The H. G. Wells Author Page - Biography and Books

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The Island of Dr. Moreau By H. G. Wells

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The Island of Dr. Moreau H. G. Wells One of the first instances of science fiction, Wells’ classic tale published in 1986 examines various controversial philosophical issues active at the time of its publication, most notable being the implications of vivisection and degeneration. Narrated by its everyman protagonist Edward Prendick, the novel follows the events of his stay at a mysterious island, home to ghastly secrets, horrors, and incomprehensible experiences. Furthermore, the novel features innovative themes which have become iconic in the modern science fiction genre, including moral and ethical responsibility, evolution, and man’s interference with the course of nature. The novel begins when Edward Prendick, an educated gentleman is shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere, and is taken aboard a passing ship where he is revived by a man later introduced as Montgomery. The man explains to Prendick that he is headed to a private island where he works, along with the animals on the ship. While on board, Prendick also meets a gruesome brute by the name of M’ling, whom he believes to be Montgomery’s manservant. When Montgomery reaches his destination he initially refuses to accommodate Prendick after the captain demands he leave the ship, but later takes pity on his bleak circumstance and agrees to put him up. The protagonist is subsequently introduced to the cold and intense Dr. Moreau, whom Prendick recognizes as a former distinguished physiologist in London, whose horrific experiments in vivisection had been publicly exposed. Prendick is housed in an outer room of the enclosed compound, and is cautiously locked out of the inner part. Conquered by curiosity, he decides to explore the jungle where he comes face to face with a startling figure that marks the beginning of his task to unearth the shocking truth behind the segregated island and its beastly population.

The Island of Dr. Moreau brilliantly intrigues readers with its generous serving of ingenuity, abominable imagery and chilling hypothesis of the possible dangers of scientific progression. A literary classic, the novel imposes many ethical questions still relevant to modern society, and certain to provoke reaction.

Tales of Space and Time By H. G. Wells

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Tales Of Space And Time H. G. Wells This is a collection of five short stories by H. G. Wells, and for the most part they're probably among his best. No real clunkers here, and they all showcase Wells's fertile imagination. "The Crystal Egg" gives a glimpse into a fascinating world of aliens but never enters that world. In a precursive, Twilight-Zone-esque style, the final conclusion is left up to the reader. "The Star" describes the passing of a wandering star into our solar system, as told from the perspective of early-twentieth-century science. The story details the storms, destruction, and disasters that the passing star's gravity generates within the Earth's biosphere, and finishes with the Martian perspective as viewed from a distance. "A Story of the Stone Age" graphically depicts the life-and-death adventures of a young man and woman, Ugh-lomi and Eudena, as they negotiate the social and natural pressures of their time. The background fauna and social structure of their tribe, whether correct or not, is decribed in rich detail and gives realism and drama to the journey of the two main characters as they first flee their tribe and then return. "A Story of the Days to Come" similarly follows a young man and woman, Denton and Elizabeth, as they deal with the same type of drama and adventures in a future time. Again, it has its own social structure, along with some futuristic technology that has isolated the human race within the comfort of advanced cities, never daring to venture outside until Denton and Elizabeth decide that they want to return to nature. "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" is a light-hearted story about a plain and simple man with a plain and simple name, Mr. Fotheringay, who suddenly realizes that he can work miracles. Unfortunately for him, he's a little sloppy with one final miracle, and gets a shocking result.

The Invisible Man By H. G. Wells

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The Invisible Man H. G. Wells One dark and stormy night, a stranger arrives in West Sussex at a village inn. He is heavily clad in an overcoat and his face is wrapped in bandages. He takes a room at the inn, but refuses to socialize with anyone. He stays cooped up in his room all day and night, working with strange chemicals and apparatus. Suddenly, strange events begin to happen in the village. Mysterious burglaries and fires break out, culminating in a destructive rampage across the peaceful countryside. The stranger is the keeper of a terrible secret... The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance (to give the book its full title) by HG Wells was published in 1897. Written in novella form, this bizarre science fiction tale was first published in Pearson's Weekly as a serial and later compiled into a single book. Based on scientific theories of optics and physics, this story instantly caught the imagination of readers and has been regularly adapted to film, television and radio since it first made its appearance more than a hundred years ago.

Herbert George Wells' writing career owes itself to an accident suffered in childhood. As an eight year old boy, he was once confined to bed with a broken leg. His father, a professional cricketer and failed businessman, regularly brought him books from the local library so that he could pass the time. His father's financial troubles compelled his mother to go to work as a lady's maid in a local mansion, while the children were put to work as apprentices with various local tradesmen. For Wells, this was one of the most unhappy, yet also the most profitable times in his life. The mansion where his mother worked had an enormous library where the child continued to read and educate himself. At eighteen, he went to work as a teacher in a residential school. His career flourished after that, and he won a scholarship to work under the great biologist, Thomas Huxley in London.

He began writing science fiction stories in 1895 with the publication of The Time Machine, where he proposed the concept of selective time travel. Several other extremely popular Sci-Fi novels and short stories followed, interspersed with romantic stories, novels, ghost stories, film scripts, articles, satirical novels, historical and political treatises and non-fiction papers. Wells was an extremely prolific writer and continues to inspire generations of writers even today.

The Invisible Man is a book that evokes great interest among readers of all ages and is an important landmark in the history of Sci-Fi writing.

The Time Machine An Invention By H. G. Wells

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The Time Machine An Invention H. G. Wells  A science fiction novel first published in 1895, The Time Machine was the first depiction of time travel, and the reason Wells consequently coined the term “time machine” which is now universally recognized. Furthermore it is considered to be one of the precursors to the science fiction genre and the Dying Earth subgenre. An undeniable classic, the novel offers a gripping plot, speculation, and an innovative portrayal of man’s hopes, fears, and human nature in general.   The tale opens with the introduction of an English scientist and inventor, simply referred to as the Time Traveler, who hosts a dinner party for a number of guests. After dinner, the Time Traveler gives a lecture to the present men stating that time is simply a fourth dimension, and that time travel is in fact possible. He proceeds with a demonstration using a smaller model of his time machine and apparently makes it disappear into the future, though the group does not seem convinced. The following week the men return, as does their unkempt host who stumbles in, and subsequently begins the narration of his incredible account. His journey begins when his time machine takes him forward in time to the year 802,701 AD, where he encounters a society of small robed humanlike creatures called Eloi, who although possess beautiful features, are quite delicate. After exploring the area, the Time Traveler returns only to find his time machine missing, and decides to drop the matter for the time being. As the protagonist gets better acquainted with the Eloi, he infers that they lack curiosity and are rather lazy. In addition, he also comes across the bestial subterranean nocturnal Morlocks, who he believes to have taken his time machine. Left among two opposing races in a slowly disintegrating Earth, the Time Traveler must find a way back home, while simultaneously trying to uncover the roots of such a dark future. A great influence on future works alike, The Time Machine in turn encouraged and set the bar for other authors to pursue similar ideas and fuse adventure with philosophical speculation. Exploring various ideas including the repercussions of evolution, capitalism, and social class division, Wells not only creates an entertaining story, but also successfully accentuates the flaws of society.

The War of the Worlds By H. G. Wells

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The War of the Worlds H. G. Well Extraterrestrial invasion, the earth taken over by omniscient intelligences from Mars, the whole of humanity under siege and a nameless narrator who seems to be the lone survivor of the complete devastation of human civilization – scenes from a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster? Far from it! The War of the Worlds by HG Wells was written more than a century ago and went on to become an iconic work in the science fiction genre, spawning a whole new genre of literature featuring alien invaders. It was in fact the first book to present the idea of conflict between inhabitants of different planets.  The story begins in an observatory in Ottershaw, when scientists note a series of mysterious explosions taking place on Mars. Some days later, the narrator who is on a walk on the Surrey Downs notices a weird cylindrical vehicle that suddenly opens to release a horde of hideous creatures who are later discovered to be Martians. The creatures are unable to breathe Earth's air and swiftly return to their vehicle. A peace delegation of humans tries to make contact but they're ruthlessly scorched to death by Martian heat-ray weapons. Thus begins the War of the Worlds. The British military swings into action, but their arms and ammunition are defenseless against sophisticated chemical weapons and heat-rays.  Events race towards calamity as the nations of the earth unite to combat these fearful invaders to no avail. Survivors are reduced to scavenging for food with the cities of the world reduced to mere rubble. Can the human race survive? Will the narrator and his family escape destruction?  The author, HG Wells was a science teacher in a small village in Somerset, England. However, he was also a gifted writer who wrote in several genres – science fiction, literary novels, short stories, history, politics and social sciences. A keen student of war and combat, he created a set of rules for playing war games with toy soldiers, which provides an interesting glimpse of logistics, strategy and close combat techniques. Wells' contribution to our ideas of science fiction remains unparalleled and the book has been widely filmed, staged and televised. The War of the Worlds was immortalized as a Halloween prank in a radio show that aired on CBS on October 30, 1938, causing widespread panic and chaos as listeners across the United States tuned in and began fleeing from their homes!  The enduring appeal of this book makes it a must read classic for readers of all ages. Extraterrestrial invasion, the earth taken over by omniscient intelligences from Mars, the whole of humanity under siege and a nameless narrator who seems to be the lone survivor of the complete devastation of human civilization – scenes from a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster? Far from it! The War of the Worlds by HG Wells was written more than a century ago and went on to become an iconic work in the science fiction genre, spawning a whole new genre of literature featuring alien invaders. It was in fact the first book to present the idea of conflict between inhabitants of different planets.