The Time Machine
H.G. Wells
Kindle Book
When the Time Traveller courageously stepped out of his machine for the first time, he found himself in the year 802,700--and everything has changed. In another, more utopian age, creatures seemed to dwell together in perfect harmony. The Time Traveller thought he could study these marvelous beings--unearth their secret and then retum to his own time--until he discovered that his invention, his only avenue of escape, had been stolen.
I
picked this book up on a whim – I had been reading a lot of YA books and still
had one more to read and review, but I really fancied something in a different
genre and seeing as this book is only 120-odd pages I thought I could slip it
in easily enough. Long term followers will be aware that I don’t tend to read
many classics (Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice are still books I might get
around too at some point), but I’ve quite enjoyed dipping into HG Wells back
catalogue in the past plus I just love time travel stories. I blame Marty McFly
and Doc Brown for that particular love!
The
story is told by a friend of the Time Traveller who first of all hears his
theories of time travel and then his extraordinary story of his first travel
through time. One of the things that I noticed almost straight away is the lack
of names given characters in this story. The Time Traveller is always referred
to as the Time Traveller, his dinner companions are usually referred to by
their jobs – the Journalist, the Editor, the Doctor (no, not The Doctor...at
least I don’t think!). This allows them to almost be caricatures in your own
head rather than actual personalities.
As
to the adventure, it is both similar and completely different to the numerous
films based on the book. He does travel to the far future and meet the
child-like Eloi (his words) and the dark dwelling Morlocks. Overall, there is
less action in the story than you’d expect with most of it based on thoughts
and a lot of walking around rather than much positive action. The Traveller has
numerous theories as to how the Eloi and Morlocks evolved – so at times it
almost feels like a subtle lecture from HG Wells on the ills of the class
system in Victorian times.
That
said, there are some fascinating ideas that are played with and the Travellers experience
both with the Eloi and the Morlock and his other adventures in time are never
less than interesting. It is easy to understand how this has become the
template for most time travel stories. Well’s writing is both challenging and
encouraging. This is a classic for a reason and one I think is worth reading
for any fan of time travel stories.
Recommended
for fans of Alexander Dumas and Lewis Carroll. 8 out of 10
I watched the movie, aye it was weird
ReplyDeleteI so need to read more of these books. I've seen the old film for this book (and I think there was a remake I didn't see) so I know the story, but I'm sure so much had to be left out... like his thoughts. Be curious to see what he did think.
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