Triplanetary, First in the Lensman Series


Read by Phil Chenevert

(4.4 stars; 356 reviews)

Triplanetary was first serialized in Amazing Stories in 1934. After the Lensman series became popular, Smith took his Triplanetary story and turned it into the first of the Lensman series, using it as a prequel to give the back story for the protaganists in the Lensmen series. He added 6 new chapters, doubling it in size and it's really a different book from the serialized novel, being published 14 years after the first. It was put into Gutenberg just last year.

The novel covers several episodes in an eons-long eugenics project of the super-intelligences of the Arisia. This alien race is breeding two genetic lines to become the ultimate weapon in Arisia's cosmic war with their arch enemy, the Eddore. The initial chapters cover the Kinnison genetic line during the fall of Atlantis and Nero's (Gharlane of Eddore) reign in Rome. These tales were inserted into the novel following the serialized release, along with chapters covering members of the Kinnison line in World Wars One, Two and Three. The final chapter of Triplanetary tells of the discovery of the inertialess drive that allows faster than light travel. Patrolman Conway Costigan and his friends engage in a space battle with Gray Roger the pirate gangster. This conflict is complicated by the arrival of the technologically superior, extra-Solar, amphibian-like Nevians, resulting in the first interstellar war involving humans. In this story Virgil Samms and Roderick Kinnison, two very important members of the eugenics project, are introduced. They will play the leading roles in the next story, First Lensman. (Summary by Wikipedia and Phil Chenevert) (10 hr 31 min)

Chapters

Arisia and Eddore 22:08 Read by Phil Chenevert
The Fall of Atlantis 49:53 Read by Phil Chenevert
The Fall of Rome 36:53 Read by Phil Chenevert
1918 28:31 Read by Phil Chenevert
1941 47:12 Read by Phil Chenevert
19—? 27:30 Read by Phil Chenevert
Pirates of Space 41:17 Read by Phil Chenevert
In Roger's Planetoid 38:12 Read by Phil Chenevert
Fleet Against Planetoid 26:23 Read by Phil Chenevert
Within the Red Veil 44:43 Read by Phil Chenevert
Nevian Strife 40:37 Read by Phil Chenevert
Worm, Submarine, and Freedom 15:54 Read by Phil Chenevert
The Hill 27:13 Read by Phil Chenevert
The Super-Ship Is Launched 24:21 Read by Phil Chenevert
Specimens 10:01 Read by Phil Chenevert
Super-Ship in Action 32:24 Read by Phil Chenevert
Roger Carries On 46:19 Read by Phil Chenevert
The Specimens Escape 38:28 Read by Phil Chenevert
Giants Meet 33:10 Read by Phil Chenevert

Reviews

God bless Phil...he will always be with us among the stars.


(5 stars)

outstanding

Awesome story - great ride!


(5 stars)

I loved how the perspectives of different alien races is involved, it makes for a great story. The people of Sol (Earth) are just dumb monkey apes who have LOTS of iron in their cities and in their blood! The Nevians plan to have all of it, since they are just dumb animals, it is no big loss. The people of Sol are much more than that, and prove it. Phil is a great reader, and this story was well done. I also listened to the other version and it too is wonderfully done. I hope the subsequent versions are read soon!

Please may we have MORE...


(5 stars)

I read the most books of the Lensmen series 30 years ago. Still cannot forget the sense of awe and wonder created by the first chapter of this book. I really hope we have the rest of this grand space opera put up in your site. Phil Chenevert's reading is clear and well paced. I look forward to more of his renditions. Thank you very much.

I miss Phil Chenevert


(5 stars)

Excellent story! Well read of course. 10 hours of wonderful entertainment.


(5 stars)

I Find something new each Listen! I started reading SF in the mid 1950's and still read and now also listen. l have mixed old and new SF ever since. This novel was older even then and the new ones I read then are 60+ years older now. I read and reread new and old still. The new for the latest SF ideas with special interest on Natural and Man Made Genetic Evolution of Humanity. The best older ones for story. I never compare the science of the new with the science of the old AND therefore ENJOY BOTH!!! PS:  My Vocation is the Physical Science where the disciplines of Math, Physics, Chemistry and  Biology all OVERLAP = Medicine with a focus on the Molecular Biology of Generics with it's Probable and Possible Results. My Advocation's are the Arts of SF especially Speculative SF,  all the General Knowledge I can acquire and Music especially it's attempted but never obtained Mastery.


(4 stars)

Zach, your dad told us at the temple tonight that you are still not doing well😔. Steven went home today and we were looking forward to having you come back. I guess this means that you still won't be back for a while.☹️ We're so sorry to hear that you're still in soqqqWws much pain and unable to function very well. Please let us know if there is anything at all that you think we could do for you or get you. We will be praying that you feel better soon. We hope that whatever has caused the problem will heal or that the doctors will know something that can be done to help you. We love you very much.❤️b

Wordy, Nerdy, Mind- boggling


(3 stars)

Great reader! The intricate detail and many characters of this story had my brain working in warp drive and my imagination overloaded. War, war, war... I'm not sure if I will try to listen to the remaining books in this series. I thought the ending was kind of flat. I was actually glad it was over. I think this author is awesome in his detail and perhaps this would make a great movie.

Surprisingly quick wrap-up


(5 stars)

Coming to the last chapter, I didn't believe it could be done in one more chapter. Yet it was done neatly and well. The one thing that bothered me, is what bothers me in real life: People's unfounded sense of superiority, built on false everything - not just bravado. Til their nose is bloodied that is.