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Liked It “Without "The Time Machine," we might not have science-fiction. Or at least not as we know it. |
Didn’t Like It “Not nearly as good as I hoped it would be. The story went...nowhere. No real answers, just assumptions about what possibly happened. Written in a very cold manner, I felt no real connection with the characters...including the Time Traveler.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Without "The Time Machine," we might not have science-fiction. Or at least not as we know it.
Michael H wrote this review Thursday, March 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
That's not to say that someone wouldn't or couldn't have come along and filled a gap had H.G. Wells not written this. But would it have been as popular and caught fire with the imagination of the reading public if had been something or someone else. Maybe not.
What I'm trying to say is that sci-fi fans owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Wells for this story. Not only was it hugly influential, but it's still entertaining and readable to this day. Following the convention of the period, Wells relates the story twice removed. It's a first-person narrator relating the story of another first-person narrator. Wells introduces us to the Traveller, who has invented a way to break the barrier to the fourth dimension. He plans to travel in time and does so, going into the far future and meeting the Eloi and the Morlocks.
If you've seen the movie, you're probably familiar with most of what unfolds. But if you've only seen the movie, you've really only experienced half of the story. Like many great episodes of sci-fi shows today, the success of "The Time Machine" comes from the abililty to use fantastic fiction to comment on current real-world issues. "The Time Machine" does that in such a subtle way, making readers think and carry that thought process long after the final page is turned.
That's not to say it's all philosophical discourse (I'm looking at your Robert A. Heinlein). The novel wouldn't endure if it was just that. It's got a good adventure story at its center and it hangs the philosophical argument on that. Wells shows a mastery of this type of storytelling that many other writers in this field (again, I point to Robert A. Heinlein) have tried but come up woefully short in achieving.
It's a classic, no question about it. If you've not read it in a while, it's worth a second, third or even fifteenth look. If you've not read it all, you should treat yourself to one of the truly innovated stories in world literature. It's not every day you can read a story that is the starting point for an entire genre. ”“Not nearly as good as I hoped it would be. The story went...nowhere. No real answers, just assumptions about what possibly happened. Written in a very cold manner, I felt no real connection with the characters...including the Time Traveler.”
Bekkah wrote this review Tuesday, November 11 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“for the book buffet...i dont want to read it.”
nicole w wrote this review Sunday, November 2 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“
The Time Machine
The Time Machines starts off with some nice discussion about time treated as the fourth dimension. Some of the arguments H.G.Wells put forward are very impressive. Then the story goes into a first person narrative of a scientist who had invented a time machine and travelled about 800,000 years into the future. He saw that the humanity had divided into two classes: one living on the surface of the earth, lost all its inteligence, and dwells in simple humanly pleasures; and the other living underground, runs machinary, and feeds and feed on the above-the-surface class!
Similar to other Well's novels, it is hardly a science fiction. Even though a discussion on time is given, no explanation is attempted to explain how the time machine works. Also, no attempt is made to explain how the humanity got divided - only a hypothesis given as when human achieves everything he need not be intelligent any more; pretty weird one though!The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man is a story about a mad scientist who invented a way to become invisible. He is already a bit of a maniac, and the invisibility makes him to think that he is above the rest of the society. He thieves and damages properties using his invisibility. The society first gets scared, but then starts hunting him.
This book was published in the very late 19th century. Even though it is a scientific fiction, the science part spans only a chapter. The rest is sometimes suspense, sometimes thriller, but most a psychiatric drama. This way, the book satisfy none of the fan club completely. However, it is a classic and fun to read.” Maniy wrote this review Wednesday, July 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Wells is one of my favourite writers, and these two stories are of his best. Science may have come a long way now, but the human content of these tales will keep them alive for a long time to come.”
Indrani D wrote this review Saturday, May 3 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book gets one star because someone took the time to write it. Other than that, it was very confusing and boring. Man, it didn't even have a good ending. But the symbolism was freaking awesome. If you ever write a book, just pull out the symbolism, and you'll get at least one star. lol.”
Stephen T wrote this review Thursday, April 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The Time Traveler is a brilliant guy who builds a Time Machine. The Time Traveler travels through time to the year 802,700 where the human race has evolved into an androgynous species. H. G. Wells is the author of The Time Machine story who writes about what happens in a forest environment in the future. I thought the whole plot was catching at times but flowed slowly throughout the book. One part that does not flow slowly is when a species from the Eloi clan, Weena makes friends with the Time Traveler, she gets out of hand and the Time Machine is stolen.
eperry wrote this review Thursday, March 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Once you open the book to the first page it starts out like this “The Time Traveler (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.” That part was when The Time Traveler and other adults were having a conversation about going into the future and if it would be reasonable and safe to risk a human’s life for today’s research. He shoots off seeing the days come and go and lands on an area controlled by Eloi’s. Eloi’s are a species that is evolved from humans over the millenniums.
The Time Traveler sees creatures that remind him of ghosts called Morlocks. He follows them back to their dreaded lair which is in a well that goes about 400 yards down. When he gets down to the bottom he sees a tunnel that eventually leads him to a table where he saw fresh meat that had been from an Eloi. He runs as fast as he can so he would not get eaten and goes to the Palace of porcelain. This palace is just your ordinary palace from about the time that we humans lived and roamed the earth. At the palace he finds matches which are the only defense for him. Morlocks hate light and run away at the sight. The most dramatic moment is when the doors to the sphinx are left open. The Sphinx is a statue of a mythical beast that is used as a storage room. If you are wondering what might be kept in the storage room, it is time for you to go to any nearby bookstore and buy the book to find out what is in there. The Time Traveler does not realize what is about to happen to him.
The book was suspenseful whenever the Morlocks would show up. I did not want to put the book down because I wanted to know if the Morlocks kill him or not. The moments that were most exciting were the ones when he just does not know what to do and does not want to get stuck in the future. He takes precaution because he knows that the Time Machine is his only way back to his time. For example one precaution that he takes is that he unscrews the handles to the Time Machine making it so it could not fly into time.
Although Weena is not the main character she strikes me for the resemblance between her and my brother who follows me everywhere I go and bugs me all the time, Weena does the same when she always wants to hold his hand and play with him. She is a frail pretty little species that has a child like ease who likes and enjoys the Time Traveler being around her. She even has the same facial characteristics that we humans have.
If I were The Time Traveler I would get frustrated and annoyed with Weena because she does not do anything to help and always wants to play, eat, and sleep. The Time Traveler takes pleasure in having her with him because she gives him company which he does not have if she were not there. I would have probably thought the same about her if she were not that unhelpful.
The beginning of The Time Machine was not the greatest, with the meeting that was held about the time machine. My thought about it was that I almost decided to stop reading and choose another book but then when the discussion was over and the book I thought was boring to death was now appealing. The Time Machine is one of those books that just make you want to know what happens next. My overall thought about the plot was that the author could have done better on making the meeting less dull, but the rest was well written. It was perfectly written at times when the bugging and tugging on the hand began. I think Weena would make a good friend who always wants to play and have fun.
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“kind of simple books but I loved them both and still do. oh to be able to time travel or be invisible.”
Chris B wrote this review Saturday, February 16 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
