A review by thevampiremars
The Great Science Fiction: The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, Short Stories by H.G. Wells

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Time Machine (1895) – 3.0☆

I found this story pretty boring for the most part. There were some really interesting ideas but they weren’t developed to their full potential. The idea, for example, that
the rift between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat becomes so vast that they diverge not only culturally but physically, to the extent that they eventually beget two distinct species.
What a compelling concept! It’s a pity, then, that this social commentary doesn’t really go anywhere.
I liked the scene where
the Time Traveller does a goofy little dance in the derelict remains of the Natural History Museum.
It’s brief, and it’s not an important moment, but it did make me smile. That image was the highlight of the story for me.
This book clearly had an impact on the development of science fiction as a genre, and on time travel stories in particular. I’m not sure that I liked The Time Machine but I can at least appreciate it.

The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) – 4.0☆

Horror through and through. I thought it was much better written than The Time Machine – more enthralling, certainly. Unfortunately, however, the body horror does slip into some rather racist territory occasionally.
The Island of Doctor Moreau features some familiar sci-fi tropes, such as the perils of meddling with nature, unethical experiments, uplift, and religion as a tool for controlling the masses. I’m not sure it was as influential as The Time Machine or The War of the Worlds (it’s certainly not as famous) but it stands up as a classic work of science fiction.

The Invisible Man (1897) – 4.0☆

This one is relatively lighthearted to begin with, providing a bit of levity after the grim tale preceding it. The title character boops a man on the nose just to freak him out and some of his hijinks border on slapstick. That silliness gradually gives way to nasty manipulation and brutal violence, however, and the Invisible Man becomes a sinister figure indeed.
I wish the story had focused a little more on
Griffin’s feeling of immunity.
It was a theme throughout but it could have done with a bit more emphasis and exploration. Instead he recounts his backstory over the course of multiple chapters; not only does that grind the plot to a halt, it also kind of spoils the mystery surrounding him. Maybe that’s the point – to humanise him and prove he’s just as mortal as anyone else – but I feel like that could have been achieved more gracefully.
Still, I enjoyed The Invisible Man well enough. I’d recommend it.

The War of the Worlds (1897) – 3.5☆

Here’s another undeniably iconic and influential story that just didn’t resonate with me. Well, that’s not entirely true – seeing my own hometown mentioned in an apocalypse narrative was weirdly sobering – but tales of battles and widespread destruction aren’t really my thing. Like Wells’s other works, The War of the Worlds is very much plot-driven. Had it not followed any particular character, it might have opened up to encompass the grand, epic scale the writer clearly wanted to invoke. As it stands, there are characters but they lack substance; the narrator exists to narrate, that is all.
The ending is kind of weak, and the fact that I already knew how it was going to end might be part of why I found it hard to stay invested. It very much feels as though Wells didn’t know how to wrap things up and was, at any rate, far more interested in describing the horrifying spectacle of suburban armageddon than in constructing a satisfying narrative. Still, I think The War of the Worlds was much better written than The Time Machine.

Accompanying these four novels are eight short stories. I’ll review them each briefly:

The Door in the Wall (1906) – 2.5☆
More gothic than I’d expected. Dreamlike. Deals with themes of longing and escapism. A decent concept but I felt the execution was lacking.

The Chronic Argonauts (1888) – 2.5☆
A precursor to The Time Machine. It felt a little amateurish but I admire the ambition and the gall of teasing a sequel which “has been written, and will or will never be read”

The Remarkable Case of Davidson’s Eyes (1895) – 3.0☆
It’s alright. Not entirely sure what the point is though.

The Sea Raiders (1896) – 2.5☆
What if uhhh big squid?

The Stolen Bacillus (1895) – 2.0☆
An attempt at bioterrorism by an Anarchist (capital A) who dreams of martyrdom. Wack :/

The Country of the Blind (1904) – 3.0☆
Coloniser thinks it’s his birthright to rule this “lost” civilisation, and the natives mock him for it. Nice bit of I guess worldbuilding, considering accessibility issues and cultural differences and so on. Then there’s some Coraline shit towards the end.

The Crystal Egg (1897) – 3.0☆
Speaking of worldbuilding, this story offers a glimpse at life on Mars through extraterrestrial scrying. It’s an interesting mix of sci-fi and straight up magic. Nothing is explained and nothing really happens. Kind of pointless but idk maybe I’m expecting too much. Sometimes a weird egg is just a weird egg.

The Empire of the Ants (1905) – 2.0☆
What if uhhh big ants? (also racism)

All in all, a fairly middling assortment. Worthwhile if you’re interested in the history of science fiction, I suppose.
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