Patchy writing but inventing iconic sci-fi tropes. ( )

The version I'm holding in my hands is a 1953 edition and 1979 copy.

Apart from the little novella The Time Machine it also includes the short story "The Man who could Work Miracles".

H.G. Wells The Time Machine reminds me of Poe, Swift (Jonathan) and Darwin. The novella has the same scientific approach as Poe's detective stories. Here as well smart men gather to talk about the world in some kind of Socratic dialogue. Wells' Science Fiction is far more scientific than many later works in the genre. It is a combination of logical thinking and fiction, while later SF-works tend to be more fantastic (I'm speaking here of which I've read).

The novel also reminds me of Swift. The way one speaks about his own experiences, brought me back to a younger version of me who was listening to the story of Gulliver on tape.

Darwin is all over the book in my opinion. He is the basis of the Time Traveler's analysis of how the future civilization has evolved in the way it has. This all combined with a socialistic sauce.

I like the fact that the framework of the novel guides the reader into disbelieving the time traveler. The story is told by a dear friend, who retells the story the time traveler has told him.

"The Man who could Work Miracles"

The little story grips me more than any of Poe's works. The SF writing style with its "what if" way of implying things make it far more interesting and frightening than Poe's Gothic shorts.
Poe is a builder of dreams and Wells is the master of implication.
( )

Wells at his finest ahead of his time and going well beyond our time. The name is of course familiar but the creativity and vision is amazing--especially when trying to read him as if you are of his time trying to grasp these ideas for the first time. Remarkably unsettling with a great ending--moving right on to another of his books. Some time later I am still thinking about the ending--a nice feat for a book written over a hundred years ago. Feels tossed off, but keeps creeping back into my mind that he didn't time travel again because he couldn't resist it, but chose to time travel again because he could no longer live in his current time. Not a choice, but his only option. ( )

This was a 2023 Santathing Book, and it was the perfect size and topic for an easy read for after Christmas. I wasn't expecting much, I've seen one or two movies based on this book, and wasn't interested in a basic adventure story. However, I was very wrong about this book. It is most definitely a product of its time, with Industrial Revolution being taken to non-nonsensical ends, but I was surprised with the humanity found in this. The narrator is definitely a product of his time, but he fought it, basically trying to understand the Morlocks, getting past his revulsion for them. ( )

Thoroughly enjoyed the book. However, would not recommend for people who do not like Philosophy. The main character presents his experience very conceptually, making hypotheses to explain his surroundings. Though this may not appeal to many people, I found this approach clever, scientific, and humble.
A quick read. ( )