First Lensman vs Four-Day Planet: Which Should You Read?

Cover of First Lensman First Lensman Edward E. Smith · 1950 ★★★★☆ 3.9 306 pages · ≈ 5 h 40 m · Moderate

Lensman series, Book 2 of 7 In First Lensman, we find the benevolent super-beings of Arisia ready to bestow the first "lens" on a human being (which, among other things, will give humans telepathic powers). The honor…

1★2★3★4★5★
vs
Cover of Four-Day Planet Four-Day Planet H. Beam Piper · 1961 ★★★★☆ 3.8 162 pages · ≈ 3 h 00 m · Moderate

Fenris isn't a hell planet, but it's nobody's bargain. With 2,000-hour days and an 8,000-hour year, it alternates blazing heat with killing cold. A planet like that tends to breed a special kind of person: tough enough…

1★2★3★4★5★

The verdict

How to choose

Scores by source

First LensmanFour-Day Planet
Goodreads 3.9 (3966) 3.7 (703)
Hardcover 3.6 (21) 3.7 (6)
Apple Books — 4.5 (22)

Reception

First LensmanFour-Day Planet
Ratings 3966 703
Editions 59 59
Film adaptations 1 1
Want to read 1806 362
Reading it now 260 77
Written reviews 210 72
Wikipedia attention 287 —
Pages 306 162

Side by side

First LensmanFour-Day PlanetEnjoymentDifficultyInfluencePopularityClassic

Shared themes