“Very interesting story...though a disappointment from what I originally thought it would be. The back of the novel promises a more in-depth analysis of the period from "the time traveler." In contrast, he seems merely to enter an age and observe what is happening...making slight hypothesis as he goes along. I feel that the year he traveled too--802000--is a tad excessive. Wells could have easily made a similar point with a date more easy to grasp. Though I know he was using a great deal of evolutionary theory, I could not even fathom the number until I wrote it down. And to think that a museum had matches, still preserved from our time, 800000 years from now? Seems convenient. His take on the future, however, is undoubtedly original--and creative. He introduces creatures within a society that is distinct from our own, and yet holds many of our own problems. This is definitely an intriguing commentary on society, and I would probably appreciate the work more as that than as a science fiction. Nonetheless, it is extremely important to note that Wells wrote this is 1895--long before any of our contemporary mechanisms came about. Thus, I have to applaud his futuristic thinking. In an era where the microwave had not yet been invented, let alone the digital camera, Wells tackles time travel in a rather sophisticated manner. It's worth a read, ultimately. It's short, it's something to think about, and I would recommend it to any one interested in futuristic novels and/or sci-fi.”
posted Thursday, June 12 2008