Complete Science Fiction Treas Hg

By some measures, H.G. Wells is not a great writer. Certainly, his characters are for the most part, shallow and - outside of a particular few - rather unmemorable and his plots are often of secondary consideration. At times, he could be preachy. He was less interested in good storytelling than in ideas. But what makes Wells stand out is less his writing style than what he wrote; he is, in a way the Father of Science Fiction. Sure, there were others who wrote science fiction before him, but I feel he was the man who really made it a distinct genre. This omnibus edition contains Wells's greatest novels along with a couple of others that are of lesser significance but are still definitely science fiction. First off is The Time Machine, probably his most famous novel. An unnamed inventor develops a time machine and relates to his friends about his trip to the future. Most of his visit is spend several hundred thousand years from now, when mankind has divided into two distinct races: the gentle but frail and ignorant Eloi and the savage but clever Morlocks. Evolution also plays a part in The Island of Dr. Moreau, wherein the title character tries to force it upon various animals, trying to make humans out of beasts. This touches on one of the most prevalent of all science fiction themes, namely that when scientists try to play God, bad things usually happen (or put another way, there are some things that man is not meant to know). At least Frankenstein had lofty goals; Moreau merely does his often sadistic acts to gain greater knowledge for its own sake. Griffin, the title character in The Invisible Man, also goes too far in his pursuit of knowledge, but at least he is his own victim. Invisibility, he quickly learns, has its fair share of inconveniences, and, in addition, he begins to develop a sense of megalomania. This novel has more than its fair share of humor. War of the Worlds, however, is more serious. An early alien invasion story, it is also Wells's condemnation of imperialism, with the British on the wrong end of a conquest. The ending of this story is well-known but if you're unfamiliar with it, I won't spoil it; suffice it to say, it was one of the great, ironic conclusions in literature. The First Men in the Moon is another satire, this one having two characters using a special gravity-repellent material to devise a spaceship that takes them to the Moon. There, they find things much more habitable than science would later show, complete with atmosphere and an intelligent race called Selenites. The Selenites live underground in vast caverns, so the humans are indeed the first men IN the Moon, not merely ON it. The last two novels are less well-known. Food of the Gods is passably good satire about a substance that causes animals and plants to grow to incredible sizes. Once again, scientists play God with disastrous results, as the Food of the Gods spreads beyond all control. Giant rats and wasps are bad enough,

This fascinating book is a collection of seven of H.G. Wells' (1866-1946) works of science fiction. Originally published in 1934, this book contains a preface by the great H.G. himself. After that, the book goes right into the stories, all of which are thought-provoking and quite interesting to read. Mr. Wells did not simply write stories to entertain; instead, each one uses the scientific angle to teach a lesson. So, if you are a fan of great literature, or great science fiction, then this book is for you. I highly recommend it. By the way, the seven stories in this book are: The Time Machine - 1895 - A dinner party is disrupted when the host arrives all disheveled, and telling what he found when he ventured into the far future. The Island of Dr. Moreau - 1896 - A castaway finds himself on an island inhabited by unnatural seeming people and ruled by a mad scientist. The Invisible Man - 1897 - When a strange, bandaged man moves into town, tongues begin to wag. But, when strange things begin to happen, the town soon finds itself facing a nightmare in the form of an invisible man. The War of the Worlds - 1898 - The Martians have exhausted the resources of their planet, and decide to take the Earth as their new home. Can man, with his most advanced technology hope to stop the Martians with their much more advanced technology? The First Men in the Moon - 1901 - When an adventurous young man and an eccentric inventor use a fantastic invention to travel to the Moon, they find more than they bargained for. The Food of the Gods - 1904 - A newly discovered food has a strange effect, it makes those that consume it grow to monstrous proportions. And, when it gets accidentally released, a new breed of humans is born. But, in the socially constricted world of the time, where do they fit in? In the Days of the Comet - 1906 - As the creaking world of the old order begins to come apart at the seams, a comet is pointed right towards the Earth - it is a wake up call for the entire human race.

I've read all but one of these stories in other editions, and I found them quite well-written. While Wells' science is not always up to par with modern standards (the notion that Helium could form a barrier to gravity, for example), it is amusing to see his imagination at work. His characters are quite realistic and very British, as should be expected. I can't say anything about the quality of the print or binding of this edition, but the stories are certainly some of the best of Wells' science fiction I've read.

While this is by no means a complete collection of Wells' science fiction, it does consist of his most famous seven novels: The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon, The Food of the Gods, and In the Days of the Comet. Bonus features include a short preface written by the author and several original illustrations from each book's initial publication. The typeface is a little unusual in that the text is presented in two columns per page, but this format does hark back to the old style of book and magazine publication. The novels are arranged in chronological order, but Wells suggests in his preface that those not yet familiar with any of his work may be better served by first reading The Invisible Man or War of the Worlds. While I have reviewed the novels included here individually, I thought it important to at least make clear exactly what this collection consists of. If you can find this book it is an excellent buy, particularly so for those just discovering H.G. Wells.

Normally, I do not like Well's work. But, these were some of his best. I have not been able to find a better place to find these books. They are a great read to even people who have never heard of him. I recomend buying this book, I know I liked it.