Ruth Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 This is a very short book (91 pages) which I read in one sitting, and which is perfect for a lazy afternoon (which was when I read it). The book tells the story of a man, who is always referred to simply as The Time Traveler, who invents a time machine, which takes him to the year 802,701. There, he finds that the human race has evolved into two species' - the Eloi and the Morlocks. On the face of it, the Eloi seem to live a wonderful existence, filled with pleasure. However, the time traveler discovers that, as they want for nothing, and therefore have nothing to strive for, the Eloi have also seemingly lost the ability for intelligent thought. (Without goals, there is no need for strategy and forethought). However, there is a darker reality lurking underneath the surface (both literally and figuratively), in the Morlocks - a species who only come out in the darkness, and who inspire fear in the Eloi. To say more would be to give away too much of the plot, although it is at this point that the story really began to take root. Suffice to say that I ended up feeling more sympathy with the Morlocks than the Eloi; I have no idea if that is what the author originally intended. It's hard to describe how I felt about this book. It is of course a classic, and with good reason. Yet, I found it very difficult to engage with any of the characters. However, I did enjoy it and would definitely recommend it to others. It is one that I have kept, and will almost certainly reread at some point in the future, as I think it could well be a book that becomes more enjoyable with each reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 I read this recently, and found it to be more of a social commentary than an attempt to tell a story. Throughout, Wells seems preoccupied with the development of the Morlock and the Eloi, to the exclusion of pretty much everything else. The time machine itself, and the character of the traveller, his friends and Mina, are all really just there to dress up Wells' vision of the future, and it's a pretty bleak vision too! For me, the most interesting thing about the book is the ambiguity at the end. Overall, however, I would have to say that War of the Worlds is a much better story, and a much better constructed novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VestnikRA Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Wells is great! It's a classic type of literature. I really enjoyed reading and re-reading his books some 20+ years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Synopsis from Amazon: 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuggleMagic Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 it sounds good. I have added it to my reading list thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 *whispers* War of the Worlds is better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I admire you, Ruth, reading this in one afternoon. I was made to read it for school over the summer holidays and it took me, well, the entire summer holidays i.e. three months. I was even then a devourer of classics and I'd already been thoroughly pleased with "War of the Worlds", yet for some reason this bored me to tatters... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 There is very little story to it, for the most part Wells is really just rambling on about how the future will be shaped if the class divisions of today are perpetuated in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The Time Machine is, for me, one of four absolute classics to be found in H.G Well's 'The Science Fiction', along with 'The War Of The Worlds', 'The Island Of Dr Moreau' and 'The First Men In The Moon'. There's something timless about the style of writing, and each tale has a pleasingly retro feel to it. I can't recommend them enough to anyone interested in the likes of Ray Bradbury, or science-fiction in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 What's wrong with me then? I love Ray, and I love WotW... why did I find TTM such a pile of unspeakable tedium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdaonp Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 What's wrong with me then? I love Ray, and I love WotW... why did I find TTM such a pile of unspeakable tedium? Because tastes differ? Views differ? Experiences differ? How much story is found in a book is often a function of the amount of hooks it has to sling into you and how the language grabs you. Maybe this book just didn't grab you because one of the elements of the function didn't exist for you. Or something like that. Henk (tdaonp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuggleMagic Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I have recently finished this. I read it over two days on holiday. I LOVED it - what a fantastic book! I found the storyline intriguing and the style of writing perfect I was hooked on it straight away and was reading it at every opportunity. I read a lot of it at night by torch light inside my tent, which really set the mood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, if you liked this try War of the Worlds, it's a much better story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bel-ami Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, if you liked this try War of the Worlds, it's a much better story. I'll second that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Univerze Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Well, I know this topic's kinda old. But just wanted to give my thoughts to this as it seems that everyone likes War of the Worlds better.. I don't. I love this one better. I have loved the story since I was a kid, watching the 1960's film over and over with my dad. Then a few years back, I finally ended up reading this, and I loved it. Have also read WotW, but seriously.. the Time Machine is my first love. Or well, one of them. I don't mind H.G. Wells keeping on about the future of mankind, as I am sort of interested in that myself.. loving mostly (post)apocalyptic scenarios, which this would be, in some way. And though it just plays a minor role, I love the bit where the time traveler travels on to the end of the Earth, the far far future, where all human-like life has vanished. In my opinion, this book is good, as far as you can call it a book. So short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I like the 60's film - I'm a bit of a fan of old 50's and 60's B-Movies - it is a good update of the story (much better than the more recent version, anyway!). It's just the book I didn’t really enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I love the 60s movie as well and have seen it several times. Like Univerze, I also loved how the story went further - right to the end of the earth. The remake was on TV recently and I recorded it but I'm quite worried about watching it. I can't imagine it will be anywhere near as good as the original! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 I read this recently, and found it to be more of a social commentary than an attempt to tell a story. For me, the most interesting thing about the book is the ambiguity at the end. There is very little story to it, for the most part Wells is really just rambling on about how the future will be shaped if the class divisions of today are perpetuated in the future. Agree with both posts, and this was what fascinated me most about the book, and made me think. I think Wells was quite forward in his thinking, even though his prophecies may not be accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Univerze Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 The remake was on TV recently and I recorded it but I'm quite worried about watching it. I can't imagine it will be anywhere near as good as the original! If by remake you mean the 2001(-ish?) film, it's horrible, and has very little to do with the book. A lot has been sacrificed to make it a more popular, more Hollywood type of film. The beginning is okay, at least not annoying and with reasonable acting. The special effects too, are good, when he travels through time, looks amazing. But from when he comes into the future, troubles start. The Morlocks, the Eloi, everything is different. And I think it's Samantha Mumba that plays Weena, and she's horrible. But the Eloi here are no longer the docile, indifferent creatures, they're pretty much a normal people.. the Morlocks have a class system suddenly and are just quite different. I didn't like this film one bit, though you should probably see for yourself to see what they made of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladd Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 What did those that liked TTM think of Stephen Baxters sequel The Time Ships? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Did people really panic when the audio was aired on Radio in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladd Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 That was the US not the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Did people really panic when the audio was aired on Radio in the UK? That was the Orson Welles version of War of the Worlds, broadcast in the US in the thirties. It did cause some panic at the time, but people generally looked out of their windows and realised that they weren't on fire so it was a case of panic over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 oh yeah lol my bad. I saw HG Wells and typed that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Having read the reviews I have ordered The Time Machine off Amazon and it comes as two books THe Time Machine and The Invisible Man and it only cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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