First Lensman
Author: E.E. "Doc" Smith
Year: 1950
Abstract:
In book two of the Lensmen series, Smith shifts focus to different characters. We still see Costigan and Rodebush periodically,
but the focus of this novel is squarely on Roderick Kinnison and Virgil Samms. This second volume tells the story of the
founding of the Galactic Patrol, the first lenses, and the horrific opposition engineered ultimately by the Eddorians.
Arisia and Eddore have a much smaller role in this novel than in the last, but their presence is still over the entire book.
Virgil Samms becomes the first lensman (hence the title of the book) and begins to engineer the Galactic Patrol which will
help the Tellurians become a noticeable force for good in the universe. They are opposed by the evil forces of Eddore in
their work.
| Advanced Mind |  |
| Exploration/Quest | |
| Military/Fighting | |
| Horror | |
| Magic | |
| Advanced Technology | |
| Time Travel/Alternate History | |
| Science | |
| Aliens/Beasties | |
| Contemporality |
Other books in this series: Chronicles of the Lensman
Triplanetary [1948]
Galactic Patrol [1950]
Gray Lensman [1951]
Second Stage Lensmen [1953]
Children of the Lens [1954]
tyranist's Review
Doc Smith's second Lensmen novel (which was actually the last Lensmen novel written since all of the others appeared as
serials in the 30s and 40s) is a much better than novel than the first entry in the series. It is obvious that it was
written as a whole instead of in pieces. What Triplanetary lacks in coherence
First Lensman shines with. The structure is whole and progresses in a logical order instead of the strange three
part structure Smith employed in the first novel.
The story itself is engaging and entertaining. It almost reads as a whodunit except that we know whodunit and are just
waiting for the right moment to level the accusation. There is one minor plot detail that bugs me. The male-centric lens.
This was written in a time when it was okay to have a sexism like this and I understand that. My real problem is with his
explanation. Apparently, women aren't capable of the same kind of drive and emotion that men are. He could have come up
with something better than that. Just sitting here I thought of several alternate explanations that would have worked, the
best of which is that there is a gene sequence that only exists on the Y chromosome that is required. Anyway, if you can
forgive Smith this one item of poor taste then the novel reads really well and can be thoroughly enjoyed.