Calling all Sci-Fi Junkies! The last few decades have witnessed a meteoric rise in the prevalence of sci-fi literature and entertainment such as t.v. shows and movies (the myriad permutations of the Star Wars series come readily to mind). People often get caught up with all the new releases in the sci-fi genre (as enormous and inclusive as it is!) and neglect to go back to the roots of the genre. Any true sci-fi fan should be aware of the early works that sparked such a fascinating and ever-expanding genre, and to do this, you will need to get acquainted with the Granddaddy of the sci-fi genre: H.G. Wells.
His short story, The Time Machine, was one of the most popular early science fiction stories that helped to launch the genre and created many of the tropes that run rampant in science fiction today. For example, time travel and its terrifying or hilarious effects on our lives in works like Back to the Future and many others are first explored in Wells’ 1895 story. It was a radically fascinating progressive idea of the late 19th century to move through what Wells calls the fourth dimension: Time, and we can feel the reverberations of this unconditional idea today as we remain captivated with imagining time travel. Wells used time travel not only to entertain readers with a wild concept, but also to address important social issues of his time.
Wells’ Marxist critique of class inequality and its consequences are glaringly obvious when he travels to the distant future time of the Eloi and Morlocks and experiences firsthand what he believes to be the horrible ramifications his time had on the future. This short story is packed with excitement, action, intriguing scientific theories, and harsh social critiques that will keep any discerning reader or listener enthralled from start to finish. It is a short story, so it is definitely well worth your time to check it out and learn more about the early days of the sci-fi genre!
Other famous H.G. Wells sci-fi stories that you can find here include:
As well as many others. Happy listening!
