Scan barcode
caterinaanna's review
3.0
The Time Machine does seem, as Gothmarcus has said, to be a commentary on the state of the world at the time it was written - one that was still valid when Metropolis was filmed years later. It's easy to imagine the Lang's society gradually evolving to the one described by Wells, but I felt the scientist was far to quick to fear the underground dwellers and returned with less sympathy for them, or desire to change the world than would the hero of the same story written by another author.
Socially aware, but not enough to want to be active, is my impression of Wells from this story.
Socially aware, but not enough to want to be active, is my impression of Wells from this story.
yarbs's review
5.0
I listened to it but missed some of the nuance so I might go through it again but reading at the same time.
b_caligari's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
tayrog77's review
4.0
A fine classic. Short easy read. Provided you dont bother with trying to figure out who represents Capitalism and who doesnt.
bibliocyclist's review
3.0
"This has ever been the fate of energy in security; it takes to art and to eroticism, and then comes languor and decay."
"I thought I would make a virtue of necessity, and see the sunrise."
"Well, that night the expectation took the colour of my fears."
"And I have by me, for my comfort, two strange white flowers--shriveled now, and brown and flat and brittle--to witness that even when mind and strength had gone, gratitude and mutual tenderness still lived on in the heart of Man."
"I thought I would make a virtue of necessity, and see the sunrise."
"Well, that night the expectation took the colour of my fears."
"And I have by me, for my comfort, two strange white flowers--shriveled now, and brown and flat and brittle--to witness that even when mind and strength had gone, gratitude and mutual tenderness still lived on in the heart of Man."
oenamaus's review
3.0
A lot like the movie. They did add a part in the far future as the solar system is dying that I liked. I don't remember seeing this before. Very easy quick read.
hlburke's review
3.0
For skill, imagination, etc, this would probably be a 4 or a 5, but it gets a personal preference rating of 3.
First off, the beginning section of this is really dry. It takes a long time to get to the actual time traveling considering how short of story it is. I put it down several times and read other things ... I got through the first few chapters a few pages at a time. Probably some of the drive to read it was destroyed because I'd had the major plot points told to me by Gary Sinise (not personally. I wish Gary Sinise and I sat around and talked classic scifi, but sigh, that is not to be. There's a part where his character in a movie gives a break down of it. Ransom, I think. It's been a while, but I have a weird affinity for Gary Sinise even when he's playing the bad guy. I know. It's odd.).
Honestly, I can't remember the last time someone wrote a character who was so unlikeable to me that I read the whole book looking forward to him getting himself into a fix which would force him to learn some humility.it doesn't really happen ... yeah, there's some lip service to "oh how mistaken I was..." but the guy doesn't really change much and the most satisfaction you get is that no one believes him, but he doesn't seem to care because really he only cares about himself and his intellectual pursuits. If you think yourself the superior specimen, the acknowledgement of others isn't needed.
You can sum up this plot as "guy goes forward in time, make assumptions that get him in trouble, thinks of a "brilliant" plan to fix things, drags along a helpless being who trusts him fully, doesn't do much to protect her, gets her killed (presumably? He doesn't bother to collect her body, but it's a conclusion he makes), escapes because he makes mistakes which actually work for him, gets away, feels sad about it, but continues to travel in time.
That said, there is amazing artistry and imagination that puts together a world that makes logical sense while still being fantastic.
First off, the beginning section of this is really dry. It takes a long time to get to the actual time traveling considering how short of story it is. I put it down several times and read other things ... I got through the first few chapters a few pages at a time. Probably some of the drive to read it was destroyed because I'd had the major plot points told to me by Gary Sinise (not personally. I wish Gary Sinise and I sat around and talked classic scifi, but sigh, that is not to be. There's a part where his character in a movie gives a break down of it. Ransom, I think. It's been a while, but I have a weird affinity for Gary Sinise even when he's playing the bad guy. I know. It's odd.).
Honestly, I can't remember the last time someone wrote a character who was so unlikeable to me that I read the whole book looking forward to him getting himself into a fix which would force him to learn some humility.
You can sum up this plot as "guy goes forward in time, make assumptions that get him in trouble, thinks of a "brilliant" plan to fix things, drags along a helpless being who trusts him fully, doesn't do much to protect her, gets her killed (presumably? He doesn't bother to collect her body, but it's a conclusion he makes), escapes because he makes mistakes which actually work for him, gets away, feels sad about it, but continues to travel in time.
That said, there is amazing artistry and imagination that puts together a world that makes logical sense while still being fantastic.