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H. G. Wells: Six Novels
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No home library is complete without the classics! H. G. Wells is a keepsake collection of the author's greatest work to be read and treasured.
He was the first to popularize the concept of time travel. He disturbed—and fascinated—us with a frightening doctor’s island. He wrote of an invisible man, of men on the moon, and of a war of the worlds. He has influenced countless other writers, artists, and even scientists. H. G. Wells is one of the most acclaimed science fiction writers who ever lived, and five of his classic tales are collected in this book for readers to treasure.
H. G. Wells includes “The Time Machine”, “The Island of Dr Moreau”, “The Invisble Man”, “The War of the Worlds”, “The First Men in the Moon”, and “The Food of the Gods”. Readers new to this remarkable author will delight in these amazing stories, while fans of Wells will enjoy the insightful introduction by an expert on the author’s life and work. All will appreciate the leather cover, gilded edges, printed endpapers, ribbon bookmark, and other features on this unique gift book.
• 11 unique illustrations relevant to its content;
• Table of Contents with Quick Navigation.
No home library is complete without the classics! H. G. Wells is a keepsake collection of the author's greatest work to be read and treasured.
He was the first to popularize the concept of time travel. He disturbed—and fascinated—us with a frightening doctor’s island. He wrote of an invisible man, of men on the moon, and of a war of the worlds. He has influenced countless other writers, artists, and even scientists. H. G. Wells is one of the most acclaimed science fiction writers who ever lived, and five of his classic tales are collected in this book for readers to treasure.
H. G. Wells includes “The Time Machine”, “The Island of Dr Moreau”, “The Invisble Man”, “The War of the Worlds”, “The First Men in the Moon”, and “The Food of the Gods”. Readers new to this remarkable author will delight in these amazing stories, while fans of Wells will enjoy the insightful introduction by an expert on the author’s life and work. All will appreciate the leather cover, gilded edges, printed endpapers, ribbon bookmark, and other features on this unique gift book.
397 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
190 people are currently reading
874 people want to read
About the author
H.G. Wells
5,185 books11.2k 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 32 reviews
March 13, 2024
The Time Machine *****
This is the third time I read this short novel, and its timelessness is still startling. Not only is Wells the first author to describe time travel, he sends his hero astonishingly far into the future, way farther than most of his successors: first 800,000 years from now, i.e. almost three times current human existence, and in Wells' future our species has evolved quite surprisingly indeed. But after this main event, which can also be read as a critical allegory on capitalist England of the time, the time traveler even goes much further into the future, to the end of the Earth. Wells places this event erroneously 30 million years from now, which is far too soon, but he is forgiven, as the novella predates radiometric dating. This part is very short, but very evocative, and, more amazingly, very bleak. In this far future, there's no trace of human existence left, and thus Wells' future essentially is a pessimistic, if realistic one. In all, 'The Time Machine' is an undisputed classic of science fiction, and this debut novella still stands as Wells' greatest and most influential work.
The Island of Doctor Moreau ***
In this novel a sailor tells about his experiences on a mysterious island. With this novel H.G. Wells enters the horror genre. Moreau is a worthy successor of Shelley's 'Frankenstein: The 1818 Text', creating hybrid monsters without caring about the consequences. Even worse, he performs his experiments without anesthetics, as is witnessed by the agonizing cries of a puma. The attraction of this novel lies in the depiction of the various man-beasts, but it seems Wells didn't know well what to do with them, and the novel ends more with a fizzle than with a bang.
The Invisible Man ***
This novel is very different from the previous two. This time Wells himself seems to be the narrator and he tells his story in many, surprisingly short chapters. This tale starts more like a lighthearted mystery-comedy, and the invisible man is mostly seen through others. We have to wait until chapter 29 before we hear the invisible man tell his own tale. Only then the story takes a grimmer and more exciting turn up to a thrilling finale.
The War of the Worlds *****
In what is arguably Wells's science fiction masterpiece an anonymous narrator describes his own experiences during an invasion from Mars with the benefit of hindsight. Because we stay with the narrator (with two short excursions to the trials of his younger brother) we remain in the UK, and in the South of England in particular, the locations of which Wells indicates in detail, adding to the story's believability. Even so, in the end it seems only Great Britain (then the greatest power in the world) has been attacked. Wells's squid-like Martians are definitely alien and genuinely terrifying with their 'heat-rays' (lasers avant la lettre), black poisons and gruesome feeding patterns. Wells paints vivid pictures of destruction, panic and chaos, and in chapter IV of book two the story reaches really horrifying levels. Nevertheless, it's clear that Wells's indifferently cruel Martians are a mirror to ourselves, especially in the first chapter Wells exerts some strong criticism on mankind itself and its treatment of other people and species.
The First Men in the Moon **
'The First Men in the Moon' is both less convincing and less compelling than Wells's earlier science fiction novels. There's the eccentric sole inventor trope, and this novel probably is the root of all standard alien depictions with bulgy eyes and large heads. The badly conceived flight to the moon is preposterous. Wells is at his best when describing weightlessness and the effects of a lesser gravitation, but otherwise this book is a little too silly to entertain. The long epilogue doesn't help, either.
The Food of the Gods *****
'The Food of the Gods' is much less known than the earlier novels, but this story is a real treat. The tale starts tongue-in-cheek, with two very irresponsible scientist fooling around with their invention. When one of them has a fight with his wife over tadpoles at home (a very silly scene), things go haywire. But as the story progresses, things take a disturbing turn, and Wells's novel even becomes tragic. 'The Food of the Gods' was written at the turn of the century, but the novel can easily be read as an allegory for later human inventions with devastating effects, like atom bombs or plastics.
This is the third time I read this short novel, and its timelessness is still startling. Not only is Wells the first author to describe time travel, he sends his hero astonishingly far into the future, way farther than most of his successors: first 800,000 years from now, i.e. almost three times current human existence, and in Wells' future our species has evolved quite surprisingly indeed. But after this main event, which can also be read as a critical allegory on capitalist England of the time, the time traveler even goes much further into the future, to the end of the Earth. Wells places this event erroneously 30 million years from now, which is far too soon, but he is forgiven, as the novella predates radiometric dating. This part is very short, but very evocative, and, more amazingly, very bleak. In this far future, there's no trace of human existence left, and thus Wells' future essentially is a pessimistic, if realistic one. In all, 'The Time Machine' is an undisputed classic of science fiction, and this debut novella still stands as Wells' greatest and most influential work.
The Island of Doctor Moreau ***
In this novel a sailor tells about his experiences on a mysterious island. With this novel H.G. Wells enters the horror genre. Moreau is a worthy successor of Shelley's 'Frankenstein: The 1818 Text', creating hybrid monsters without caring about the consequences. Even worse, he performs his experiments without anesthetics, as is witnessed by the agonizing cries of a puma. The attraction of this novel lies in the depiction of the various man-beasts, but it seems Wells didn't know well what to do with them, and the novel ends more with a fizzle than with a bang.
The Invisible Man ***
This novel is very different from the previous two. This time Wells himself seems to be the narrator and he tells his story in many, surprisingly short chapters. This tale starts more like a lighthearted mystery-comedy, and the invisible man is mostly seen through others. We have to wait until chapter 29 before we hear the invisible man tell his own tale. Only then the story takes a grimmer and more exciting turn up to a thrilling finale.
The War of the Worlds *****
In what is arguably Wells's science fiction masterpiece an anonymous narrator describes his own experiences during an invasion from Mars with the benefit of hindsight. Because we stay with the narrator (with two short excursions to the trials of his younger brother) we remain in the UK, and in the South of England in particular, the locations of which Wells indicates in detail, adding to the story's believability. Even so, in the end it seems only Great Britain (then the greatest power in the world) has been attacked. Wells's squid-like Martians are definitely alien and genuinely terrifying with their 'heat-rays' (lasers avant la lettre), black poisons and gruesome feeding patterns. Wells paints vivid pictures of destruction, panic and chaos, and in chapter IV of book two the story reaches really horrifying levels. Nevertheless, it's clear that Wells's indifferently cruel Martians are a mirror to ourselves, especially in the first chapter Wells exerts some strong criticism on mankind itself and its treatment of other people and species.
The First Men in the Moon **
'The First Men in the Moon' is both less convincing and less compelling than Wells's earlier science fiction novels. There's the eccentric sole inventor trope, and this novel probably is the root of all standard alien depictions with bulgy eyes and large heads. The badly conceived flight to the moon is preposterous. Wells is at his best when describing weightlessness and the effects of a lesser gravitation, but otherwise this book is a little too silly to entertain. The long epilogue doesn't help, either.
The Food of the Gods *****
'The Food of the Gods' is much less known than the earlier novels, but this story is a real treat. The tale starts tongue-in-cheek, with two very irresponsible scientist fooling around with their invention. When one of them has a fight with his wife over tadpoles at home (a very silly scene), things go haywire. But as the story progresses, things take a disturbing turn, and Wells's novel even becomes tragic. 'The Food of the Gods' was written at the turn of the century, but the novel can easily be read as an allegory for later human inventions with devastating effects, like atom bombs or plastics.
January 21, 2024
În „The Time Machine” Wells începe prin a descrie incredulitatea intelectualilor în ceea ce privește călătoria în timp a personajului principal și surprinde destul de bine evidentul scepticism al acestora. În ceea ce privește călătoria în sine, autorul a fost destul de curajos, căci a îndrăznit să își imagineze cum va arăta societatea umana peste mii de ani. Cu stilul său ușor pesimist, societatea viitorului nu este una extraordinară, cu imense avantaje tehnologice, ci una simplă, idilică, care însă ascunde un mister sinistru.
În această poveste, mi-a plăcut în special călătoria de la final, în care personajul principal a mers spre viitorul muribund al planetei, autorul surprinzând un sfârșit destul de plauzibil din punct de vedere astronomic.
”The Island of Dr Moreau” nu mi s-a părut destul de interesantă, căci abordează tema metamorfozării unor animale, prin operații chinuitoare realizate de doctorul Moreau, în ființe umanizate, capabile de vorbire, cu o religie implantată de doctor și care e menită să le controleze instinctul animalic de a ucide.
Cu toate că Wells explorează mai multe fațete filosofice ale acestei situații, nu pot înțelege ce anume l-a determinat să aleagă această premisă, exceptând poate încercarea de a ilustra consecințele inumane care pot duce uneori atunci când se realizează orbește experimentare de dragul experimentării. Personal am considerat întreaga poveste un lung preludiu al ideii filosofice care s-a dezvăluit la final, atunci când personajul principal, reîntorcându-se în civilizație, a început să vadă numai partea animalică din comportamentele și obiceiurile concetățenilor săi.
„The War of the Worlds” a fost și ea destul de fascinantă, deoarece a abordat scenariul vulnerabilității societății umane din secolul 19 în fața cuceririi acesteia de către civilizația marțiană, care are un avantaj tehnologic net superior. Am admirat din nou imaginația lui Wells, deoarece a avut îndrăzneala de a închipui marțienii fără trăsături umane, cu corpuri și, într-o anumită măsură, comportamente diferite de ale noastre. Finalul a fost unul foarte neașteptat, deși potrivit și destul de plauzibil.
Autorul, precum în toate romanele sale, surprinde într-un mod destul de pragmatic și realist, abilitatea oamenilor de a-și continua propria viață, absorbiți în lucrurile mărunte, chiar și atunci când numai la câțiva kilometri de ei se întâmplă lucruri extraordinare, precum masacrarea unei întregi regiuni. Wells are acest talent de a îndepărta orice urmă de idealism din premisele poveștilor sale, așa cum o face într-un mod excelent și în ”Omul invizibil”.
Povestea mea preferată a fost ”The First Men in the Moon”, căci, deși s-a născut în secolul 19, Wells a descris într-o asemenea măsură călătoria spre lună, încât nu numai că m-a făcut să vizualizez această călătorie, dar m-a și emoționat.
Ideea romanului este descoperirea unui material care anulează efectul gravitației și care este folosit de către omul de știință care l-a creat și de către personajul principal pentru a crea o bulă pe post de navetă spațială. Cu ajutorul acesteia, cei doi ajung pe lună și trec printr-o grămadă de peripeții atât datorită atmosferei atât de diferite a lunii, cât și datorită creaturilor descoperite acolo. De această dată, însă, omul de știință este pus într-o lumină pozitivă, căci are mereu o atitudine moderată și rațională, în comparație cu reacțiile violente ale personajului principal, atât de caracteristice ființelor umane.
În the ”Food of the Gods” doi oameni de știință descoperă o substanță care duce la creșterea necontrolată a creaturilor care o ingeră. Cu toate că maniera în care este scrisă această poveste mi s-a părut mai dificilă, printre altele din cauza modului în care se exprimă persoanele din zonele rurale, ideea în sine a fost una interesantă. A fost captivant de urmărit cum s-au confruntat oamenii cu primele creaturi gigante, precum găini, viespi, șobolani, cu atitudinea lor de uimire și curiozitate, și apoi turnura pe care civilizația a luat-o odată ce, inevitabil, au apărut și primii copii giganți.
Din nou nu îmi pot închipui ce anume l-a determinat pe Wells să exploreze această premisă, dar tind să fiu de acord cu concluzia pe care o insinuează la sfârșitul poveștii.
În această poveste, mi-a plăcut în special călătoria de la final, în care personajul principal a mers spre viitorul muribund al planetei, autorul surprinzând un sfârșit destul de plauzibil din punct de vedere astronomic.
”The Island of Dr Moreau” nu mi s-a părut destul de interesantă, căci abordează tema metamorfozării unor animale, prin operații chinuitoare realizate de doctorul Moreau, în ființe umanizate, capabile de vorbire, cu o religie implantată de doctor și care e menită să le controleze instinctul animalic de a ucide.
Cu toate că Wells explorează mai multe fațete filosofice ale acestei situații, nu pot înțelege ce anume l-a determinat să aleagă această premisă, exceptând poate încercarea de a ilustra consecințele inumane care pot duce uneori atunci când se realizează orbește experimentare de dragul experimentării. Personal am considerat întreaga poveste un lung preludiu al ideii filosofice care s-a dezvăluit la final, atunci când personajul principal, reîntorcându-se în civilizație, a început să vadă numai partea animalică din comportamentele și obiceiurile concetățenilor săi.
„The War of the Worlds” a fost și ea destul de fascinantă, deoarece a abordat scenariul vulnerabilității societății umane din secolul 19 în fața cuceririi acesteia de către civilizația marțiană, care are un avantaj tehnologic net superior. Am admirat din nou imaginația lui Wells, deoarece a avut îndrăzneala de a închipui marțienii fără trăsături umane, cu corpuri și, într-o anumită măsură, comportamente diferite de ale noastre. Finalul a fost unul foarte neașteptat, deși potrivit și destul de plauzibil.
Autorul, precum în toate romanele sale, surprinde într-un mod destul de pragmatic și realist, abilitatea oamenilor de a-și continua propria viață, absorbiți în lucrurile mărunte, chiar și atunci când numai la câțiva kilometri de ei se întâmplă lucruri extraordinare, precum masacrarea unei întregi regiuni. Wells are acest talent de a îndepărta orice urmă de idealism din premisele poveștilor sale, așa cum o face într-un mod excelent și în ”Omul invizibil”.
Povestea mea preferată a fost ”The First Men in the Moon”, căci, deși s-a născut în secolul 19, Wells a descris într-o asemenea măsură călătoria spre lună, încât nu numai că m-a făcut să vizualizez această călătorie, dar m-a și emoționat.
Ideea romanului este descoperirea unui material care anulează efectul gravitației și care este folosit de către omul de știință care l-a creat și de către personajul principal pentru a crea o bulă pe post de navetă spațială. Cu ajutorul acesteia, cei doi ajung pe lună și trec printr-o grămadă de peripeții atât datorită atmosferei atât de diferite a lunii, cât și datorită creaturilor descoperite acolo. De această dată, însă, omul de știință este pus într-o lumină pozitivă, căci are mereu o atitudine moderată și rațională, în comparație cu reacțiile violente ale personajului principal, atât de caracteristice ființelor umane.
În the ”Food of the Gods” doi oameni de știință descoperă o substanță care duce la creșterea necontrolată a creaturilor care o ingeră. Cu toate că maniera în care este scrisă această poveste mi s-a părut mai dificilă, printre altele din cauza modului în care se exprimă persoanele din zonele rurale, ideea în sine a fost una interesantă. A fost captivant de urmărit cum s-au confruntat oamenii cu primele creaturi gigante, precum găini, viespi, șobolani, cu atitudinea lor de uimire și curiozitate, și apoi turnura pe care civilizația a luat-o odată ce, inevitabil, au apărut și primii copii giganți.
Din nou nu îmi pot închipui ce anume l-a determinat pe Wells să exploreze această premisă, dar tind să fiu de acord cu concluzia pe care o insinuează la sfârșitul poveștii.
November 24, 2015
So far I have read the first one - the time machine- I know the story well from the movie, but haven't ever read the book. Found his writing style unexpectedly very easy to understand (was expecting 'old' language making it difficult to follow). Enjoyed it.
The Island of Dr Moreau was weird. I didn't mind the concepts- the book just didn't really have much of a story line. It should have been a shorter short story!
The invisible man was also strange. Short, without much of a story line.... It just seemed to go nowhere, and seemed quite long winded in the process. Getting disillusioned here!
The first man on the moon and the food of the gods were better. They were light and fun and had quirky story lines. I am planning on reading these again soon when I can spend more time reading and not trying to read a page every few days, which is what my life is like at the moment. I think my kids would enjoy these books too.
The Island of Dr Moreau was weird. I didn't mind the concepts- the book just didn't really have much of a story line. It should have been a shorter short story!
The invisible man was also strange. Short, without much of a story line.... It just seemed to go nowhere, and seemed quite long winded in the process. Getting disillusioned here!
The first man on the moon and the food of the gods were better. They were light and fun and had quirky story lines. I am planning on reading these again soon when I can spend more time reading and not trying to read a page every few days, which is what my life is like at the moment. I think my kids would enjoy these books too.
June 22, 2021
A beautiful collection of vintage sci-fi from one of the greatest literary minds. A classic. For him to have created such advanced technological ideas, considering the time it was written in, was revolutionary to the age of science fiction. H. G. Wells is one of the founding pillars of the genre's history.
Each story is speculative and layered, of a dry wit, but full of heart in regards to the human experiences. Written before the turn of the century, this was well ahead of it's time and yet it still encapsulates it with its writing style, language, and the views and beliefs of society back then.
Order of favourites: The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, Food of the Gods
The striking blue leather binding embossed with a classic spaceship is the perfect cover to hold within these treasured stories, and a real treat to any readers' library.
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9IOHu9gJ...
Each story is speculative and layered, of a dry wit, but full of heart in regards to the human experiences. Written before the turn of the century, this was well ahead of it's time and yet it still encapsulates it with its writing style, language, and the views and beliefs of society back then.
Order of favourites: The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, Food of the Gods
The striking blue leather binding embossed with a classic spaceship is the perfect cover to hold within these treasured stories, and a real treat to any readers' library.
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9IOHu9gJ...
November 11, 2024
I see why H. G. Wells is considered such a quality writer -his descriptions, worlds, and characters are so believable. Even when creating the most extraordinary scenarios like going to the moon and meeting Martians, creating monsters on an island, and feeding food of the gods to grow ginormous animals, plants, and babies, he makes everything seem so plausible that I was drawn deeper into the story. Lots of food for thought on deeper levels, too. Excellent writing and memorable stories.
August 27, 2020
Introduction by Michael A. Cramer- What I truly love about the Canterbury Classic version of classic novels is that they contain a short introduction. In this one provided by Michael A. Cramer, he gives an extensive background on the author as well as some symbolism for each novel. It really made it easier for the average reader to understand the true depth of each novel.
The Time Machine- The story moves at a good if a bit fast pace sometimes. I love the detail that was put into the future world. The ending left a bit of a cliffhanger. It’s almost as if H. G. Wells had the intention of writing a sequel or he left it open for another author to write one. He was very clever.
The Island of Dr. Moreau- Reminded me of Jurassic Park except instead of dinosaurs, Dr. Moreau attempted to transform animals into people. Judging by how the end turned out that only worked in theory.
The Invisible Man- It took me a while to really get into The Invisible Man. It was almost a little too predictable for my taste. A man sees only the benefits of being invisible and doesn’t see the problems and chaos that actually result. Another invention that would only be good in theory.
The War of the Worlds- I saw the movie starring Tom Cruise and I must say that this book was so much better. I’ve actually read it twice now and it gets better every time I read it.
The First Men in the Moon- Fantastic. I’m not usually a fan of space adventure, but The First Men in the Moon really grabbed my attention. I especially enjoyed the transmissions from the moon to Earth. It got me thinking of so many possibilities of what could be out there that we have yet to discover.
The Food of the Gods- This novel had me laughing out loud with every chapter. Giant insects, huge plants, and enormous babies. It was just too funny the pictures that were going through my mind. Even the characters were hilarious. It was great. I was almost sad when it was all over.
The Time Machine- The story moves at a good if a bit fast pace sometimes. I love the detail that was put into the future world. The ending left a bit of a cliffhanger. It’s almost as if H. G. Wells had the intention of writing a sequel or he left it open for another author to write one. He was very clever.
The Island of Dr. Moreau- Reminded me of Jurassic Park except instead of dinosaurs, Dr. Moreau attempted to transform animals into people. Judging by how the end turned out that only worked in theory.
The Invisible Man- It took me a while to really get into The Invisible Man. It was almost a little too predictable for my taste. A man sees only the benefits of being invisible and doesn’t see the problems and chaos that actually result. Another invention that would only be good in theory.
The War of the Worlds- I saw the movie starring Tom Cruise and I must say that this book was so much better. I’ve actually read it twice now and it gets better every time I read it.
The First Men in the Moon- Fantastic. I’m not usually a fan of space adventure, but The First Men in the Moon really grabbed my attention. I especially enjoyed the transmissions from the moon to Earth. It got me thinking of so many possibilities of what could be out there that we have yet to discover.
The Food of the Gods- This novel had me laughing out loud with every chapter. Giant insects, huge plants, and enormous babies. It was just too funny the pictures that were going through my mind. Even the characters were hilarious. It was great. I was almost sad when it was all over.
February 9, 2020
H.G. Wells was a genius. I’m pretty sure these books were written around or over a hundred years ago. I could be wrong but they are still written decades ago. I was surprised how smooth the writing was done for its age and time that it was written. Wells has a scientific mind that is demonstrated in these stories. He worked with a few scientists to guide them to write scientific journals and articles that could be understood and related to the laypeople. These stories are very allegorical to the direction humanity has taken. It is hard to pick which story was a favourite because they all held relevance to me.
I understand why this is classic material. The book is nice with gold outlined pages. A solid fit to the bookshelf.
I understand why this is classic material. The book is nice with gold outlined pages. A solid fit to the bookshelf.
December 20, 2022
This is only intended as a review for the second to last book, ,,The First Men in the Moon", since I rated the other four books that are included in this collection separetly.
I liked this one better than the last book, "The Food of the Gods", but I'm not entirely sure whether this is the result of better writing on Wells' part or if I was just in a different state of mind from the beginning due to already being more interested in astronomy than gigantism.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the flora and fauna of the moon as well as its seemingly more intelligent inhabitants, the selenites. I must admit that there were multiple times where I wondered if he at any time considered naming them lunatics but decided against it because it would detract from the story he was trying to tell.
His description of their physical appearence which he said to be ant-like somehow made me think of Geonosians.
Cavour seemed to be somewhat naive at times, even before the ending cemented this notion as fact.
I liked this one better than the last book, "The Food of the Gods", but I'm not entirely sure whether this is the result of better writing on Wells' part or if I was just in a different state of mind from the beginning due to already being more interested in astronomy than gigantism.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the flora and fauna of the moon as well as its seemingly more intelligent inhabitants, the selenites. I must admit that there were multiple times where I wondered if he at any time considered naming them lunatics but decided against it because it would detract from the story he was trying to tell.
His description of their physical appearence which he said to be ant-like somehow made me think of Geonosians.
Cavour seemed to be somewhat naive at times, even before the ending cemented this notion as fact.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2023
I received this (faux) leather-bound hardback from Canterbury Classics for Christmas. I'd previously read five of the six novels included in this collection. It is a nice book and will replace the five paperbacks I have, freeing some room on my shelves. However, the sixth novel in this collection was one I had not read; Food of the Gods. I found this story a mix of humor, some horror adventure, and disturbing commentary on scientific discoveries that threaten life as we know it and our place within it. I enjoyed it. The novels included in this collection are:
The Time Machine
The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Invisible Man
The War of the Worlds
The First Men in the Moon
The Food of the Gods
The Time Machine
The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Invisible Man
The War of the Worlds
The First Men in the Moon
The Food of the Gods
January 4, 2022
I'm going to cheat a little and say I've finished this collection without having read the Food of the Gods. I'd say 5/6 books is good enough. H.G. Wells is an important author to the sci-fi genre and I can honestly say I feel intellectually richer for having read his books. I may not agree with his strange opinions on scientist supremacy and so on, but the fact that he wrote these stories in his time is just astounding.
July 30, 2022
There were 3 stories I was familiar with - The Time Machine, The Invisible Man & War of the Worlds - and three that were "new" to me - Island of Dr. Moreau, First Men IN The Moon & Food of the Gods.
The story that really surprised me was the last one, The Food Of The Gods. I admit the first 'Book" was a little hard to get into but it really paid off in Book 2 & 3. All of Wells' socio-political themes of a one world, science-driven utopia are well developed and presented.
The story that really surprised me was the last one, The Food Of The Gods. I admit the first 'Book" was a little hard to get into but it really paid off in Book 2 & 3. All of Wells' socio-political themes of a one world, science-driven utopia are well developed and presented.
March 29, 2018
Zum ersten Mal einige der wichtigsten Romane von H. G. Wells im englischen Original gelesen. War hochinteressant. Ich denke, über die Romane muss man nichts weiter sagen. Die Ausgabe selbst beeindruckt mit einem blauen Ledereinband, Goldschnitt und Lesebändchen. Macht sich gut im Regal neben meinen anderen Leatherbound-Ausgaben. Wer schön gemachte Bücher mag, kommt hier voll auf seine Kosten.
April 22, 2021
I recently purchased this book in a effort to be more rounded in my knowledge of the classics. I am also building a personal library of classic, well known, literature. I am very happy with this publisher I have also purchased other publications by this company featuring other authors.
I have currently read the first three of the works published in this volume, "The Time Machine", "The Island of Dr. Moreau", and "The Invisible Man". (For my remarks on the individual works, see my reviews on the base books individual titles.)
The introductions of some of these works by various intellectuals, in this case Michael Cramer, seems biased and devoid of any spiritual connections that exploring the ideas Wells writes about might encompass. Of corse, the works themselves have a tendency to reflect that very bias, relatively. Haveing a more well rounded evaluation of the concepts would be objectively more valuable than a point of view that agrees with he authors premises.
That being said the quality of the physicality of this particular publication is not perfect but for the money is quite good. I enjoy it very much.
In my opinion, Canterbury Classics is a great way to build a library of quality classic works, H. G. Well being a chief contributor. I will continue to buy these kinds of books from them as I continue to build my own personal library.
I have currently read the first three of the works published in this volume, "The Time Machine", "The Island of Dr. Moreau", and "The Invisible Man". (For my remarks on the individual works, see my reviews on the base books individual titles.)
The introductions of some of these works by various intellectuals, in this case Michael Cramer, seems biased and devoid of any spiritual connections that exploring the ideas Wells writes about might encompass. Of corse, the works themselves have a tendency to reflect that very bias, relatively. Haveing a more well rounded evaluation of the concepts would be objectively more valuable than a point of view that agrees with he authors premises.
That being said the quality of the physicality of this particular publication is not perfect but for the money is quite good. I enjoy it very much.
In my opinion, Canterbury Classics is a great way to build a library of quality classic works, H. G. Well being a chief contributor. I will continue to buy these kinds of books from them as I continue to build my own personal library.
August 20, 2022
I'm going to rate this book as I read each novel within it, starting with:
THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAU, 4 stars
This novel is wonderfully horrible and manages to contain a lot of information and reveals in its pages. I was surprised how quickly I read it and how much I wanted to see how it ended.
THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAU, 4 stars
This novel is wonderfully horrible and manages to contain a lot of information and reveals in its pages. I was surprised how quickly I read it and how much I wanted to see how it ended.
October 26, 2019
The well-known stories were very good - Time Machine, Invisible Man, Island of Dr. Moreau, and especially War of the Worlds. However I would recommend just skipping the last two - I found both of those uninteresting.
November 16, 2020
I don't think I have every read any of Wells' works before altho I was aware of some of them via films and the famous Orson Welles story - & how I enjoyed them! I didn't realize he is considered the father of sci-fi. Great writing, great stories!
May 10, 2024
Absolutely fantastic.
Each book excited and intrigued me more than the last.
I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
Outside of the book contents, the cover is beautifully done, making it a fantastic book to display.
Each book excited and intrigued me more than the last.
I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
Outside of the book contents, the cover is beautifully done, making it a fantastic book to display.
July 5, 2024
The Time Machine: 4.5/5
The Island of Dr. Moreau: 3.25/5
The Invisible Man: 3.5/5
War of the Worlds: 3/5
The First Men in the Moon: 2.5/5
The Food of the Gods: 4.25/5
---------------------------
Book Quality: 3.75/5
Overall: 3.5/5
The Island of Dr. Moreau: 3.25/5
The Invisible Man: 3.5/5
War of the Worlds: 3/5
The First Men in the Moon: 2.5/5
The Food of the Gods: 4.25/5
---------------------------
Book Quality: 3.75/5
Overall: 3.5/5
February 27, 2019
His Classic stories in this book of course are Masterpieces, but Men in the Moon and Food of the Gods are not his best work. Worth getting this book for your collection.
June 14, 2019
not as engaging as Jules Verne who was a contemporary author. Disappointing
February 5, 2021
Great choices of stories. I would’ve loved to have short stories like Country Of The Blind, but this book is still amazing without them
September 17, 2021
The time machine 3.5 stars
The island of Dr Moreau 3 stars
The invisible man 1.5 stars
The war of the worlds 5 stars
The first men on the moon 3 stars
The food of the gods 2.5 stars
The island of Dr Moreau 3 stars
The invisible man 1.5 stars
The war of the worlds 5 stars
The first men on the moon 3 stars
The food of the gods 2.5 stars
December 31, 2021
This review is for the Time Machine only. Quick enjoyable read, actually aged quite well. A rather depressing long term view of humanity
May 25, 2022
Pure classic science fiction. Doesn't get much better than that.
Read
March 18, 2024Good read
December 7, 2025
The Time Machine +
The Island of Dr. Moreau o
The Invisible Man +
The War of the Worlds o
The First Men in the Moon +
The Food of the Gods -
The Island of Dr. Moreau o
The Invisible Man +
The War of the Worlds o
The First Men in the Moon +
The Food of the Gods -
August 14, 2021
Reading these novels again was like coming home. The Time Machine is like a recurring dream or a prose poem, or both. Perfect! I’m not quite as familiar with The Invisible Man. I really enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek tone: A welcome counterpoint to the disquieting Island of Dr. Moreau. In all three there are some decidedly prophetic implications regarding the dehumanising aspect of scientific understanding, especially in Wells’ characterisation of the Invisible Man. The Holocaust was unimaginable when the novel was originally published in 1897; it cannot help but come to mind now, when in the closing quarter Griffin asserts his plans for a Reign of Terror.
The War of the Worlds is undoubtedly the most familiar of the six novels here compiled. Two things assert themselves this time round: the sheer clarity and specificity of the account of the destruction of Victorian London and environs - easily the most detailed and engrossingly vivid descriptions I’ve ever encountered - and the strong possibility of an environmental reading. Throughout, Wells compares our plight under the Martians to that of animals subjugated and abused my humans. At one point the narrator expresses a new-found relationship with the natural world arisen as a direct result of his need to survive as member of a species that no longer dominates the Earth. Again and again the Martians are associated with polluting machinery, with emphasis given to their various machines’ exhaust fumes and the black gas with which they poison the rivers and land. This, together with the demise of the invaders being so closely connected with their essentially organic nature, sees The War of the Worlds offering an easy alternative to the more usual colonial arrogance reading, a moral far more prescient and remarkably relevant to our current climate.
The First Men in the Moon is a fun read with a dark undercurrent. Wells uses the contemporary lack of knowledge of lunar conditions to enable vividly hallucinatory descriptions and a very unreliable narrator to explore the gap between fantasy and reality, morality and the production of the self. The allegory is satisfyingly indefinite and there is a clear and detailed account of the state of defamiliarisation.
All the novels in this collection were originally serialised; this is most noticeable in the structure of The Food of the Gods. The story begins in a farcical vein, which is fitting to a tale of two bumbling scientists who stumble upon a means to stimulate unfettered growth in any and all living organisms. The result is a plague of hypertrophism. There are hens the size of horses and battles with huge rats amongst towering flora, led by a ridiculously manly hero whose exploits run to a “boys own” adventure. All great fun. But Wells takes the opportunity his episodic narrative presents by juxtaposing the high jinks and comedy with shock and terror. It is easy to imagine the damage that a wasp the size of a cat could cause. Now picture a swarm of them…
Vivid, and occasionally quite beautiful descriptions of truly horrific deaths artfully distract our attention from the real interest: giants who grow from humorously gurgling tank-sized infants to a race of super-humans. They resist enslavement by their comparatively dwarfish antecedents, and cause chaos by their mass consumption of resources. This is perhaps the novel’s most prescient aspect. They appear to represent progress, the exact form of which is thankfully left unspecified. Its cost is addressed with the giants being garbed in remnants of whatever materials they can find, such as sheet metal and reams of mooring rope. Their habitation leaves pastoral landscapes ruined and their entrance into London is nothing short of cataclysmic. The Little People respond by voting in a leader whose passion is the giants’ total annihilation, and who’s charismatic popularism presages many of the Twentieth and Twenty-first centuries’ more infamous heads of state.
On the eve of war the most prominent of the giants steps forward, gesturing to the stars, and offers up his vision of a new dawn for humanity. Thus, this collection closes with a surprisingly utopian tone indicative of a growing political interest that saw Wells stepping away from the genre we now call science fiction. There are of course exceptions amongst his later works, The World Set Free being perhaps the most notable. Other collections have favoured that shorter novel over The Food of the Gods as compliment to the five more well-known scientific romances. Others favour the earlier When the Sleeper Wakes, which I must admit is a personal favourite of mine. Regardless, this collection is easily the best I have encountered. The leather binding is sturdy, the pleasantly off-white paper is fine quality, and the place-holder ribbon and gilt-edging provide a perfect finish to a handsome volume made to last a lifetime – possibly several.
The War of the Worlds is undoubtedly the most familiar of the six novels here compiled. Two things assert themselves this time round: the sheer clarity and specificity of the account of the destruction of Victorian London and environs - easily the most detailed and engrossingly vivid descriptions I’ve ever encountered - and the strong possibility of an environmental reading. Throughout, Wells compares our plight under the Martians to that of animals subjugated and abused my humans. At one point the narrator expresses a new-found relationship with the natural world arisen as a direct result of his need to survive as member of a species that no longer dominates the Earth. Again and again the Martians are associated with polluting machinery, with emphasis given to their various machines’ exhaust fumes and the black gas with which they poison the rivers and land. This, together with the demise of the invaders being so closely connected with their essentially organic nature, sees The War of the Worlds offering an easy alternative to the more usual colonial arrogance reading, a moral far more prescient and remarkably relevant to our current climate.
The First Men in the Moon is a fun read with a dark undercurrent. Wells uses the contemporary lack of knowledge of lunar conditions to enable vividly hallucinatory descriptions and a very unreliable narrator to explore the gap between fantasy and reality, morality and the production of the self. The allegory is satisfyingly indefinite and there is a clear and detailed account of the state of defamiliarisation.
All the novels in this collection were originally serialised; this is most noticeable in the structure of The Food of the Gods. The story begins in a farcical vein, which is fitting to a tale of two bumbling scientists who stumble upon a means to stimulate unfettered growth in any and all living organisms. The result is a plague of hypertrophism. There are hens the size of horses and battles with huge rats amongst towering flora, led by a ridiculously manly hero whose exploits run to a “boys own” adventure. All great fun. But Wells takes the opportunity his episodic narrative presents by juxtaposing the high jinks and comedy with shock and terror. It is easy to imagine the damage that a wasp the size of a cat could cause. Now picture a swarm of them…
Vivid, and occasionally quite beautiful descriptions of truly horrific deaths artfully distract our attention from the real interest: giants who grow from humorously gurgling tank-sized infants to a race of super-humans. They resist enslavement by their comparatively dwarfish antecedents, and cause chaos by their mass consumption of resources. This is perhaps the novel’s most prescient aspect. They appear to represent progress, the exact form of which is thankfully left unspecified. Its cost is addressed with the giants being garbed in remnants of whatever materials they can find, such as sheet metal and reams of mooring rope. Their habitation leaves pastoral landscapes ruined and their entrance into London is nothing short of cataclysmic. The Little People respond by voting in a leader whose passion is the giants’ total annihilation, and who’s charismatic popularism presages many of the Twentieth and Twenty-first centuries’ more infamous heads of state.
On the eve of war the most prominent of the giants steps forward, gesturing to the stars, and offers up his vision of a new dawn for humanity. Thus, this collection closes with a surprisingly utopian tone indicative of a growing political interest that saw Wells stepping away from the genre we now call science fiction. There are of course exceptions amongst his later works, The World Set Free being perhaps the most notable. Other collections have favoured that shorter novel over The Food of the Gods as compliment to the five more well-known scientific romances. Others favour the earlier When the Sleeper Wakes, which I must admit is a personal favourite of mine. Regardless, this collection is easily the best I have encountered. The leather binding is sturdy, the pleasantly off-white paper is fine quality, and the place-holder ribbon and gilt-edging provide a perfect finish to a handsome volume made to last a lifetime – possibly several.
April 5, 2014
H.G. Wells by H.G. Wells contains six extraordinary stories relating to science-fiction, imagination, and madness. Time travel, vivisection, and invisibility are the main topics of The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and The Invisible man. As you will read, the tales are focused around one man (usually smart and intelligent) and the events that transpire that will lead them to universal discoveries. I left one star empty, because I felt that each story could and should have been prolonged into either a longer book, or even distributed into individual trilogies! I would highly recommend this collection of masterpieces to all lovers of classics, science-fiction, and people looking for unusual, yet interesting reads.
January 4, 2017
Grabbing a H.G. Wells story is always an amazing thing and you get six! I have been a fan forever and find the author seems to be a bit of a visionary or even a psychic. The stories, written so long ago, make you wonder just what did this guy see in his dreams.
January 14, 2013
I've always loved the time machine but I hadn't read all of his books yet & this one included some I'd never heard of b4!
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