Rating: 
Summary: The very best of the best
Review: This book is the greatest first book of the greatest Space Opera ever written. I read it in the 7th grade- 30 years ago. Space Opera doesn't get any better than 1937 thru 1949- the years all 6 of these books were orginally written. I've waited 18 years for these to be printed again cause I lost my orginals
Rating: 
Summary: A Mixed Review
Review: This is Doc Smith's first in the Lensman cycle. Due to the nature of the construction of the text, it is impossible to fully flesh out any of the main characters besides an occasional gushing of emotion or venting of rage. This seriously detracts from this text, and thus I believe that the "history" Smith presents might have been better served by being more detailed over the course of portions in several books, or, more for the good, dealt with in several additional books all on their own. It's a shame that Doc didn't have the chance to do this.
Rating:
Summary: Great Series!
Review: This is one of the classic science fiction series and I recommend this to anyone who reads sci-fi. Good character development and great action sequences. E. E. Doc Smith brings you right into the action! Too bad no one every made a movie series on this. Another good series if you can find them is the Skylark series.
Rating:
Summary: Old School SF
Review: This is one of the most energe6tic books I have read. Yes, it is pure "pulp fiction" in the non-Quentin Terantino sense of the word, but it was a powerful page turner. Every page was super-charged, and every chapter left you wanting more!E. E. "Doc" Smith is one of the giants of SF, and one of it's greatest popularizers. He doesn't have the finesse that Asimov of Heinlein. He doesn't have the aura of humor of Niven. Doc's strength is his raw energy. This book is like watching Yoda's fight with Count Dooku at double-time. He overwhelms at times.. Another one of Doc's strength is his mixture of science and gadgets. You are immediate placed in a world of sub-ether communicators, atomic weapons, tractor beams, spacer ships, space armor, and all the other props associated with old school SF. I now know where Roddenberry and Lucas got many of their terms and gadgets. This tale is layered, and you can actually smell the intrigue and forces control other forces and nothing is what it seems. "Wheels within wheels" and "plots within plots within plots." At times it can be over complex. Sometimes the action runs too fast, and I find myself panting for the characters. I realize this is pulp fiction, but I wish there was a bit more character development. At times it is almost a melodrama, or a morality play. After reading the first chapter of the first book, I bought the rest of the series. I am excited to finish the series. I wish I had listened to my grandpa and read these books earlier.
Rating:
Summary: Old School SF
Review: This is one of the most energe6tic books I have read. Yes, it is pure "pulp fiction" in the non-Quentin Terantino sense of the word, but it was a powerful page turner. Every page was super-charged, and every chapter left you wanting more! E. E. "Doc" Smith is one of the giants of SF, and one of it's greatest popularizers. He doesn't have the finesse that Asimov of Heinlein. He doesn't have the aura of humor of Niven. Doc's strength is his raw energy. This book is like watching Yoda's fight with Count Dooku at double-time. He overwhelms at times.. Another one of Doc's strength is his mixture of science and gadgets. You are immediate placed in a world of sub-ether communicators, atomic weapons, tractor beams, spacer ships, space armor, and all the other props associated with old school SF. I now know where Roddenberry and Lucas got many of their terms and gadgets. This tale is layered, and you can actually smell the intrigue and forces control other forces and nothing is what it seems. "Wheels within wheels" and "plots within plots within plots." At times it can be over complex. Sometimes the action runs too fast, and I find myself panting for the characters. I realize this is pulp fiction, but I wish there was a bit more character development. At times it is almost a melodrama, or a morality play. After reading the first chapter of the first book, I bought the rest of the series. I am excited to finish the series. I wish I had listened to my grandpa and read these books earlier.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the best
Review: This is the greatest science fiction series ever written.
Rating: 
Summary: Should be judged for reading-pleasure, not sci-fi standarts.
Review: This review covers the whole "Lensmen" series not only "Triplanetary". What I ment in the headline, was that when you read old science fiction, dated or just old, you should not judge it by modern sci-fi standarts. Either you use the standarts that were acceptable at the time, or your criterion should be reading pleasure (while disregarding with a smile a few flaws). If you're judging any kind of old writing with today's standarts then you are being unfare towards yourself, besides ofcourse the book, 'cause you'll not be able to enjoy excellent features of a work, other than scientific credebility, or being politicaly correct. the "Lensmen" series is a great space-opera built like an onion- every time an enemy is defeated, there is another one behind him, more secrative and stronger. The lensmen, on the other hand must strech their powers and abilities, while discovering new ones here and there, to super-human levels of stress, untill the last battle with the true source of evil in the universe. True, it's dated, not politicaly correct, it's scientific credebility is so-so, and not very complex plot-wise. On the other hand it's full of exploding action, killer telepathic monsters, ultra-powerfull weapons, super-fast space ships, perfect heroes who look good, think fast, poses steel-nerves, allways know what to do, and are unshakeble in their belief in goodnes. Oh, they allso get the most beautifull girls in the world(s). It is, after all considerations, A GREAT TALE. Look, this saga has it's flaws. Still, it's a masterpiece and one of the important building-blocks of science-fiction. Recommended to old sci-fi lovers, fans interested in the development of the field, and those interested in scoially studying the 50'.
Rating:
Summary: Should be judged for reading-pleasure, not sci-fi standarts.
Review: This review covers the whole "Lensmen" series not only "Triplanetary". What I ment in the headline, was that when you read old science fiction, dated or just old, you should not judge it by modern sci-fi standarts. Either you use the standarts that were acceptable at the time, or your criterion should be reading pleasure (while disregarding with a smile a few flaws). If you're judging any kind of old writing with today's standarts then you are being unfare towards yourself, besides ofcourse the book, 'cause you'll not be able to enjoy excellent features of a work, other than scientific credebility, or being politicaly correct. the "Lensmen" series is a great space-opera built like an onion- every time an enemy is defeated, there is another one behind him, more secrative and stronger. The lensmen, on the other hand must strech their powers and abilities, while discovering new ones here and there, to super-human levels of stress, untill the last battle with the true source of evil in the universe. True, it's dated, not politicaly correct, it's scientific credebility is so-so, and not very complex plot-wise. On the other hand it's full of exploding action, killer telepathic monsters, ultra-powerfull weapons, super-fast space ships, perfect heroes who look good, think fast, poses steel-nerves, allways know what to do, and are unshakeble in their belief in goodnes. Oh, they allso get the most beautifull girls in the world(s). It is, after all considerations, A GREAT TALE. Look, this saga has it's flaws. Still, it's a masterpiece and one of the important building-blocks of science-fiction. Recommended to old sci-fi lovers, fans interested in the development of the field, and those interested in scoially studying the 50'.
Rating:
Summary: Best series ever written, a Visionary before it's time.
Review: Triplanetary : A Tale of Cosmic Adventure (Smith, E. E. History of Civilization, V. 1.)This entire series, volumes 1 through 6, is the most exciting story of both the power of the mind and the power of technology that I have ever read. Doc. Smith's understanding that, the possession of technology is transitory and that there is a constant struggle to have the state of the art in science and technology, is way beyond his time. He understood that control of technology can swing quickly in favor of either good or evil. That only with the strength of mind and strength of technology, can good be triumphant. Even though it is somewhat dated in it's use of it's terminology, it's still very understandable and to the point. Doc. Smith was a visionary. I highly recommend these books and would like to see them made into a movie series.
Rating:
Summary: The book that hooked me on S/F
Review: While not the best it hooked me onto S/F and I'm still there. The battle for GOOD and EVIL on Earth and the begining of the Lensman Saga. It's what will get more people into reading S/F again.
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