Doc Smith Lensman series

pwalker8 · 08-23-2015, 07:03 PM

I notice that all the Doc Smith Lensman books are available as ebooks in Amazon, except the Grey Lensman, which apparently has been removed for some problem. Is this one of those situations where someone has put orphaned books up, even though they aren't the copyright holder? I know that Gutenberg has Triplanetary and First Lensman available, but apparently the remainder of the series had their copyrights renewed and won't be PD until 95 years after the initial publication date
(Galactic Patrol - 1937, Gray Lensman - 1939, Second Stage Lensman - 1941 and Children of the Lens -1947)

AnotherCat · 08-23-2015, 07:57 PM

It is also unavailable, listed but under review with the publisher, in my +50 country so may be some problem other than copyright.

frahse · 08-23-2015, 09:55 PM

I read the Lensman early in life. "A lensman always goes in!"

Never cared for the Doc Savage series though.

Jean · 08-24-2015, 03:01 AM

The publisher listed is 'One Earth Books' - I own these books in paper published by One Earth Books and the covers match the ebook editions. I don't know if the publisher is actually to one to make them available on Amazon though.

That being said, I purchased First Lensman from Amazon last December and I REALLY don't recommend anyone purchase it. It was a very poor OCR that obviously no-one bothered to even glance at before making it available on Amazon. There are many spelling errors on every page. Later in the ebook there are page numbers from the paper edition randomly inserted in with the text. Chapter 11 (if I recall the correct chapter) did not start on a new page like every other chapter. It just followed on from the text of the previous chapter. Those are just problems I can recall, there may be more.

I very much enjoy this series and was excited to be able to read them in ebook format but the poor OCR spoiled the experience for me and I was unwilling to spend the money being charged for the rest of the books. Very disappointing.

pwalker8 · 08-24-2015, 05:12 AM

They are a bit pricey given their status (basically $8). I did get the Galactic Patrol, and it seems to be decent as far as formatting and scanning errors go. Didn't bother getting the rest since I wasn't sure about the status.

gweeks · 08-24-2015, 08:35 AM

The paperback books were publish by Old Earth Books, not One Earth Books.

The Grey Lensman was pulled for formatting and proofing problems. There are whole pages missing from the content. They merely repackaged the badly done pirate edition that's been floating around for years. I'm assuming the other One Earth editions are the same. I'm not willing to either buy or waste a borrow to find out.

Triplanetary and First Lensman are at PG. The copyright status on the others is complicated by magazine renewals that may or may not have renewed the stories depending on what the contracts were like. The contracts aren't public information.

All of the Lensman books go Public Domain in life+50 countries next January. This has no affect on the U.S. copyright status.

Greg

Jean · 08-24-2015, 01:42 PM

You are right, I don't know how I missed that. My paper editions were published by OLD Earth Books. The ebook edition does not include any copywrite information except to say it was first published by Fantasy Press hardbound - 1950. It also does not include any of the artwork included in the Old Earth Books edition.

I am personally leaning toward it being an unauthorized edition.

frahse · 09-01-2015, 11:21 PM

It seems that I have the Lensmen books somewhere in the basement where we have been working from time to time since my wife and I both retired from "full" time work at least.

Maybe they will show up.

BenG · 09-02-2015, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gweeks

The paperback books were publish by Old Earth Books, not One Earth Books.

According to their website Old Earth Books no longer has the reprint rights.

Quote:

The Old Earth Books six-volume collection of trade paperback facsimiles of the original Fantasy Press hardcover editions of E. E. "Doc" Smith's classic Lensmen series are officially out of print. Old Earth Books no longer has the reprint rights and it is not known when or by whom the series will be reprinted in the future.

My paperbacks were printed by Pyramid in the 70s.

08-23-2015, 07:03 PM	#1
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	Doc Smith Lensman series I notice that all the Doc Smith Lensman books are available as ebooks in Amazon, except the Grey Lensman, which apparently has been removed for some problem. Is this one of those situations where someone has put orphaned books up, even though they aren't the copyright holder? I know that Gutenberg has Triplanetary and First Lensman available, but apparently the remainder of the series had their copyrights renewed and won't be PD until 95 years after the initial publication date (Galactic Patrol - 1937, Gray Lensman - 1939, Second Stage Lensman - 1941 and Children of the Lens -1947)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Lensmen Series E.E.Doc Smith	Maggie-Me	Calibre	6	12-31-2010 02:16 PM
Lensman slang	daniel_hokkaido	Lounge	2	06-13-2009 09:56 AM
Science Fiction Smith, E.E. "Doc": The Vortex Blaster. 19 April 2008	RWood	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	1	04-28-2008 12:39 PM
Science Fiction Smith, E.E. "Doc": Spacehounds of IPC. 19 April 2008	RWood	IMP Books (offline)	0	04-19-2008 04:42 PM
Science Fiction Smith, E.E. "Doc": The Vortex Blaster. 19 April 2008	RWood	Kindle Books (offline)	0	04-19-2008 04:12 PM

08-23-2015, 07:57 PM	#2
AnotherCat .... Posts: 1,547 Karma: 18068960 Join Date: May 2012 Device: ....	It is also unavailable, listed but under review with the publisher, in my +50 country so may be some problem other than copyright.

08-23-2015, 09:55 PM	#3
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,315 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	I read the Lensman early in life. "A lensman always goes in!" Never cared for the Doc Savage series though.

08-24-2015, 03:01 AM	#4
Jean Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 1069296 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Washington State Device: Kindle 1 / Kindle Fire / Kindle Paperwhite / Kobo Libra Colour	The publisher listed is 'One Earth Books' - I own these books in paper published by One Earth Books and the covers match the ebook editions. I don't know if the publisher is actually to one to make them available on Amazon though. That being said, I purchased First Lensman from Amazon last December and I REALLY don't recommend anyone purchase it. It was a very poor OCR that obviously no-one bothered to even glance at before making it available on Amazon. There are many spelling errors on every page. Later in the ebook there are page numbers from the paper edition randomly inserted in with the text. Chapter 11 (if I recall the correct chapter) did not start on a new page like every other chapter. It just followed on from the text of the previous chapter. Those are just problems I can recall, there may be more. I very much enjoy this series and was excited to be able to read them in ebook format but the poor OCR spoiled the experience for me and I was unwilling to spend the money being charged for the rest of the books. Very disappointing.

08-24-2015, 05:12 AM	#5
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	They are a bit pricey given their status (basically $8). I did get the Galactic Patrol, and it seems to be decent as far as formatting and scanning errors go. Didn't bother getting the rest since I wasn't sure about the status.

08-24-2015, 08:35 AM	#6
gweeks Fanatic Posts: 509 Karma: 3455210 Join Date: Apr 2007 Device: Rocket, Nook ST, Kobo WiFi, Kindle PW	The paperback books were publish by Old Earth Books, not One Earth Books. The Grey Lensman was pulled for formatting and proofing problems. There are whole pages missing from the content. They merely repackaged the badly done pirate edition that's been floating around for years. I'm assuming the other One Earth editions are the same. I'm not willing to either buy or waste a borrow to find out. Triplanetary and First Lensman are at PG. The copyright status on the others is complicated by magazine renewals that may or may not have renewed the stories depending on what the contracts were like. The contracts aren't public information. All of the Lensman books go Public Domain in life+50 countries next January. This has no affect on the U.S. copyright status. Greg

08-24-2015, 01:42 PM	#7
Jean Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 1069296 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Washington State Device: Kindle 1 / Kindle Fire / Kindle Paperwhite / Kobo Libra Colour	You are right, I don't know how I missed that. My paper editions were published by OLD Earth Books. The ebook edition does not include any copywrite information except to say it was first published by Fantasy Press hardbound - 1950. It also does not include any of the artwork included in the Old Earth Books edition. I am personally leaning toward it being an unauthorized edition.

09-01-2015, 11:21 PM	#8
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,315 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	It seems that I have the Lensmen books somewhere in the basement where we have been working from time to time since my wife and I both retired from "full" time work at least. Maybe they will show up.

Advert

Advert