The Time Machine (1895) By H.G. Wells

"Face this world. Learn its ways, watch it, be careful of too hasty guesses at its meaning. In the end you will find clues to it all."

This dystopian, post-apocalyptic, science fiction novella is one of a number of classic H.G. Wells science fiction stories, and one that I was very excited to read. It has been one that I have wished to explore since I was a child, having watched the 2002 adaptation many times.

"It sounds plausible enough tonight, but wait until tomorrow. Wait for the common sense of the morning."

I always enjoy reading classical interpretations of the future, and Wells' provides a distinctly Victorian impression of what the far-off future could look like. It was rather interesting; the world he constructed. There were some fascinating and imaginative descriptions, though some were undoubtedly silly.

"Looking at these stars suddenly dwarfed my own troubles and all the gravities of terrestrial life."

Much like in 'The War Of The Worlds', there was a wonderful eloquence to the way Wells told his story. His diction was, predictably, immaculate, and his imagery was wonderfully vivid. Within the confines of his story, there was an unmistakable criticism of aristocracy, classism, and capitalism as a whole.

"Very simple was my explanation, and plausible enough - as most wrong theories are!"

The story was certainly surreal, and took on a predominantly observational perspective, and relied greatly on forming a sense of curiosity in the reader. There was not as much action or explicit conflict as I had hoped, but that didn't overly matter, for the most part. The story had plenty of intriguing crumbs to follow, and had some surprisingly creepy scenes.

"Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no need of change."

Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable little book, though, I must admit, I do prefer my previous experience of Wells' work. With that said, I certainly found this to be a curious and compelling read, one which I don't regret in the slightest. It is quite deserving of its position amongst the halls of classic science fiction work.

"We should strive to welcome change and challenges, because they are what help us grow."