The Time Machine/The War Of The Worlds (1986) - Plot & Excerpts
A very nice volume collecting Wells' The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.The Time Machine is Wells' classic science fiction novella about a time traveller who journeys forward in time and finds that both human society and the species itself have developed in ways both astonishing and horrifying. It is a well-written and interesting text and clearly has not lost its strengths although more than a century has passed since it was first published.The War of the Worlds, which is a longer piece, is equally a tour-de-force in science fiction writing. Wells' description of a Martian attack is believable and even though science today refutes some of the science upon which Wells based his speculations in fictional form, the result is nevertheless chilling, and clearly masters verisimilitude at a high level. As with The Time Machine, a great deal of the enjoyment lies in Wells language. He is an exquisite writer, both in terms of having a productive imagination and in terms of handling language, and I will most certainly be reading more of his novels.All in all, these two texts are clearly must-reads for any self-respecting science fiction fan as well as highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a well-written and well-told yarn.
SPOILERSI have only read The Time Machine, for I read it as a separate book. Thus, I shall only review The Time Machine, for I have no desire to read The War of the Worlds.Invisible Man, another of H.G. Wells' works is much better than The Time Machine.Mainly because The Time Machine is a more-or-less dry book. Yes, the thought of a time machine sparks interest in me. But the future that Mr. Wells depicts seems possible, yet far-fetched at the same time.Of course, anything can happen, but he merely has the two races. The Eloi and Morlocks are your average, opposite races.The fight between the two is rather boring to be honest. The Eloi are so feeble-minded and weak that they don't think to find a way to stop the Morlocks from killing their kind until the Traveler appeared. Even then, how the Eloi push back the Morlocks is rather anti-climatic. They learn how to make fire and shelter, and the Morlocks simply leave them alone.In my opinion, this book is only deserving of a 3-star rating.I recommend this book to those who like science, but are simply looking for an easy read.
What do You think about The Time Machine/The War Of The Worlds (1986)?
What a classic read. This has to be the best science fiction book concerning an invasion from another planet. Written in the late 19th century Wells does a fantastic job with detail; especially when he describes the anatomy of the Martians. What impressed me the most about this book was his comparison of how the Martians treated all life forms to how mankind considers and treats the planet earth and its living creations. Take note here: ". . . if we have learned nothing else, this war has taught us pity-pity for those witless souls that suffer our dominion." Definitely a book to reread once and awhile.
—Jerome Peterson
Science FictionLike most of H.G. Wells books, I thought it was very good. It didn’t stay on one specific subject for too long. The thing I liked most about it was the plot wasn’t to slow moving. For example in the book he built a time machine it didn’t explain in detail how he made it. I don’t like books that move to slow. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the ending. In the end the time traveler goes far into the future and never returns back to present time where his friends and family are. He did this because he already saw what would happen to that civilization, so he felt he needed to go further in the future to live. However, I liked when he went the book explained what the future was like.
—David
I often wonder if HG Wells really did have a time machine. It is astounding that he wrote such great science fiction in the 1800s that you'd expect to read in the pulp fiction popularization of the 1960s! Mentions of things like lasers (though not named as such) are impressive.Moreover Wells's works are just great reads and the opening to The War of the Worlds is second to none! So chilling - I recommend listening to an audiobook version where these lines are read out:"...across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us."
—Diana
