Product Description

The story that launched Wells's successful career-the classic tale of the Time Traveler and the extraordinary world he discovers in the far distant future. A haunting portrayal of Darwin's evolutionary theory carried to a terrible conclusion.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #87313 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780451528551
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-- An adaptation of a major portion of H. G. Wells's classic. Rapid-fire short sentences and sentence fragments set the pace and add to the intensity of the action. The Time Traveler and several of his friends are quickly introduced, and then readers are immediately drawn into the future world. The protagonist narrowly survives his initial travels, returning to tell his friends about his harrowing adventures. He sets off once again, leaving the story's end in question--possibly motivating readers to turn to the original for further exploration. Eden's numerous black-and-white drawings are effective in enhancing the narrative. While certainly not a substitute or replacement for the depth and perspectives offered by the real thing, this version lends itself to presentation and discussion with young readers about the genre and about Wells's creative genius in an era long before Steven Spielberg. --Janie Schomberg, Leal Elementary School, Urbana, IL
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This abridged classic is buoyed by a spirited dramatization featuring Leonard Nimoy and John de Lancie, also known, respectively, as "Spock" and "Q" to Star TrekR fans. The Time Traveler's tale of the future is a disturbing vision of the human situation as it appeared to Wells in the late 19th century. The Traveler encounters a community consisting of only two species of animals: the barbaric Morlocks and the gentle Eloi. The evolution of these two species began in industrialized England. Nimoy, as the Time Traveler, and de Lancie, as his 19th-century friend and confidant, are superb in their roles and clearly having fun with this production. The supporting crew of readers provide a robust atmosphere of doubt, debate, and incredulity. This work is part of a promising new sf series distributed by Simon & Schuster Audio. Highly recommended.?Ray Vignovich, West Des Moines P.L., Iowa
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
First novel by H.G. Wells, published in book form in 1895. The novel is considered one of the earliest works of science fiction and the progenitor of the "time travel" subgenre. Wells advanced his social and political ideas in this narrative of a nameless Time Traveller who is hurtled into the year 802,701 by his elaborate ivory, crystal, and brass contraption. The world he finds is peopled by two races: the decadent Eloi, fluttery and useless, are dependent for food, clothing, and shelter on the simian subterranean Morlocks, who prey on them. The two races--whose names are borrowed from the Biblical Eli and Moloch--symbolize Wells's vision of the eventual result of unchecked capitalism: a neurasthenic upper class that would eventually be devoured by a proletariat driven to the depths. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature

Customer Reviews

Excellent!!
As I stated in my other reviews, I normally don't enjoy science fiction novels; this book I had to read for school. As I read what I expected to be a boring and unentertaining novel, my opinion changed, and I became more open to enjoying the story. I found that it was an enchanting novel that no one should pass up. H. G. Wells made the story come alive and he made the setting, set in the future, somewhere you feel could possibly exist as his descriptions are so vivid and his wording fanominal. Read this story and your beliefs on time travel and the way earth will turn out in the future will change. H.G. Wells gives you somthing to ponder while you enjoy the sentences that flow together like the river he describes. H.G. Wells makes an unknown world seem familiar and is an expert in his proffesion. I guaranty this book will send powerful astonishment and awe up and through your mind.

Blast into the Future
The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells is a classic science fiction/fantasy novel. It is based in England around the late 1800's and also thousands of years into the future. It is an epic tale of a journey through time. Every one of the Time Traveler's friends and colleagues doubted him. They didn't believe that he had gone into the future. But he did. He visited a gentle breed called the Eloi. They were all alike. They dressed the same, walked the same, looked the same, and even reacted to life's conflicts in the same way. These identical "people" served him gratefully, giving him all the fruit he could ever want. He tried to learn the Eloi language, but their short attention spans caused him to not learn very much. The Time Traveler began to dream as to why this race of people was so alike. He couldn't figure it out. He decided that he had found himself in a utopian society, where neither reason nor strength was needed. He didn't find the real reason out, until he had discovered his time machine to be missing. Night fell and all he could do was search. When he found it he also discovered a horrifying secret about the reason as to why the Eloi were so perfect. It was a terrible secret, one that you will only know if you read this book. Believe me, it's quite a twist. All in all, I would have to recommend this book to anyone. It has elements of every genre in it: horror, science fiction, fantasy, drama, and comedy. It is just a really well rounded book that all can enjoy.

Truly a Classic!
OK, we've all seen at least one of the movie versions of H.G. Well's The Time Machine, but none of them truly compare with the oringinal Sci-Fi classic. The book tells the story of the Time Traveler's journey nearly a million years into the future and the very unexpected and disturbing society he finds there. The Time Traveler formulates various theories based on what he observes of the society, which each, in turn, prove to be oh, so wrong! [Warning: mild spoiler] In the end, his realization of the future is especially terrifying considering it is the result of our current social structure (or H.G. Well's, anyway).

I especially recommend this book for those of us with short attention spans - it's only 140 pages (and that's the large print version). But don't get the wrong idea, this book still has more depth and creativity than most 500 page books i've read and is a great read, even compared with today's science fiction standards.

This book has to be considered a classic considering it spawned a whole genre of time traveling books, movies, and tv shows whcih imitated it. Get a hold of a copy and read it today!