Quote:
Originally Posted by dwallbaum
I haven't read the entire thread, so I am probably repeating.
For space operas, you cannot beat E.E. "Doc" Smith. The "Lensman" series is staggering in the way one book flows into the other. He had all five books plotted before he wrote the first one. It is amazing.
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There are actually six books in the series:
Triplanetary
First Lensman
Galactic Patrol
Grey Lensman
Second Stage Lensman
Children of the Lens
There is also a novel set in the Lensman universe but not connected with the series, The Vortex Blaster
Magazine versions of Triplanetary and The Vortex Blaster are on Project Gutenberg.
Screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski is working on a film version:
http://www.scifiscoop.com/news/lensm...ci-fi-project/
(There was a Japanese adaptation as well, but I don't believe it bore much resemblance to the original.)
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"Spacehounds of the IPC" by Smith is a page-turner and an incredible look into the mores of the era. A brilliant hunk of a scientist and a stunningly beautiful and brilliant woman on an asteroid for more than a year, and they never get around to sleeping together until they are married later in the book. Gotta love the '40s!
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That's up on PG, too:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/sear...ads&query=9515
Smith is pretty much the archetypical example of what most folks mean when they say "space opera". Whenever you think "He can't top this!", rest assured he has a topper up his sleeve, and a topper for the topper in the queue behind it.
His other notable series were the four Skylark books: Skylark of Space, Skylark Three, Skylark of Valeron and Skylark Duquesne. I find them less satisfactory. Protagonist Richard Seaton is a little
too perfect. The most interesting character is the protagonist's arch-rival, "Blackie" Duquesne.
At the end of the last Lensman book, there is a message from the son of the main protagonist to any entities capable of receiving it, stating that if they get the message, some great new threat has arisen that they will have to counter. Some fans have speculated that the threat might be the return of Blackie DuQuesne from the Skylark books.
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Dennis