📖 About Lensman

Lensman is a series universe written by E.E. "Doc" Smith. The complete collection runs to 10 books across 2 series, published between 1937 and 1983.

The main series is Publication Order of Lensman Books with 7 books. It opens with Galatic Patrol (1937) and currently runs to Masters of the Vortex (1960).

Series included on this page:

🎯 Where to Start with Lensman

New readers should begin with the first book of the main series in publication order: Galatic Patrol (1937), book 1 of Publication Order of Lensman Books. Reading in publication order lets the world and characters develop the way the author intended, and it avoids spoilers that later books may contain.

Each of the 2 series on this page is expandable — click a series heading to see every title it contains, in order, with a direct link to buy the book on Amazon.

📚 Lensman Books in Order

Publication Order of Lensman Books
7 books
1
Galatic Patrol book cover1Galatic Patrol1937Buy on Amazon
Children of the Lens book cover2Children of the Lens1947Buy on Amazon
Triplanetary book cover3Triplanetary1948Buy on Amazon
First Lensman book cover4First Lensman1950Buy on Amazon
Gray Lensman book cover5Gray Lensman1951Buy on Amazon
Second Stage Lensman book cover6Second Stage Lensman1953Buy on Amazon
Masters of the Vortex book cover7Masters of the Vortex1960Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of Second Stage Lensman Books
3 books
2
The Dragon Lensman book cover1The Dragon Lensman1980Buy on Amazon
Lensman from Rigel book cover2Lensman from Rigel1982Buy on Amazon
Z-Lensman book cover3Z-Lensman1983Buy on Amazon

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many Lensman books are there?
There are 10 books in the Lensman collection, organised into 2 series and published between 1937 and 1983.
What is the first Lensman book?
The first book is Galatic Patrol, published in 1937.
What order should I read the Lensman books in?
Most readers use publication order, which is the order the books were originally released. A chronological order is also provided on this page for readers who prefer to follow the internal timeline of the story.
Who wrote the Lensman books?
The Lensman books were written by E.E. "Doc" Smith.
Is the Lensman series finished?
The main series, Publication Order of Lensman Books, has 7 books so far. The most recent title listed on this page gives the current end point of the series.
When did the Lensman series start?
The earliest title in this collection was published in 1937, and the most recent in 1983.