Customer Reviews (1)

Comedy & prose with a dose of real life
I looked up this book initially to sell the copy I have, then upon seeing how many for sale there were coupled with the sales rank, I wondered what would the book be like? H.G. Wells is known to be a great storyteller, although I am not personally fond of his works. And an autobiography? I am not fond of these either; but I felt drawn to open the book.

Once there, I was sucked in, compelled to read the next paragraph, and then the next page, flowing into the next chapter. When I cought a breath of air I was through the introduction, and two more chapters in. Wells draws the reader in with his smooth use of the language, and through the ability to relate to everyone around him. Page 7 "We all compromise. We all fall short. The life story to be told of any creative worker is therefore by its very nature, by its diversions of purpose and its qualified success, by its grotesque transitions from sublimation to base necessity and its pervasive stress towards flight, a comedy."

While telling his life story, he questions and laughs at his mistakes. He includes sketches, photos, letters, & illustrations throughout to show you himself. His use of the language though is so smooth that you forget to notice when you turn the page. Beautiful in its simplicity, talking to you as if it was yesterday, H. G. Wells has managed to turn his life into an entertaining story, rather than a serious withdrawnrecolection of life. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Fans of H.G. Wells's famous, genre-spawning science fiction novels may be startled to read his less-remembered but once bestselling The History of Mr. Polly. Its comically romping narrative voice is worlds away from the stern, melancholy tone of The Time Machine. Wells won fame for his apocalyptic, preachy books about the history of the future, but this history is strictly, as Mr. Polly would put it in his creatively cracked version of English, a series of "little accidentulous misadventures."

Mr. Alfred Polly is a dyspeptic, miserably married shopkeeper in what he terms that "Beastly Silly Wheeze of a hole!"--Fishbourne, England. He is inclined to spark arguments and slapstick calamity wherever he goes. Education was lost on him: when he left school at 14, "his mind was in much the same state that you would be in, dear reader, if you were operated upon for appendicitis by a well-meaning, boldly enterprising, but rather overworked and underpaid butcher boy, who was superseded towards the climax of the operation by a left-handed clerk of high principles but intemperate habits… the operators had left, so to speak, all their sponges and ligatures in the mangled confusion." Still, Polly's mind burns with eccentric genius, and his thwarted romantic heart beats him senseless. His despair results in the most amusing suicide attempt this side of Lisa Alther's novel Kinflicks.We won't spoil the surprise by saying precisely how his scheme misfires--and beware: the introduction gives it away. Note that you can't expect Polly to do anything right, and of course he'll become an inadvertent hero to the whole town. Then he promptly vanishes for further misadventure.

Many critics compare Mr. Polly's broad social satire to Dickens, but it smacks of Mark Twain and the dialect humor of Finley Peter Dunne's Mr. Dooley too. "I think it is one of my good books," Wells opined. What makes it so is Polly's heroic incompetence, his subversion of Edwardian propriety, and his bewildered unawareness that he is a revolutionary. --Tim AppeloBook Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
The books he read during those fifteen years! He read everything he got except theology, and as he read his little unsuccessful circumstances vanished and the wonder of life returned to him, the routine of reluctant getting up, opening shop, pretending to dust it with zest, breakfasting with a shop egg underdone or overdone or a herring raw or charred, and coffee made Miriam's way and full of little particles, the return to the shop, the morning paper, the standing, standing at the door saying "How do!" to passers-by, or getting a bit of gossip or watching unusual visitors, all these things vanished as the auditorium of a theatre vanishes when the stage is lit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Great Lost English Comic Novel
This one came out of nowhere. An absolutely brilliant comic novel. Like all great comic novels, it's never patronizing. Though the narrator places himself at a distance from Mr. Polly, he's never condescends. The tone is warm and witty, genuinely moving rather than sentimental. It's an honest look at the middle class, cased in a Romantic (as in Knights and Quests) narrative. Really, really great. Definitely worth your time.

Best Book You've Never Heard Of
The climactic and hilarious confrontation between Mr. Polly and the low-life ruffian Uncle Jim is so masterful that one might forget all the other comic gems included in this novel. At the same time, the reader will feel the power of Wells' legendary intelligence on every page. The History of Mr. Polly is loaded with thought-provoking observations on the topics of marraige, love, business, education, friendship, insurance fraud and -- most of all -- happiness.

Is it Me?
A friend recommended this book to me after I explained how much fun I was having after leaving work in DC, returning to Minnesota, playing with my kids, joining a mountain biking team and genuinely enjoying my unemplyed status for 9 months.She said it was a philosophical book.

I spent the entire book trying to figure out why she thought of this book after I got through telling her how great my life was at the present.Mr. Polly clearly was not living a great life and always seemed to be on the wrong side of circumstance.It wasn't until the very end of the book that I realized the context my friend applied to my happenings.

The book, for it's strange accents and period vocabulary, was as riveting as any Grisham or Baldacci novel.I don't really know why - but it was.And the last few pages makes one think very hard about the meaning of life, which even for an unemployed child-at-heart, is important to do now and again.

tragi-comedy
I finished reading this novella a few days ago.I must first admit that for the first 25 or so pages, I wasn't particulaly tuned into what the book was about.It is, as Wells mentioned, a history, so I was rather thrown at the beginning.Once I got the gist of it, particularly the gist of Mr. Polly and his eccentricities, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The only other Wells book I had read was the Island of Dr. Moreau, which, like his other romantic science-fiction novels he is famous for, was somewhat plot-driven rather than character-driven.This book, is, as the title would lead you to suspect, character-driven.

We begin our read with the bored, frustrated Mr. Polly, what he is feeling and how he deals with his life in general.Then the actual history starts, and Wells's beautiful, if somewhat excessive vocabulary answers the reader's question of who this Mr. Polly is.I found him to a be a very refreshing hero, being rather ordinary, and dealing with the concerns of anyone's life, particularly that of a middle-aged man.He does not "save the day" by perfoming any conventional (or even moral) acts, but this only makes him more real.Mr. Polly's passion for epithet is absolutely delightful, and gave me a great sense of pleasure to watch him go about his transformation.

This was a terriffic, merry little book, with a central character worthy of some of the finest in literature, at least from the limited literature I have read.Don't be fooled by the humorous facade however; there is a deeper message, one which will become relevant at some time in all our lives. It isn't one of Wells's most well known books, but it should be.A superb little gem.

Tragic and comic and good
The History of Mr. Polly is less known than Well's sci-fi classics and it is a different kind of a book too. It pictures a tragicomic story of an unusual character - Mr. Polly. The story is quite funny, but there underneath is a deeper meaning. There are people like Mr. Polly around us. They drift through their lives wondering if it is them or the environment that determined their fate.

Although Wells and Dostoyevsky are extremely diferent, Mr. Polly in a certain way reminds me of some Dostoyevsky's characters.

Very interesting book. Very well read by Clive Swift.

If you like this book, I can recommend you to read both Invisible Man by Wells and Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wells' social fiction
Love and Mr. Lewisham is the story of a young man who seeks to better himself and achieve glory through educational achievements.His love life, however, derails this ambition in several different ways.This is Wells' exploration of the dilemmas of the young man torn between career and relationship.Wells fans will realize that the ending of the book did not mirror his actual feelings/behavior on marriage.

pretty good book that's not really well known
i just grabbed a book one day from the library and it turned out to be a good story. i was surprised that wells, a big author, wrote such an unknown book. try it out. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Free SF Reader
A quite good and quite eclectic selection of stories.Something of everything, sf, fantasy, horror, crime, war, etc.

Stolen Bacillus : The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Stolen Bacillus - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Flowering of the Strange Orchid - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : In the Avu Observatory - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Triumphs of a Taxidermist - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : A Deal with Ostriches - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : Through a Window - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Temptation of Harringay - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Flying Man - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Diamond Maker - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : Aepyornis Island - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Lord of the Dynamos - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Hammerpond Park Bruglary - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Moth - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Treasure in the Forest - H. G. Wells

Anarchy plague hard to swallow.

3.5 out of 5


Hothouse leech.

4 out of 5


Big flying thing I think.

3.5 out of 5


New bird fooling.

3 out of 5


Jewellery eater.

3 out of 5


Krees manhunt.

3.5 out of 5


Bloody painting.

3 out of 5


Parachute raid.

3.5 out of 5


Pressure flux offer.

3.5 out of 5


Big egg hatching.

4 out of 5


Remote viewing.

3.5 out of 5


Engine sacrifice.

3.5 out of 5


Nice way to do the robbing business.

3 out of 5


Not fair to die before the end of the debate.

4 out of 5


Poison gold.

3.5 out of 5

Great classic sci-fi - still fresh today
H G Wells wrote and published this book of short stories in 1895; the first book he published, if I remember correctly.The writing style is typical Wells - just like he was sitting in front of you telling you a tale - and the stories themselves are quite entertaining.The topics range from an Anarchist set to destroy London by stealing a vial of cholera bacilla (the title story) to a man describing his time on a deserted island and how he hatched out an egg that had been preserved for 400 years.I think my favorite was the taxidermist story, just because it was really twisted :-)Give this book a try - it's a great introduction to the writings of a classic author of truly tremendous standing.

Excellent collection of tales
I really enjoyed this collection of 15 tales which range from a different way of looking at every day events, to high adventure (complete with buried treasure), mystery, magic, and science fiction.There is something for everyone in this collection.

These tales show imagination and all are beautifully written in Wells' classical style. One of H.G. Wells' biggest strengths is his ability to paint a picture with words.The reader is very much able to visualize what is going on, whithout being told every single detail.

A must read collection for fans of H.G. Wells and classic SciFi alike.

Personal favorites in this collection include "The Lord of the Dynamos", "Trough A Window", and "The Treasure in the Forest". ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
H.G. Wells's collection of humorous and witty essays, including such topics as "Thoughts on Cheapness and My Aunt Charlotte," "On the Choice of a Wife," "In a Literary Household," "The Language of Flowers," "The Book of Curses," "The Writing of Essays," "The Pleasure of Quarrelling," "How I Died," and many more! ... Read more

Amazon.com
A shipwreck in the South Seas, a palm-tree paradise where a mad doctor conducts vile experiments, animals that become human and then "beastly" in ways they never were before--it's the stuff of high adventure. It's also a parable about Darwinian theory, a social satire in the vein of Jonathan Swift (Gulliver's Travels), and a bloody tale of horror. Or, as H. G. Wells himself wrote about this story, "The Island of Dr. Moreau is an exercise in youthful blasphemy. Now and then, though I rarely admit it, the universe projects itself towards me in a hideous grimace. It grimaced that time, and I did my best to express my vision of the aimless torture in creation." This colorful tale by the author of The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds lit a firestorm of controversy at the time of its publication in 1896.Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
BUT the islanders, seeing that I was really adrift, took pity on me. I drifted very slowly to the eastward, approaching the island slantingly; and presently I saw, with hysterical relief, the launch come round and return towards me. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

Now, more than ever
This stands with Shelley's Frankenstein as one of the founding works of fictional bioengineering. And, although they tell their stories in very different ways, they share common themes. First, there's the basic question: do people have any business attempting to create human-like life? Second, once that's been done, what is the creator's responsibility towards the creation?

"To this day I have never troubled about the ethics of the matter," says Dr. Moreau of the torment he inflicts on the creatures in his care. He even sets himself up as lord and law-giver to the beasts that he has partly humanized. Much more that Dr. Frankenstein, Moreau typifies an ugly stereotype of scientists: arrogant, amoral, and self-centered with a brutality made chilling by its blindness to the sufferings of others.

I like to think that today's bioengineers hold themselves to higher standards, even when animals must be used in research. Certainly, the ones I know maintain awareness of their work's moral implications. It would be a mistake to think that every (or any) scientist shows the same sadistic hubris as Moreau. It would also be a mistake to forget the real power of today's science, and the responsibility that must go with that power.

--wiredweird

A Catastrophe
I have recently become a fan of Wells' writing for the unique voice with which he tells a story in addition to his unique tales.References to "The Island of Dr. Moreau" seem to surface frequently in pop culture, so I felt compelled to read this book.Some might go so far as to argue that this is Wells' best book.I may not disagree.

While the book was written before the advent of genetic engineering as we know in the 21st Century, it could be applied.Wells seems to have intended the book as a commentary on the theories of Darwin and evolution.When Edward Prendick finds himself on a remote island, he recalls rumors of Dr. Moreau.But only when he sees his handy work does the horror begin.Using manipulative techniques that include primitive grafting, Moreau made the animals more human.Yet the ultimate question of the book is whether Moreau could make the animals into human, removing any trace of animal from them.

This is certainly a case of the book being better than the movie as the book makes Wells true intent evident.Like many of Wells' works, it is also a powerful social commentary that makes great reading.

A mercifully short, but ultimately boring book
The Island of Doctor Moreau has the misfortune of having a couple of really bad movie adaptations smearing its legacy. Since I was intrigued by Wells' War of the Worlds I thought I would give this book a bash. What a let down, it's almost as chaotic and incomprehensible as the movies it spawned.

The story is told by Edward Prendick, a man of science with a background in biology. He is shipwrecked somewhere in the Pacific and rescued by a man called Montgomery who has a half-man, half-cat for a best pal. They arrive on some remote island and meet a delusional mad doctor who has been conducting brutal, evil experiments on animals in an attempt to make then near-human.

The fact that Wells managed to involve pre-DNA science quite extensively in this story is commendable. But it's so meandering and unfocused that I got quite bored. But since it's not too long I stuck with it and by the end I felt like it was kinda worth it.

The characters are dull and never really come to life and it lacks any definitive action or horror scene. But I couldn't help but think that it might, one day, make for a very good video-game.

This particular version also has, pretty much, the worst cover art for a book that I have ever seen.

THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU
The Island of Dr. Moreau was originally published in 1896. I had not previously read it, nor had I seen any of the several film versions, although I was familiar with the basic story. It has inspired untold variations on the "mad doctor tampers with the laws of nature" theme.

Wells does not really address the hard science of the story, but that really isn't a problem. Going back in time through literature, the "science" in science fiction operated in increasingly broad strokes.

The novel was not as engaging a read as I'd anticipated. One doesn't really feel much if any suspense, although that might have been a different story a hundred years ago.

However, the novel does stick in the mind, almost hauntingly, and causes one to think about some of its themes (beyond the obvious themes of eugenics, genetic engineering, and the ethics of medical research), particularly human nature and what it means to be human. The main character's reactions when he returns to human society are quite interesting.

On an interesting historical note, the publication of this novel coincided with a massive movement to abolish vivisection in Great Britain.

Ultimately, The Island of Dr. Moreau is an engaging read and one of the cornerstones of science fiction.

RECOMMENDED

Worth reading carefully
I went through this book pretty quickly, and read it the way you'd read a Dan Brown book. As a result, when I finished it I thought of it as a freaky adventure story with a few comments on evolution.

However, after reading the afterword by Brian Aldiss, I realized how deep the rabbit hole really goes with this thing. H.G. Wells has not only talked about evolution and weird science, but tied in religion, the human capacity for reason, the abuse of knowledge, and enough other deep thoughts to make your head spin. I might have to give it a second read sometime.

If you can pace yourself while reading it to let the ideas sink, then I recommend the read. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
The problem which was already being mooted by such scientific men as Ramsay, Rutherford, and Soddy, in the very beginning of the twentieth century, the problem of inducing radio-activity in the heavier elements and so tapping the internal energy of atoms, was solved by a wonderful combination of induction, intuition, and luck by Holsten so soon as the year 1933. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not That Good
Even good writers produce a turkey or two.This is definitely Well's gobbler.I thought he was going in the right direction when he did some character development in a couple of places; it started to get interesting, but then he lapsed back into post-atomic war preaching mode.His model for world government by a single body is pretty lame, but he came close to describing what an atomic bombing and the aftermath would be like.His description of unlimited energy from fission was completely off the mark, however.Altogether, it got pretty darn tedious after awhile.

A Man Ahead of His Time
H. G. Wells is not usually given enough credit for this particular book (in my opinion, his best). The focus is usually upon one of his other works such as The Time Machine. The World set Free is truly staggering in itsscope, scale, and vision of the future. It is interesting to note how muchWells got correct about the future, and to see how much he did not. Thefact that this book was written before World War I indicates his genius atseeing what might be possible and how this might come about. I cannotrecommend this book more highly than by saying ANEXCELLENT, FASCINATING,GRIPPING PAGE-TURNER. A quick point about the original year of publication- if my memory is correct, it was originally published in 1910, rather than1914.

Atomic Theory, the book it all started from.
In this book, Wells describes nuclear warfare and begins the descriptions of a possible future.He named uranium, "Carolinum" and talked about a chain reaction that would leave radiation behind so that nothingwould survive afterwards, even if they did escape from the weapon itself. Dr. Szilard, the man who came up with the idea of splitting the atom with anuetron, did so after reading, "The World Set Free".I say, NOKIDDING!Wells lays the idea right out in front of the world's face,laughing!It then goes on to describe future events that have occured, though in different times, and some which have yet to occur.He spoke ofCarolinum (uranium), the atomic theory and its increadible source of power. He spoke of robotics and computers replacing people in the work place. This is where it all started folks. AND THIS IS JUST IN THE FIRST 100PAGES! Trust me... it gets better :)If you wish yo know more on thetheory and the bombs' construction, I refer you to Richard Rhodes.If youwant to know the mind and the story that began this whole deal, read thisbook!!!!

Not one of Wells' greatest, first use of words "atomic bomb"
Ths work written in 1914 is not one of Wells'great works, but is of interest because it is reputedly the first use of the words "atomic bomb", and recognises the dangers of warfare with a weapon of enormous destructive power delivered from the air. It is remarkably prescient in the light of the date of writing. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
He was from the first, the Vicar always declared, a terrible nuisance about the village. He seems to have had a proportionate impulse to play, much curiosity and sociability, and in addition there was a certain craving within him--I grieve to say--for more to eat. In spite of what Mrs. Greenfield called an "excessively generous" allowance of food from Lady Wondershoot, he displayed what the doctor perceived at once was the "Criminal Appetite." It carries out only too completely Lady Wondershoot's worst experiences of the lower classes--that in spite of an allowance of nourishment inordinately beyond what is known to be the maximum necessity even of an adult human being, the creature was found to steal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Prophetic Examination of Scientific Ethics
As one of Wells lesser known novels "The Food of the Gods" is often out of print and difficult to find. Despite its obscure status, it represents an early examination of scientific ethics that helped define an important genre in science fiction.

As a result of research into the growth curves of living matter, two scientists invent a seemingly miraculous substance called Herakleophorbia IV, nicknamed "The Food of the Gods."

Its consumption causes accelerated uninterrupted growth in all forms of life. Its creators' lack of forethought and ineptitude results in terrifying consequences when the substance escapes the bounds of the experiment and is ingested by unintended creatures.

This early masterpiece was a groundbreaking conjecture of many of the real issues now confronting scientists about genetically engineered foods and ethical considerations in scientificexperimentation.

The Book of the Gods
Ok, probably not, but its very close. Personally, I am a very big fan of H.G. Wells. Although lesser known, this is Wells at his finest. It is a fast story that changes points of view almost every chapter, and takes place over the course of 23 years. It is a story about the changeing of the tide and alteration of our reality. You get to expierience changes as small as the transition from horse and buggy to moter car to changes as large as the change from big to small through the eyes of a convict to a farmer to a scientist, and various people in bettween. I feel the need to relate this to the show 24. It has a simmilar feeling of some unknown threat drawing apon you gradually. This is not a book, its an expieriance. Too bad its out of print though. If you still want to read it after everybodys ran out, then it can still be found in a few, best novels by HG Wells books (thats were I read it), and dont forget to check the library. In addition I would like to recomend any Wells book, they are all fantastic, and I consider him the most brilliant author of the 19th or 20th centuries. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
What can this "religion of the future" be but that devotion to the racial adventure under the captaincy of God which we have already found, like gold in the bottom of the vessel, when we have washed away the confusions and impurities of dogmatic religion? By an inquiry setting out from a purely religious starting-point we have already reached conclusions identical with this ultimate refuge of an extreme materialist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

AN EVALUATION OF TRINITY
Wells evaluated the philosophical systems and traced their confusion back to lack of agreed definitions of words - in his book The First and Last Things. The sequel being a similar analysis of religions, was titled God The Invisible King.

Here Wells defines his position as a strong believer in one God and proceeds to evaluate the dogmas of the Christian Churches. He describes the notion of Trinity as an Alexandrian contamination three centuries after Jesus from the Nile, declared into creed incouncilof Nicea, and made fundament of all Churches of Christianity since then. Well calls the bluff of mysteries of the Triune or trinity, attributing an anti-religion motive to the institution that has been instilling this dogma into children. He describes his own childhood experience and how he was driven away from the Creater by the dogma.

It should be read together with Thomas Paine for a complete perspective of scriptures, institutions and effects on which the religion in the West is based.

It is a pity that the other two boks of Wells which make a series with this one are not included among books offered here. I thought they were missing even among books out of print. These are, as said above, First and Last Things and The Open Conspiracy.

Wells is going to make a spectacular come back in one of these days, to take most established institutions by surprize, as very graphically and prophetically described inWhen the Sleeper Awakes! Also an immortal book.

Have fun. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Free SF Reader

This is a collection of collections

The Time Machine and Other Stories
The Stolen Bacillus And Other Stories
The Plattner Story And Others
Tales Of Time And Space
Twelve Stories And A Dream

-----

This collection takes The Time Machine, which is presumably a longish novella in actuality to do this, and adds some of the pieces from A Door in the Wall and Other Stories - including all the best stories from there, so not a bad idea, really.

Time Machine : The Time Machine - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : The Empire Of The Ants - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : A Vision Of Judgment - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : The Land Ironclads - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : The Beautiful Suit - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : The Door In The Wall - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : The Pearl Of Love - H. G. Wells
Time Machine : The Country Of The Blind - H. G. Wells


It will come as no surprise that the protagonist in this story, the traveller, invents a time machine and uses it to venture into the future.

The society that he ends up in seems amazing for a brief time, then he realises that all is not as it seems. There is a large underclass that is terribly exploited to produce all this for the eloi, as they are called.

The underclass are named Morlocks, and it is here that the Time Traveler's sympathies reside.

3.5 out of 5


Just waiting for the takeover.

4 out of 5


Supernatural stuff seen.

2 out of 5


Give tanks a try.

3.5 out of 5


Fashion victim.

2.5 out of 5


Other places to go.

3 out of 5


It stings, chuck it away.

3 out of 5


Hard to be King, no matter how many eyes.

4 out of 5


--
A quite good and quite eclectic selection of stories.Something of everything, sf, fantasy, horror, crime, war, etc.

Stolen Bacillus : The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Stolen Bacillus - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Flowering of the Strange Orchid - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : In the Avu Observatory - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Triumphs of a Taxidermist - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : A Deal with Ostriches - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : Through a Window - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Temptation of Harringay - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Flying Man - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Diamond Maker - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : Aepyornis Island - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Lord of the Dynamos - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Hammerpond Park Bruglary - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Moth - H. G. Wells
Stolen Bacillus : The Treasure in the Forest - H. G. Wells

Anarchy plague hard to swallow.

3.5 out of 5


Hothouse leech.

4 out of 5


Big flying thing I think.

3.5 out of 5


New bird fooling.

3 out of 5


Jewellery eater.

3 out of 5


Krees manhunt.

3.5 out of 5


Bloody painting.

3 out of 5


Parachute raid.

3.5 out of 5


Pressure flux offer.

3.5 out of 5


Big egg hatching.

4 out of 5


Remote viewing.

3.5 out of 5


Engine sacrifice.

3.5 out of 5


Nice way to do the robbing business.

3 out of 5


Not fair to die before the end of the debate.

4 out of 5


Poison gold.

3.5 out of 5


--


This collection of stories ends with several mainstream tales, that are really of not much interest, although the last one is ok.If you aren't interested in those you can stop at 'The Purple Pileus'

Those aside, In the Abyss, Pollock and the Porroh Man, The Red Room and the Sea Raiders are all quite good.

As such, the whole thing averages a bit over 3.

Plattner Story : The Plattner Story - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Argonauts and the Air - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : In the Abyss - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Apple - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : Under the Knife - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Sea Raiders - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : Pollock and the Porroh Man - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Red Room - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Cone - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Purple Pileus - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Jilting of Jane - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : In the Modern Vein: An Unsympathetic Love Story - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : A Catastrophe - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Lost Inheritance - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : The Sad Story of a Dramatic Critic - H. G. Wells
Plattner Story : A Slip Under the Microscope - H. G. Wells


Other world reversal.

3 out of 5


Bad landing.

3 out of 5


Swap is not replacement.

3.5 out of 5


Sea devil double dive.

4 out of 5


Forbidden knowledge.

3 out of 5


Operation scare.

3.5 out of 5


Cephalopod people eaters.

4 out of 5


Black magic headcase helplessness.

3.5 out of 5


Fear place.

4 out of 5


Too hot here.

3 out of 5


Magic mushies.

3 out of 5


No good.

2 out of 5


Frivolous pursuits.

2 out of 5


Marriage regret.

2.5 out of 5


Writing gain, not.

3 out of 5


Bad play.

2 out of 5


Exam cheating.

3 out of 5


Too much biffo is a killer.

3.5 out of 5


Pigs and vicars? Why are they upset?

3.5 out of 5


Snow way to climb a mountain.

3.5 out of 5


Judgement day music.

2.5 out of 5


Prehistoric people story.

3 out of 5

--


A nice little collection of science fiction from Wells, from Martians to future history and your near miss astronomical disaster.

Tales of Space and Time : The Crystal Egg - H. G. Wells
Tales of Space and Time : The Star - H. G. Wells
Tales of Space and Time : A Story of the Stone Age - H. G. Wells
Tales of Space and Time : A Story of the Days to Come - H. G. Wells
Tales of Space and Time : The Man Who Could Work Miracles - H. G. Wells


Tuning in Mars.

4 out of 5


Just a near miss, that planet going past Earth. Nothing to worry those Martians.

4 out of 5


Cave girl, cave man, cave bear, plus lions and horses,not tigers.

3 out of 5


Giving the past lifestyle a try.

3 out of 5


It is really not a good idea to stop the Earth's rotation.

3.5 out of 5

--

A collection that has quite a bit of fantasy contained therein, but which again tails off in the latter part as far as interest goes.

Twelve Stories and A Dream : Filmer - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : The Magic Shop - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : The Valley of Spiders - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : The Truth about Pyecraft - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : Mr. Skelmersdale in Fairyland - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : The Inexperienced Ghost - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : Jimmy Goggles the God - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : The New Accelerator - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : Mr. Ledbetter's Vacation - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : The Stolen Body - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : Mr. Brisher's Treasure - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : Miss Winchelsea's Heart - H. G. Wells
Twelve Stories and A Dream : A Dream of Armageddon - H. G. Wells


Strange flyer.

3 out of 5


Genuine article here.

3.5 out of 5


Puffballs, too many legs.

3.5 out of 5


A man needs to get his physics straight when asking for supernatural dieting assistance.

4 out of 5


Under Knoll.

3 out of 5


If you ask a spook for membership, he just might say yes.

4 out of 5


Deity impersonation.

3 out of 5


Flash tonic.

3.5 out of 5


Burglar reform.

3 out of 5


Remarkable medium possession save.

3 out of 5


Loot score.

2.5 out of 5


Snooks not for me.

2.5 out of 5


Future war visions.

3 out of 5




Too much biffo is a killer.

3.5 out of 5


Pigs and vicars? Why are they upset?

3.5 out of 5


Snow way to climb a mountain.

3.5 out of 5


Judgement day music.

2.5 out of 5


Prehistoric people story.

3 out of 5

Prepare to see the world!
This book is a "must have" for any fan of literature, science fiction, or just plain good story telling!

"The Time Machine" is the opening story in this book and starts the reader moving through the world of H.G. Wells.He will entice you with stories that pique the imagination, that range from the ancient past into the far future.

Over sixty short stories adorn this classic work, including:

The Empire of the Ants - killer ants from South America?

The Land Ironclad - land ships with guns can change trench warfare? (written in December 1903)

The Door In The Wall - a man recounts his boyhood memories of a door leading to a magical garden...

The Tempatation of Harringay - an artist is tempted by the devil himself

The Country of the Blind - is the one eyed man King in the land of the blind?

The Flowering of a Strange Orchid - Vampire flowers?

The New Accelerator - a man creates a mixture that allows him to move at ten times normal speed (concept adapted for a "Wild Wild West" episode)

Get the book, you won't be sorry.

(review based on hardback edition) ... Read more

Book Description
The ultimate science fiction classic

For more than one hundred years this compelling tale of the Martian invasion of Earth has enthralled readers with a combination of imagination and incisive commentary on the imbalance of power that continues to be relevant today ... Read more

Book Description
Two classic science fiction novels in one handsome volume.

Here are two masterpieces of irony and imaginative vision from the father of science fiction. The Time Machine propels the Time Traveller into a distant, dismal, Darwinian future. The Invisible Man tells of a brash young scientist who becomes invisible, then insane. ... Read more

Book Description
The First Men in the Moon is the last in a series of "scientific romances" begun by Wells with The Time Machine. In the opinion of many, it is also the last in a series of pessimistic and anti-utopian novels before Wells took up the tone of an optimistic and utopian social prophet with Anticipations. The present critical edition of First Men questions that opinion. The lunar utopia described is far from a satire on the industrial order as many critics claim, but in historical context is instead related to the international scientific management movement, stemming from the Saint-Simonian school of socialism. This critical edition shows how First Men consciously builds on the whole literary tradition of moon voyages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent annotation for excellent science fiction
The notes to The First Men In The Moon's text were truly informative.You can find out much about the times,as well as the advancement of the telegraph as well as ideas had at the turn of the century concerningspace-travel.Wells was much,much more than a science-fiction writer. ... Read more