The Island of Dr. Moreau

I have recently become a fan of Wells' writing for the unique voice with which he tells a story in addition to his unique tales. References to "The Island of Dr. Moreau" seem to surface frequently in pop culture, so I felt compelled to read this book. Some might go so far as to argue that this is Wells' best book. I may not disagree. While the book was written before the advent of genetic engineering as we know in the 21st Century, it could be applied. Wells seems to have intended the book as a commentary on the theories of Darwin and evolution. When Edward Prendick finds himself on a remote island, he recalls rumors of Dr. Moreau. But only when he sees his handy work does the horror begin. Using manipulative techniques that include primitive grafting, Moreau made the animals more human. Yet the ultimate question of the book is whether Moreau could make the animals into human, removing any trace of animal from them. This is certainly a case of the book being better than the movie as the book makes Wells true intent evident. Like many of Wells' works, it is also a powerful social commentary that makes great reading.

H.G. Wells may be best known for The Time Machine and the War of the Worlds, but don't overlook The Island of Dr. Moreau. This short novel, 160 pages, isn't so much a fast read as it is a good one. The titular Dr. Moreau is the quintessential "mad" scientist whose life's work involves vivisection. He takes animals and through surgery and brain manipulation attempts to give them humanity. The result is a twisted menagerie of beasts who share both human and animal traits. His experimentation has allowed them to understand human speech, and his brainwashing makes them believe he is a god whose laws must be obeyed. The protagonist of the story is Prendrick who gets shipwrecked on the island and then "rescued" by you know who. Prendrick's main purpose in the story is to be the outsiders who sees the island and the macabre goings on through discriminating eyes. He is also the trigger that helps the fragile society break down with the beasts regressing more and more into their animal instinct, which causes the grim downfall of Moreau. This is a story full of metaphors and deep-reaching themes. The obvious theme concerns man's desire to play God and the negative consequences of such efforts, but also the deeper conclusions one can draw about Wells' view of humanity itself. Overall The Island of Dr. Moreau, clearly shows the depths of Wells' thinking and his deep interest in society and its ills. The story challenges one to think about the negative consequences of genetic and social engineering. It also shows that H.G. Wells was a far-reaching thinker and a man truly before his own time.

A shipwreck survivor finds himself trapped on an island where a mad scientist is conducting horrible experiments to transform animals into men. This slim volume is both compulsively readable and dense with thought-provoking elements. I did not expect the visceral, brutal quality of the more nightmarish sequences to be rendered so graphically and effectively in a 19th century novel. Small wonder that it caused controversy when it was published. But the novel offers more than just brilliant horror. Wells's story is also a parable on what it is to be human and the role of religion in a society. Excellent.

This is the only Wells novel I can imagine going back to again in my old age. It has had the good fortune to be made into 2.5 wonderful films. (The Charles Laughton and Burt Lancaster versions count as one each, and the Marlon Brando counts as a half, with Brando serving as the other half.) A meditation on the essential nature of man as well as a fast-moving adventure, it will leave you thinking, as the best science fiction does, about things you may have taken for granted.

This is the only Wells novel I can imagine going back to again in my old age. It has had the good fortune to be made into 2.5 wonderful films. (The Charles Laughton and Burt Lancaster versions count as one each, and the Marlon Brando counts as a half, with Brando serving as the other half.) A mediation on the essential nature of man as well as a fast-moving adventure, it will leave you thinking, as the best science fiction does, about things you may have taken for granted.