SHAZBOT...another bitter, CLASSIC disappointment. I’m not sure who E.E. Smith was sleeping with or what incriminating photos of the publisher he had stashed away, but this book is a stool sample. It started as a wonderful buffet of big ideas and interesting concepts. However, once digested and squeezed through the pen of Mr. Smith, it became eminently flushable. From a historical perspective, this book has a strong pedigree as the Lensmen Saga is the series most often cited as paving the way for large scale SF space opera.******(Note: That sound you hear is Mr. Asimov pffting that statement until his lips bleed). Thus, this series holds a place in SF history similar to the one held by LOTR in the realm of epic fantasy. However, that is where the similarities end and the suckness of E.E. Smith’s clunky, overwrought prose begins. This is a textbook example of a good concept and a compelling plot being torched to cinders by the inability of the writing to convey the story effectively. The prose is schlocky and kept an almost constant wince on my face. Samms thought, flashingly and cogently...for almost three hours, he went into the ramifications of the Galactic Patrol of his imaginings. Finally he wrenched himself back to reality. He jumped up, paced the floor, and spoke.” Put another way...‘Samms thought for a while and then spoke.’ They were amorphous, amoeboid, sexless. Not androgynous or parthenogenetic, but absolutely sexless; with a sexlessness unknown in any Earthly form of life higher than the yeasts. So, in other words...they had no sex.The above are random examples and are by no means indicative of the worst offenses in the book. I just wasn’t brave enough to revisit the most painful examples. Let me give you a quick plot rundown as it is really the only interesting part of the story. PLOT SUMMARYSuper powerful good aliens, the Arasians, are in an eon-spanning galactic conflict with super powerful bad (and sexless) aliens, the Eddorians. Both races use surrogate/pawn races (including humans) to do their fighting for them. The bad (sexless) guys promote conflict and destruction while the good (non sexless) guys promote cooperation and brotherhood.There is a lesson/moral in here somewhere I’m sure of it. Anyway, the sexed up good aliens identify certain gifted individuals (starting with the titular character Virgil Samms) that have the ability to spur the formation of a peaceful, galaxy spanning civilization of awesomeness. These heroes, each referred to as a “lens,” are given a powerful device that allows them, among other things, to communicate telepathically across vast distances and read peoples minds. This newly formed “Galactic Patrol” of Lensmen then embark on a series of missions to thwart the plans of the evil, sexless Eddorians with the periodic aid of the Arasians. These missions include breaking up drug smuggling operations, spying on galactic “organized” crime, espionage and political intrigue, and space battles with Eddorian-backed bad guys. It all sounded great. Until, E. E. Smith wrote it down and killed it. By the way, written in the 1950’s, the LensMEN title is literal as “women” are too different “psychologically” to be able to wear the Lens. just thought I’d share that. MY THOUGHTSI really liked the idea of the story. If this ever gets adapted for the big screen, it could be a lot of fun. But this book was an epic struggle to get through and that struggle is entirely centered around the writing, especially the dialogue. Now I like flowery, descriptive, melodramatic prose when it is well done. H.P. Lovecraft is a favorite of mine and he took melodrama to 11. Similarly, modern writers like Dan Simmons and Peter Hamilton amaze me with their ability to create a hyper sense of mood and drama through their prose. When done right it is a real pleasure. HOWEVER, when done poorly, like here, it is among the most painful literary experiences I can think of without drugs. This is bad melodrama...very bad melodrama...horrible cheesy-filled melodrama stuffed in a shit sack.Despite my pain-filled experience, I am giving the book 2 stars in appreciation for all it inspired in the genre that I love. I can see the vestiges of Smith’s legacy in many of the well-written stories that I enjoy. I’m gonna grant a star for that. That’s as far as I can go with this one. I don’t recommend it, I didn’t like it and I am very bummed that I didn’t. 2.0 stars.
Originally published on my blog here in August 2009.The second novel in Smith's Lensman series, First Lensman is a unified narrative (unlike Triplanetary which precedes it). It follows on directly from the events of the first book, detailing the later stages in the fight against drugs and corruption led by Virgil Samms. (Samms plays a comparatively small part in Triplanetary, which was more concerned with the swashbuckling adventures of his sub-ordinates.)The first half of the novel is an explanation of the origins of the Lens after which the series as a whole is known. Various problems are beginning to dog the Triplanetary Service. Corruption is taking hold, particularly in the fight against drugs; criminals are impersonating officers of the Service, using faked ids. A mysterious conviction grows that answers to these problems can be found through a visit to the planet Arisia, shunned as a "ghost planet" both by legitimate spacemen and by pirates and drugs runners.Arriving at Arisia, Samms meets an entity who calls itself "Mentor". He is given a mysterious artefact, a Lens; it is a telepathic crystal, tuned to his mind alone and capable of enhancing the powers that his mind possesses. Mentor assures him that no one will be given a Lens who is unworthy of one, and that only the incorruptible will wear them.Samms is a bit bemused by this generosity, but the reader knows the background to it: the eons-old war between the Arisians and Eddorians, the Arisians continually trying to build up civilisation, the Eddorians to knock it down.The second half of the book tells of a North American presidential election (Canada, the US and Mexico together forming a single state) fought by the officers of the Triplanetary Service (as 'Cosmocrats') on the right and the pirates and drugs runners on the left. Smith's politics are one of the most difficult aspects of his writing style for a modern European reader to swallow - as they cater rather more for stereotypical American political viewpoints a US citizen may find them easier to accept. He persistently holds the belief that any intelligent person must support the right, with the left only gaining votes through stupidity, corruption and vote-rigging. It is a view perhaps explicable in an American of his time, who had lived through some of the most corrupt scandals of American town-hall politics. Smith's right wing politics were of a reasonably benign kind, characterised by a strong belief in intelligent capitalism most clearly expressed in Subspace Encounter. He was relatively free from racism, particularly when compared to contemporaries, though this is perhaps debatable given the almost complete absence of non-white human beings in his novels.The first half of First Lensman is easier to read, then, than the second, though the ins and outs of the political campaign are an interesting change from the standard military space opera trappings of the rest of the series. If Heinlein's novels transfer an idealised American small-town background to everywhere in the universe (see my review of The Rolling Stones), then this novel takes a similar approach with an American large town.
What do You think about First Lensman (1998)?
So I'm planning to read many of the SF classics that I've never gotten around to. And by read, I mean listen to the audio book while I do other things since I obviously haven't wanted to sit down and read most of these books. Much of this book I listened to while designing an ultra modern Sims2 apartment complex. Although this is book 2 in the series - I have foolishly listened to it first and there was a bit of an issue with the first two chapters. They probably make much more sense in situ than alone. Oh well. I listened to it twice and once the story proper started, it worked.I actually enjoyed this book, you can tell it comes from quite a strong political background and it is definitely a product of its time, but I've heard of the Lensmen on and off throughout the years and am glad I know where they're coming from and what they are.Reading this book feels like a collection of lensmen characters and events. There isn't much (any) character development or internal struggles and it stays very high level. You flit from event (smuggling drugs) to event (policial dances) to event (mining disasters) with only the smallest thread tying them together. And the "enemy" just pops out of nowhere. Some of that comes from the occasional "you" reference - this is pretending to be a historical summary from time to time (especially near the end), and the rest comes from the fact that the five years just fly by and no single event is the sole issue at hand.But I still enjoyed it and will be looking into reading more of this "classic" series.
—Rae
Classic space opera, and very possibly the canonical example of the genre, as massive fleets assemble to create and defend civilization, whilst a hero is elevated to god like powers and abilities, and a new force to save the universe if established. No, this is not star wars, its Lensmen! Sadly, however, it is lost in the campy and often misogynistic rhetoric of the age Dr Smith lived in. The sense of Flash Gordon-esc / dime store novels / serial radio programs from the first installment still rings true. The salient plot point that rang true was the political drama that encompassed the second half of the book. After the first lens is granted, and the galactic patrol is strengthened by an elite cadre of lens carrying super heroes of all races within the galaxy, the book hyper focuses on the political aspect of kick starting "civilization", here after used to refer to the "Good Guys", where as "Bosconians" is used to refer to the pirate (or is it, duh duh dummmmmm) forces that oppose all that is right and good in the galaxy.Very light reading, quick, and most enjoyable to read / hear the expressions of 1940's America used by ancient alien races, like 'Oh boy gal, ain't we got fun!", or "keep that up bub, and I'll hang one right on your chin so hard they wont see you till next Tuesday". Lovely.If I were honest, and this was a "modern" writer, I'd have to rate this much lower, but the prestige of being the first, the trail blazer if you will, and laying out the scaffolding of what would become my favorite area to read and relax within, caused it to end up being rated higher.
—William Rood
BEFORE - Kimball Kinnison.BEFORE - HelmuthBEFORE - The EichThere was "The First Lensman"Virgil Samms has a dream! He wants to to build a better tomorrow. Not just for his planet, Tellus (Earth), but for all the world where beings want to live in peace. Virgil believes the best way to do this is by building a Galactic Patrol. But first he needs to have a symbol that is incorruptible by men.In a future where a thief can be half-way across the galaxy in no time what the Patrol needs a badge that's non-transferable, non-counterfeitable, and will help establish not only the authority of office but the ability to communicate with hitherto unknown races.His quest takes him, as well as Roderick "The Roc" Kinnison, to the mysterious planet of Arisia. There they find The Lens. There the Galactic Patrol is truly born as humans begin to gleam the larger universe they live in.The First Lensman was written more than ten years after Galactic Patrol, the original first book in the Lensman series. The First Lensman (now Book 2 in the series) takes us back to a fledgling planet's attempt to take control of their own destiny. This story connects directly to Triplanetary (currently book 1 in the series) which was not originally a Lensman story. Triplanetary was reworked by E.E. "Doc" Smith to fit into the Lesman universe many around the same time he penned The First Lensman.As we see here the story of the Lensmen and the Galactic Patrol didn't start on Tellus (Earth) or even with humans... it started long before humans walked on Earth. And involves a struggle between two almost magical alien races. The Arisians, a peaceful race native to this galaxy, and the Eddorians, a dictatorial, power-hungry people from the another galaxy.Like Triplanetary we learn much about the two erstwhile races history and interactions as well as their influence on the worlds of our galaxy. One with benevolence, the other hoping to retard development to feed their lust for power and control. The Arisians helping to build an interplanetary council in Triplanetary. While Gray Roger, the Eddorian saboteur, trying to shatter it.As Lensman material was extremely scarce stuff our First Lensman (Samms) and his troupe; Conway Costigan, Mason Northrop, Frederick Rodebush, Lyman Cleveland, Dr. Nels Bergenholm-who unknown to all had a close association to the Arisians -, Rod Kinnison and his son Jack and a couple of commodores of the Patrol: Layton of North America and Schweikert of Europe, just about exhaust Earth's resources and Samms is forced to look among the stars.Here First Lensman Samms sees the true need for a Galactic Patrol and a Council that encompasses all. On Mars he recruits Knobos, on Venus he find DalNalten and finally Rularion of Jove.He is able find these potentials with the Lens as it gives its wearer a variety of mind-reading and telepathic capabilities, including those needed to enforce law on alien worlds as well as bridge the communication gap between all life-forms. Despite the rich tapestry of the future "Doc" Smith paints around the Lensman there can be no argument that these books are all action/adventure epic as our heroes go undercover in drug smuggling groups and mining planets. Or on the dance floor at political functions. Even fighting planet to space battles and chasing invaders down with superior tactics and evenhanded justice.Obviously this book's ending is just the beginning for the Lensman series.I recommend this series for any Space Opera, Classic SF or Adventure fan.
—The Fza
