The War of the Worlds

Herbert George Wells

One of the most famous science-fiction stories ever written, The War of the Worlds helped launch the entire genre by exploiting the concept of interplanetary travel. Thirty-five million miles into space, a species of Martians sets eyes on planet Earth. With their own planet doomed for destruction, the Martians prepare to invade. Their weapons are ready and their aim is ruthless. The war of the worlds is about to begin. The War of the Worlds describes the fictional 1895 invasion of Earth by aliens from Mars who use laser-like Heat-Rays, chemical weapons, and mechanical three-legged fighting machines that could potentially be viewed as precursors to the tank. After defeating the resistance the Martians devastate much of eastern England, including London... The novel demonstrates Wells typical pessimistic outlook on human nature and offers a good deal of criticism on society and peoples ignorance and vanity.

The Wheels of Chance

Herbert George Wells

This novel is a great document illustrating the anticipation of comings of the 20th century. This early H.G. Wells tale is about a 20 year old man who has a job as a Drapers Assistant, a job which he is probably too old for. Loaded with poor self esteem and a second class status, poor Mr. Hoopdriver takes a ten day holiday. On this holiday he falls for a young socialite named Jessie who is rebelling against her stepmother and society. She soon falls prey to a married man that had designs on compromising her but the hero Mr. Hoopdriver comes like a knight in shining armor, to her rescue. The Wheels of Chance A Bicycling Idyll follows the adventures of a Drapers Assistant who, having brought an ancient bicycle, sets off on a 2 week tour of the countryside. And his world will never be the same again.

The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman

Herbert George Wells

The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman is a novel set in the era surrounding the days of womens suffrage. The story revolves around the wife of a baking magnate who goes into hiding after his female employees go on strike. Although the hero of this novel Sir Isaac Harman didnt think much of the suffragette movement, his female employees certainly did, and he thought it prescient that he too should do his bit for womens rights. His wife totally agreed, so he locked her up. However, this gesture was to have far-reaching reverberations as Sir Isaacs wife becomes the absolute embodiment of womens independence. The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman is a novel by H. G. Wells, first written in 1914. Lots of familiar subjects here feminism, jealousy, the corporation vs. the little guy. A very very satisfying novel with a wonderfully ambiguous ending.

The Wonderful Visit

Herbert George Wells

Like The Time Machine, this book may be considered as a further romance of the fourth dimension. The Wonderful Visit was paid by an angel, who by some accident, had got out of the angel into the human world, where his is accidentally shot by a vicar. The angel had trouble adjusting to life in a small English town. The Wonderful Visit is an 1895 novel by H. G. Wells. With an angel a creature of fantasy unlike a religious angel as protagonist and taking place in contemporary England, the book could be classified as contemporary fantasy, although the genre was not recognised in Wellss time. The Wonderful Visit also has strong satirical themes, gently mocking customs and institutions of Victorian England as well as idealistic rebellion itself.

The World of William Clissold

Herbert George Wells

For Mr Britling, eccentric and vivacious writer, the summer of 1914 consisted of long, hot days and luxurious house parties with a host of international guests to entertain him. And when he tired of this, he hopped across the channel where his devoted mistress was patiently waiting. But all this was about to change as Germany began marching into Belgium and Europe no longer provided the easy diversion he had so enjoyed. The World of William Clissold is a 1926 novel by H.G. Wells published initially in three volumes. This book, which contains religious, historical, economic and sociological discussions, which expresses fits of temper and moods of doubt, is submitted as a novel, as a whole novel, and nothing but a novel, as the story of one mans adventure, body, soul and intelligence, in life.

The World Set Free. A Story of Mankind

Herbert George Wells

The novel tells the prophetic story of mans harnessing of the newly-discovered power of the atom, how this power nearly destroys civilization in a catastrophic war and foreshadows nuclear warfare years before research began and describes the chain reactions involved and the resulting radiation. It is presented as a history of the important events of the 20th century, jumping back and forth amongst narratives of different eyewitnesses and major players in those events. The World Set Free is a remarkable example of how science and science fiction can interact with and build upon each other. This book truly shows Wells was a man way before his time... Wells describes a weapon of enormous destructive power, used from the air that would wipe out everything for miles, and actually used the term atomic bombs. Futuristic Science Fiction at its best...

Tono-Bungay

Herbert George Wells

Considered one of Wells most successful attempts at a social novel in the vein of Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray, Wellss tale is a panoramic view of an unravelling society. A semi-autobiographical satire of Edwardian advertising and patent-medicines. The story follows the life of a young man, George, and his Uncle Edward. Edward invents an elixir called TONO-BUNGAY and hires his nephew George to help build the company. The medicine becomes a huge commercial success, causing George to reflect on the sickness at the heart of a society that lets itself be so easily duped. He begins to search for a new order to replace the old one, a quest that leads him to dangerous aeronautical experiments. At the end of the novel, George sails down the River Thames to the open sea, toward the hopeful new world that awaits him.

W otchłani

Herbert George Wells

„W otchłani” to opowiadanie autorstwa Herberta George’a Wellsa, uznanego za jednego z pionierów gatunku science fiction.   “Wszystko było tak wybornie przysposobione, że istota ludzka bez trudu i bezpiecznie mogła zostać wyrzuconą wraz z kulą jakby z armaty. I zapewne takie musiało być jej przeznaczenie, gdyż wkrótce zjawił się człowiek, który miał wejść do wnętrza przez otwór; miał on być gruntownie zamknięty we środku i rzucony z pomostu, aby się pogrążyć w toniach Oceanu do głębokości pięciu mil, jak to mówił porucznik.”   Fragmenty z książki: Herbert George Wells. „W OTCHŁANI”