Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

This early work by H. G. Wells was originally published in 1896 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series. 'In the Abyss' is a short story about deep sea exploring and the strange creatures that inhabit the unknown depths. Herbert George Wells was born in Bromley, England in 1866. He apprenticed as a draper before becoming a pupil-teacher at Midhurst Grammar School in West Sussex. Some years later, Wells won a scholarship to the School of Science in London, where he developed a strong interest in biology and evolution, founding and editing the Science Schools Journal. However, he left before graduating to return to teaching, and began to focus increasingly on writing. It was in 1895 that Wells seriously established himself as a writer, with the publication of the now iconic novel, The Time Machine. Wells followed The Time Machine with the equally well-received War of the Worlds (1898), which proved highly popular in the USA.

Enjoy!!

PDF: http://www.telelib.com/authors/W/Well...

I am in for this one.

I finished In the Abyss and enjoyed this short story. I like H.G. Wells’ literary writing style just as I did when I read The Time Machine. His descriptions of the sphere and what Elstead saw are very vivid.

Good story. The creatures reminded me of Lovecraft's deep ones. Also I wonder if James Cameron has read this.
There was a lot of explanation of the mechanism that made the sphere sink but I couldn't really picture it. Somehow cables made it sink and then it reeled them in?

I’m so pleased this was recommended. I read it today & was very impressed - it’s imaginative & beautifully written. It’s difficult to believe the same author wrote Tono-Bungay which I tried a while ago & abandoned.

I’m glad you liked it!

I finally got around to reading this one. It's a little different from Wells' other works, but still a good one.