diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Revision history for irc-core
 
+## 2.1.1.0  -- 2016-08-13
+
+* Add `Eq` instances to `UserInfo` and `RawIrcMsg`
+* Add `IsString` instance to `Identifier`
+* Remove `lens` dependency (functionality preserved)
+* Show and Read instances for `Identifier` render the text version as a string literal
+
 ## 2.1.0.0  -- 2016-08-13
 
 * Add BatchStart and BatchEnd messages
diff --git a/irc-core.cabal b/irc-core.cabal
--- a/irc-core.cabal
+++ b/irc-core.cabal
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 name:                irc-core
-version:             2.1.0.0
+version:             2.1.1.0
 synopsis:            IRC core library for glirc
 description:         IRC core library for glirc
                      .
-                     The glirc client has been split off into https://hackage.haskell.org/package/glirc
+                     The glirc client has been split off into <https://hackage.haskell.org/package/glirc>
 homepage:            https://github.com/glguy/irc-core
 license:             ISC
 license-file:        LICENSE
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@
                        Irc.RateLimit
                        Irc.RawIrcMsg
                        Irc.UserInfo
+  other-modules:       View
 
   build-depends:       base       >=4.9  && <4.10,
                        attoparsec >=0.13 && <0.14,
                        bytestring >=0.10 && <0.11,
                        hashable   >=1.2  && <1.3,
-                       lens       >=4.14 && <4.15,
                        memory     >=0.13 && <0.14,
                        primitive  >=0.6  && <0.7,
                        text       >=1.2  && <1.3,
@@ -44,4 +44,14 @@
                        vector     >=0.11 && <0.12
 
   hs-source-dirs:      src
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+
+test-suite test
+  type: exitcode-stdio-1.0
+  main-is: Main.hs
+  hs-source-dirs: test
+  build-depends:       irc-core,
+                       base,
+                       text,
+                       HUnit      >= 1.3 && < 1.4
   default-language:    Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/Irc/Identifier.hs b/src/Irc/Identifier.hs
--- a/src/Irc/Identifier.hs
+++ b/src/Irc/Identifier.hs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import           Data.Function
 import           Data.Hashable
 import           Data.Primitive.ByteArray
+import           Data.String
 import           Data.Text (Text)
 import qualified Data.Text.Encoding as Text
 import qualified Data.Vector.Primitive as PV
@@ -33,12 +34,17 @@
 -- | Identifier representing channels and nicknames
 data Identifier = Identifier {-# UNPACK #-} !Text
                              {-# UNPACK #-} !(PV.Vector Word8)
-  deriving (Read, Show)
 
 -- | Equality on normalized identifier
 instance Eq Identifier where
   (==) = (==) `on` idDenote
 
+instance Show Identifier where
+  show = show . idText
+
+instance Read Identifier where
+  readsPrec p x = [ (mkId t, rest) | (t,rest) <- readsPrec p x]
+
 -- | Comparison on normalized identifier
 instance Ord Identifier where
   compare = compare `on` idDenote
@@ -46,6 +52,9 @@
 -- | Hash on normalized identifier
 instance Hashable Identifier where
   hashWithSalt s = hashPV8WithSalt s . idDenote
+
+instance IsString Identifier where
+  fromString = mkId . fromString
 
 hashPV8WithSalt :: Int -> PV.Vector Word8 -> Int
 hashPV8WithSalt salt (PV.Vector off len (ByteArray arr)) =
diff --git a/src/Irc/Message.hs b/src/Irc/Message.hs
--- a/src/Irc/Message.hs
+++ b/src/Irc/Message.hs
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
   , computeMaxMessageLength
   ) where
 
-import           Control.Lens
 import           Control.Monad
 import           Data.Function
 import           Data.Maybe
@@ -41,6 +40,7 @@
 import           Irc.RawIrcMsg
 import           Irc.UserInfo
 import           Irc.Codes
+import           View
 
 -- | High-level IRC message representation
 data IrcMsg
diff --git a/src/Irc/Modes.hs b/src/Irc/Modes.hs
--- a/src/Irc/Modes.hs
+++ b/src/Irc/Modes.hs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-{-# Language TemplateHaskell #-}
 {-# Language BangPatterns #-}
 
 {-|
@@ -29,9 +28,9 @@
   , unsplitModes
   ) where
 
-import           Control.Lens
 import           Data.Text (Text)
 import qualified Data.Text as Text
+import           View
 
 -- | Settings that describe how to interpret channel modes
 data ModeTypes = ModeTypes
@@ -43,8 +42,27 @@
   }
   deriving Show
 
-makeLenses ''ModeTypes
+-- | Lens for '_modesList'
+modesLists :: Functor f => ([Char] -> f [Char]) -> ModeTypes -> f ModeTypes
+modesLists f m = (\x -> m { _modesLists = x }) <$> f (_modesLists m)
 
+-- | Lens for '_modesAlwaysArg'
+modesAlwaysArg :: Functor f => ([Char] -> f [Char]) -> ModeTypes -> f ModeTypes
+modesAlwaysArg f m = (\x -> m { _modesAlwaysArg = x }) <$> f (_modesAlwaysArg m)
+
+-- | Lens for '_modesSetArg'
+modesSetArg :: Functor f => ([Char] -> f [Char]) -> ModeTypes -> f ModeTypes
+modesSetArg f m = (\x -> m { _modesSetArg = x }) <$> f (_modesSetArg m)
+
+-- | Lens for '_modesNeverArg'
+modesNeverArg :: Functor f => ([Char] -> f [Char]) -> ModeTypes -> f ModeTypes
+modesNeverArg f m = (\x -> m { _modesNeverArg = x }) <$> f (_modesNeverArg m)
+
+
+-- | Lens for '_modesPrefixModes'
+modesPrefixModes :: Functor f => ([(Char,Char)] -> f [(Char,Char)]) -> ModeTypes -> f ModeTypes
+modesPrefixModes f m = (\x -> m { _modesPrefixModes = x }) <$> f (_modesPrefixModes m)
+
 -- | The channel modes used by Freenode
 defaultModeTypes :: ModeTypes
 defaultModeTypes = ModeTypes
@@ -97,7 +115,7 @@
                     case args of
                       []   -> (Text.empty,[])
                       x:xs -> (x,xs)
-           in cons (polarity,m,arg) <$> computeMode polarity ms args'
+           in ((polarity,m,arg):) <$> computeMode polarity ms args'
 
         | not polarity && m `elem` view modesSetArg icm
        ||                 m `elem` view modesNeverArg icm ->
diff --git a/src/Irc/RawIrcMsg.hs b/src/Irc/RawIrcMsg.hs
--- a/src/Irc/RawIrcMsg.hs
+++ b/src/Irc/RawIrcMsg.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE BangPatterns #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
-{-# Language TemplateHaskell #-}
 
 {-|
 Module      : Irc.RawIrcMsg
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@
   ) where
 
 import           Control.Applicative
-import           Control.Lens
 import           Data.Attoparsec.Text as P
 import           Data.ByteString (ByteString)
 import qualified Data.ByteString as B
@@ -53,6 +51,7 @@
 import qualified Data.Vector as Vector
 
 import           Irc.UserInfo
+import           View
 
 -- | 'RawIrcMsg' breaks down the IRC protocol into its most basic parts.
 -- The "trailing" parameter indicated in the IRC protocol with a leading
@@ -72,15 +71,29 @@
   , _msgCommand    :: !Text -- ^ command
   , _msgParams     :: [Text] -- ^ command parameters
   }
-  deriving (Read, Show)
+  deriving (Eq, Read, Show)
 
 -- | Key value pair representing an IRCv3.2 message tag.
 -- The value in this pair has had the message tag unescape
 -- algorithm applied.
 data TagEntry = TagEntry {-# UNPACK #-} !Text {-# UNPACK #-} !Text
-  deriving (Read, Show)
+  deriving (Eq, Read, Show)
 
-makeLenses ''RawIrcMsg
+-- | Lens for '_msgTags'
+msgTags :: Functor f => ([TagEntry] -> f [TagEntry]) -> RawIrcMsg -> f RawIrcMsg
+msgTags f m = (\x -> m { _msgTags = x }) <$> f (_msgTags m)
+
+-- | Lens for '_msgPrefix'
+msgPrefix :: Functor f => (Maybe UserInfo -> f (Maybe UserInfo)) -> RawIrcMsg -> f RawIrcMsg
+msgPrefix f m = (\x -> m { _msgPrefix = x }) <$> f (_msgPrefix m)
+
+-- | Lens for '_msgCommand'
+msgCommand :: Functor f => (Text -> f Text) -> RawIrcMsg -> f RawIrcMsg
+msgCommand f m = (\x -> m { _msgCommand = x }) <$> f (_msgCommand m)
+
+-- | Lens for '_msgParams'
+msgParams :: Functor f => ([Text] -> f [Text]) -> RawIrcMsg -> f RawIrcMsg
+msgParams f m = (\x -> m { _msgParams = x }) <$> f (_msgParams m)
 
 -- | Attempt to split an IRC protocol message without its trailing newline
 -- information into a structured message.
diff --git a/src/Irc/UserInfo.hs b/src/Irc/UserInfo.hs
--- a/src/Irc/UserInfo.hs
+++ b/src/Irc/UserInfo.hs
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 import qualified Data.Text      as Text
 import           Irc.Identifier
 import           Data.Monoid ((<>))
-import           Control.Lens
 
 -- | 'UserInfo' packages a nickname along with the username and hsotname
 -- if they are known in the current context.
@@ -32,10 +31,10 @@
   , userName :: {-# UNPACK #-} !Text -- ^ username, empty when missing
   , userHost :: {-# UNPACK #-} !Text -- ^ hostname, empty when missing
   }
-  deriving (Read, Show)
+  deriving (Eq, Read, Show)
 
 -- | 'Lens' into 'userNick' field.
-uiNick :: Lens' UserInfo Identifier
+uiNick :: Functor f => (Identifier -> f Identifier) -> UserInfo -> f UserInfo
 uiNick f ui@UserInfo{userNick = n} = (\n' -> ui{userNick = n'}) <$> f n
 
 -- | Render 'UserInfo' as @nick!username\@hostname@
diff --git a/src/View.hs b/src/View.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/View.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{-|
+Module      : View
+Description : Local definition of view
+Copyright   : (c) Eric Mertens, 2016
+License     : ISC
+Maintainer  : emertens@gmail.com
+
+-}
+module View (view) where
+
+import Data.Functor.Const
+
+-- | Local definition of lens package's view.
+view :: ((a -> Const a a) -> s -> Const a s) -> s -> a
+view l x = getConst (l Const x)
diff --git a/test/Main.hs b/test/Main.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Main.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+{-# Language OverloadedStrings #-}
+{-|
+Module      : Main
+Description : Tests for the irc-core library
+Copyright   : (c) Eric Mertens, 2016
+License     : ISC
+Maintainer  : emertens@gmail.com
+
+This module test IRC message parsing.
+
+-}
+module Main (main) where
+
+import qualified Data.Text as Text
+import           Data.Semigroup
+import           Irc.RawIrcMsg
+import           Irc.UserInfo
+import           System.Exit
+import           Test.HUnit
+
+main :: IO a
+main =
+  do counts <- runTestTT tests
+     if errors counts == 0 && failures counts == 0
+       then exitSuccess
+       else exitFailure
+
+tests :: Test
+tests = test [ irc0, irc2, irc15, ircWithPrefix, ircWithTags, userInfos, renderIrc ]
+
+-- | Check that we can handle commands without parameters
+irc0 :: Test
+irc0 = test [ assertEqual "" goal (parseRawIrcMsg alt) | alt <- alternatives ]
+  where
+    goal = Just (rawIrcMsg "COMMAND" [])
+    alternatives =
+      [ "COMMAND"
+      , "COMMAND "
+      , "COMMAND  "
+      ]
+
+-- | Check that we can handle commands with two parameters and an assortment of spacing
+irc2 :: Test
+irc2 = test [ assertEqual "" goal (parseRawIrcMsg alt) | alt <- alternatives ]
+  where
+    goal = Just (rawIrcMsg "COMMAND" ["param1","param2"])
+    alternatives =
+      [ "COMMAND param1 param2"
+      , "COMMAND   param1 param2"
+      , "COMMAND   param1   param2"
+      , "COMMAND param1   param2"
+      , "COMMAND param1   param2   "
+      , "COMMAND param1   :param2"
+      , "COMMAND param1 :param2"
+      ]
+
+-- | Check that we max out at 15 parameters
+irc15 :: Test
+irc15 = test
+  [ assertEqual "" goal (parseRawIrcMsg raw1)
+  , assertEqual "" goal (parseRawIrcMsg raw2)
+  ]
+  where
+    goal   = Just (rawIrcMsg "001" (params ++ ["last  two"]))
+    params = map (Text.pack . show) [1 .. 14 :: Int]
+    raw1 = "001 " <> Text.unwords params <> " last  two"
+    raw2 = "001 " <> Text.unwords params <> "  :last  two"
+
+ircWithPrefix :: Test
+ircWithPrefix = test
+  [ assertEqual ""
+      (Just (rawIrcMsg "254" ["glguytest", "57555", "channels formed"])
+            { _msgPrefix = Just (UserInfo "morgan.freenode.net" "" "") })
+      (parseRawIrcMsg ":morgan.freenode.net 254 glguytest 57555 :channels formed")
+  ]
+
+ircWithTags :: Test
+ircWithTags = test
+  [ assertEqual "without prefix"
+      (Just (rawIrcMsg "CMD" [])
+            { _msgTags = [TagEntry "time" "value"] })
+      (parseRawIrcMsg "@time=value CMD")
+
+  , assertEqual "with prefix"
+      (Just (rawIrcMsg "CMD" [])
+            { _msgTags = [TagEntry "time" "value"]
+            , _msgPrefix = Just (UserInfo "prefix" "user" "host") })
+      (parseRawIrcMsg "@time=value :prefix!user@host CMD")
+
+  , assertEqual "two tags"
+      (Just (rawIrcMsg "CMD" [])
+            { _msgTags = [TagEntry "time" "value", TagEntry "this" "\n\rand\\ ;that"] })
+      (parseRawIrcMsg "@time=value;this=\\n\\rand\\\\\\s\\:that CMD")
+
+  , assertEqual "don't escape keys"
+      (Just (rawIrcMsg "CMD" [])
+            { _msgTags = [TagEntry "this\\s" "value"] })
+      (parseRawIrcMsg "@this\\s=value CMD")
+
+  ]
+
+userInfos :: Test
+userInfos = test
+
+  [ assertEqual "missing user and hostname"
+      (UserInfo "glguy" "" "")
+      (parseUserInfo "glguy")
+
+  , assertEqual "freenode cloak"
+      (UserInfo "glguy" "~glguy" "haskell/developer/glguy")
+      (parseUserInfo "glguy!~glguy@haskell/developer/glguy")
+
+  , assertEqual "missing user"
+      (UserInfo "glguy" "" "haskell/developer/glguy")
+      (parseUserInfo "glguy@haskell/developer/glguy")
+
+  , assertEqual "missing host"
+      (UserInfo "glguy" "~glguy" "")
+      (parseUserInfo "glguy!~glguy")
+
+  , assertEqual "extra @ goes into host"
+      (UserInfo "nick" "user" "server@name")
+      (parseUserInfo "nick!user@server@name")
+
+  , assertEqual "servername in nick"
+      (UserInfo "morgan.freenode.net" "" "")
+      (parseUserInfo "morgan.freenode.net")
+  ]
+
+renderIrc :: Test
+renderIrc = test
+  [ assertEqual ""
+      ":morgan.freenode.net 254 glguytest 57555 :channels formed\r\n"
+      (renderRawIrcMsg
+          (rawIrcMsg "254" ["glguytest", "57555", "channels formed"])
+          { _msgPrefix = Just (UserInfo "morgan.freenode.net" "" "") })
+
+  , assertEqual ""
+      "254 glguytest 57555 :channels formed\r\n"
+      (renderRawIrcMsg
+          (rawIrcMsg "254" ["glguytest", "57555", "channels formed"]))
+
+  , assertEqual ""
+      "CMD param:with:colon\r\n"
+      (renderRawIrcMsg (rawIrcMsg "CMD" ["param:with:colon"]))
+
+  , assertEqual ""
+      "CMD ::param\r\n"
+      (renderRawIrcMsg (rawIrcMsg "CMD" [":param"]))
+
+  , assertEqual ""
+      "CMD\r\n"
+      (renderRawIrcMsg (rawIrcMsg "CMD" []))
+
+  , assertEqual "two tags"
+      "@time=value;this=\\n\\rand\\\\\\s\\:that CMD\r\n"
+      (renderRawIrcMsg (rawIrcMsg "CMD" [])
+            { _msgTags = [TagEntry "time" "value", TagEntry "this" "\n\rand\\ ;that"] })
+
+  ]