The Time Machine

Story

An unnamed inventor and scientist living in London known only as The Time Traveller sets out to prove time as a fourth dimension! He constructs a machine and with the simple pull of a lever, he is teleported to the year 802, 701 AD where the human race has evolved into two species, the Eloi and the Morlocks. At first this new place seems like paradise, but it quickly becomes clear that nothing is quite what is seems.

Why we chose it

Although written before the science fiction genre was named, The Time Machine is considered one of the earliest works of science fiction. Exploring the possibilities of time travel has since become a very popular theme in novels, films and television programmes.

Where it came from

H.G. Wells was a socialist and a scientist. These interests combined in The Time Machine. By propelling his main character into the future he was able to explore his ideas about evolution and class. A million years into the future he portrays the human race living not in a Utopian society but rather in a world in which the upper and lower classes have evolved separately to become entirely different species.

Where it went next

The very first edition can be found being sold online for over five thousand pounds! The story has been adapted several times for film and television since its initial release as well as into illustrated Marvel comics.

Associated stories

Other books by HG Wells include The Invisible Man and The War of the Worlds.