Wednesday 24 July 2013

Book Review: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

 Surprisingly, "The Time Machine" does indeed feature a time machine, two in fact.

When a Victorian scientist propels himself into the year 802,701 AD he is initially delighted to find that suffering has been replaced by beauty, contentment and peace. Entranced at first by the Eloi, an elfin species descended from man, he soon realises that this beautiful people are simply remnants of a once-great culture - now weak and childishly afraid of the dark. They have every reason to be afraid: in the deep tunnels beneath their paradise lurks another race descended from humanity - the sinister Morlocks. And when the scientist's time machine vanishes, it becomes clear he must search theses tunnels if he is ever to return to his own era.

This actually a short story/novella, which I did not know before picking it up so perfect for people who want to read more classics but are intimidate by length.You're also probably need a dictionary reading this as Victorians did loved big words. Its also narrated by someone other than The Time Traveller.

This isn't really about characters, it more a statement about the time. In fact, the only character to be given a name is the Eloi that the Time Traveller befriends, Weena. She is also the only one where you're feel any of emotions for. The Narrator's name is also hinted but not stated. All the other characters are just titles e.g.the Psychologist and The Doctor (Yes, that did amuse me and give me all sorts of DW ideas) Okay, just flicking through the book the above is a lie there also a red head named Filby. There is no character development, the Time Travolor is still agorgat as ever and not likable at all but like I said that's not the point. Oh, by the bye, there is no romance in the time machine unless you count the tense between the Narrator and certain other guest. 

The Time Machine was the first story to be about Time Traveling and probably should be used as the rule book. Its literally so far in the future that it never likely to be declared wrong. However, you can say it's outdated. What I mean is the Morlocks are meant to be descended from hard working poor and Eloi are Elite who just dance about and stuff. One, the devilde isn't as strong as it used to be; people can climb up and down the ladder of money. Two, the Upper Class have always enjoyed roumping around with their "lowers". These two things make it very unlikely that the Humanity would be spilt in such a way. Though, in my opinion the Morlocks could easily be descended from another species of apes and not Homo Sapiens. H.G. Wells was a Biologist but evolution was still a very new idea at the point.

Another thing is that Time Machine doesn't always follow the stated rules. At a point in the story the time machine is moved and not moved back before used. Not being too spoilery basically should have been embed into the something.

I gave "The Time Machine" 4/5 stars for humping Eloi. Its interesting and worth to read if you like Science Fiction just to see where it started ( I bet that up for debate but I don't know cause I never looked).

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