Stern der Vernichtung

by H.G. Wells, Werner Kortwich (Translator)

die Geschichte von der neuen Religion
die Geschichte vom mörderischen Wohltäter
die Geschichte vom Kristall-Ei
die Geschichte vom Stern der Vernichtung
die Geschichte des Mannes, der Wunder vollbringen konntedie Geschichte vom Zauberladen
die Geschichte vom neuen Beschleuniger
und die Geschichte von den Tagen, die da kommen ...

Genres: Science Fiction

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Herbert 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

Reviews

[Alien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ab und zu sollte man versuchen, eine Bildungslücke zu schließen, ich griff mir darum diese Storysammlung eines der Urväter der SF: H.G. Wells, von dem ich bisher noch nichts gelesen hatte.
Es enthält ein paar Schauergeschichten, ein paar Geschichten, die man als Fantasy bezeichnen kann und ein paar astreine Science Fiction Stories.
Bei so alten Sachen rechnet man ja damit, dass sie eher von akademischem Interesse sind oder durch Kuriosität bestechen. Da wurde ich aber angenehm überrascht. Herr Wells konnte unterhaltsam schreiben. Obwohl die Stories auf originellen Ideen beruhen, stellt er meist Menschen ins Zentrum.
Recht beeindruckt hat mich dann die Novelle "Von Tagen, die da kommen..." (A Story of the Days to Come) von 1899. Die Menschen leben in wenigen Riesenstädten, das Umland wird zur Nahrungsproduktion genutzt und ist entvölkert. In den Städten gibt es eine reiche Elite, einen schmalen Mittelstand und ein Heer an Arbeitern, die eine recht trostlose wenn auch gesicherte Existenz fristen. Diese Gesellschaft wirkt recht glaubhaft und lässt viele Dysutopien von Wells' Nachfolgern krude und schwarz-weiß erscheinen.
Als Fazit kann ich sagen: Hut ab! Vor allem wenn man bedenkt dass die Stories aus dem Ende des Dampfmaschinenzeitalters stammen.

[Cato · Rating 3 out of 5]

[An English translation of this review can be found below.]

Reviews der einzelnen Kurzgeschichten:
1) Gott der Dynamos ★☆☆☆☆
Und diese Geschichte hätte negative Sterne verdient. Ich habe viele Bücher von Wells gelesen, aber ich bin immer wieder davon schockiert, was für ein grässlicher Rassist er war.
2) Der Wohltäter ★★★★★
Sehr gruselig!
3) Das Kristall-Ei ★★☆☆☆
4) Stern der Vernichtung ★★★☆☆
5) Der Mann, der Wunder vollbringen konnte ★★★★☆
6) Der Zauberladen ★★★★☆
7) Der neue Beschleuniger ★★★☆☆
8) Von Tagen, die da kommen... ★★☆☆☆

English review:

Reviews for the individual short stories:
1) The Lord of the Dynamos ★☆☆☆☆
This story deserves a negative rating. I have read many books by Wells, but I'm repeatedly shocked what a dreadful racist he was.
2) The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham ★★★★★
Very spooky!
3) The Crystal Egg ★★☆☆☆
4) The Star ★★★☆☆
5) The Man Who Could Work Miracles ★★★★☆
6) The Magic Shop ★★★★☆
7) The New Accelerator ★★★☆☆
8) A Story of the Days To Come ★★☆☆☆