• Children of the Lens

  • Lensman Series, Book 6
  • By: E. E. Doc Smith
  • Narrated by: Reed McColm
  • Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (336 ratings)

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Children of the Lens  By  cover art

Children of the Lens

By: E. E. Doc Smith
Narrated by: Reed McColm
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Publisher's summary

Twenty years have passed since the events in Second State Lensman. Kimball Kinnison and his wife, Clarrissa, now have five children - the "Children of the Lens". As the offspring of generations of selected matings, they are the most brilliant and capable minds in the universe. Their mission: to conclude the Boskonian war.

Children of the Lens is the sixth and concluding volume of the classic Lensman series, long recognized as the greatest space opera ever written.

Hi-fi sci-fi: listen to more in the Lensman series.
©2006 The Estate of E. E. "Doc" Smith and Virginia Kidd, Inc. (P)2006 Books in Motion. This recording is produced by arrangement with The Estate of E. E. "Doc" Smith and Virginia Kidd, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The most towering figure in science fiction, thanks to the enormous scope of his novels." (Isaac Asimov)
"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)

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What listeners say about Children of the Lens

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Titanic

A fittingly titanic end to the first and (possibly) greatest space opera series of all time!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

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.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

very old style but interesting take on psychic

Smith's efforts to imagine a civilization based on sexual equality are laughable now though progressive for it's time. I am just interested in his use of psychic ability and his aliens. Avoid Triplanetary and Vortex Blasters. Skylark Duquane is fair.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

50 years ago I read this series.

Back in high school I loved reading about the lensmen. It was fun to do it again.

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