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badseedgirl's review against another edition
3.0
Things I love and hate about The Galactic Patrol specifically and the Lensman series in general:
Love
1. There is nonstop action in these books.
2. There is no doubt who the heroes and villains are.
3. The heroes have no doubt or moral ambiguity as the rightness of their cause.
Hate
1. The feminist in me cringes every time a female character is introduced.
2. These books are written of teen boys, and I am far from that.
I can’t help that I enjoy these novels so much they are not well written, but I can’t help it, they just appeal to me as someone who enjoys questionable literature.
3.5of 5 stars
Love
1. There is nonstop action in these books.
2. There is no doubt who the heroes and villains are.
3. The heroes have no doubt or moral ambiguity as the rightness of their cause.
Hate
1. The feminist in me cringes every time a female character is introduced.
2. These books are written of teen boys, and I am far from that.
I can’t help that I enjoy these novels so much they are not well written, but I can’t help it, they just appeal to me as someone who enjoys questionable literature.
3.5of 5 stars
alex_t's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ogreart's review against another edition
3.0
A classic. It seems a little dated to me, but it was still pretty good. I can see how this helped set the tropes for many following space operas.
barts_books's review against another edition
4.0
A very pulpy but very fun 1950's space opera romp.
Told in that urgent 'golden age' pace where ideas are described, concluded and tossed aside in the space of a few paragraphs. It also covers more plot points than some modern day sci-fi trilogies!
Not sure I'm 100% committed to carry on with the rest but if I see some more E.E Doc Smith out in the world for a good price then I'm sure I'll pick them up.
Well worth a read.
Told in that urgent 'golden age' pace where ideas are described, concluded and tossed aside in the space of a few paragraphs. It also covers more plot points than some modern day sci-fi trilogies!
Not sure I'm 100% committed to carry on with the rest but if I see some more E.E Doc Smith out in the world for a good price then I'm sure I'll pick them up.
Well worth a read.
sfletcher26's review against another edition
3.0
A flawed classic of the space opera genre that hasn't aged well.
It's impossible, for me at least, to think of the golden age of SciFi without thinking of EE 'Doc' Smith. His stories seem very much marmite loved and revered or loathed and derided with equal passion. He is however a writer I've never read until now.
My take on them is that they are great fun for the most part, not great writing, or storytelling, but nonetheless enjoyable. That said their rampant sexism and misogyny are hard to read today.
I will be pressing on with the series but I really need to read something else in between.
It's impossible, for me at least, to think of the golden age of SciFi without thinking of EE 'Doc' Smith. His stories seem very much marmite loved and revered or loathed and derided with equal passion. He is however a writer I've never read until now.
My take on them is that they are great fun for the most part, not great writing, or storytelling, but nonetheless enjoyable. That said their rampant sexism and misogyny are hard to read today.
I will be pressing on with the series but I really need to read something else in between.
spacecomics's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent early science fiction / space opera novel, especially considering when it was written. The kindle edition is unfortunately riddled with typos.
titusfortner's review against another edition
4.0
I first read this series in Junior High School when a friend let me borrow his well loved and very old copies of what he claimed were his favorite books. I really enjoyed them at the time, though it appears the obvious order is not the best order in which to read the series, and since I remember little of the story, I've been looking forward to re-reading them.
This is a book compiled from pulp serials begun in 1937. It is short on real character development, fantastical in its plot and unsubtle in its approach to right versus wrong. It is everything that seminal space opera should be, before that designation existed and by the author who can be considered the father of the genre.
There is no need for deep thought, and it is was obviously written with the social perspectives of the 1930's, but it is an enjoyable read.
This is a book compiled from pulp serials begun in 1937. It is short on real character development, fantastical in its plot and unsubtle in its approach to right versus wrong. It is everything that seminal space opera should be, before that designation existed and by the author who can be considered the father of the genre.
There is no need for deep thought, and it is was obviously written with the social perspectives of the 1930's, but it is an enjoyable read.
sonofthunder's review against another edition
4.0
This book was originally written & serialized in 1937...but not published in book form until 1950. I state that upfront, just because it's important to know how old this book actually is - and so if you're not in the mood for extremely old-fashioned and (to some) dated sci-fi, turn back now! But as I continue reading through Doc Smith's Lensman series, I continue to be thrilled and satisfied. Not going to write an overlong review, but this book provided me with exactly what I'm in the mood for lately, pulpy sci-fi filled with the heroics of men of integrity, honor and strength. Also written by an author with an engineering background...so lots of fun details that make me smile. This book mostly followed one character and his struggles against the dastardly space pirates of Boskone. Fun stuff, great book!
narom96's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75