| Children of the Lens |  | Author: E. E. "doc" Smith
Publisher: Jove Books
Category: Book
Buy Used: $2.55
Used (7) from $2.55
Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 4663138
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: 1st Printing
Pages: 253
ISBN: 0515046124
EAN: 9780515046120
ASIN: 0515046124
Publication Date: 1977
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: 1977; Mass Market Paperback; No notes/hiliting; Clean pages; Lightly edgeworn cover; No dog-ears; Strong binding; creases on spine;; **Daily shipping Mon-Sat. Striving for perfect service! Our feedback is hard to beat!; sku50438:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Science Fiction, Fantasy, General, Futuristic, Space Opera
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
Terrific! But, a little bit different look at what a lensman is. December 4, 2008
"Children of the Lens" is a terrific book. However, we do get a little bit different look at what a lensman is.
Once more, please note that the customs, attitudes, and language come from a time when radio and printed newspapers were our mass media. They will seem dated. Please ignore that. Focus on the story. This is the last installment of what may have been the best space opera of the time.
We are introduced to Kimball Kinnison's children. They are better lens-people than their parents. We, also, are introduced to the notion that the job that seemed finished really needs more work. Here, battles and gore no longer have the main role. The battle may be intense, but it is somewhat more subtle. Just when we think we are at an obvious ending, Smith throws a curve-ball. The plot twist will churn your tummy. Then, well, you will see.
I enjoyed this book. I think you will, too.
 Super Reader August 27, 2007
The Children of the Lens are the culmination of the Arisian breeding program, and are to be their weapons in the final assault on Eddore.
Kimball Kinnison and Clarissa MacDougall have had four children. Born with the abilities Kim possesses, these kids will become the 'third stage' with an ability to join their minds in an all-powerful gestalt.
They are talented enough that they can shadow the Second Stage Lensmen without them knowing, and help them out. Each of the four has a favorite among the Second Stage Lensmen, even if they won't admit it.
This book has a different feel, in that it is a tiny bit focused on family, and the mental war part of it means the insane space battles are a much smaller part of the whole thing.
The end is the final battle between the Arisians and the Eddorians, with the third-stage Kinnison gestalt as an important part of the assault.
Afterwards, what the Arisians tells the Children comes as a bit of a surprise.
This Is The First Non-Five Star Review Listed For This Novel, If You Can Believe It July 26, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having started the six book series with Triplanetary and ending here, I thought the series started to trail off after Galactic Patrol. Triplanetary has been heavily criticized as giving away too much of the series and of the pro- and antagonists too soon. However when the Eddorians are finally confronted here I didn't feel as much as a build up to their powers as Triplanetary instilled. In Triplanetary you really felt that the Eddorians were almost omnipotent beings and the task before the Arisians in seeding planets, including Earth, preparing for the eventual confrontation to save Civilization. Galactic Patrol really carried on the beginning of the series with Kimball Kinnison, but I thought the quality dwindled starting with Gray Lensman and the dated 50's slang really picked up then. It's not just because it's written in the 50's, I've recently read several works by Alfred Bester, Arthur C. Clarke, and others written in the 50's and they have no where near this level of 50's slang.
Another thing I started to find unappealing is Smith's heavy regard for the `wide girth' of Kinnison and of his space-ax swinging cohorts. In reality, strong ambition comes often from those that have not been so physically gifted in life and so have to fight their entire lives against people's initial reactions to their appearance. Lois McMaster Bujold's Mountains of Mourning of a diminutive protagonist's personal battle against his grandfather's attitude, and possible disgust, of his physical stature comes to mind. So it is with irony that I can picture some skinny kid sitting outside in the 50's reading this book and `barrel-shaped chests" as the big neighbor kids come up to him and say `hey poindexter, whatcha reading...' or something.
However, the originality, and impact this series had upon science fiction cannot be understated and is why I am giving it a respectable four stars. Several reviewers have mentioned that they can see scenes from Star Wars lifted from this series. What I see even more so is what Star Trek lifted from this series. Even down to small details such as a ship having to lower shields in order to fire a weapon against an enemy. And many other movies, tv shows, and books influenced comes to mind including Alien, The 5th Element, Heinlein, certainly the original Star Trek as well as the Next Generation and Deep
Space 9, Wing Commander and others.
255 Pages, Publ 1954.
Wow Wow Wow June 1, 2004
All six books went fast and furious...but what reading!!! Terrific stuff! Smith definitely had the jets to tell one of the best yarns in all of science fiction. All the other reviewers citing how later movies, series, and stories were influenced by these books...WERE RIGHT!!! One of the best science fiction series you will ever read. Period.
This is the best there is January 5, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have read this series at least 4 times. If you like SCIFI, you will cherish these books and buy the whole collection (as I did).
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