The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
1895  / 92 pgs. Science Fiction

The Time Machine is the first novel by H.G. Wells and is considered a science fiction classic and the start of the time travel subgenre. 

Drawing from his pipe, the time traveler sits in his smoking room and narrates his adventure of the last six days.  His time machine took him to 802,701 A.D.  What wonders and evolution of man he hoped to see.  The utopia that communism promised, alas, was not.

In this time, man has evolved into two races, the Eloi, a short beautiful people who wear robes and frolic playing and making love throughout the day.  They don’t clean or tidy, let alone work—just happy people.  They are vegetarians as there are no animals around for meat. However,  at night, they gather in a group and sleep in the same dormitory.  Not for comfort, because of their fear of the dark.

The other, those that live underground, the Morlocks  They supply the food and clothing for the Eloi.  Their world is machinery and loud.  They fear the light. They have evolved into Ape/Spider humans who come to the surface only at night to gather their meat, the Eloi. 

The traveler has an adventure trying to get his machine back and understand the evolution of man in the year 802,071. He narrates his adventure to his astounded and skeptical friends.  There is a lot of symbolism in The Time Machine, as Wells portrays what he believes society will evolve into under Capitalism.  The symbolism is better understood if you think of the Eloi and the privlidge and the Morlocks as the lower class.

Yet, if you read the story just for the narrative, it’s a quick, fun story.  One could read it in a few hours.  As this is the only H.G. Wells book I’ve read, I would recommend it.  I do have in my reading queue War of the Worlds and The Island of Doctor Moreau.        

Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a wonderful book!

Lopaka