Customer Reviews

Children of the Lens

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This book introduces the five children (Kit Kinnison and his sisters) who will lead the final battle against the evil Eddorians. As always, E.E. Smith's dialog is dated, (when was the last time you did a flit?) but that only adds to the charm of the story. It seems in his time, there were only men and girls, and everyone smoked cigarettes.

This story is the slam-bang conclusion of the series in which ever greater powers of good and evil are called into action. My only criticism is that in this book Kimball Kinnison's time is past, and he remains on center stage too long. Once the most powerful man in Civilization, even he is no match for an Eddorian. In the previous two books, his adventures were the deeds of a superhuman second-stage Lensman. But now he seems almost irrelevant, as his far more powerful kids have to protect him. The attitude is, well, we'd better keep an eye on Dad - he's too feeble-minded to know we're actually fighting Eddore.

A priceless scene occurs when Clarissa Kinnison introduces one of her daughters to the evil matriarch of Lyrane II. The villainess thinks as she attacks, "Ah, the daughter is younger and less experienced. She will be easy prey." Oops!

The last fifty pages are worth rereading over and over, as the combined forces of good slug it out with the last bastion of evil in the galaxy. It is the climax of six novels, and it does not disappoint. Enjoy the slang and the hokey dialog, as most modern writers don't have the jets to swing this load.

Here it is. Accept no substitutes. _Children of the Lens_ (_Astounding_, 1947-48; 1954) is the final volumn in E.E. Smith's Lensman sequence. It brings the conflict between the heroic Space Patrol members and the cold and villainous Boskonians to a dramatic conclusion, with the entire galaxy at stake. And I'll be damned if there isn't a bit of humor along the way.

Early in the novel, there is a chapter entitled "Kinnison Writes a Space Opera". Kimball Kinnison poses as a popular writer named Sybly White for a period of time and writes a novel to stay in character. Here is a sampling of his work:

Qadgop the Mercotan slithered flatly around the afterbulge of the tranship. One claw dug into the meters-thick armor of pure neutronium, then another. Its terrible xmexlike snout locked on. Its zymolosely polydactile tongue crunched out, crashed down, rasped across. _Slurp! Slurp!_ At each abrasive stroke the groove in the tranship's plating deepened and Qaggop leered more fiercely. Fools! Did they think that the airlessness of absolute space, the heatlessness of absolute zero, the yieldlessness of absolute neutronium could stop QADGOP THE MERCOTAN? (39)

Wilson Tucker coined the term "space opera" in 1941 to describe a type of hackneyed and cliched science fiction. When Doc Smith began writing the Lensman sequence in the late 1930s, the term was unknown. Less than ten years later, Smith was able to guy his own traditions and style of writing using Tucker's term.

But in spite of this self-parody, we properly think of Smith as the Big Daddy of classical space opera, which developed between roughly 1925 and 1950. Aside from Smith, the four big practitioners of classical space opera were John W. Campbell, Jr., Edmond Hamilton, Jack Williamson, and Ray Cummings. There were others who practiced it on a now-and-again basis: Manly Wade Wellman, Clifford D. Simak, Murray Leinster, and Frank Belknap Long. These writers did not describe the conventions of space opera; they invented them.

Practitioners of grand, or classical, space opera frequently took their writing seriously. Doc Smith certainly did. He was not concerned with making a quick sale, collecting a check, and moving on to the next story. He wanted to write science fiction that would last for a long period of time. He wrote slowly and revised frequently. His science fiction was for the most part "played straight" or told with a poker face. We do Smith a disservice if we think of him as a hack.

Gary Westfahl (1994) notes that for a time, in the 1930s, E.E. Smith was considered the model of what a science fiction writer should be. By the late 1940s, however, there were a great many writers in the field who were writing science fiction that was more sophisticated, profound, and literate than Smith's best. Westfahl notes that at this time, readers were more aware of the juvenile, action-oriented nature of his novels. (_Children_ received only a lukewarm reception when it was serialized in _Astounding_.) By the 1950s, Smith was perceived by many to be a back number who was unable to write modern fare.

But we seem to have strayed from the story. Who are the children of the lens? On one level, they are the five children of Kimball and Clarissa Kinnison (characters modeled after Smith's own children), who have even more powers than their parents. On another level, the children are the various races of the galaxy that have been guided by the Mentor towards maturity. This is all part of Smith's hierarchical universe in which knowledge and power increase, and it is passable fun. But it becomes a little too easy to escape from cliffhanging predicaments when you have super powers or when you can be rescued by one of the kids. _Galactic Patrol_ (1950) was a bit more fun for me.

We are told that the novel that Kinnison writes "was later acclaimed as one of Sybly White's best" (39). After his death in 1965, it seems as if Smith's works are being continuously reprinted-- to considerable popular acclaim. Perhaps he had the last laugh after all.

I first read this series in the 1970's, and repurchased them in the 1980's. The Science Fiction Book Club just released the whole series in a two volume set. However you can get a hold of these, get them. They are a great read. John W. Campbell did another series in the 40's as a great space opera but the lensman series is the best.

Children of the Lens (1954) is the sixth SF novel in the Lensmen series, following Second Stage Lensman. The initial work in this sequence is Triplanetary.

In the previous volume, Gharlane attacked Kim and found an equal match. The Boskonians fought desperately against the GP grand fleet. Kim and Chris finally took time to be married.

In this novel, Kimball Kinnison is a descendant of Rod Kinnison. Kim is an Unattached Second Stage Lensman. Now he is Galactic Coordinator for Civilization.

Clarrissa MacDougall is a descendant of Vergil Samms. She had been a Galactic Patrol nurse and is still the Red Lensman. Chris is also Kim's wife and mother of his children.

Christopher K. Kinnison is the only son of Kim and Chris. Kit and his younger sisters have grown up with Second Stage Lensmen and have developed very powerful minds.

Kathryn and Karen Kinnison are the elder twin daughters of Kim and Chris. Kat is a few minutes older than Kay. Kat is the nominal leader of the girls, but only because they let her.

Camilla and Constance Kinnison are the younger twin daughters of Kim and Chris. Con is a few minutes younger than Cam and both are a year younger than their elder sisters.

Worsel is a second stage Lensman from Velantia. He looks like a dragon with too many arms and teeth.

Tregonsee is a second stage Lensman from Rigel IV. He looks like a leather oil drum with tentacles.

Nadreck is a second stage Lensman from Palain VII. He extends into the fourth dimension and seemingly changes shape.

In this story, twenty-odd years later, Kim is thinking. He has had his shields up for two solid weeks. Chris finally confronts him about it.

Strange things have been happening all over Civilization, inexplicable things with no apparent reason. Kim has sent lensmen to investigate, but none have been successful. Even the Second Stage Lensmen have failed to uncover the basic problem.

For many reasons, Kim has decided to send out Kit to investigate the situation. At first Chris is shocked, but she understands Lensman's load. She accepts the risk to her son and volunteers to help him.

Chris believes the room to be shielded even from the girls, but her daughters are hearing everything. Like their brother, they are all Third Stage and can generate their own Lens as needed. So they decide to help Kit by assisting the four Second Stage Lensmen.

The young ladies argue briefly over who will go with whom, but Kat presents an indisputable argument. Con has always admired and respected Worsel and so will tag along with him. Cam has a similar attachment to Tregonsee and will follow him in his investigations. Kay feels the same about Nadreck and will shadow him. So Kat is left as her father's helper.

The family is going back to Tellus for the graduation of Kit from Wentworth Hall. He graduates as first in his class. Afterward, Kit reports to his father's office, where he receives his grays. Kim briefly explains the situation and gives Kit a tape with all the details.

Then Kim tells him that the Second Stage Lensmen are resigning their current jobs and joining the search. After a short, but joyous, party with the girls, both gray lensmen take off in black speedsters.

This tale takes the Second Stage Lensmen -- and their young shadows -- into the machinations of Boskone. Each uses their own style of inquiry and they share information among themselves. Kit has a moment of sibling rivalry, but Mentor straightens him out.

This is the last volume in the series. Masters of the Vortex is set in the same universe. The author is also known for his Skylark series.

Highly recommended for Smith fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of advanced technologies, covert operations, and talented agents. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

"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.

Well, they're always pretty triumphant, it's kind of a habit with them, but even more so this time. The previous volume ended with the Kinnisons, Kim and Clarissa, finally finding their wedded bliss. Fast-forward twenty years, to see Kinnison Jr. graduating from the academy with highest honors. His four sisters would probably have been right behind him (the proper place for a woman in this chivalrous world), except that the academy appeared to have met its quota for female applicants: zero. No matter, they're home-schooled by the finest minds in two galaxies, on top of a genetic heritage refined over endless millenia, so they have no reason to be sheepish about lack of the sheepskin.

So, they're off. As has been true throughout this series, escalation is the word of the day. Bad guys are badder, weapons more fearsome, and good guys (the five kids, mostly) more brilliantly powerful than ever. And, in a remarkable closing passage, Clarissa (the only female Lensman ever) drives an incredibly womanly search for Her Man, lost through treachery among endless universes.

It's big, bold, and utterly implausible. The 1950s origin of this series lay decades closer to Buster Crabbe's Buck Rogers than to the current day, and it shows in every way. The spaceship-and-slipstick technology echoes its social values: primitive by today's standards, but a cheerful reminder of the era before irony. If people ever stop reading these wonderful stories, society will have lost something precious.

-- wiredweird

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).

Galaxies wide adventure. This is the last book of the Lensman series. While the book can stand alone, the earlier Lensman books lead up to this conclusion where the combined mind powers of the Lensman children, together with super science manage to defeat the super villains for the victory of good over evil.
E.E. Smith wrote these books around the middle of the century, and some of the writing style appears less sophisticated than current authors. However, I enjoyed the extremely positive depiction of the human nature and future - similarly to what the author did this in the Skylark series. Highly recommended..

Not only did the lens series inspire a lot of science fiction books, but it also inspired a lot of movies. One can almost see the galactic "knights" carrying their "lens" weapon using a Force derived from a higher Plenum as being the direct inspiration for the Jedi Knights with their Life Sabers and (when not fighting with those Light Sabers) using a Force derived from the midichlorians in nature.

E.E. Smith layed more than a little of the foundation of true sci-fi novels/epocs in his work with the Lensman serries of books that are now being polished by newer hands,today. Tho technecally less astutely written in physics as larry niven..he more than out shines in emotionally depicted immages and heatfelt humanism/tender family ties than any contempory author now writing. All the paper touched by this fine author was inspired to greatness and to be cherrished. The craft of story telling gained wounderful heights through the hands of E.E. Smith.Publisher take note your missing out on many many new fans by being slow or stingy in reprintings!!!