Scan barcode
A review by balconyfalconry
Triplanetary by E.E. "Doc" Smith
1.0
When I was small, my grandfather would always regale me with narratives from one of his favorite space operas, Doc Smith's Lensman series. Though I know a lot about it (and how it's kind of an ur-text for the Green Lantern story, being a galactic patrol given powers by a group of ancient watchers to battle ancient space evil), I'd never actually read any until now. It's rough going.
Smith has some compelling ideas and creations, but its difficult to find in the blocky prose. Characters are static and wooden to the point I gave up trying to tell any of the men apart. The lone female character (damsel in distress and love interest) is an unfortunate product of a bygone time. I may read further because this truly felt like an almost tangentially related and developed prequel to the more serial promise of the Lensman series. I just hope the writing loosens up.
Smith has some compelling ideas and creations, but its difficult to find in the blocky prose. Characters are static and wooden to the point I gave up trying to tell any of the men apart. The lone female character (damsel in distress and love interest) is an unfortunate product of a bygone time. I may read further because this truly felt like an almost tangentially related and developed prequel to the more serial promise of the Lensman series. I just hope the writing loosens up.