling issue is the treatment of women. It’s almost comical how even when those elite superhumans evolve oh-so-far beyond their measly earthly roots… across space and time… still everyone wants to get married. Even at the time that must have been a peculiarly quaint perspective - even given the fact that society made life impossibly hard for women, especially if not being married, wanting to live their lifes, maybe even with a kid. I read somewhere that the author had pulled in his wife for advice on female characters… but the result then is an artwork completed under the mental duress of the societal Stockholm syndrome. And not to speak of the limitations this all puts on the potential of an interesting story.

Add to this the whole Lensmen thing. Yeah, I know, wouldn’t it be great to have the lens, an indestructible super-device ensuring complete fidelity of any wearer to a common greater goal, weeding out all spies and not-quite-good enough folks? Uh… maybe… but maybe the SS (from the time of the author) would have loved to have that type of device, too… for technological reasons, they just had to do with brainwashing and tattoos. And this isn’t a minor quibble - the whole story would completely fall apart without that. You’d immediately have all kinds of complications - like, you know, in real life!?! And this, too, limits the books. Yes, there’s a lot going on… but ultimately, nothing is really happening.

Compare to Star Trek. They also had/have heroes and villains in a fantastic future, sure… but there are moments where life intervenes, and weak humans have to come up with answers to moral questions and stand up for those answers, or not. THAT makes a hero - not some gadget. And THAT is life. And THAT is interesting.

Soo… why is this still somewhat readable (listenable) at all? I’m thinking it’s primarily because of the steady high-speed clip of the ever-expanding action - it’s just flying by, the universe. Which in turn is in the writing perfectly adapted to the original serialized publication of the stories as pulp fiction.

For some reason, I actually feel like the pure science fiction of it all is less interesting here than in the Skylark cycle. It’s just overshadowed here by the genetically engineered, merciless, neverending cult-like postulated goodness of the Lensmen.

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this is a great novel

well worth the price and content. I read this entire series years agao, you won't be disappointed.

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A Classic that holds up

I first read this many decades ago as a teenager. Loved it then, love it now. It was one of the first "space operas", so some of the speech patterns seem quaint now, but they were fresh back then. You can get past that easily enough.

But the area that really recommends the series, is the overall plot. This series has a sweep of vision. There are some stories that cover a dramatic series of events, that in the end are only of consequence to those immediately involved. Not to say that these stories can not be well written and interesting. Then there are stories that cover events that change the scope of history, while still having a gripping plot. This falls in the later category. Summary: this series has dramatic scope, and it is a good yarn as well.

P.S. as a side note, after you read this series find the parody "Backstage Lensman" by Randall Garrett. If you don't laugh at that one, you need a funny bone implant.

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Gray Lensman

This book really surprised me in a good way. I found myself really liking the characters and out of all my reading this book is by far one of the precursors for Star Trek and even Ender’s Game. The main female character has some of the normal sci-fi female tropes but she’s also very strong, vocal (not completely subordinate), and sector chief nurse for the fleet! (Although they “make her retire” at the end for her wedding.)
I only have two real negatives. First - all female characters being narrated by male actor come off very weird. This is true of any audiobook though. Second - The main character has no real problems with anything and can even get spiders and worms to do his bidding. It was just a “let’s build up something else more impossible than the last” just to be undone by a spider.

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Lensman Series is Still Fun

Okay. The narrator of this series is not the best. Nevertheless, this story still works if you can get past some of writing (the "look of eagles" in the eyes of Lensmen for instance). If you've never dipped into these before, get Galactic patrol, Gray Lensman, Second Stage Lensmen and Children of the Lens in that order. If you are still hooked, go back and pick up First lensman. You have to be a real diehard lensmen fan to slug through Triplanetary.

This is classic space opera, good versus evil, with the guys in the white hats destined to win. Smith wasn't very good at envisioning future technology, but he comes up with some fun ideas. The inertialess drive is an interesting solution to FSL travel and the negasphere is one of the best Sci_Fi weapons ever imagined. His aliens are fun too, especially the frigid planet dwellers. Considering that the series was started in the late 30s, it holds up amazingly well.

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Better

This one is definitely a more interesting read than the previous Lensman books. The danger was more convincing, more personal; and the espionage more interesting.

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Grey lensman

Wonderful space opera. And the narator gives
It all the drama an old radio show would have. Great fun!

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Great story, even if Smith can't write women.

I've been listening avidly, and I really enjoy hearing Reed McColm narrate this tale. while I love the lensman stories, I'm recognizing the old style monastic S.F. Sorry guys, but I like my S.F. diverse, and I'm glad the community has changed in the last century. :-)

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5 stars all the way

This literary work holds a special place in my heart, having been read and listened to numerous times.

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