-
Triplanetary
- Lensman Series
- Narrated by: Reed McColm
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $18.89
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
First Lensman
- Lensman Series
- By: E. E. Doc Smith
- Narrated by: Reed McColm
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the not-too-distant future, while fleets of commercial space ships travel between the planets of numerous solar systems, a traveler named Virgil Samms visits the planet Arisia. There, he becomes the first wearer of the Lens, the almost-living symbol of the forces of law and order. As the first Lensman, Samms helps to form the Galactic Patrol, a battalion of Lensmen who are larger-than-life heroes. These soldiers are the best of the best, with incredible skill, stealth, and drive.
-
-
Lensman Series is Still Fun
- By DJM on 03-18-09
By: E. E. Doc Smith
-
First Lensman
- By: Edward Elmer Smith
- Narrated by: Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is a dark power in the galaxy working against the rise of civilisation, and the First Lensman is leading the way in the fight against chaos. By founding the Galactic Patrol, the Lensmen seek to unite the civilised beings of the galaxy and weld a star fleet of such stupendous power that the forces of darkness and chaos will be defeated.
-
The Skylark of Space
- Skylark Series #1
- By: E. E. "Doc" Smith
- Narrated by: Reed McColm
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brilliant government scientist Richard Seaton discovers a remarkable faster-than-light fuel that will power his interstellar spaceship, The Skylark. His ruthless rival, Marc DuQuesne, and the sinister World Steel Corporation will do anything to get their hands on the fuel. They kidnap Seaton's fiancée and friends, unleashing a furious pursuit and igniting a burning desire for revenge that will propel The Skylark across the galaxy and back.
-
-
Space Operas - Good Story telling!
- By Madge on 01-27-10
-
The Pursuit of the Pankera
- A Parallel Novel about Parallel Universes
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Jennifer Jill Araya, Richard Ferrone, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert A. Heinlein wrote The Number of the Beast, which was published in 1980. In the book Zeb, Deety, Hilda, and Jake are ambushed by the alien "Black Hats" and barely escape with their lives on a specially configured vehicle (the Gay Deceiver) which can travel along various planes of existence, allowing them to visit parallel universes. However, unknown to most fans, Heinlein had already written a "parallel" novel about the four characters and parallel universes in 1977.
-
-
Stupid production
- By Arthur W. Smart on 06-21-20
-
Spacehounds of IPC
- By: E.E. "Doc" Smith Ph.D.
- Narrated by: Harry Shaw
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Inter-Planetary Corporation has sent the space ship Arcturus on a routine fact-finding mission, only to have it ambushed by a strange alien craft, leaving physicist Steve Stevens and Nadia Newton first stranded on Ganymede, and then caught up in the Vorkul-Hexan war. A space adventure of staggering proportions by science fiction master writer E. E. “Doc” Smith.
-
-
Not the writer's best work
- By Dusty Livas on 03-23-22
-
The Number of the Beast
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne, Emily Durante, Malcolm Hillgartner, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The wickedest, most wonderful science fiction story ever created in our - or any - time. Anything can begin at a party in California - and everything does in this bold masterwork by a grand master of science fiction. When four supremely sensual and unspeakably cerebral humans - two male, two female - find themselves under attack from aliens who want their awesome quantum breakthrough, they take to the skies - and zoom into the cosmos on a rocket roller-coaster ride of adventure, danger, ecstasy, and peril.
-
-
I've been waiting for this book in audio format...
- By Michelle on 05-30-12
-
First Lensman
- Lensman Series
- By: E. E. Doc Smith
- Narrated by: Reed McColm
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the not-too-distant future, while fleets of commercial space ships travel between the planets of numerous solar systems, a traveler named Virgil Samms visits the planet Arisia. There, he becomes the first wearer of the Lens, the almost-living symbol of the forces of law and order. As the first Lensman, Samms helps to form the Galactic Patrol, a battalion of Lensmen who are larger-than-life heroes. These soldiers are the best of the best, with incredible skill, stealth, and drive.
-
-
Lensman Series is Still Fun
- By DJM on 03-18-09
By: E. E. Doc Smith
-
First Lensman
- By: Edward Elmer Smith
- Narrated by: Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is a dark power in the galaxy working against the rise of civilisation, and the First Lensman is leading the way in the fight against chaos. By founding the Galactic Patrol, the Lensmen seek to unite the civilised beings of the galaxy and weld a star fleet of such stupendous power that the forces of darkness and chaos will be defeated.
-
The Skylark of Space
- Skylark Series #1
- By: E. E. "Doc" Smith
- Narrated by: Reed McColm
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brilliant government scientist Richard Seaton discovers a remarkable faster-than-light fuel that will power his interstellar spaceship, The Skylark. His ruthless rival, Marc DuQuesne, and the sinister World Steel Corporation will do anything to get their hands on the fuel. They kidnap Seaton's fiancée and friends, unleashing a furious pursuit and igniting a burning desire for revenge that will propel The Skylark across the galaxy and back.
-
-
Space Operas - Good Story telling!
- By Madge on 01-27-10
-
The Pursuit of the Pankera
- A Parallel Novel about Parallel Universes
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Jennifer Jill Araya, Richard Ferrone, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert A. Heinlein wrote The Number of the Beast, which was published in 1980. In the book Zeb, Deety, Hilda, and Jake are ambushed by the alien "Black Hats" and barely escape with their lives on a specially configured vehicle (the Gay Deceiver) which can travel along various planes of existence, allowing them to visit parallel universes. However, unknown to most fans, Heinlein had already written a "parallel" novel about the four characters and parallel universes in 1977.
-
-
Stupid production
- By Arthur W. Smart on 06-21-20
-
Spacehounds of IPC
- By: E.E. "Doc" Smith Ph.D.
- Narrated by: Harry Shaw
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Inter-Planetary Corporation has sent the space ship Arcturus on a routine fact-finding mission, only to have it ambushed by a strange alien craft, leaving physicist Steve Stevens and Nadia Newton first stranded on Ganymede, and then caught up in the Vorkul-Hexan war. A space adventure of staggering proportions by science fiction master writer E. E. “Doc” Smith.
-
-
Not the writer's best work
- By Dusty Livas on 03-23-22
-
The Number of the Beast
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne, Emily Durante, Malcolm Hillgartner, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The wickedest, most wonderful science fiction story ever created in our - or any - time. Anything can begin at a party in California - and everything does in this bold masterwork by a grand master of science fiction. When four supremely sensual and unspeakably cerebral humans - two male, two female - find themselves under attack from aliens who want their awesome quantum breakthrough, they take to the skies - and zoom into the cosmos on a rocket roller-coaster ride of adventure, danger, ecstasy, and peril.
-
-
I've been waiting for this book in audio format...
- By Michelle on 05-30-12
-
Barsoom Series Collection: 7 John Carter Stories
- By: Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Narrated by: Eric Vincent
- Length: 54 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Barsoom Series Collection: 7 John Carter Stories is an audiobook collection of seven novels/stories of John Carter by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It will transport you to a fascinating new world unlike any other. Join John Carter as he finds himself on another planet beyond his deepest imagination - Mars, with almost a complete lack of resources.
-
-
Terrific, but Terrible
- By Tripp on 12-05-17
-
Glory Road
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
. C. “Scar” Gordon was on the French Riviera recovering from a tour of combat in Southeast Asia, but he hadn’t given up his habit of scanning the personals in the newspaper. One ad in particular leapt out at him: "Are you a coward? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English with some French, proficient with all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential...."
-
-
Heinlein's great story, a glorious spin by Pinchot
- By BRKyle on 09-19-12
-
Starman Jones
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Paul Michael Garcia
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Max Jones, a practical, hard-working young man, found his escape in his beloved astronomy books. When reality comes crashing in and his troubled home life forces him out on the road, Max finds himself adrift in a downtrodden land - until an unexpected, ultimate adventure carries him away as a stowaway aboard an intergalactic spaceship.
-
-
A typical Heinlein Juvenile
- By Got My Book on 08-22-08
-
The Lost Starship
- By: Vaughn Heppner
- Narrated by: David Stifel
- Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten thousand years ago, a single alien super-ship survived a desperate battle. The vessel's dying crew set the AI on automatic to defend the smashed rubble of their planet. Legend has it the faithful ship continues to patrol the empty battlefield, obeying its last order throughout the lonely centuries.In the here and now, Earth needs a miracle. Out of the Beyond invade the New Men, stronger, faster and smarter than the old. Their superior warships and advanced technology destroy every fleet sent to stop them.
-
-
Bad narration & amateur writing ruin a good story
- By Garth on 11-29-15
By: Vaughn Heppner
-
Thrawn (Star Wars)
- By: Timothy Zahn
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 16 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this definitive novel, listeners will follow Thrawn's rise to power - uncovering the events that created one of the most iconic villains in Star Wars history.
-
-
The Sherlock of Star Wars
- By Admiralu on 05-06-17
By: Timothy Zahn
-
To Sail Beyond the Sunset
- The Life and Loves of Maureen Johnson (Being the Memoirs of a Somewhat Irregular Lady)
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 17 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maureen Johnson, the somewhat irregular mother of Lazarus Long, wakes up in bed with a man and a cat. The cat is Pixel, well-known to fans of the New York Times best seller The Cat Who Walks through Walls. The man is a stranger to her, and besides that, he is dead.
-
-
Perhaps it rates in x's and not stars.
- By Y. Reed on 02-06-15
-
Foundation (Apple Series Tie-in Edition)
- By: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 12,000 years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future - to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire - both scientists and scholars - and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.
-
-
Changed the version back
- By chip worden on 09-24-21
By: Isaac Asimov
-
Rendezvous with Rama
- By: Arthur C. Clarke
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim, Robert J. Sawyer - introduction
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub Rama. It is huge, weighing more than ten trillion tons. And it is hurtling through the solar system at inconceivable speed. Then a space probe confirms the unthinkable: Rama is no natural object. It is, incredibly, an interstellar spacecraft. Space explorers and planet-bound scientists alike prepare for mankind's first encounter with alien intelligence.
-
-
Mixed feelings
- By Tricia on 01-07-10
By: Arthur C. Clarke
-
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon
- By: Frederik Pohl
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Frederik Pohl was on a streak when this Hugo Award-finalist novel was published in 1980. Now back in print after an absence of nearly a decade, this unique science fiction novel is as fresh and entertaining as ever. The story begins when the hero of Gateway finances an expedition to a distant alien spaceship that may end famine forever. On the ship, the explorers find a human boy, and evidence that reveals a powerful alien civilization is thriving on a transport ship headed right for Earth....
-
-
Good, way better than the first book
- By Amazon Customer on 10-09-20
By: Frederik Pohl
-
Methuselah's Children
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the fall of the American Ayatollahs as foretold in Stranger in a Strange Land and chronicled in Revolt in 2100, the United States of America at last fulfills the promise inherent in its first Revolution: for the first time in human history there is a nation with Liberty and Justice for All. No one may seize or harm the person or property of another, or invade his privacy, or force him to do his bidding. Americans are fiercely proud of their re-won liberties and the blood it cost them; nothing could make them forswear those truths they hold self-evident. Nothing except the promise of immortality…
-
-
A delight to revisit a science fiction classic
- By Anne on 02-16-13
-
Footfall
- By: Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 24 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They first appear as a series of dots on astronomical plates, heading from Saturn directly toward Earth. Since the ringed planet carries no life, scientists deduce the mysterious ship to be a visitor from another star. The world's frantic efforts to signal the aliens go unanswered. The first contact is hostile: the invaders blast a Soviet space station, seize the survivors, and then destroy every dam and installation on Earth with a hail of asteriods.
-
-
Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle at Their Best
- By Flatlander on 06-24-10
By: Larry Niven, and others
-
Citizen of the Galaxy
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a distant galaxy of colonized planets, the atrocity of slavery is alive and well. Young Thorby was just another bedraggled orphan boy sold at auction, but his new owner, Baslim, is not the disabled beggar he appears to be. Adopting Thorby as his son, Baslim fights relentlessly as an abolitionist spy. When the authorities close in on Baslim, Thorby must find his own way in a hostile galaxy. Joining with the Free Traders, a league of merchant princes, Thorby must find the courage to live by his wits and fight his way up from society's lowest rung.
-
-
Good nostalgia; pretty good YA sci-fi
- By Mark on 06-18-18
Publisher's Summary
Critic Reviews
"If you wish to understand the roots of modern science fiction, you have to read the Lensman saga." (Allen Steele)
"A finalist for a special Hugo Award for All-Time Best Series, 'Lensman' is considered by many sf heads to be the greatest of the space operas and clearly a source for such successors as Star Trek and Star Wars." ( Library Journal)
More from the same
What listeners say about Triplanetary
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- DJM
- 03-18-09
Lensman Series is Still Fun
Okay. The narrator of this series is not the best. Nevertheless, this story still works if you can get past some of writing (the "look of eagles" in the eyes of Lensmen for instance). If you've never dipped into these before, get Galactic patrol, Gray Lensman, Second Stage Lensmen and Children of the Lens in that order. If you are still hooked, go back and pick up First lensman. You have to be a real diehard lensmen fan to slug through Triplanetary.
This is classic space opera, good versus evil, with the guys in the white hats destined to win. Smith wasn't very good at envisioning future technology, but he comes up with some fun ideas. The inertialess drive is an interesting solution to FSL travel and the negasphere is one of the best Sci_Fi weapons ever imagined. His aliens are fun too, especially the frigid planet dwellers. Considering that the series was started in the late 30s, it holds up amazingly well.
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- NDDave
- 09-21-16
A classic, but...
The Lensman series is a classic, one of the founding cornerstones of space opera. The performance of the book was good, the voices distinguishable and interesting.
The one thing that did annoy me, however, was the 12-minute lecture before the book ever began, snootily informing the reader that the novel was written in an earlier era, that attitudes towards women, etc were different then and the book reflects that. Which would not have been so bad (it's certainly true) if it was not so worded as to sound so contemptuously dismissive of the author.
So, my recommendation is to skip the self-righteous moralizing at the beginning and jump forward 12 minutes or so to the actual story.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- James
- 07-10-08
Old Time Sci Fi at It's Best
The book is the grandfather of all space operas. It's story that takes place over 2 billion years and has every you could want from and old time Sci Fi yarn.
It has bug eyes aliens, Ultra weapons, Ether shields and plenty of battles.
The story is a little unwieldy in spots, and takes a little preserverance, but is well worth it.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Elliott
- 06-18-15
Better as an Audiobook
I first read this book in High School many years ago. I haunted the Brooklyn Public Library until I read the entire series. This book is much better as an audio book. I re-read it about 10 years ago an found difficulty with the writing. As an audio book, Smith's stilted writing, especially about the emotions of the characters is not as bad. This story is all about the plot.
I have to disagree with those who feel the first three parts of this book should be skipped. I found it hard to stop listening when I had to. The semiautobiographical part of the third part is absolutely fascinating.
The Triplanetary part moves rapidly, and even though I knew what was coming, I was impatient for the next unfolding of the story.
Others have complained that the women in Smith's stories wait about to be rescued, like the typical shrinking violets of 19th century literature. There is some truth to this, but not as much as you might think.
In the Atlantis segment, Kinnexa was certainly not a shrinking violet but a highly competent secret agent, paramilitary type.
In the Triplanetary segment, Clio Marsden was indeed a woman needing to be rescued, but as soon as she had a gun in her hands, she was as deadly as the men.
These women were indeed not shrinking violets, just highly competent women who, when given a chance were just as competent as the men.
This book is not a paean to women's lib, but a very intense story in which women play a major, if secondary part.
I can recommend it to anyone who likes a good story and isn't concerned about the fact that this book is at least 50+ years old.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ilo B. Gassoway
- 03-26-16
One of my favorite books.
The reader was not great with alternate voices which made it a bit difficult to get into. But great space opera beginning.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ron Ruble
- 02-08-15
A great old favorite by E. E. (Doc) Smith
One of my oldest and dearest favorite Space Operas. The start of the Lensman Series!
Read it to your kids; the epic tale before Star Wars and other newcomers.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- naruvoll
- 04-14-22
Not the best recording or book
There is no rhyme or reason to the audio chapter breaks. They have nothing to do with the actual chapter breaks.
There are numerous instances where you can hear the narrator almost get a line right, as if they just couldn’t stand another take and this was deemed close enough.
As for the story, well, it’s a sci-fi classic. Prone to all the foibles that one expects from golden age sci-fi. If you’re ok with that, it’s merely average. If you’re not, it reads like an admission that the author never met a woman, let alone had a relationship with one. That is normal for the genre and time but this one felt particularly egregious to me.
What I can say of the book is that it was interesting enough that it’s flaws didn’t make me vow to never touch another Smith book again. But I can’t say I liked it either. It’s not just the characters that are cardboard cutouts (that’s expected). The plots and tension feel pretty one dimensional as well.
It may simply be that I am coming to this book after reading many books based on it but it felt clunky and wooden and significantly difficult to care about anyone. If it hadn’t been an audiobook, I doubt I would have finished it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steve Medley
- 01-30-21
Great book
Great book, the entire series is phenomenal. I noticed several reviews that seem to be fairly negative about the narrator, personally I don't see it I think he did a fairly good job and it was quite enjoyable.
Another few reviews I saw actually recommended to skip this book as it was "hard to get through unless you're a real lensman fan" I find this rather silly personally and don't recommend anyone skip the first book in this series.
My only gripe with this is the intro that was not written by Doc Smith and instead attempts to hint that he is some sort of racist for having white people in this book. This, if you actually read the book (or rather listen), is completely unfounded.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cindy
- 01-24-21
Fascinating but flawed.
Very dated.
Spoiler:
*
*
*
And I get that but a little light genocide to rescue your girlfriend is a low point in Science Fiction.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- KAZ Vorpal, aka Michael Karl
- 09-30-20
Mostly of Historical and Cultural Value
This story is noteworthy mostly as the archetype of the space opera. Without this series, there would be no Dorsai, no Dune, no Star Wars. You like the tractor beams in Star Trek? Invented in this novel.
The reader is just passable. He makes a lot of mistakes of emphasizing the wrong words in some sentences, but not enough to distract too much from the story.
-
Overall

- melmoth2
- 07-04-08
He do the Aliens in different voices
Hugely entertaining space opera. Another example of a series that I sometimes struggle to read coming alive through the spoken word. The corny dialogue, which had always put me off Smith, is transformed into 40s film noir banter when spoken aloud. Just imagine Kate Hepburn as the heroine and Bogart as Kinnison and the whole thing falls into place. My only gripe is the alien voices who uniformly sound like bad Dr Who characters - pompous and constipated.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- colin whitney
- 08-30-15
E.E. Doc Smith .. One of the best So To great
If you haven't read Smith before read them all. All his story's are as riveting
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ann Ingham
- 04-10-15
fantastic Sci fi
I have loved tje lensman series for many years. it's lovely to be able to listen to it and share it with a younger generation.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- A West
- 10-28-18
High science fiction
High science fiction of a type no longer written mores the pity.Doc Smiths only limits are his incredible imagination.I can't wait to read more of his works.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Paul A. Adams
- 10-05-18
A trip down memory lane
I read this book some 35 years ago. It helped shape my love of Sci-fi. Now it seem so much like a Buck Rogers black and white film.
Enjoyed it in fondly.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Michael Roberts
- 02-14-17
A great book
I read this book many years ago and it's still a great story
It's even better when read ro you .
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall

- Mr
- 10-03-10
Dated story and poor narration
I read these books when I was a teenager and thought them the best rip-roaring read I'd ever had. Now, 25 years on, they have dated even more than they had when I first read them. In the Lensman universe, high technology is all metal and machinery and you get a feeling that the smell of lubricating oil must pervade every spaceship's bridge.
That said, the scale of Doc Smith's imagination is second to none. I still want to meet an Arisian, to be Kimball Kinnison, to meet an auburn goddess and pile scorn on the Eddorians in the same way as I would boo and hiss at a pantomime. It's a man's universe that he conjures, of the Flash Gordon variety but without the high camp and I still love it.
The only thing that stops me from purchasing another book is the poor narration. Reed McColm is a master of 100 voices; unfortunately all of them his own. So, instead of adding to my enjoyment of the story with sharp vocal characterisation, his narration confuses me as I try to work out whether the character he's vocalising is Virgil Samms, Granite jawed hero of the Universe, or Clio, perpetually demur love interest and air head.
Please audible - a new narrator please.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mac Man
- 10-08-20
Odd narration
The narrator broke the sentences at odd places, sometimes dropping me out if the story to work out where pauses and emphasis should have been. Undoubtedly a lot of this was Smith’s clunky prose, but at times it felt as this was the narrator’s first look at the text!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Stan
- 06-16-20
It’s cheesy, but in a good way
Look, this was written decades ago, so lacks the sophistication of modern SciFi, but it is a lot of fun.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- asbestostony
- 06-07-20
Love the series, not so keen on the narrator
If I weren't such a fan of the books, I would have really struggled to finish this. His good male characters sound like politicians chewing on cigars;; his bad male characters sound like Peter Lorre on a bad day. The whole thing sounds like a Dad reading to his kids and trying desperately to think of new voices that all end up sounding the same.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 07-17-19
My thanks 453
Well read. Well written. A pleasure to listen to. Narrater made this very enjoyable. I can't wait for the next one lying 4
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Peter
- 05-01-19
I totally went deep in listening to this series.
Having never the time to read these books when I was younger it was a total pleasure to be able to listen to the series , in order, with the next available just as I was left on the next cliff hanger. Having since completed this and many other sci-fi series I still recall the story of the Lensmen as the most enjoyable .. Unless your a talking beercan !
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Thesle
- 11-10-14
Picks up a little
Originally published as a serial the story has been added to when published in book form. I'm not sure that the first half of the novel is necessary but at least we are warned of this in a preamble. After the sixth hour a bit more of a plot starts to develop, but I'm still not sure if I would rate this novel as highly as master works like Asimov's Foundation series. Maybe I'll change my mind after another book or two but the first doesn't suck you in.
The flat text is delivered with a flat narration, which certainly doesn't add anything. Not the worst narrator I've heard, but nowhere near the best.