The H. G. Wells Collection (5 Books in 1) The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon (Deluxe Library Binding)

A gift fir my grandson, who likes to read goid sci-if!

This collection brings together five of H.G. Wells’ science fiction novels. The Time Machine (1895) is a trenchant satire of the class-based society of Victorian England. In the distant future, humanity has evolved into two races. The degenerate descendants of the aristocracy are a race of child-like idiots. The descendants of the proletariat are lemur-like predators. The War of the Worlds (1898) is a fast-paced adventure but also meditation on imperialism. Earth is invaded by more evolved Martians with superior technology. Resistance collapses and society disintegrates. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1897) is also concerned with evolution. A scientist attempts to transform animals into human-like beings, but they remain dominated by bestial instincts. The Invisible Man (1897) is more of a character study. A researcher who has made himself transparent becomes a murderous psychopath. The First Men in the Moon (1901) is more narrative than social commentary. An expedition to the moon finds a civilization of insect-like creatures who have reached their own industrial revolution. Although these works date from another era, they reveal Wells to be a highly original thinker with a deep understanding of both social issues and the impact of technology.