The best books of: H. G. Wells

Without H. G. Wells, it’s entirely possible that the science-fiction genre as we know it would never have developed. Wells has become known as ‘the father of science fiction’, and his books essentially popularised such sci-fi staples as the time machine and the alien invasion. He was acclaimed as a scientific prophet, with many of his works predicting advancements that would emerge years later. But his books are less interested in hard science than they were in society and some major philosophical themes. In honour of the author, here’s a look at some of his most iconic works.

The Time Machine (1895)

Wells’ first novel, The Time Machine, is an absolute classic. The Time Traveller shows his dinner guests his time machine, and then invites them back next week. He reveals that he has travelled to the year 802,701 and he relates his adventures. Humanity has divided into two forms – the Eloi, frail fairy-like creatures, and the Morlocks, subterranean cannibals. He saves an Eloi known as Weena from drowning, and must battle the Morlocks. Much has been made of the obvious class commentary between these two species and the relationship between the Traveller and Weena, but it is most obviously a sombre vision of our future. It’s a quick and enjoyable read, and brimming with imagination.

The First Men in the Moon (1901)

It’s perhaps less well-known than the other books on this list, but Wells’ The First Men in the Moon is a fun and adventurous one. The businessman Bedford meets a scientist, Dr Cavor, who is on the brink of inventing a material that blocks gravity. When he succeeds, the two men take a trip to the moon and encounter the alien Selenites. This is probably Wells’ funniest work, full of comedic moments and the interplay between our two lead characters. It does contain some exploration of themes, including the potential horror of a mandated Utopian society, but this one is really about the adventure.

The War of the Worlds (1898)

Aliens prove a threat in another of Wells’ books, the famous The War of the Worlds. An unnamed narrator recounts what happens when an army of Martians land in England, incinerating all in their path with a heat ray with their giant three-legged machines. Reading it, it’s interesting how matter of fact everything is, and it’s far from the heroic clash of civilisation narratives that the book would later inspire – indeed, Wells’ book is a reflection on our own society. The author continually compares the Martians’ destruction to our own eradication of animal and human populations in the name of ‘progress’, and demands we think about this. The War of the Worlds may have invented the alien invasion genre but, in a sense, the real villain is mankind.

The Invisible Man (1897)

The protagonist of Well’s The Invisible Man has gone down in history, and became a staple part of the horror genre. Griffin, a foul-tempered scientist, takes a room at a pub – we gradually learn that he has made himself invisible, and he is now desperately trying to regain his visibility. When he fails, he falls into madness and begins to strike back at a world that can’t see him. Like many of Wells’ characters, Griffin is motivated by science, but he lacks a moral compass and the exploration of his psychology makes for a fascinating read.

The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896)

I first discovered The Island of Doctor Moreau after watching the painfully bad 1996 film adaptation – if you’re having an off day, read the story of this film’s production and you’ll realise that things aren’t so bad. The book dates from exactly one hundred years prior, and is narrated by a shipwrecked man called Edward Prendick. He winds up stranded on the island home of Dr Moreau, who has created a race of human-animal hybrid beings via vivisection. This is one of his darkest books, in part because there’s no ambiguity – Dr Moreau is a threat to Prendick’s life and his very soul. Although it was responding to a contemporary debate about animal experimentation, it also proved hugely prescient about genetic engineering, meaning it still has the power to shock today.

Wells’ reputation is a well-deserved one. Very few authors can lay a genuine claim to the invention of an entire literary genre. And now, more than hundred years later, his books still hold up as some of the best sci-fi work out there: the writing is punchy, the plots are fascinating and Wells’ vision of the future has proved strangely accurate.