The First Men in the Moon - H. G. Wells

.../> Before I start reviewing the book 'The First Men in the Moon' by H.G. Wells I would like to just talk a little of the differences between Jules Verne and H.G.Wells regarding science-fiction.(remembering that this debate was at a time when science fiction was still new) Verne and Wells were known as the 'fathers of science-fiction'.

Verne firmly believed that the science was the most important part of a science-fiction novel whereas ...
...book was realised Verne criticized the implausibility of its scientific claims
Verne and Wells both held a great pride in technology and an unashamed certainty that there would be great scientific advances in the future. These two authors created stories that weren't magical, but scientific; their books such as Verne's 'From the Earth to the Moon ' and Wells' 'The First Men in the Moon ' both demonstrate that they were written by men who ... more

Before I start reviewing the book 'The First Men in the Moon' by H.G. Wells I would like to just talk a little of the differences between Jules Verne and H.G.Wells regarding science-fiction.(remembering that this debate was at a time when science fiction was still new) Verne and Wells were known as the 'fathers of science-fiction'.

Verne firmly believed that the science was the most important part of a science-fiction novel whereas Wells firmly believed that the fiction was the most important aspect.

In fact, soon after this book was realised Verne criticized the implausibility of its scientific claims
Verne and Wells both held a great pride in technology and an unashamed certainty that there would be great scientific advances in the future. These two authors created stories that weren't magical, but scientific; their books such as Verne's 'From the Earth to the Moon ' and Wells' 'The First Men in the Moon ' both demonstrate that they were written by men who not only dreamed about moon travel but who but actually believed it would happen.

While Verne went into great technological details of how he would get his passengers to the Moon,-- Wells simply invents an incredible substance called 'Cavorite' --an anti-gravity metal that lets his passengers be transported on their lunar journey without the need of any fuel or engine. Imagine how a man of science like Verne felt about this !!

Critics at the time classed Wells as a writer of children's books with his ideas of time, space, aliens and other flights of fancy. But later writers, like George Orwell, began to see him as a "father figure" of the science fiction. Wells himself wrote that the book was not science at all, but a human story and called it 'science fantasy'. He said that the idea of the book was to get the reader as involved in the story as they would in good gripping dream. He actually credits Verne as writing 'real science fiction' because in all his novels the emphasis is on science.

THE BOOK
Published in 1901,this classic science-fiction masterpiece captures the splendour of man's first trip to the Moon.

Set in England at the beginning of the 20th century, Mr Bedford, an upper-class English gentleman, finds himself tangled in the scheming of Cavor, an eccentric genius who has developed Cavorite, an anti-gravity metal. The two men build a craft called the Sphere which launches them to the moon. Cavor hopes to discover a perfect society that he imagines will live there. On the other hand Bedford is purely interested in making money from the trip. Once they arrive on the moon , they discover an insect-like alien race they name "Selenites." (or "Moonies") living beneath the surface of the moon in dark cities that are technologically beyond belief. Then things go drastically wrong.

It is really quite amazing at some of the accuracy Wells uses in the description of the Moon - he describes it as a barren place with a thin (and yet breathable) atmosphere, very little gravity and freezing nights. His accuracy though evaporates when he describes the moon during the day. He describes forests of trees and plants coming to life, having only a moon-day (equivalent to an Earth week) to grow, germinate and seed before the cold of the night kills them again.

The two main characters of the book are completely different.
Bedford himself is not a scientist and Wells uses him to be our eyes and ears on the moon.
Cavor appears mysteriously at the start of the story (an introduction which certainly inspired many Doctor Who adventures years later), he is the typical absent minded professor.

Although there is some underlying social comments (Wells uses the moon, and its inhabitants as a critiscism of the British Imperialism, and how British Colonies worked), I found this a fun story, if somewhat dated, and it had me hooked from the beginning, and I felt as if I was being lifted off the ground and flying into space with them.
In my mind "First Men in the Moon" is a charming, enjoyable adventure written in a typical late Victorian style. If you read this book accepting the science as it was known and understood at the turn of the century you will be able to enjoy a space adventure that will entertain you for an enjoyable few hours.

THE AUTHOR

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) began life as the son of a working class couple - Sarah and Joseph Wells. As a child he had an accident and broke a leg and he was bedridden for a long period of time, and as he recovered, Wells fell in love with reading.
He decided to become a teacher in 1883. He did not publish any of his writings until 1901, when his work 'Anticipations' a book full of ideas of what the world might look like in 2000, was published.
Wells was a prolific writer in many genres, including contemporary novels, history, and social commentary but it is a a writer of science fiction that he is best known.

BOOK DETAILS

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Gollancz; New edition edition (8 Feb 2001)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1857987462
ISBN-13: 978-1857987461
Product Dimensions: 19.7 x 13 x 1.5 cm

Summary: This is a classic and a must read little book
 

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