First Lensman: Difference between revisions
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While following the leads the Lensmen visit alien planets and encounter bizarre life forms (and attempt to recruit representative members of as many species as possible as Lensmen), build a fleet by uniting all the continental fleets of Tellus (Earth) into the “Grand Fleet of the Galactic Patrol”, and engage in a satisfyingly massive space battle in defense of their headquarters, “The Hill”. Having beaten off the “pirate” fleet attacking The Hill, traced the drug smuggling from source to user, it was time to cut off the head of the dragon and defeat the political machine. |
While following the leads the Lensmen visit alien planets and encounter bizarre life forms (and attempt to recruit representative members of as many species as possible as Lensmen), build a fleet by uniting all the continental fleets of Tellus (Earth) into the “Grand Fleet of the Galactic Patrol”, and engage in a satisfyingly massive space battle in defense of their headquarters, “The Hill”. Having beaten off the “pirate” fleet attacking The Hill, traced the drug smuggling from source to user, it was time to cut off the head of the dragon and defeat the political machine. |
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The second half of the book tells of a North American presidential election (Canada, the US and Mexico together form a single state) fought by the officers of the Triplanetary Service (as 'Cosmocrats') on the right and the crooked political machine on the left (as 'Nationalist'). After a knock down, drag out fight between the two parties, another battle in space even bigger that the first one, and the release of all the evidence of |
The second half of the book tells of a North American presidential election (Canada, the US and Mexico together form a single state) fought by the officers of the Triplanetary Service (as 'Cosmocrats') on the right to elect Roderick Kinnison North American President, and the crooked political machine on the left (as 'Nationalist'). After a knock down, drag out fight between the two parties, another battle in space even bigger that the first one, and the release of all the evidence of corruption gathered and held on to before, the Cosmocrats win the crucial election that ensures the continuation of the Galactic Patrol and the safety of Civilization (for now). |
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The second half of First Lensman showing 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. |
The second half of First Lensman showing 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. |
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Revision as of 05:44, 2 January 2010
 Dust-jacket from the first edition | |
| Author | Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | A. J. Donnell |
| Cover artist | A. J. Donnell |
| Language | English |
| Series | Lensman series |
| Genre | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Fantasy Press |
Publication date | 1950 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 306 pp |
| ISBN | NA Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| Preceded by | Triplanetary |
| Followed by | Galactic Patrol |
First Lensman is a science fiction novel and space opera by author Edward E. Smith, Ph.D.. It was first published in 1950 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 5,995 copies. Although it is the second novel in the Lensman series, it was the last written.
Plot
The novel chronicles the founding of the Galactic Patrol by Virgil Samms, the first sentient being in our cosmos to wear the "Lens", a unique pseudo-life badge of authority which grants telepathic powers to the defenders of civilization.
First Lensman picks up more or less where Triplanetary left off. The story follows the doings of the "First Lensman" Virgil Samms. The Arisians know that he is literally incorruptible and is a paragon of bravery and virtue, so they have chosen him to be the first entity to wear the "Lens of Civilization".
Virgil Samms has a dream. He wants to establish the Galactic Patrol and protect civilization from the forces of evil. He needs to have a symbol for the incorruptible men he wants to be in his Patrol. Finally, he is guided by the intuition of one of his trusted subordinates (actually an Arisian living as a human being) to Arisia, a heretofore unapproachable planet where he is greeted by a benevolent and telepathic Arisian who presents him a Lens. The Lens is a device that can only be made by the Arisians using their advanced mental science and that can be worn only by the person that it is exclusively attuned to. It gives its wearer the ability to communicate telepathically with any being or animal with a mind, as well as other powers. The Lens is the focus of all the remaining stories in the series. Samms is charged with locating all "Lens worthy" individuals and directing them to Arisia to have their own Lens bestowed upon them. In a bit of sexism that firmly attaches the story to an author who's outlook on women was formed in the first quarter of the century, women aren't psychologically able to wear a Lens.
Once he has a cadre of Lensmen available to defend civilization, Samms uses them to begin tracing leads to the major threats to civilization, crooked politics, drugs, and pirates attacking merchant ships in space. To fight the crooked politics all they can do for the moment is gather evidence and hold it until the campaign and elections which are covered later in the story. The leads to the pirates hit a wall and stall (for now). The leads followed to combat drug traffickers yields the most success. Breaking the drug smuggling turns out to be the key to getting a handle on all the other threats. The Lensmen trace the trade in "thionite", a mind altering drug, from the beginning to the end user, and find all the different leads coming together in a corrupt political machine.
While following the leads the Lensmen visit alien planets and encounter bizarre life forms (and attempt to recruit representative members of as many species as possible as Lensmen), build a fleet by uniting all the continental fleets of Tellus (Earth) into the “Grand Fleet of the Galactic Patrol”, and engage in a satisfyingly massive space battle in defense of their headquarters, “The Hill”. Having beaten off the “pirate” fleet attacking The Hill, traced the drug smuggling from source to user, it was time to cut off the head of the dragon and defeat the political machine.
The second half of the book tells of a North American presidential election (Canada, the US and Mexico together form a single state) fought by the officers of the Triplanetary Service (as 'Cosmocrats') on the right to elect Roderick Kinnison North American President, and the crooked political machine on the left (as 'Nationalist'). After a knock down, drag out fight between the two parties, another battle in space even bigger that the first one, and the release of all the evidence of corruption gathered and held on to before, the Cosmocrats win the crucial election that ensures the continuation of the Galactic Patrol and the safety of Civilization (for now).
The second half of First Lensman showing 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.
First Lensman kicks the Lensman series in high gear, building the actual Lensman organization that with be the background for all the remaining books, while at the same time delivering an exciting story full of exotic aliens, evil villains, and space battles.
Publication history
- 1950, USA, Fantasy Press, Pub date 1950, Hardback
- 1955, UK, Boardman Books, Pub date 1955 Hardback
- 1961, Germany, Zimmermann, Pub Date 1961, Hardback, as Die ersten Lensmen
- 1964, USA, Pyramid Books, Pub date 1964, Paperback
- 1997, UK, Ripping Publishing ISBN 1-899884-13-0, Pub date July 1997, Paperback
- 1997, USA, Old Earth Books ISBN 1-882968-10-7, Pub date November 1997, Paperback
References
- Chalker, Jack L. (1998). The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Bibliographic History, 1923-1998. Westminster, MD and Baltimore: Mirage Press, Ltd. p. 237.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Brown, Charles N. "The Locus Index to Science Fiction (1984-1998)". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Tuck, Donald H. (1978). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Chicago: Advent. p. 397. ISBN 0-911682-22-8.