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baticeer's review
4.0
sometimes there are works that are considered classics mostly because they did a really important thing before anybody else did, but they seem tired and cliche when you come at them today with a modern sensibility. despite having more or less started the concept of time travel stories and literally inventing the term "time machine," this book is NOT like that and is equally upsetting and captivating as when I first read it. I can only imagine what it would have been like to have read it in 1895.
ragne's review
5.0
I would have loved to pick Wells' brain. His genius is perhaps without compare.
The Time Machine can be red both as a warning to future generations, and as a critisism towards his (and our) time and society. Or, simply as a thrilling story. His understanding of physics, evolution, and social psychology, as early as the 19th century, is nothing less than brilliant. (One of my favourite quotes from the book, is the simple observation: "Strength is the outcome of need; security sets a premium on feebleness.") Top this with an amazing story telling talent, an ability to captivate the reader, and you have nothing less than an amazing book. This will stay with me for a long time; I will ponder and analyze, and I will most likely read it again in not too long, to discover more details that I overlooked the first time.
The Time Machine can be red both as a warning to future generations, and as a critisism towards his (and our) time and society. Or, simply as a thrilling story. His understanding of physics, evolution, and social psychology, as early as the 19th century, is nothing less than brilliant. (One of my favourite quotes from the book, is the simple observation: "Strength is the outcome of need; security sets a premium on feebleness.") Top this with an amazing story telling talent, an ability to captivate the reader, and you have nothing less than an amazing book. This will stay with me for a long time; I will ponder and analyze, and I will most likely read it again in not too long, to discover more details that I overlooked the first time.
geckers's review
3.0
I really hoped I would love this book, but I just didn't it never grabbed my attention, and though it was interesting and H.G. Wells is most definitely surly a genius, nothing stood out to me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
aundie27's review
2.0
Plot
The Time Traveler has figured out time travel, as his nickname suggests. He holds round table sessions with intellectual men in town and discusses his scientific findings. The narrator is most intrigued, and shows up regularly to hear what their host has to share. When the host shows up late and bedraggled during a dinner, they are left to believe he's pulling their leg when he begins a 3,472 page monologue about his travels to 800,000 years into the future. He finds strange peaceful beings, and pale underground dark-dwelling monsters. There's a museum that somehow still has artifacts from his time, though dinosaur bones still exist, so it could be feasible. Then he travels even further into the future until everything has died out and become so bleak that there's unlikely to be an atmosphere, but he's totes fine. Once he's back in his present day, he's decided to go off in his machine and is never heard from again.
Review
I'd never read The Time Machine before, though I'd seen it reproduced in various movies and tv shows in different ways. H.G. Wells certain contributed a lot to science fiction literature, and that's commendable. However, I wasn't a fan of this book. For as short as it was, it seemed to drag interminably.
The first paragraph of this book was probably something that Wells perfected and went through many times, as it had two words that I definitely had to look up and also was rather eloquent. It was also one of the most interesting paragraphs to me. For some reason I had it in my head that the Time Traveler went back in time, not 800,000 years into the future. His idea of the future is interesting, but I didn't understand his strange father/lover interest in the female child-like creature. Perhaps it was the need to protect her that blurred the lines. I suppose I did like when he kept going further and further into the future--that I know I've seen on Futurama. The sea creatures were also interesting.
Gorgeous copy from Owlcrate , February 2016.
The Time Traveler has figured out time travel, as his nickname suggests. He holds round table sessions with intellectual men in town and discusses his scientific findings. The narrator is most intrigued, and shows up regularly to hear what their host has to share. When the host shows up late and bedraggled during a dinner, they are left to believe he's pulling their leg when he begins a 3,472 page monologue about his travels to 800,000 years into the future. He finds strange peaceful beings, and pale underground dark-dwelling monsters. There's a museum that somehow still has artifacts from his time, though dinosaur bones still exist, so it could be feasible. Then he travels even further into the future until everything has died out and become so bleak that there's unlikely to be an atmosphere, but he's totes fine. Once he's back in his present day, he's decided to go off in his machine and is never heard from again.
Review
I'd never read The Time Machine before, though I'd seen it reproduced in various movies and tv shows in different ways. H.G. Wells certain contributed a lot to science fiction literature, and that's commendable. However, I wasn't a fan of this book. For as short as it was, it seemed to drag interminably.
The first paragraph of this book was probably something that Wells perfected and went through many times, as it had two words that I definitely had to look up and also was rather eloquent. It was also one of the most interesting paragraphs to me. For some reason I had it in my head that the Time Traveler went back in time, not 800,000 years into the future. His idea of the future is interesting, but I didn't understand his strange father/lover interest in the female child-like creature. Perhaps it was the need to protect her that blurred the lines. I suppose I did like when he kept going further and further into the future--that I know I've seen on Futurama. The sea creatures were also interesting.
Gorgeous copy from Owlcrate , February 2016.
littleretrorocker6's review
5.0
this was great a real classic i just wish it was longer
i read this as part of the reading rush 2020
the story is about a unnamed time traveler who goes into the future and all kinds of crazy stuff happens i want to know where the traveler went next but we never find out
i read this as part of the reading rush 2020
the story is about a unnamed time traveler who goes into the future and all kinds of crazy stuff happens i want to know where the traveler went next but we never find out
acetokkireads's review
5.0
Enjoyment: I really enjoyed this book. It was subtle but impactful and I appreciate that. Something that’s very casual to get into but definitely benefits as an audiobook half way through. -4
Plot: We follow a time traveler as he recounts his exhibition of the future to his friends. It reads almost like a confession. As though he’s standing by the fire while his friends sit around him and listen in before passing judgment. I thought it was very fun if one dimensional. -4
Intrigue: I was incredibly intrigued! There was the mystery aspect, but I found the choice of what the author wrote to be most interesting. We are in the future from when this was written and so I found myself placing bets on where I thought he was wrong or right. -5
Characters: These characters don’t have names, they have professions. The most genius thing I’ve ever seen! The only person with a name is the one in the future and those priorities are thought provoking on their own. The time traveler was very fun to be with. -5
Logic: The progression of the story was well balanced and complete. -5
Atmosphere: We get a good amount of the atmosphere of this future as our main character lives there for his story. I still wanted a little more. A bit more about the people or the buildings. There is definitely a lot in there but I still wanted more. -4
Writing Style: I love this way of writing. As if we’re telling you a special story. The “by the fire” vibes are some of my favorites!! -5
Total: 32 (32/7 = 4.57)
Plot: We follow a time traveler as he recounts his exhibition of the future to his friends. It reads almost like a confession. As though he’s standing by the fire while his friends sit around him and listen in before passing judgment. I thought it was very fun if one dimensional. -4
Intrigue: I was incredibly intrigued! There was the mystery aspect, but I found the choice of what the author wrote to be most interesting. We are in the future from when this was written and so I found myself placing bets on where I thought he was wrong or right. -5
Characters: These characters don’t have names, they have professions. The most genius thing I’ve ever seen! The only person with a name is the one in the future and those priorities are thought provoking on their own. The time traveler was very fun to be with. -5
Logic: The progression of the story was well balanced and complete. -5
Atmosphere: We get a good amount of the atmosphere of this future as our main character lives there for his story. I still wanted a little more. A bit more about the people or the buildings. There is definitely a lot in there but I still wanted more. -4
Writing Style: I love this way of writing. As if we’re telling you a special story. The “by the fire” vibes are some of my favorites!! -5
Total: 32 (32/7 = 4.57)
anastasiarozova's review
4.0
4.25/5
*Read for class.
Oh. My. God. Okay, see, I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I used to hate classics and this is definitely a classic in it's genre. But this book, guys, blew me away. I mean, not plot vise, although it was great as well, but with the feeling it left.
I got hooked from the start, from the very first pages I was gripped and never let go. The story didn't get boring with time like I feared it might. So, yeah, the pacing was great. Plus, it's a fairly short book, reads fast.
It explored such themes like what is it like to be a human being, how can that change, what might happen to Earth, is it good or bad or just different... And the book wasn't predictable. I expected advanced people and technologies, just like our Time Traveller did, but I certainly didn't expect what really happened.
And I liked how we didn't get all the answers cause we were told this story by the Time Traveller, who himself had only theories. So we are left wondering what really happened and theorizing.
Of course, there were some moments that were a little bit ridiculous, like matches in the far future. I mean, c'mon, we all know they're not commonly used even now. But the book was published in 1895, so we can't blame it.
Overall, I'm in love with Wells and I hope to continue with his other books as soon as I can.
*Read for class.
Oh. My. God. Okay, see, I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I used to hate classics and this is definitely a classic in it's genre. But this book, guys, blew me away. I mean, not plot vise, although it was great as well, but with the feeling it left.
I got hooked from the start, from the very first pages I was gripped and never let go. The story didn't get boring with time like I feared it might. So, yeah, the pacing was great. Plus, it's a fairly short book, reads fast.
It explored such themes like what is it like to be a human being, how can that change, what might happen to Earth, is it good or bad or just different... And the book wasn't predictable. I expected advanced people and technologies, just like our Time Traveller did, but I certainly didn't expect what really happened.
And I liked how we didn't get all the answers cause we were told this story by the Time Traveller, who himself had only theories. So we are left wondering what really happened and theorizing.
Of course, there were some moments that were a little bit ridiculous, like matches in the far future. I mean, c'mon, we all know they're not commonly used even now. But the book was published in 1895, so we can't blame it.
Overall, I'm in love with Wells and I hope to continue with his other books as soon as I can.