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Steampunk: H.G. Wells
No classic work lends itself better to Steampunk illustrations than The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and "The Country of the Blind," written by H.G. Wells, who many consider to be the father of Steampunk itself. Wells’s tales of time travel and scientific romance is the perfect collection to the Steampunk series. Fans old and new will be delighted by Basic and Sumberac’s four-color illustrations spiked with Steampunk machinery, gadgets, and fashion.
408 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2013
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About the author
H.G. Wells
5,348 books11.1k followersHerbert George Wells was born to a working class family in Kent, England. Young Wells received a spotty education, interrupted by several illnesses and family difficulties, and became a draper's apprentice as a teenager. The headmaster of Midhurst Grammar School, where he had spent a year, arranged for him to return as an "usher," or student teacher. Wells earned a government scholarship in 1884, to study biology under Thomas Henry Huxley at the Normal School of Science. Wells earned his bachelor of science and doctor of science degrees at the University of London. After marrying his cousin, Isabel, Wells began to supplement his teaching salary with short stories and freelance articles, then books, including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).
Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.
He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.
More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...
http://www.online-literature.com/well...
http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells
Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.
He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.
More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...
http://www.online-literature.com/well...
http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 20, 2016
I picked up this edition for a group-read of The Time Machine. Since I had already read the book, albeit many, many years ago, I thought a steampunk version might add something. It didn't really -- Basic's art is fine, if generic in its popular steampunk vagueness (all machines are made of nothing but clockwork wheels, everyone wears goggles and top hats even at dinnertime, etc) but his lack of fidelity to the text kind of irked me, and the pictures didn't really add anything. Anyway, aside from the Time Machine itself there isn't anything particularly steampunk about the story.
As for the text: I didn't see any notes about it being edited, but it felt different than I remember, shorter. But I read this when I was 10 or 11 and had seen the movie version before and after, so perhaps that colored my recollection. I really did think more happened, though.
Stalkerish aside: I couldn't easily find any illustrations from the book to add here, but while looking found the artist's facebook page and liked his photographs better:
https://www.facebook.com/zdenko.basic...
Have a Krampus:
As for the text: I didn't see any notes about it being edited, but it felt different than I remember, shorter. But I read this when I was 10 or 11 and had seen the movie version before and after, so perhaps that colored my recollection. I really did think more happened, though.
Stalkerish aside: I couldn't easily find any illustrations from the book to add here, but while looking found the artist's facebook page and liked his photographs better:
https://www.facebook.com/zdenko.basic...
Have a Krampus:
April 12, 2021
I really liked 2/3s of the book but not the main chunk of it as much. First off, the steampunk style artwork matched Wells’s stories perfectly. The colors of the illustrations were vibrant, and I only wish the book contained more. The stories found herein this volume are: The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and The Country of the Blind.
The Time Machine: I loved the way the time traveler described the beautiful world of the future. How Wells aligned social classes to the evolution of people was genius. I wish the Time Traveler got to prove his experiences to the narrator as promised, but the inconclusive ending worked for the story.
The War of the Worlds: Alien stories are never really my cup of tea, and while I agree that this story should be read for this importance in science fiction, I could’ve contentedly skipped it. I did enjoy to exploits of the narrator and found it interesting how, just as in the first story, most characters were named by title or relationship only. Events being told as they happened to the narrator and also to his brother, which he later learned of, allowed for good sequential flow. The ending felt slightly rushed but made sense for a logical, scientific conclusion.
The Country of the Blind: A thought-provoking story that felt familiar somehow, as if I might’ve read it before. Oddly enough, I think this might by my favorite of three. The whole concept of sight and the outside world is foreign to the people in the valley, which allows Nuñez to relearn how to live. Their way of life puts some of our “normal”, everyday expectations of people, ourselves, and the world around us into perspective.
The Time Machine: I loved the way the time traveler described the beautiful world of the future. How Wells aligned social classes to the evolution of people was genius. I wish the Time Traveler got to prove his experiences to the narrator as promised, but the inconclusive ending worked for the story.
The War of the Worlds: Alien stories are never really my cup of tea, and while I agree that this story should be read for this importance in science fiction, I could’ve contentedly skipped it. I did enjoy to exploits of the narrator and found it interesting how, just as in the first story, most characters were named by title or relationship only. Events being told as they happened to the narrator and also to his brother, which he later learned of, allowed for good sequential flow. The ending felt slightly rushed but made sense for a logical, scientific conclusion.
The Country of the Blind: A thought-provoking story that felt familiar somehow, as if I might’ve read it before. Oddly enough, I think this might by my favorite of three. The whole concept of sight and the outside world is foreign to the people in the valley, which allows Nuñez to relearn how to live. Their way of life puts some of our “normal”, everyday expectations of people, ourselves, and the world around us into perspective.
September 8, 2013
I've read these stories (The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and "The Country of the Blind") multiple times, and enjoyed them every single time. I also think the moral lessons of these stories are under-appreciated, and I'm not even sure most people are aware "The Country of the Blind" exists, sadly.
Anyway, this particular version is my new-found favorite. The text is beautifully laid out, and the artwork is simply gorgeous. Wells and steampunk go together like tea and scones, in my opinion, and Zdenko Basic is an amazing artist. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
Anyway, this particular version is my new-found favorite. The text is beautifully laid out, and the artwork is simply gorgeous. Wells and steampunk go together like tea and scones, in my opinion, and Zdenko Basic is an amazing artist. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
June 4, 2013
I highly recommend this book to fans of H.G. Wells, as well as those who haven't read his work before. The steampunk illustrations are absolutely amazing and bring the story to life in a vivid way. The oversized hardcover is a beautiful in itself, it would be fantastic as a gift. I think kids would be interested in reading this book as soon as they see the cover! They would never think this was a 'boring old book.' I think kids will really be drawn in by the illustrations and want to read the stories as well! There are a few illustrations that are so beautiful on their own, they would make lovely prints!
Overall, this book is great for both kids and adults, long-time fans as well as new readers of H.G. Wells will love this interpretation of the classic author's works.
book sent by publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
Overall, this book is great for both kids and adults, long-time fans as well as new readers of H.G. Wells will love this interpretation of the classic author's works.
book sent by publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
July 11, 2017
A really good example of the steampunk sub-genre, it includes three previously unrelated stories(the Time Machine, the war of worlds and the country of the blind), these stories do display the inherent flexibility of this kind of work.
December 11, 2014
Love the addition of these illustrations. I preferred those for 'War of the Worlds' over 'The Time Machine.'
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews