First Lensman

What It's About

First Lensman is the second novel in E. E. Smith's Lensman series, picking up the story of humanity's push into interplanetary law enforcement. Virgil Samms, head of the Triplanetary Service, sets out to build an incorruptible police force capable of standing against organised interplanetary crime. Central to this new order is the Lens, a device given to worthy candidates by the ancient and enigmatic Arisians. The Lens bonds telepathically to its wearer alone, cannot be removed, duplicated, or stolen, and so becomes an infallible mark of authority. As Samms travels the galaxy recruiting the first Lensmen, the novel weaves political intrigue and criminal conspiracy with the unseen war being waged by the benevolent Arisians against the corrupting influence of the sinister Eddorians.

Key Concepts

The novel centres on the Lens as a symbol of incorruptible authority, the founding myth of a galaxy-spanning police force, and the hidden, centuries-long conflict between the Arisians and Eddorians that secretly shapes the course of human civilisation.

About the Author

E. E. Smith (1890-1965) was an American writer, trained as a chemical engineer with a particular specialism in food technology. He is widely credited as the father of the space opera genre.