Status Updates From Chronicles of the Lensmen, ...

Telepathic communication that covers interstellar distance is an nuclear superpower. I’m concerned that no one talks in offensive fleets. The heroes are scientists and engineers. Frustrated old man. I tire of the general agreement…but genius agree don’t they? (Sarcasm)

The varied abilities of them Lensmen are revealed especially telepathy. Jill has some other power that is unique to her sex. Reading people’s faces and muscles. The two sides now involve terrorism and assassination.

Two observations: in the Lenzman the universe all three planets in the lower solar system have developed life of the role. Humans may dominate but there are Martians and Venusians as well. Also I spite of the intelligence of these beings, some characters—usually female—describe them in loathsome disgusting terms.

Interesting to imagine a race without any sense of hearing. The Rigilians here are interesting.

The Rigilians with their complete moral soundness but their lack of personal drive reveals an interesting take on Smith’s perspective of an alien culture. There seems to be less xenophobic response in this section than earlier.

Smith’s description of the space port is breathtaking. Illustrating the scene would be spectacular. The problems of personal description fades.

Some funny comments of future advertisements

I find the general status of the Lensmen a bit annoying. I felt about the same about Picard’s Enterprise—the gem of Star fleet. Kirk was just part of the fleet. There is an element of smugness around the characters.

The laying out of the supernatural quality of the Arisians which found the Lens Corps. Ironically they claim that they are but a small point on the cosmos in the great moving pattern. The account of facing Mentat who has different forms reminds me of the party who face the Wizard of Oz. Why exclude females from Lens use? Force drive and scope.

The idea of a chosen few. Neither absolute good or evil.

A recap of the war between the super intelligences and then zero in on the humans who serve in the space mountain that is the headquarters and of course a woman who wears practically no. Loathing on the tennis court…hub boy!

The next novel within this volume is “The First Lensmen” starts off with a reminder of the two super alien races, hailing from the planets: ARISIA and EDDORE. The thing from Edcore’s attempt to assassinate the other draws the line quickly.

Cleo has the final say about humanity’s new allies: “I don’t like them the least little bit. They give me goose-bumps all over. I suppose that they are really estimable folks; talented, cultured, and everything; but just the same I’ll bet that it will be a long, long time before anybody on Earth will really, truly like them!’’ Cleo’s prejudice annoys me. I think Smith is being funny but it falls flat!

My comments on the first part of this narrative can be found in a separate edition of “Triplanetary”. I’ve spoken about the vast loss of life. When the humans and the Nevians make peace they overlook the slaughter of cities and fleets. I wonder if this Cavalier view of the loss of life is bound up in the nearness of World War II conclusion. I’m thinking specifically of the US and Japan.

The Nevians had destroyed Pittsburgh, but Adlington’s bomb had blown an important Nevian city completely out of existence. One Nevian vessel had wiped out a Triplanetarian fleet; but Costigan had depopulated one Nevian city, had seriously damaged another, and had beamed down many Nevian ships. Therefore loss of life and material damage could be balanced off.

“Aren’t you going to do something?!” Leo cried (160). Oh give me a break! My wife never behaved this way! Neither did my sisters nor my mother. So the question rises up: is my wife unusual or was this portrayal of a woman flawed? As a writer I tend to think it is the latter. Most women do not fall apart in a crisis. And today I doubt this is even considered an attractive quality.

The thing sounds a lot like something Lovecraft would find familiar.

As the main romantic figure Cleo is not ringing my bells. She is constantly emoting so that Conway has to calm her with his manly logic. Also for a space faring woman, she’s profoundly Xenophobic in her attitudes toward the intelligent amphibians and fish creatures from the planet Nero.

As the main romantic figure Cleo is not ringing my bells. She is constantly emoting so that Conway has to calm her with his manly logic. Also for a space faring woman, she’s profoundly Xenophobic in her attitudes toward the intelligent amphibians and fish creatures from the planet Nero.

Cleatly the sentimentality that moderns lambast Dickens for is still alive and well in American pulp narrative in the 1930s and on. And I confess the romance is the least appealing for me.

It’s rather difficult to take seriously a super evil scientist named “Roger”. Now it is revealed that he was possessed by the super intelligence of evil which the other secret super intelligences have been fighting. The vast loss of life portrayed is difficult.

The explosion of romantic love in the middle of the crises feels odd to me. At 69 it’s hard for me to determine if this kind of behavior is either realistic or desirable. The secret agent Conway should have been far more disconnected.

Like “Star Trek” Smith foresees a Third World War with atomics which ends the nations of the 20th century, and leads to a new World Order. Both also assume that democracy (American) will in the end win out.

This whole chapter is a very odd one. The main character who was the flying ace in the first chapter is now an older man in charge of a munitions examination station. It seems to be primarily a political battle between one group and another on whether they do a task well or not.

The description of World War One fighting reminds me of my ow WWI narrative. I did not however spend much time in no man’s land or within the convalescence tent. Good details. Leaves me wondering about Smith’s own experience.

Just in passing, the Foreword in this edition by John Clute is very helpful and assures the reader that the prehistory chapters are not the norm of the Lensmen series.

We have, to the best of our ability, directed the energies of these entities into the channels of Civilization; we have adhered consistently to the policy of steering as many different races as possible toward the intellectual level necessary for the effective use of the Lens, without which the proposed Galactic Patrol cannot come into being.23

I note with some concern that the Arisians—good super beings—suggest that they will be influencing certain races to help the evolution towards civilization. There seems to be a seed of racism here.