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H.G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection
Listening time: 27 hrs 16 mins
He’s often been called the father of science fiction. Now, listen to H. G. Wells’ five science fiction novels in one definitive collection. Introduced by film director and H. G. Wells fanboy Eli Roth, the collection features unabridged recordings of the novels performed by Hugh Bonneville, Jason Isaacs, Sophie Okonedo, David Tennant and Alexander Vlahos.
The War of the Worlds narrated by David Tennant
When Earth is invaded by Martians in great mechanical tripods, terror ensues. They are equipped with heat rays and poisonous black gas, intent on wiping out the human race. During the destruction, one man’s story details the monstrous invasion and his struggle to find his wife in the devastation.
The First Men in the Moon narrated by Alexander Vlahos
A chance meeting between penniless businessman Mr Bedford and absentminded scientist Dr Cavor leads the two on a fantastical journey to the moon. However, they are unprepared for what they find: freezing nights, boiling days and sinister alien life. Will they be trapped forever?
The Time Machine narrated by Hugh Bonneville
Transported to the year AD 802,701, the Time Traveller encounters the peaceful Eloi, a beautiful elfin race of childlike adults afraid of the dark, and with good reason. Beneath the earth’s surface live the Morlocks, apish troglodytes who torment the Eloi. When the time machine is stolen, the Time Traveller must enter Morlock territory if he ever hopes to return home.
The Invisible Man narrated by Sophie Okonedo
When a strange man takes shelter at an inn, his skin covered from head to toe in bandages, he causes distrust. Griffin, a scientist, reveals that he has successfully managed to turn himself invisible, but alas without a way of undoing it. Desperate for a cure, his ailment drives him to many sinister actions, including murder.
The Island of Dr Moreau narrated by Jason Isaacs
Edward Prendick, the single survivor of a shipwreck, is rescued by Montgomery in a vessel carrying a menagerie of savage animals. Taken to an uncharted island, he meets Dr Moreau - a brilliant scientist whose notorious experiments have caused him to abandon the civilised world. It soon becomes clear he has been developing these experiments - with truly horrific results.
Known as ‘The Father of Science Fiction’, Herbert George Wells’ writing career spanned over 60 years. He was a writer of novels, short stories, nonfiction books and articles. As a young man, Wells won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, sparking his infamous vocation as a science fiction writer.
He’s often been called the father of science fiction. Now, listen to H. G. Wells’ five science fiction novels in one definitive collection. Introduced by film director and H. G. Wells fanboy Eli Roth, the collection features unabridged recordings of the novels performed by Hugh Bonneville, Jason Isaacs, Sophie Okonedo, David Tennant and Alexander Vlahos.
The War of the Worlds narrated by David Tennant
When Earth is invaded by Martians in great mechanical tripods, terror ensues. They are equipped with heat rays and poisonous black gas, intent on wiping out the human race. During the destruction, one man’s story details the monstrous invasion and his struggle to find his wife in the devastation.
The First Men in the Moon narrated by Alexander Vlahos
A chance meeting between penniless businessman Mr Bedford and absentminded scientist Dr Cavor leads the two on a fantastical journey to the moon. However, they are unprepared for what they find: freezing nights, boiling days and sinister alien life. Will they be trapped forever?
The Time Machine narrated by Hugh Bonneville
Transported to the year AD 802,701, the Time Traveller encounters the peaceful Eloi, a beautiful elfin race of childlike adults afraid of the dark, and with good reason. Beneath the earth’s surface live the Morlocks, apish troglodytes who torment the Eloi. When the time machine is stolen, the Time Traveller must enter Morlock territory if he ever hopes to return home.
The Invisible Man narrated by Sophie Okonedo
When a strange man takes shelter at an inn, his skin covered from head to toe in bandages, he causes distrust. Griffin, a scientist, reveals that he has successfully managed to turn himself invisible, but alas without a way of undoing it. Desperate for a cure, his ailment drives him to many sinister actions, including murder.
The Island of Dr Moreau narrated by Jason Isaacs
Edward Prendick, the single survivor of a shipwreck, is rescued by Montgomery in a vessel carrying a menagerie of savage animals. Taken to an uncharted island, he meets Dr Moreau - a brilliant scientist whose notorious experiments have caused him to abandon the civilised world. It soon becomes clear he has been developing these experiments - with truly horrific results.
Known as ‘The Father of Science Fiction’, Herbert George Wells’ writing career spanned over 60 years. He was a writer of novels, short stories, nonfiction books and articles. As a young man, Wells won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, sparking his infamous vocation as a science fiction writer.
28 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 15, 2012
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367 people want to read
About the author
H.G. Wells
5,355 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 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 8, 2019
I'm relatively new to Wells' writing, and the one book I've already read didn't really wow me, but the excellent cast of this collection made me want to give him another try. I am still in awe of the man's imagination and the complexity of his stories (especially when they explore humanity and make you question who the true monster of the story is), but the writing style still isn't really my thing.
My favorites of this collection are The Island of Doctor Moreau (so deeply twisted and disturbing, all made even more terrifying by Jason Isaac's superb narration) and The War of the Worlds (mostly thanks to David Tennant's wonderful narration, but the exploration of how quickly humans fall apart under attack was also pretty scary).
The War of the Worlds - read by David Tennant
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 5 stars (duh, it's David Tennant)
The First Men in the Moon - read by Alexander Vlahos
Story: 3 stars
Narration: 4 stars (he is an excellent narrator, but I don't really like the sound of his voice)
The Time Machine - read by Hugh Bonneville
Story: 3 stars
Narration: 5 stars
The Invisible Man - read by Sophie Okonedo
Story: 2 stars
Narration: 3 stars
The Island of Doctor Moreau - read by Jason Isaacs
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 5 stars
My favorites of this collection are The Island of Doctor Moreau (so deeply twisted and disturbing, all made even more terrifying by Jason Isaac's superb narration) and The War of the Worlds (mostly thanks to David Tennant's wonderful narration, but the exploration of how quickly humans fall apart under attack was also pretty scary).
The War of the Worlds - read by David Tennant
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 5 stars (duh, it's David Tennant)
The First Men in the Moon - read by Alexander Vlahos
Story: 3 stars
Narration: 4 stars (he is an excellent narrator, but I don't really like the sound of his voice)
The Time Machine - read by Hugh Bonneville
Story: 3 stars
Narration: 5 stars
The Invisible Man - read by Sophie Okonedo
Story: 2 stars
Narration: 3 stars
The Island of Doctor Moreau - read by Jason Isaacs
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 5 stars
October 4, 2019
This collection was my first encounter with H. G. Wells' writing ( and even in other media I've only seen the classic Time Machine).
I was positively surprised how clever and witty bis thoughts and writing were. The stories are nearly all 4 stars for me ( I rated the single volumes ). Yet this audiobook collection gets a fifth star because of the narrators. Every single one of them shines! They brought across the Britishness, the superior feeling of this time and the tongue-in-cheekiness of some of the characters/narrations in such a splendid way that listening to them was pure delight.
If you're new to Wells do yourself a favour and start with this collection.
I was positively surprised how clever and witty bis thoughts and writing were. The stories are nearly all 4 stars for me ( I rated the single volumes ). Yet this audiobook collection gets a fifth star because of the narrators. Every single one of them shines! They brought across the Britishness, the superior feeling of this time and the tongue-in-cheekiness of some of the characters/narrations in such a splendid way that listening to them was pure delight.
If you're new to Wells do yourself a favour and start with this collection.
April 11, 2022
+Intro+
Of all people to do an awkward celebrity introduction to a collection of H.G. Wells stories, Eli Roth seems uniquely unsuited to the task, but does it anyway - brazenly comparing his clutter of crass exploitation films to the timeless works of H.G. Wells. After all are they not both storytellers at the end of the day? I mean... I suppose so but you have to wonder what the thinking was here and I'd rather hear either no introduction at all or.. I dunno, any one of the narrators themselves reading a basic biography of the author. Or... just silence. Beautiful silence.
+The War of the Worlds+
I'm intimately familiar with the War of the Worlds - not just because of its general pop culture saturation - but because I once decided to re-write it line-for-line as a stoner parody when I was a teenager out of... boredom mainly. Not only that, but I have a deep familiarity with both the evergreen Jeff Wayne musical version and the superlative Ian Edginton and D'israeli comic adaptation (which folds into the glorious "Scarlet Traces" saga charting the 20th Century that would have followed such an invasion). Listening to the original text, read with infectious urgency by the brilliant David Tennant, it's easy to see why it was and is such a phenomenon. Using the contemporary science, intimate geographic knowledge and a wry eye for late Victorian society and human behaviour, it really does read like an accurate and fairly harrowing first-hand account of an invasion by aliens. Its numb brutality is both a testament to Wells's wild imagination and, in a sense, his privilege. Abstracting out an inkling of what it must have been to a native person when the great colonial guns of empire rolled into their lives.
I'd say not all of it still works - the brief excursion to the endeavours of the main character's brother, although rather vivid, feels like an inconsistent departure from the central narrative and the clutter of chapters where the narrator and the curate hide in a ruined house become stale rather quickly, whether by design or not. Stylistically though it is a remarkable project - at the root of it all the boundless creativity of Wells's brain. That he could look about him in Woking and see fire, misery, alien foliage and towering mechanical devices in extraordinary detail and then convey it with such earnest clarity is a marvel. It's easy to see why this one narrative near single-handedly created many of the science fiction standards we know today - because it was tethered into the cold realities of the time with the wild anchor of human invention. He was a man whose brain was always questing into the uncanny unknown of the future, and accidentally he seems to have shaped it by doing so.
+The First Men in the Moon+
Well's lunar thought experiment is, like War of the Worlds, extremely linear but another fascinating demonstration of his wild imagination combined with a fairly solid (if ultimately vastly old-fashioned) understanding of contemporary science. I love that he got a snotty reception from Jules Verne for not employing heavy technology for his space travel. Hinging the plot on the characterful duo of Bedford and Cavor is a marvellous central dynamic and in many ways more entertaining than War of the World's solemn narrator. In some ways most of the story is essentially "going on a bit of a lark into space with two odd gentlemen" and I'm deeply here for it. Towards the end of the tale - the story becomes relayed entirely via Cavor's scientific (and philosophical) observations and so it loses some of that dynamism but is itself a rivetingly vivid concept. Writing a whole new society through the keen eyes of a scientist is no mean feat - but I found the Dickensian observations of the ordinary people of Earth infinitely more fascinating than the insectoid moonfolk. The story is read in this edition with energetic sincerity by the Welsh actor Alexander Vlahos who lends a nice vibrancy to the interactions between Cavor and Bedford.
+The Time Machine+
Here it is then, the great-grandfather of time travel fiction. Much like his other stories the linearity is absolute but unlike those it's almost built into the bones of the plot so it seems far less all-consuming here. His alien future is no less absorbing over a century on, with his prancing child-like Eloi who the time traveller takes a gross fancy to and the insidious underground Morlocs and their nocturnal doings. There are some surprisingly bleak developments too and part of my love for time travel as a narrative device is that you can have a book where you could swing from the morbid desolation at the end of our world to a bit of a chinwag with a gathering of the eminent men of London. Turning his gigantic imagination toward ruminating on our far future is a magnificent adventure - and a tremendously solid bedrock for my favourite ever genre. This version is narrated with a languid intensity by the actor Hugh Bonneville - easily the finest narrator of the whole package and I'd happily hear him read my shopping list. "BEANS. MORE BEANS." with gravitas.
+The Invisible Man+
The chronology of this collection may have everything out of whack, and Invisible Man was his third of fourth novel, but honestly I thought it had more in common with his later works of social satire like "Kipps". Whether an intentional narrative device or not, the murderous Griffin barely becomes a character until about halfway through the book, most of the story being taken up by the various Sussex locals reacting to him. Griffin is an invisible antagonist in every sense of the word and you deeply feel his absence. Things only pick up when his motivations and origins are explained and by then it's almost over. Structurally I didn't think it held up particularly well - but there are some good moments in amongst everything. It's his least fantastical in the collection perhaps but lacks the consistent warmth of his later societal satires - even with the singular character of Mr. Thomas Marvel the tramp - Griffin's world is a cold one. The narration here is the weakest of the collection as well, and no offence meant to the magnificently versatile Okonedo but her accents bleed into each other and the Victorian stiffness trips her up occasionally. That being said it's still an impassioned and idiosyncratic reading and I'd take that over a more drier but more consistent one any day.
+The Island of Doctor Moreau+
One of H.G. Wells's first novels and self-confessed "exercise in youthful blasphemy" is certainly not saving the best 'til last. Moreau is a fairly characterful but rather grim semi-allegorical riff on evolution, vivisection and human nature. It's a bit of a slog, to be honest, saved entirely for me by the hearty narration of the ever glorious Jason Isaacs who brings this melancholic island brimming into vivid life. Easily the weakest narrative of the collection - I found myself drifting through it like a strange fever dream and longing for aliens or time travel or indeed just any scrap of his well-rounded human characters instead of the strange Victorian animal men and those who made them - although perhaps this is the point. It is a beastly narrative full of beastly creatures. Jason Isaacs though, you can't go wrong there.
+Conclusion+
So my first proper foray into the works of the Wells - and with his careful fusing of imagination, character and contemporary science it's super easy to see why his legacy is what it is. Although I scoffed at Roth's introduction, it is easy to see his "blockbuster" works as an ancestor to a good solid genre action film more than anything else. Brisk, characterful and thrilling. The narration here is generally what makes the collection for me - some excellent actors and certainly worth a listen. I'm now sufficiently prepped to examine more of the Wells bibliography which I intend to do, but first I have to send Hugh Boneville my latest shopping list.
Of all people to do an awkward celebrity introduction to a collection of H.G. Wells stories, Eli Roth seems uniquely unsuited to the task, but does it anyway - brazenly comparing his clutter of crass exploitation films to the timeless works of H.G. Wells. After all are they not both storytellers at the end of the day? I mean... I suppose so but you have to wonder what the thinking was here and I'd rather hear either no introduction at all or.. I dunno, any one of the narrators themselves reading a basic biography of the author. Or... just silence. Beautiful silence.
+The War of the Worlds+
I'm intimately familiar with the War of the Worlds - not just because of its general pop culture saturation - but because I once decided to re-write it line-for-line as a stoner parody when I was a teenager out of... boredom mainly. Not only that, but I have a deep familiarity with both the evergreen Jeff Wayne musical version and the superlative Ian Edginton and D'israeli comic adaptation (which folds into the glorious "Scarlet Traces" saga charting the 20th Century that would have followed such an invasion). Listening to the original text, read with infectious urgency by the brilliant David Tennant, it's easy to see why it was and is such a phenomenon. Using the contemporary science, intimate geographic knowledge and a wry eye for late Victorian society and human behaviour, it really does read like an accurate and fairly harrowing first-hand account of an invasion by aliens. Its numb brutality is both a testament to Wells's wild imagination and, in a sense, his privilege. Abstracting out an inkling of what it must have been to a native person when the great colonial guns of empire rolled into their lives.
I'd say not all of it still works - the brief excursion to the endeavours of the main character's brother, although rather vivid, feels like an inconsistent departure from the central narrative and the clutter of chapters where the narrator and the curate hide in a ruined house become stale rather quickly, whether by design or not. Stylistically though it is a remarkable project - at the root of it all the boundless creativity of Wells's brain. That he could look about him in Woking and see fire, misery, alien foliage and towering mechanical devices in extraordinary detail and then convey it with such earnest clarity is a marvel. It's easy to see why this one narrative near single-handedly created many of the science fiction standards we know today - because it was tethered into the cold realities of the time with the wild anchor of human invention. He was a man whose brain was always questing into the uncanny unknown of the future, and accidentally he seems to have shaped it by doing so.
+The First Men in the Moon+
Well's lunar thought experiment is, like War of the Worlds, extremely linear but another fascinating demonstration of his wild imagination combined with a fairly solid (if ultimately vastly old-fashioned) understanding of contemporary science. I love that he got a snotty reception from Jules Verne for not employing heavy technology for his space travel. Hinging the plot on the characterful duo of Bedford and Cavor is a marvellous central dynamic and in many ways more entertaining than War of the World's solemn narrator. In some ways most of the story is essentially "going on a bit of a lark into space with two odd gentlemen" and I'm deeply here for it. Towards the end of the tale - the story becomes relayed entirely via Cavor's scientific (and philosophical) observations and so it loses some of that dynamism but is itself a rivetingly vivid concept. Writing a whole new society through the keen eyes of a scientist is no mean feat - but I found the Dickensian observations of the ordinary people of Earth infinitely more fascinating than the insectoid moonfolk. The story is read in this edition with energetic sincerity by the Welsh actor Alexander Vlahos who lends a nice vibrancy to the interactions between Cavor and Bedford.
+The Time Machine+
Here it is then, the great-grandfather of time travel fiction. Much like his other stories the linearity is absolute but unlike those it's almost built into the bones of the plot so it seems far less all-consuming here. His alien future is no less absorbing over a century on, with his prancing child-like Eloi who the time traveller takes a gross fancy to and the insidious underground Morlocs and their nocturnal doings. There are some surprisingly bleak developments too and part of my love for time travel as a narrative device is that you can have a book where you could swing from the morbid desolation at the end of our world to a bit of a chinwag with a gathering of the eminent men of London. Turning his gigantic imagination toward ruminating on our far future is a magnificent adventure - and a tremendously solid bedrock for my favourite ever genre. This version is narrated with a languid intensity by the actor Hugh Bonneville - easily the finest narrator of the whole package and I'd happily hear him read my shopping list. "BEANS. MORE BEANS." with gravitas.
+The Invisible Man+
The chronology of this collection may have everything out of whack, and Invisible Man was his third of fourth novel, but honestly I thought it had more in common with his later works of social satire like "Kipps". Whether an intentional narrative device or not, the murderous Griffin barely becomes a character until about halfway through the book, most of the story being taken up by the various Sussex locals reacting to him. Griffin is an invisible antagonist in every sense of the word and you deeply feel his absence. Things only pick up when his motivations and origins are explained and by then it's almost over. Structurally I didn't think it held up particularly well - but there are some good moments in amongst everything. It's his least fantastical in the collection perhaps but lacks the consistent warmth of his later societal satires - even with the singular character of Mr. Thomas Marvel the tramp - Griffin's world is a cold one. The narration here is the weakest of the collection as well, and no offence meant to the magnificently versatile Okonedo but her accents bleed into each other and the Victorian stiffness trips her up occasionally. That being said it's still an impassioned and idiosyncratic reading and I'd take that over a more drier but more consistent one any day.
+The Island of Doctor Moreau+
One of H.G. Wells's first novels and self-confessed "exercise in youthful blasphemy" is certainly not saving the best 'til last. Moreau is a fairly characterful but rather grim semi-allegorical riff on evolution, vivisection and human nature. It's a bit of a slog, to be honest, saved entirely for me by the hearty narration of the ever glorious Jason Isaacs who brings this melancholic island brimming into vivid life. Easily the weakest narrative of the collection - I found myself drifting through it like a strange fever dream and longing for aliens or time travel or indeed just any scrap of his well-rounded human characters instead of the strange Victorian animal men and those who made them - although perhaps this is the point. It is a beastly narrative full of beastly creatures. Jason Isaacs though, you can't go wrong there.
+Conclusion+
So my first proper foray into the works of the Wells - and with his careful fusing of imagination, character and contemporary science it's super easy to see why his legacy is what it is. Although I scoffed at Roth's introduction, it is easy to see his "blockbuster" works as an ancestor to a good solid genre action film more than anything else. Brisk, characterful and thrilling. The narration here is generally what makes the collection for me - some excellent actors and certainly worth a listen. I'm now sufficiently prepped to examine more of the Wells bibliography which I intend to do, but first I have to send Hugh Boneville my latest shopping list.
May 4, 2019
Lucius Malfoy reading The Island of Dr. Moreau? Doctor Who reading The War of the Worlds? Come on, what more do you need to know? I reviewed H.G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection for The Tangential.
September 9, 2024
This was my first exposure to H.G. Wells' writing, and after listening to this collection, I realize that you can find traces of Wells in almost every modern sci-fi story. It's wild how Wells came up with these ideas in the 1890s. I associate Wells strongly with the sci-fi genre, but there are definitely strong elements of horror in his writing too. This is a great collection.
This collection has 5 stories.
The War of the Worlds
Less of a war, more of slaughter. Martians invade Earth, specifically England, and a one sided conflict ensues. There's a slight cosmic horror aspect to this story that I found compelling. Helplessness and terror are portrayed well through the narrator.
The First Men in the Moon
A writer and an eccentric scientist, the latter of whom invents a spacecraft able to block gravity, travel to the Moon. They find a civilization of intelligent insect-like creatures living underground on the Moon. They struggle to communicate with each other, and they eventually trigger a conflict with the aliens. This story feels like a Jules Verne adventure, it also reminds me a lot of Poe's The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall .
The Time Machine
My least favourite in this collection. A guy invents a time machine, travels into the distant future (802 701 AD), finds a strange new civilization consisting of two distinct human species. The Eloi, a childlike, carefree species. And the Morlocks, ape like, subterranean, primitive. Probably social commentary on upper and lower classes, didn't find it interesting.
The Invisible Man
My favourite in this collection. A mysterious stranger wrapped in bandages shows up in a small English village and rents a room at an inn and sets up a makeshift lab. Nosy locals discover that the man has figured out how to make himself invisible. The man can't reverse his invisibility, and starts to descend into madness. The locals turn on the invisible man, and in response he begins a “Reign of Terror” upon the village. I found it really creepy. The concept of an invisible man hunting you down is spine-chilling. The story plays with the uncertainty of not knowing if the invisible man is in the room with you.
The Island of Dr. Mareau
A shipwrecked man, Prendick, gets rescued and taken to a remote island. Prendick notices that there's something off about his rescuers. He finds himself on a remote island run by the mysterious Dr. Mareau, full of strange half-human half-animal hybrids. Through Prendick, we see that Dr. Mareau has set himself up as a god like figure that rules over “beast folk” that he's created. We get glimpses into the beast folk society and how they strive to maintain humanity while being less than human.
This collection has 5 stories.
The War of the Worlds
Less of a war, more of slaughter. Martians invade Earth, specifically England, and a one sided conflict ensues. There's a slight cosmic horror aspect to this story that I found compelling. Helplessness and terror are portrayed well through the narrator.
The First Men in the Moon
A writer and an eccentric scientist, the latter of whom invents a spacecraft able to block gravity, travel to the Moon. They find a civilization of intelligent insect-like creatures living underground on the Moon. They struggle to communicate with each other, and they eventually trigger a conflict with the aliens. This story feels like a Jules Verne adventure, it also reminds me a lot of Poe's The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall .
The Time Machine
My least favourite in this collection. A guy invents a time machine, travels into the distant future (802 701 AD), finds a strange new civilization consisting of two distinct human species. The Eloi, a childlike, carefree species. And the Morlocks, ape like, subterranean, primitive. Probably social commentary on upper and lower classes, didn't find it interesting.
The Invisible Man
My favourite in this collection. A mysterious stranger wrapped in bandages shows up in a small English village and rents a room at an inn and sets up a makeshift lab. Nosy locals discover that the man has figured out how to make himself invisible. The man can't reverse his invisibility, and starts to descend into madness. The locals turn on the invisible man, and in response he begins a “Reign of Terror” upon the village. I found it really creepy. The concept of an invisible man hunting you down is spine-chilling. The story plays with the uncertainty of not knowing if the invisible man is in the room with you.
The Island of Dr. Mareau
A shipwrecked man, Prendick, gets rescued and taken to a remote island. Prendick notices that there's something off about his rescuers. He finds himself on a remote island run by the mysterious Dr. Mareau, full of strange half-human half-animal hybrids. Through Prendick, we see that Dr. Mareau has set himself up as a god like figure that rules over “beast folk” that he's created. We get glimpses into the beast folk society and how they strive to maintain humanity while being less than human.
August 26, 2024
Revising my favourite science fiction writer is a pleasure. This collection had the best of H G Wells, must read to only for fans of science fiction genre but for all book lovers...
February 29, 2020
What a great collection! As a kid, I had read "The Time Machine", "The Invisible Man" and "The Island of Doctor Moreau". It was great to hear these stories again. It was my first time hearing "War of the Worlds" and I was surprised at how closely the Tom Cruise movie adaptation from 2005 followed the book. The book was written in 1898! Wells' imagination was truly ahead of his time. I struggled with "The First Men In the Moon", found it to be a bit tedious. I'm glad the narrators were true voice actors; they were phenomenal. I'm so glad I chose this collection. I know I'll listen to it again.
February 5, 2020
The following review was originally published in the online newspaper The Orkney News. Link here. https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/05/10...
There is also a second review for one of the other stories in this set. Link here.
https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/05/18...
H.G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection: The First Men In The Moon
Informational Note: This is a collection I am reviewing as I was given access to a review copy by the audiobook’s publisher.
It feels good to return to audiobooks once again after my sojourn to the world of comic books in my last series of articles. This is a release I have been looking forward to since I heard it was due to release. I’ve been quite the fan of H.G. Wells for a number of years now. In particular classics like the 1933 Universal film The Invisible Man, the 1950s film adaptation of The War Of The Worlds and numerous others had sparked my interest previously.
I have decided to review two of the five audiobook adaptations contained in the Science Fiction Collection published and exclusively released by Audible, Amazon’s audiobook based subsidiary. First of all I will focus on The First Men In The Moon which I have no prior experience with. The version in this collection is narrated by an actor called Alexander Vlahos who readers may know as Phillippe, Duke of Orleans in the television drama Versailles or as Mordred in the semi-recent BBC version of Merlin. I will discuss a synopsis of the plot and then discuss the narration and certain other factors.
The plot begins when a London businessman called Mr Bedford withdraws to the countryside with the intent to write a play to alleviate his financial woes. He rents a country house to begin writing only to become heavily distracted at the same time every evening by a passerby who makes unusual and confusing noises. When Mr Bedford attempts to complain he discovers the man is an eccentric – to put it mildly! – scientist called Mr Cavor. Cavor tells Bedford about a theory he has developed for a potential substance called Cavorite which Bedford begins to get swept up in.
Together they plan future uses for Cavorite – once it is discovered – and eventually use it as a fuel source for a means to get to the moon. I won’t give away what occurs on the moon – for the sake of first time listeners or readers like myself – but I will say it is suitably fantastical and very well written as one would expect from the ‘Father’ of Science Fiction. If Mary Shelly is the ‘Mother’ as has been argued then H.G Wells and Jules Verne could easily be the ‘Father’.
The story is very engaging with an entertaining flow to the narrative. Bedford and Cavor are both very flawed individuals and hearing the story from Bedford’s point of view allows the reader to hear his perspective and thoughts on events. This can give some events an interesting twist as it becomes clear there are biases at work. There is also at least one very ‘interesting’ phrase I noticed you wouldn’t get away with now but was common at the time. I won’t specify but I commend Audible for not removing it or ‘sanitising’ the story as has happened over the years to other older classic authors.
Alexander Vlahos has done a rather enjoyable job with the narration. His tone was perfect for the mental image of Bedford as a slightly pathetic or somewhat sleazy Edwardian businessman down on his luck who latches on a somewhat crazy scheme, not realising what’s about to happen. Cavor on the other hand is the perfect example of the scientist or politician who only works in theoreticals with no understanding of how their theory would work in practicality combined with a belief that everyone thinks like them as well as both of them having strong imperialist streaks. In other words Vlahos is an excellent narrator who manages to bring out the social criticism of politics and imperialists in a way that even I as a modern listener was able to catch the undertone. I must commend him for that as quite often I only discover a text was supposed to have a subtext or hidden meaning after reading interviews with the author or reading several long discourses on the topic.
I would definitely recommend the collection as a whole. The team that worked on it definitely have put a lot of work into it and it shows. But one thing I will have to mention is the price. For an Audible member the price is a sizeable amount in the £40 range – unfortunately I am no longer able to see its price for Audible members as I used one of Audible’s credits (Basically a free book for a set amount every month) to buy a personal copy on release.
My readers and fellow audiobook listeners however have three options:
1. Get an Audible membership and choose this collection as your free audiobook when you sign up.
2. This is the option I use – Sign up for a regular membership with however many Credits (I.e. ‘Free’ books for a set amount every month) and use one to obtain this collection.
3. Buy a different H.G Wells collection with different narrators or a different price.
The choice is yours as my reader but be forewarned. This collection is definitely worth your money in my opinion but know what you are getting into. My next article will be another story from this Collection but I will leave you guessing as to which H.G Wells classic it will be.
Sayonara!
Nephrite
There is also a second review for one of the other stories in this set. Link here.
https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/05/18...
H.G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection: The First Men In The Moon
Informational Note: This is a collection I am reviewing as I was given access to a review copy by the audiobook’s publisher.
It feels good to return to audiobooks once again after my sojourn to the world of comic books in my last series of articles. This is a release I have been looking forward to since I heard it was due to release. I’ve been quite the fan of H.G. Wells for a number of years now. In particular classics like the 1933 Universal film The Invisible Man, the 1950s film adaptation of The War Of The Worlds and numerous others had sparked my interest previously.
I have decided to review two of the five audiobook adaptations contained in the Science Fiction Collection published and exclusively released by Audible, Amazon’s audiobook based subsidiary. First of all I will focus on The First Men In The Moon which I have no prior experience with. The version in this collection is narrated by an actor called Alexander Vlahos who readers may know as Phillippe, Duke of Orleans in the television drama Versailles or as Mordred in the semi-recent BBC version of Merlin. I will discuss a synopsis of the plot and then discuss the narration and certain other factors.
The plot begins when a London businessman called Mr Bedford withdraws to the countryside with the intent to write a play to alleviate his financial woes. He rents a country house to begin writing only to become heavily distracted at the same time every evening by a passerby who makes unusual and confusing noises. When Mr Bedford attempts to complain he discovers the man is an eccentric – to put it mildly! – scientist called Mr Cavor. Cavor tells Bedford about a theory he has developed for a potential substance called Cavorite which Bedford begins to get swept up in.
Together they plan future uses for Cavorite – once it is discovered – and eventually use it as a fuel source for a means to get to the moon. I won’t give away what occurs on the moon – for the sake of first time listeners or readers like myself – but I will say it is suitably fantastical and very well written as one would expect from the ‘Father’ of Science Fiction. If Mary Shelly is the ‘Mother’ as has been argued then H.G Wells and Jules Verne could easily be the ‘Father’.
The story is very engaging with an entertaining flow to the narrative. Bedford and Cavor are both very flawed individuals and hearing the story from Bedford’s point of view allows the reader to hear his perspective and thoughts on events. This can give some events an interesting twist as it becomes clear there are biases at work. There is also at least one very ‘interesting’ phrase I noticed you wouldn’t get away with now but was common at the time. I won’t specify but I commend Audible for not removing it or ‘sanitising’ the story as has happened over the years to other older classic authors.
Alexander Vlahos has done a rather enjoyable job with the narration. His tone was perfect for the mental image of Bedford as a slightly pathetic or somewhat sleazy Edwardian businessman down on his luck who latches on a somewhat crazy scheme, not realising what’s about to happen. Cavor on the other hand is the perfect example of the scientist or politician who only works in theoreticals with no understanding of how their theory would work in practicality combined with a belief that everyone thinks like them as well as both of them having strong imperialist streaks. In other words Vlahos is an excellent narrator who manages to bring out the social criticism of politics and imperialists in a way that even I as a modern listener was able to catch the undertone. I must commend him for that as quite often I only discover a text was supposed to have a subtext or hidden meaning after reading interviews with the author or reading several long discourses on the topic.
I would definitely recommend the collection as a whole. The team that worked on it definitely have put a lot of work into it and it shows. But one thing I will have to mention is the price. For an Audible member the price is a sizeable amount in the £40 range – unfortunately I am no longer able to see its price for Audible members as I used one of Audible’s credits (Basically a free book for a set amount every month) to buy a personal copy on release.
My readers and fellow audiobook listeners however have three options:
1. Get an Audible membership and choose this collection as your free audiobook when you sign up.
2. This is the option I use – Sign up for a regular membership with however many Credits (I.e. ‘Free’ books for a set amount every month) and use one to obtain this collection.
3. Buy a different H.G Wells collection with different narrators or a different price.
The choice is yours as my reader but be forewarned. This collection is definitely worth your money in my opinion but know what you are getting into. My next article will be another story from this Collection but I will leave you guessing as to which H.G Wells classic it will be.
Sayonara!
Nephrite
August 25, 2021
I finally got through H.G. Wells’ Science Fiction Collection and damn… This thing was much more fun than I imagined.
I read the Audible version of these books, which is a collection of 5 stories. They are as follows:
The War of the Worlds narrated by David Tennant
The First Men in the Moon narrated by Alexander Vlahos
The Time Machine narrated by Hugh Bonneville
The Invisible Man narrated by Sophie Okonedo
The Island of Dr Moreau narrated by Jason Isaacs
If you’ve paid attention, you know that I haven’t read many classics. Off the top of my head I can name 1984, Lord Of The Flies and The Picture of Dorian Gray, and I think that’s it. So even though I recognized the name H.G. Wells and knew that he’s considered the father of science fiction, I had never read any of his stuff before. Hell, I didn’t even know he’d written these things.
Three out of these five stories I knew about from other sources: The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and The Island of Dr Moreau. Other than that, I was completely blind and didn’t have much expectations. Well, I sure am glad I gave Wells a chance…
The first thing that struck me, starting with War of the Worlds was how captivating the writing was. I think I was expecting something clunky, out of date and aged, but it felt like it could have been written last year. And it was enthralling! Detailed and gripping, occasionally slightly drawn out, but never boring. I was hooked.
I figured War of the Worlds would be my favorite. I know the story partly from that Tom Cruise movie, and I figured it was first in line for a reason. And don’t get me wrong, it was fantastic, but The First Men in the Moon is by far my favorite. It’s so unique, so clever and… Well, this might be a stupid point to make about a guy who’s named the father of science-fiction, but the science part (in all of the stories) really impressed me. It’s hard kind of sci-fi, it’s very convincing and it really sets the atmosphere for all of these stories. I drags you in slowly, taking time to explain a lot of things in elaborate detail. Before you know it, you’re on the edge of your seat because you realize the terrifying implications of this new technology.
The Time Machine was probably my least favorite. It’s a fun and interesting story, but – and I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying this – it kind of defeats itself. It’s told from the perspective of the time traveler, and if you’ve thought as far ahead as I did, then yeah… you’ve probably reached the same conclusion. Sure, the story is fun enough and it’s an exciting premise, but it lacks… Conflict.
The Invisible Man was the one I figured I knew the best, because I love the Kevin Bacon movie Hollowman. Turns out – beyond having an invisible man in it – there’s not much of a connection between those two stories at all (who knew?!) But The Invisible Man was great. A bit slow to start, but it developed really well. And this might be weird to say, but I felt like it worked particularly well in audio format. As if the whole invisibility thing and the terror that follows the story was enhanced by hearing about it, not just reading it.
The Island of Dr Moreau surprised me as well. It’s the kind of story I know of, probably through references and parodies in popular culture, but I had really no idea what I was in for. Turns out, it actually quite terrifying.
All in all, I’m very happy I finally found time to read some Wells. His writing is superb, and I think it’s aged really well.
I read the Audible version of these books, which is a collection of 5 stories. They are as follows:
The War of the Worlds narrated by David Tennant
The First Men in the Moon narrated by Alexander Vlahos
The Time Machine narrated by Hugh Bonneville
The Invisible Man narrated by Sophie Okonedo
The Island of Dr Moreau narrated by Jason Isaacs
If you’ve paid attention, you know that I haven’t read many classics. Off the top of my head I can name 1984, Lord Of The Flies and The Picture of Dorian Gray, and I think that’s it. So even though I recognized the name H.G. Wells and knew that he’s considered the father of science fiction, I had never read any of his stuff before. Hell, I didn’t even know he’d written these things.
Three out of these five stories I knew about from other sources: The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and The Island of Dr Moreau. Other than that, I was completely blind and didn’t have much expectations. Well, I sure am glad I gave Wells a chance…
The first thing that struck me, starting with War of the Worlds was how captivating the writing was. I think I was expecting something clunky, out of date and aged, but it felt like it could have been written last year. And it was enthralling! Detailed and gripping, occasionally slightly drawn out, but never boring. I was hooked.
I figured War of the Worlds would be my favorite. I know the story partly from that Tom Cruise movie, and I figured it was first in line for a reason. And don’t get me wrong, it was fantastic, but The First Men in the Moon is by far my favorite. It’s so unique, so clever and… Well, this might be a stupid point to make about a guy who’s named the father of science-fiction, but the science part (in all of the stories) really impressed me. It’s hard kind of sci-fi, it’s very convincing and it really sets the atmosphere for all of these stories. I drags you in slowly, taking time to explain a lot of things in elaborate detail. Before you know it, you’re on the edge of your seat because you realize the terrifying implications of this new technology.
The Time Machine was probably my least favorite. It’s a fun and interesting story, but – and I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying this – it kind of defeats itself. It’s told from the perspective of the time traveler, and if you’ve thought as far ahead as I did, then yeah… you’ve probably reached the same conclusion. Sure, the story is fun enough and it’s an exciting premise, but it lacks… Conflict.
The Invisible Man was the one I figured I knew the best, because I love the Kevin Bacon movie Hollowman. Turns out – beyond having an invisible man in it – there’s not much of a connection between those two stories at all (who knew?!) But The Invisible Man was great. A bit slow to start, but it developed really well. And this might be weird to say, but I felt like it worked particularly well in audio format. As if the whole invisibility thing and the terror that follows the story was enhanced by hearing about it, not just reading it.
The Island of Dr Moreau surprised me as well. It’s the kind of story I know of, probably through references and parodies in popular culture, but I had really no idea what I was in for. Turns out, it actually quite terrifying.
All in all, I’m very happy I finally found time to read some Wells. His writing is superb, and I think it’s aged really well.
March 6, 2022
A great collection from one of the pioneers of science fiction, where some stories excel, some are fine and one is fantastic.
When reviewing classic works of literature, right form the start it should be said that time does not give a free pass for prejudice. Certain authors from the 19th century are products of their time, but quite a lot are using language or caricatures which were recognisably prejudiced even within the time itself. H.G. Wells generally tends to fall into the former category, with the exception of a tendency to exclude women throughout. There is still some racist stereotypes, and the characters all have an authorial voice which carries the prim Victorian superiority. But, H.G. Wells was a socialist, author of The Rights of Man and it is refreshing by how well, on the most part, his writing holds up today. His stories feature an array of nationalities, with themes of pacifism, equality and understanding the unknown.
The First Men on the Moon is a wild story about two men travelling to the moon and encountering a hostile environment. This might have been the weakest entry in the collection for me, but it is really entertaining. In some ways, Wells' writing reflects his intellect and foresight. This is not one of those stories, and it has some ludicrous set ups. But that also makes the story intriguing to read from the viewpoint of understanding Victorian attitudes to what the future might hold.
The Invisible Man and The Island of Dr Moreau are both fairly frightening stories, where the latter outshines the former in almost every way. Both use the 'mad scientist' archetype to great effect and whilst Wells has been dubbed the 'father of science fiction', Mary Shelly's influence on the genre is undeniably clear here. The Invisible Man has a fun arc to it, but the commentary and fear in The Island of Dr Moreau is excellently done. Both stories are expertly narrated by Sophie Okonedo and Jason Isaacs.
The Time Machine is narrated by Hugh Bonneville which gave the stories viewpoint character a very strong voice. Bonneville does a great job of making silly alien names like 'Morlocks' sound threatening. For a 'time travel' story it is remarkable how straightforward this story was. There is no convoluted hijinks and the time travel is used as a story telling mechanic rather than a device for Wells to show off how clever he is. Finally, my absolute favourite story, was The War of the Worlds narrated by Dvid Tennant. There's a reason this one has remained one of Wells' most popular stories and it has an epic sense of adventure, mystery and horror. It is also slightly tragic in the pre-1914 portrayal of war.
This is a great collection, and really highlights Wells' undeniable talent. It's fun for any science fiction fans and generally holds up to modern tastes. It's well produced and is expertly narrated from the start.
When reviewing classic works of literature, right form the start it should be said that time does not give a free pass for prejudice. Certain authors from the 19th century are products of their time, but quite a lot are using language or caricatures which were recognisably prejudiced even within the time itself. H.G. Wells generally tends to fall into the former category, with the exception of a tendency to exclude women throughout. There is still some racist stereotypes, and the characters all have an authorial voice which carries the prim Victorian superiority. But, H.G. Wells was a socialist, author of The Rights of Man and it is refreshing by how well, on the most part, his writing holds up today. His stories feature an array of nationalities, with themes of pacifism, equality and understanding the unknown.
The First Men on the Moon is a wild story about two men travelling to the moon and encountering a hostile environment. This might have been the weakest entry in the collection for me, but it is really entertaining. In some ways, Wells' writing reflects his intellect and foresight. This is not one of those stories, and it has some ludicrous set ups. But that also makes the story intriguing to read from the viewpoint of understanding Victorian attitudes to what the future might hold.
The Invisible Man and The Island of Dr Moreau are both fairly frightening stories, where the latter outshines the former in almost every way. Both use the 'mad scientist' archetype to great effect and whilst Wells has been dubbed the 'father of science fiction', Mary Shelly's influence on the genre is undeniably clear here. The Invisible Man has a fun arc to it, but the commentary and fear in The Island of Dr Moreau is excellently done. Both stories are expertly narrated by Sophie Okonedo and Jason Isaacs.
The Time Machine is narrated by Hugh Bonneville which gave the stories viewpoint character a very strong voice. Bonneville does a great job of making silly alien names like 'Morlocks' sound threatening. For a 'time travel' story it is remarkable how straightforward this story was. There is no convoluted hijinks and the time travel is used as a story telling mechanic rather than a device for Wells to show off how clever he is. Finally, my absolute favourite story, was The War of the Worlds narrated by Dvid Tennant. There's a reason this one has remained one of Wells' most popular stories and it has an epic sense of adventure, mystery and horror. It is also slightly tragic in the pre-1914 portrayal of war.
This is a great collection, and really highlights Wells' undeniable talent. It's fun for any science fiction fans and generally holds up to modern tastes. It's well produced and is expertly narrated from the start.
August 10, 2021
Audiobook Review
This is a complication of 5 books. To be honest, I was only familiar with the last story, and was only interested in the first story. But before I briefly touch on each book, I agree with Eli Roth’s introduction in the opening credits. HG Wells really was a genius with his books and I also believe that he opened the door to so many of the sci-fi stories I enjoyed growing up.
War of the Worlds.
I absolutely love David Tennant’s voice. He is an excellent narrator.
Since I am quite familiar with the fighting style of British military from this period, I could totally see how an alien species would totally annihilate them. This was the story I wanted to listen to.
The First Men in the Moon
I wasn’t familiar with Alexander Vlahos, but I enjoyed his narrative.
Again, a surprising story that captured my imagination.
The Time Machine
I enjoyed Hugh Bonneville’s narration, but this story is just one that I couldn’t get into. I restarted it over and over, but it just couldn’t capture me.
The Invisible Man
Sophie Okonedo did a brilliant narrative.
This was probably my favourite story. I had no idea what to expect and I think Mr Wells truly understood the physiological effect that invisibility would have on a person.
The Island Dr Moreau
I enjoyed Jason Isaac’s narrative.
However, the story subject isn’t one I liked. When science goes too far and scientists make themselves gods. And I fear we are seeing this play out in the Covid pandemic today.
This is a complication of 5 books. To be honest, I was only familiar with the last story, and was only interested in the first story. But before I briefly touch on each book, I agree with Eli Roth’s introduction in the opening credits. HG Wells really was a genius with his books and I also believe that he opened the door to so many of the sci-fi stories I enjoyed growing up.
War of the Worlds.
I absolutely love David Tennant’s voice. He is an excellent narrator.
Since I am quite familiar with the fighting style of British military from this period, I could totally see how an alien species would totally annihilate them. This was the story I wanted to listen to.
The First Men in the Moon
I wasn’t familiar with Alexander Vlahos, but I enjoyed his narrative.
Again, a surprising story that captured my imagination.
The Time Machine
I enjoyed Hugh Bonneville’s narration, but this story is just one that I couldn’t get into. I restarted it over and over, but it just couldn’t capture me.
The Invisible Man
Sophie Okonedo did a brilliant narrative.
This was probably my favourite story. I had no idea what to expect and I think Mr Wells truly understood the physiological effect that invisibility would have on a person.
The Island Dr Moreau
I enjoyed Jason Isaac’s narrative.
However, the story subject isn’t one I liked. When science goes too far and scientists make themselves gods. And I fear we are seeing this play out in the Covid pandemic today.
April 1, 2021
Classics! Especially War of the Worlds.
I read War of the Worlds when I was a kid. I forgot how wonderful the original story was written and told. So glad I listened to it again! David Tenant was great as narrator. My favorite of his
H.G. Wells passes Aug 13th, 1946. I was born later but that date and Alfred Hitchcock was born that date. I say that's why I love sci-fi and fantasy with a touch of dark.
The First Men on the Moon - As we know more it is probably more fantastical then when originally written but still good.
The Time Machine also a classic but my brain pictures the film version. especially the iconic build of the time machine.
The Invisible Man still a shock at how violent he was. More sinister. Not sure I had ever actually read this one. To me the personality of Griffin is negative already. Could a better soul make things work differently? Different time frame - probably not. The masses would be just as afraid today of that kind of unknown.
The Island of Dr. Moreau - This one is more horrorific too. I hadn't read this one before. Most fast paced story of the group. Harder to believe with modern knowledge but if you put that aside the look at the natural behavior of man and beast is interesting. Animals suffer today because of humans - loss of environment, testing, hunting, and more. So have we really evolved? No.
I read War of the Worlds when I was a kid. I forgot how wonderful the original story was written and told. So glad I listened to it again! David Tenant was great as narrator. My favorite of his
H.G. Wells passes Aug 13th, 1946. I was born later but that date and Alfred Hitchcock was born that date. I say that's why I love sci-fi and fantasy with a touch of dark.
The First Men on the Moon - As we know more it is probably more fantastical then when originally written but still good.
The Time Machine also a classic but my brain pictures the film version. especially the iconic build of the time machine.
The Invisible Man still a shock at how violent he was. More sinister. Not sure I had ever actually read this one. To me the personality of Griffin is negative already. Could a better soul make things work differently? Different time frame - probably not. The masses would be just as afraid today of that kind of unknown.
The Island of Dr. Moreau - This one is more horrorific too. I hadn't read this one before. Most fast paced story of the group. Harder to believe with modern knowledge but if you put that aside the look at the natural behavior of man and beast is interesting. Animals suffer today because of humans - loss of environment, testing, hunting, and more. So have we really evolved? No.
November 2, 2025
War of the worlds:
The First Men in the Moon:
The Time Traveller:
The Invisible Man:
The Island of Doctor Moreau:
I would definitely recommend this, quality writing and superb readers.
The First Men in the Moon:
The Time Traveller:
The Invisible Man:
The Island of Doctor Moreau:
I would definitely recommend this, quality writing and superb readers.
October 9, 2019
As a reader (listener) from over a century in the future, I obviously have some insight that the author lacked. I picked up this collection as a typical "hey, let's get into some classic" and even though I knew I'll probably still find it relatable I was amazed. Despite the cultural differences in woman's place in the world, that for Wells must have been normal and maybe some quirks of the scientific explanations, the world he depicts and story he tells are amazing.
I particularly liked the ones I haven't seen before (like Time Machine or War of the Worlds movie) - The Island of Dr Moreau and peculiar differences of The First Men in the Moon was especially interesting.
Ultimately Wells writes, as most of the sci-fi authors, about humans. Their flaws and virtues and interest in science and growth. Stories from this collection are captivating and I would surely recommend them to anyone (not only sci-fi readers).
As for the Audible part of it - nothing short of greatness. Technically perfect, with great voice acting and ambient music in the right moment. Once again - I totally recommend it to anyone willing to enjoy this classic of sci-fi literature.
I particularly liked the ones I haven't seen before (like Time Machine or War of the Worlds movie) - The Island of Dr Moreau and peculiar differences of The First Men in the Moon was especially interesting.
Ultimately Wells writes, as most of the sci-fi authors, about humans. Their flaws and virtues and interest in science and growth. Stories from this collection are captivating and I would surely recommend them to anyone (not only sci-fi readers).
As for the Audible part of it - nothing short of greatness. Technically perfect, with great voice acting and ambient music in the right moment. Once again - I totally recommend it to anyone willing to enjoy this classic of sci-fi literature.
May 22, 2020
Esta é uma coletânea de 5 livros (áudio) de Wells, 27h 16min: The War of the Worlds, na voz do David Tennant <3, The First Men in the Moon, na voz de Alexander Vlahos, The Time Machine, na voz de Hugh Bonneville, The Invisible Man, por Sophie Okonedo, e The Island of Dr Moreau, por Jason Isaacs.
Acho que algumas histórias não envelheceram bem, com a do primeiro homem na lua. Time Machine me deu muitas saudades da minha época Doctor who.... O guerra dos mundos eu li faz alguns anos, e esqueci que tinha lido, quer dizer que não me marcou nada. O homem invisível é o melhor, e já tinha lido, também faz uns anos, mas como vi recentemente o filme com a Elizabeth Moss, fiquei com vontade de revisitá-lo, então já que estava nessa coleção, foi uma mão na roda.
Do Time Machine e do Dr. Moreau, imagino que a Margaret Atwood tenha recebido bastante influência (e de outros, suponho) para o livro MaddAddão, que li recentemente, pelo menos na criação de novos tipos de seres humanoides.
O audio em si tem alguns problemas, às vezes corta e repete a última frase. Mas para 5 livros pelo preço de 1, está de bom tamanho.
Acho que algumas histórias não envelheceram bem, com a do primeiro homem na lua. Time Machine me deu muitas saudades da minha época Doctor who.... O guerra dos mundos eu li faz alguns anos, e esqueci que tinha lido, quer dizer que não me marcou nada. O homem invisível é o melhor, e já tinha lido, também faz uns anos, mas como vi recentemente o filme com a Elizabeth Moss, fiquei com vontade de revisitá-lo, então já que estava nessa coleção, foi uma mão na roda.
Do Time Machine e do Dr. Moreau, imagino que a Margaret Atwood tenha recebido bastante influência (e de outros, suponho) para o livro MaddAddão, que li recentemente, pelo menos na criação de novos tipos de seres humanoides.
O audio em si tem alguns problemas, às vezes corta e repete a última frase. Mas para 5 livros pelo preço de 1, está de bom tamanho.
August 30, 2022
This is my review for Audible’s audiobook version of H.G. Wells’ The Science Fiction Collection. The five stories in this book are all classics of science fiction and pretty much mandatory reading for any fan of the genre.
The stories and narrators in this collection are:
The War of the Worlds narrated by David Tennant
The First Men in the Moon narrated by Alexander Vlahos
The Time Machine narrated by Hugh Bonneville
The Invisible Man narrated by Sophie Okonedo
The Island of Dr Moreau narrated by Jason Isaacs
In my opinion, they are H.G. Wells' best works. It's astonishing what he envisioned in the late 1800's, well before we actually started to explore space, or dabble in biological engineering. The narrators aren't narrators - they are true voice actors and they were amazing.
The best narrators I thought were the first "The War of the Worlds" narrated by David Tennant, and the last, "The Island of Dr Moreau" narrated by Jason Isaacs. I thought these narrators did a brilliant job in bringing Wells' stories to life and will definitely listen to them again.
The stories and narrators in this collection are:
The War of the Worlds narrated by David Tennant
The First Men in the Moon narrated by Alexander Vlahos
The Time Machine narrated by Hugh Bonneville
The Invisible Man narrated by Sophie Okonedo
The Island of Dr Moreau narrated by Jason Isaacs
In my opinion, they are H.G. Wells' best works. It's astonishing what he envisioned in the late 1800's, well before we actually started to explore space, or dabble in biological engineering. The narrators aren't narrators - they are true voice actors and they were amazing.
The best narrators I thought were the first "The War of the Worlds" narrated by David Tennant, and the last, "The Island of Dr Moreau" narrated by Jason Isaacs. I thought these narrators did a brilliant job in bringing Wells' stories to life and will definitely listen to them again.
January 27, 2020
Brilliant collection of Sci-Fi and a brilliant set of narrators.
I would definitely recommend this as an audiobook for the narrators alone. Each one was really good - a lot of talent there. They all interpret the stories so well (although I think Alexander Vlahos may be my favourite).
In terms of stories, I can appreciate H. G. Wells' talent and imagination in all of them. I did like some more than others, but they all have something thought provoking about them.
The First Men in the Moon really struck a chord with me. This may be a little bit spoilery (sorry!), but the part where we, as humans, are viewed from the outside and the others struggle to understand how we can actively seek to kill each other in wars struck me as being so insightful.
* Forgot to leave a separate update for the last story.
100% - The Island of Doctor Moreau - narrated by Jason Isaacs.
As far as story goes, I think this was my least favourite one. The concept was a bit too strange and I didn't find it as meaningful as some of the others.
That being said, Jason Isaacs was superb!
I would definitely recommend this as an audiobook for the narrators alone. Each one was really good - a lot of talent there. They all interpret the stories so well (although I think Alexander Vlahos may be my favourite).
In terms of stories, I can appreciate H. G. Wells' talent and imagination in all of them. I did like some more than others, but they all have something thought provoking about them.
The First Men in the Moon really struck a chord with me. This may be a little bit spoilery (sorry!), but the part where we, as humans, are viewed from the outside and the others struggle to understand how we can actively seek to kill each other in wars struck me as being so insightful.
* Forgot to leave a separate update for the last story.
100% - The Island of Doctor Moreau - narrated by Jason Isaacs.
As far as story goes, I think this was my least favourite one. The concept was a bit too strange and I didn't find it as meaningful as some of the others.
That being said, Jason Isaacs was superb!
August 28, 2021
What a collection this is!
A must read for all generations.
I was skeptical on diving into stories 130+ years old (2 centuries old). Specially stories of which references I was bombarded since childhood. I thought I knew them, seeing at least one movie adaptation for each book and dozen of references (least for man in the moon).
I was expecting some kind of Jules Verne writing style and approach. Something jovial, positive, adventurous, and sure to spark the imagination of a teen mind. These are not that.
One thing is for sure, these stories are not for early teens! Most of the stories paint a gritty atmosphere and involve strong graphical depictions (see "the invisible man", "war of the worlds" and "the island of doctor Monroe" even "the time machine").
As such, these stories use the sci-fi element to drill into the human psychic and explore what if scenarios. And that's why most of these stories aged really well.
The audible version is spot on, with the entire cast doing justice to the english roots of these stories.
A must read for all generations.
I was skeptical on diving into stories 130+ years old (2 centuries old). Specially stories of which references I was bombarded since childhood. I thought I knew them, seeing at least one movie adaptation for each book and dozen of references (least for man in the moon).
I was expecting some kind of Jules Verne writing style and approach. Something jovial, positive, adventurous, and sure to spark the imagination of a teen mind. These are not that.
One thing is for sure, these stories are not for early teens! Most of the stories paint a gritty atmosphere and involve strong graphical depictions (see "the invisible man", "war of the worlds" and "the island of doctor Monroe" even "the time machine").
As such, these stories use the sci-fi element to drill into the human psychic and explore what if scenarios. And that's why most of these stories aged really well.
The audible version is spot on, with the entire cast doing justice to the english roots of these stories.
February 3, 2021
War of the Worlds 5/5
Fantastic. Narrated by David Tennant.
The First Men in the Moon 3.5/5
War of the Worlds, but from the friendly Earthborn 'invader' perspective.' A scientist and a playwright explore the moon, and meet the natives. Interesting, and well written. Good, but dragged towards the end.
The Time Machine 3.5/5
Is this the earliest published tale of time-travel? I don't know. The story has been recycled many times over, but I'm still impressed by how thoughtful it is.
The explanation of time, as the fourth dimension, is fantastic.
The Invisible Man 3/5
I wasn't as taken with this as I'd hoped. Much of the story I knew, so it felt like treading old boards. Good, with great ideas and a decent execution, but I didn't love it.
The Island of Dr Moreau 4/5
I was genuinely, pleasantly surprised by this book. It's macabre, and eerie, and I'm curious to know how it was received at the time. Enjoyed it!
Fantastic. Narrated by David Tennant.
The First Men in the Moon 3.5/5
War of the Worlds, but from the friendly Earthborn 'invader' perspective.' A scientist and a playwright explore the moon, and meet the natives. Interesting, and well written. Good, but dragged towards the end.
The Time Machine 3.5/5
Is this the earliest published tale of time-travel? I don't know. The story has been recycled many times over, but I'm still impressed by how thoughtful it is.
The explanation of time, as the fourth dimension, is fantastic.
The Invisible Man 3/5
I wasn't as taken with this as I'd hoped. Much of the story I knew, so it felt like treading old boards. Good, with great ideas and a decent execution, but I didn't love it.
The Island of Dr Moreau 4/5
I was genuinely, pleasantly surprised by this book. It's macabre, and eerie, and I'm curious to know how it was received at the time. Enjoyed it!
March 19, 2022
Wells had a few of obsessions: alcohol, science, and bachelorism. All of his stories are about English bachelors discovering a scientific breakthrough. In the course of events drinking alcohol is always discussed. Alcohol is discussed more than food.
The imagination, for his day is off the charts. He was the first to write about several of his chosen topics. The details have since been elevated. I read these stories with an interest in science fiction. I found I was often reading a horror story with some technology twist. In the end I wonder if this is the profound lesson that Wells wishes us to think: technology often (or perhaps always) brings us misery.
I do not believe in the premise. I appreciate the author's imagination.
The imagination, for his day is off the charts. He was the first to write about several of his chosen topics. The details have since been elevated. I read these stories with an interest in science fiction. I found I was often reading a horror story with some technology twist. In the end I wonder if this is the profound lesson that Wells wishes us to think: technology often (or perhaps always) brings us misery.
I do not believe in the premise. I appreciate the author's imagination.
April 22, 2022
Top notch narration barely kept me interested in finishing this collection. I'd read The Time Machine before and about half of Dr Thoreau at some point but the rest were new to me. Though it's hard to be a sci-fi geek and not have a basic understanding of the stories of the others included. Realizing that the invisible man is less hotel Transylvania and more hollow man for instance is good to know. War of the worlds holds up and gives me a lil better appreciation for the 2005 film. First men in the moon was just daunting to get through and felt like it was packed full of armchair antique science. Overall I'd recommend this collection if you want to read these as I say the narration is pretty good but don't expect to be amazed if you're not new to the source material.
January 24, 2023
I felt that these stories, albeit more than a century old, have not aged so well for my taste. Struggled between giving a 2* and a 3*, but going for the lower one given that half of the stories in this were a 2* as per my taste.
Some of them such as War of the Worlds and The Time Machine were quite enjoyable (3*). But I could not make myself sit through the whole of Invisible Man (despite the successful motion-picture adaptation) and The First Men in the Moon.
Having said that, I still admire his imagination and the ability to capture such complicated topics as time travel and ethics of genetic manipulation in a time when these were niche topics even in the scientific circles.
Some of them such as War of the Worlds and The Time Machine were quite enjoyable (3*). But I could not make myself sit through the whole of Invisible Man (despite the successful motion-picture adaptation) and The First Men in the Moon.
Having said that, I still admire his imagination and the ability to capture such complicated topics as time travel and ethics of genetic manipulation in a time when these were niche topics even in the scientific circles.
March 20, 2022
I am amazed by the imagination of H.G. Wells. Books were written around 1895 and for that time were absolute novelty. By now, ideas of from Wells' books are pretty common but given the context of 19th century it is increadibler. War of the Worlds, First Man on the Moon and Time Machine made me wow. Invisible Man and Island of Dr. Moreau not so much. Overall I recommend to learn about origins of backbone of Science Fiction literature. Even If you don't like the story, I am sure you'll appreciate the ideas :)
July 26, 2019
Really good reading of Well's most famoues science fiction.
i can only give it 4 stars though, because I cannot listen to 'Dr Moreau' once it gets to the chapter "The crying of the puma". It's too awful in the book; I couldn't bear to hear it.
Well's writing style is so skilful - he doesn't go in for a lot of description, but says what he means. It makes his stories starkly real - hence why I can't bear to read or hear about the suffering of the snimals.
i can only give it 4 stars though, because I cannot listen to 'Dr Moreau' once it gets to the chapter "The crying of the puma". It's too awful in the book; I couldn't bear to hear it.
Well's writing style is so skilful - he doesn't go in for a lot of description, but says what he means. It makes his stories starkly real - hence why I can't bear to read or hear about the suffering of the snimals.
November 7, 2020
The first three books are excellent especially David Tennants performance for War of the Worlds. Some of the language and turns of phrase can be dated, but considering that some stories are over 120 years old that's a minor thing. I couldn't get into the Invisible man and the Island of Dr Moreau but others may enjoy them. Well worth reading as a collection.
May 16, 2021
I have tried to get past The First Men on The Moon three times but I just can't. I'm sure the other books in this collection are good but the story listed just dragged on so much I gave up and I won't bother with the rest. I did enjoy War of the Worlds though it was the only reason I got this collection if I'm honest.
July 23, 2021
Though he is writing about the future, Wells is writing about the past. You can see Victorian England with its disparity between classes in the Time Machine. It's taking over the world in War of the Worlds, and even in its attitude of colonialism in The Island of Doctor Moreau. As I have gotten into SCI fi, I have gotten more into H. G. Wells, who wasn't just its master but its prophet.
January 25, 2022
It's mindblowing when one realizes, that most of those stories were written at the end of 19th century.
The story about flying to the moon actually preceeds the first flight by Wright brothers for example.
4/5 because the narration, while mostly remarkable, felt dated (duh...) and a little boring at times.
The story about flying to the moon actually preceeds the first flight by Wright brothers for example.
4/5 because the narration, while mostly remarkable, felt dated (duh...) and a little boring at times.
July 17, 2023
Final story - The Island of Doctor Moreau - 4*
Overall a 4* collection. A mixed bag for me but nothing overwhelmingly weak. War of the Worlds my clear favourite with Doctor Moreau and The Invisible Man runners up. No bad stories especially for classic sci-fi and thoroughly recommend this audiobook collection as the narrators are all fantastic.
Overall a 4* collection. A mixed bag for me but nothing overwhelmingly weak. War of the Worlds my clear favourite with Doctor Moreau and The Invisible Man runners up. No bad stories especially for classic sci-fi and thoroughly recommend this audiobook collection as the narrators are all fantastic.
June 21, 2020
This is a very well-read collection of H.G. Wells books that I highly recommend to anyone who has found it difficult to read the books themselves.
Unfortunately “The Invisible Man” is not edited well.
Unfortunately “The Invisible Man” is not edited well.
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