The Plattner Story

by H.G. Wells

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Horror, Classics, Audiobook, 19th Century, Collections

22 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Herbert George Wells was born to a working class family in Kent, England. Young Wells received a spotty education, interrupted by several illnesses and family difficulties, and became a draper's apprentice as a teenager. The headmaster of Midhurst Grammar School, where he had spent a year, arranged for him to return as an "usher," or student teacher. Wells earned a government scholarship in 1884, to study biology under Thomas Henry Huxley at the Normal School of Science. Wells earned his bachelor of science and doctor of science degrees at the University of London. After marrying his cousin, Isabel, Wells began to supplement his teaching salary with short stories and freelance articles, then books, including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).

Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.

He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.

More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...

http://www.online-literature.com/well...

http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells

Reviews

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator Liam Gerrard

[Ꮇσυรรα · Rating 4 out of 5]

«أنَّى للمَرءِ أنْ يُصدِّقَ أنَّ شابًّا عاديًّا يَعملُ مُدرِّسًا في مَدْرسةٍ خاصَّةٍ سيَختارُهُ القَدَرُ ليُغادِرَ عالَمَنا في رِحْلةٍ إلى عالَمٍ مُوَازٍ، أوْ ما يُسمَّى بالبُعدِ الرَّابِع؛ حيثُ يَرَى مَخْلوقاتٍ عَجِيبةً ويَشهَدُ أَحْداثًا تَعجَزُ الأَقْلامُ عَن وَصْفِها، ثُمَّ يَعُودُ إلى عالَمِنا حامِلًا في بِنْيتِهِ الجَسَديةِ دَلِيلًا عَلى رِحْلتِهِ الخارِقة! لَنْ يَسعَ القارِئَ إلَّا أنْ يَقفَ ذاهِلًا أَمامَ تِلكَ الرِّحْلةِ وبَطلِها، وإلَيْه وَحدَهُ يَعودُ خِيارُ تَصدِيقِ القِصَّة — التي تَتوافَرُ عِدَّةُ أَدِلةٍ عَلى وُقوعِها حَقًّا — مِن عَدمِه. رُبَّما لَم تُوجَدْ قَطُّ قِصةٌ تَستعصِي عَلى التَّصدِيقِ أَكْثرَ مِن تِلكَ القِصَّة!»

تلقي بك هذه القصة الفانتازية نوعاً ما لشيء من التأمل في مصير حيوات الإنسان، وبؤس القدرية... وتقول عن إحتمال واحد–موحش، قاسٍ بائس– من الإحتمالات المجهولة المتربصة بالإنسان بعد الموت.

فكرة وجود الإنسان في عالم محسوس بالكامل، تجعل تصور عكس الأمر مقبول تماماً؛ وهذه فكرة مرعبة.

لم أحدد موقفي من تصديق القصة أو نفيها بعد، لكنها قصة غريبة مرعبة إن صدق حدوثها.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: This story, published in 1896, is related to The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes, for in both cases the protagonist sees or is transported to a different part of the world. This story has also the science fictional detail of Plattner coming back to the normal world having been turned into his mirror image. In both stories the protagonist (or his sight) is supposed to have moved through a fourth spatial dimension.

I think this story inspired Arthur C. Clarke his story "Technical Error," published in 1956 in the collection Reach for Tomorrow. Clarke introduced a few additional pure science fiction details, such as the fact that the man turned into his mirror image could not assimilate normal food, for normal amino-acids are levogirotatory, so dextrorotatory amino-acids must be synthesized to feed him.

ESPAÑOL: Este cuento, publicado en 1896, está relacionada con The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes, pues en ambos casos el protagonista ve o es transportado a una parte diferente del mundo. Este cuento también introduce el detalle de ciencia ficción de que Plattner vulve al mundo normal transformado en su imagen especular. En ambos cuentos se supone que el protagonista (o su visión) se ha movido a través de una cuarta dimensión espacial.

Creo que este cuento inspiró a Arthur C. Clarke su cuento "Technical Error", publicado en 1956 en la colección Reach for Tomorrow. Clarke introdujo algunos detalles adicionales de ciencia-ficción, como el hecho de que el hombre convertido en su imagen especular no podía asimilar la comida normal, ya que los aminoácidos normales son levógiros, por lo que se tuvieron que sintetizar aminoácidos dextrógiros para alimentarle.

[Shawn]

This is an interesting story by Wells because when it starts, you think it's going to be one of his usual "scientific fictions", exploring some idea/science concept. The basic story involves the testimony of Gottfried Plattner, a local school teacher who disappeared after a chemical explosion and was missing for nine days, only to inexplicably reappear out of thin air....now left-handed and with his internal organs switched left to right. Seemingly, the explosion blew Plattner into "the fourth dimension" (or at least "out of space as we understand it") and so I assumed this might be a variation on Wells' own "The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes" (in which a scientist subjected to an energy field discovers that his consciousness and sight, but not his body, seem to have been shifted halfway around the globe). But, oddly, Wells goes in another direction and this is more about the spectral, dark, green-lit "otherworld" that Plattner is trapped in for over a week, a realm populated by strange beings with human faces (but floating, trailing tadpole bodies) who constantly watch the living. These "watchers of the Living" may be dead souls, there may even be an appearance by the Grim Reaper at one point, but it's all told in Wells crisp style - which doesn't mean it isn't atmospheric, but never heavily so. A weird, eerie story!

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a fantastical short story about an elementary school teacher who is flung out of this world and into a parallel universe. This descriptions are amazing, and it's easy to see the basis of this short story in many modern science fiction works and television shows.

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Wells. Intriguing and thought provoking. I enjoy reading early sci-fi works because the freshness of the ideas still comes through in the writing. Disappearances and reappearances with strange goings on have been written about many times, but an earlier version of the theme reignites my love of them.

[Abeer · Rating 3 out of 5]

مدرس اثناء وجود بالمدرسة قرر القيام بتجربة كيميائية حدث نتيجة لذلك انفجار تسبب فى اختفائه لفتره فى عالم مواز
السؤال هل هو فعلا انتقل الى عالم موازى؟؟
المؤلف ترك الحكم للقارئ

[Teemu Öhman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous beginning turns into a horrorish second half. This was just great. The latter half of the story surely influenced Lovecraft. Another one who undoubtedly read this one was Arthur C. Clarke, whose Technical Error deals with a similar problem.
4.5/5

[Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good bunch of stories, most of them evocative and attractive. My favorite ones are "The Plattner story", "The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham", "In the Abyss", "The Sea-Raiders" (a modern horror story, I could say), "The Cone" (intense, bloodcurling story of hate in a dark setting) and "The Sad Story of a Dramatic Critic" (a caustic and powerful lampoon of Victorian theater).

[Dr.Abdulwahab Alnaif · Rating 3 out of 5]

الرواية الخامسة في تحدي ٣٠ كتاب ورواية في ٣٠ يوم

" قصة السيد بلاتنر " لهيربرت جورج ويلز

إن تصديقَ قصة جوتفريد بلاتنر أو تكذيبَها لَمسألة محيِّرة من حيث وجاهة الأدلة؛ فنحن لدينا، من ناحية، سبعة شهود — أو بالأحرى لدينا ستة أزواج من الأعين وعين واحدة — وحقيقة واحدة لا محل لإنكارها، لكن من ناحية أخرى لدينا — ماذا؟ — هوًى، وعناد، واعتماد على المنطق السليم. لم يوجد قطُّ شهود تبدو عليهم سِيَم الأمانة أكثر من هؤلاء السبعة

باختصار القصة عن مدرس يدعى جوتفريد بلاتنر لا يحب الكيمياء وبعد التحاق الطالب ويبل بالمدرسة يبدأ بسؤال الاستاذ عن كل ما يخص الكيمياء مما يضطر بلاتنر الى التعمق في الكيمياء فيكتشف انها ممتعة ابداً ثم في احد الايام يجلب له ويبل مادة خضراء لزجة ليحللها فيحدث انفجار ويختفي بلاتنر فجأة
اين ذهب ؟ وهل يعود ؟ وماذا سيتغير ؟
رواية خيالية لكن يدعي الكاتب انها حقيقية

قصيرة ممتعةلعشاق التشويق والغموض .

تمت بحمد الله ١٨/٨/٢٠٢٣

[sema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hikâye, Mr. Plattner’ın laboratuvarda yaptığı bir deney sırasında meydana gelen patlamayı anlatıyor. Patlamadan sonra Plattner ortadan kayboluyor ve dokuz gün boyunca kimse ondan haber alamıyor. Wells çok erken bir dönemde “paralel evren/ayna evren” fikrini işlemeye çalışmış ama hikaye havada kalmış.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[أمـانـِي تَـوفـيـق أَبـو الْـدّهَـب · Rating 4 out of 5]

أخبرني بلاتنر أن الإحساس بأنه موجود في هذا العالم دون أن يكون جزءًا منه، إنما هو شعور بشع إلى أقصى حد، وشبَّه مشاعره بمشاعر قطة تراقب فأرًا من وراء زجاج نافذة، وهو تشبيه في محله.

[Ralph McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one wild tale. Strange events causing phyical oddities and unexplainable happings. Enjoy.
The narrators voice is clear and easy to listen to, he is a good story teller.
The recording quality is clear (no background noise), it has plenty of volume and the editing technique is seamless.
I listen to these short stories while walking to and from work.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a while, once you have read enough of an author you begin to pick up themes, trends and common threads within the writers works. This book is true to form of or Wells, a mix of science fiction, dimensions, space, religion, the after life. What is out there, are there other realms? A lot of interesting ideas and concepts.

[Norman Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a descriptive story, as nothing actually happens. The protagonist is translated to a parallel existence, and returns … changed.

This reminds me of Arthur C. Clarke’s story, “Technical error.”

As I read this collection, I find that every “new” idea I’ve found in SF was already anticipated by H. G. Wells!

[Mimi Wolske · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 4th Axis?
love weird tales; this totally fits.
I have read better tales by Wells, however; thus the reason for only 4 stars.

[Akrabar]

audiobook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n93uO...

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Wells' best....

[Phil Giunta · Rating 3 out of 5]

While assigned to teach chemistry in a small private school in southern England, Gottfried Plattner experiments with an unnamed green powder provided by one of his students. The subsequent explosion sends him into what he believes is the fourth dimension, or the afterlife, where disembodied heads watch over the affairs of the living in our world. Plattner also discovers that he still has a small amount of the green powder left on him. A subsequent explosion sends him back to our dimension nine days later but with one difference—his internal organs have shifted to the opposite side of his body and his asymmetrical facial features have likewise swapped sides so as to be a mirror image of his former countenance.

[Ⰰⱃⰿⰰⱀⰴ Ⱆⰾⰴⰵⱃⰻⰽⱁ Ⱅⰵⱄⰾⰰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penguin Books, 2007.
The language is typicall for Wells. A good world building without any big amount of new metaphors, neologisms and other shrieks of textual creativity.
The subtext is very characteristic for the zeitgeist of H.G. Well's time; the uprising of antimodernity in a mature industrial society.
This short story thematizes the Fourth Dimension.
The early antimodernity in literature has a tone of titles at the end of the nineteenth century, Edwin A. Abbott comes first in mind.
If you are weird, or should I say queer (in the sense that the word had in Well's time), you should read this short story.
Hasta luego mis murciélagos!

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd novella/short story about a teacher who, after an explosion caused by mischievous students, "disappears" for nine days only to return with a sort of "mirror" new self. His heart is on the other side of his body; he writes with his left hand and from right to left, etc.

Main part of the story is recounting his experience in his nether state. The dead from the past of the living, in a shadowy world, track the living . . . interested in how their influence is playing out. Descriptions of their "bodies" and the grey/dark world they live in are eerie.

Very short . . . worth the time

[Sima ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is my first work by H. G. Wells. Being unfamiliar with his writing and world-building, I was intrigued by the parts that involved chemistry and the school setting. On the other hand, I am not sure I really enjoyed the main idea of the story, since it can be interpreted in many different ways depending on perspective and beliefs.

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Story Of G. Platter, who after a scientific mishap ends up with his organs backwards after visiting another dimension. This story struck me as highly lovecraftian in topic but classic wellsin style and delivery. I will have to revisit more Wells soon as he is such a pleasure to read

[Pénélope · Rating 3 out of 5]

It starts well, but honestly it would've been better without Plattner's description of the Other World. The heavy description of the other world was a bit too long and made the story much less interesting and less mysterious.

[William Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good! I'd give the concept alone 5 stars, but I didn't find the book all that engaging, 3 stars. Most would probably get the same value from reading the wikipedia summary, and would save time. But I'm happy to have read it anyways :)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This feels very Twilight Zone-ish. I enjoy the way Wells predicts what an intelligent reader will explain away (the reversal of the picture, etc).

[Hackspacks77 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadfully boring as even the storyteller states in the final paragraph 😴

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting story.

[Camila Carvalho · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very inspiring tale, as H.G. Wells stories usually are.