i don’t see a lot of talk about this book and most people i mention it to haven’t heard of it, but how underrated it is surprises me. griffins character, his behaviours and attitude really resonate with me and the way he reacts to his situation, the humanity in it and society’s reaction. it’s a fantastic but quick read and amazing for the time in which it was written
by venusindenver
16 Comments
Hard for me to believe that people don’t even realize it exists. I suppose HG Wells probably isn’t all that popular with youngish people today, but his books are absolute classics within the sci-fi genre.
Fun story: I originally thought Ellison’s Invisible Man was Wells’ The Invisible Man. That was an awkward moment in high school literature class…
We read it a few months ago on r/bookclub. It was pretty fun. Very easy to read.
I had saved a wine bottle for my collection from before I read it and turns out, the label is a picture of the book cover. Now I love that bottle even more
Speak! HG wells definitely needs more love, some of the first sci fi I ever read. I reference the island of Dr Moreau all the time!
I’ve enjoyed it a lot, too. It was a wonderful quick read if one wants to read a book in one go.
I guess people tend to discuss newer books more. I don’t see any threads about Charles Dickens or George Eliot either but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth reading, nor does it mean that most people don’t know they exist.
I recommend to you the War of the Worlds by the same author.
Isn’t it still pretty famous? It’s been made into a movie several times. Neal Stephenson wrote an essay about computers in 1999, “In the Beginning… was the Command Line” that invokes the Morlock/Eloi distinction several times.
I’ll have to read it. A couple of years ago, I read The Island of Doctor Moreau and was blown away. Had no idea it was that good.
It’s a great a book. I remember really being caught off guard by good it was when I read it.
It is the book which shows “what will happen somebody gets invisible”. Except being invisible, the other things are realistic. It felt like Kafka’s ~~Transformation~~(was the book’s name ~~mutation~~?) Metamorphosis.
I read it as a kid when I was trying to read each book referenced in the comic League of Extraordinary Gentleman. And then I referenced Griffin’s explanation of light waves in an 8th grade science paper — which cracks me up in hindsight.
I just read it the other day, honestly I think it’s overrated. I didn’t like it that much
I read it in my school. I still sometimes re-read it.
Yes I always felt HG Wells was able to successfully depict realistic human reactions to incredible sci-fi scenarios
Great writer!
I read Wells for the first time late last year With The Time machine and the not long after the invisible man (as well as his other scientific romances of that time) and was impressed by how well he still holds up and wasn’t an influential writer who now feels very dated. I wouldn’t say its unrated considering it’s over 120 years old and It’s still being talked about.
Have you read Any of his other work? My personal favourite is either the island of dr moreau or war of the world’s.
Read it last month, it’s a classic for a reason. I actually prefer the 1933 Universal film over the book because it humanizes Griffin a little more, really emphasizing the spiral of madness he’s going down.
I will give it a read. Thanks for the recommendation