La Machine à explorer le temps

Par H.G. Wells

Qui ne connaît pas l'intrigue de ce roman ? La terre en l'an 802701 a les apparences d'un paradis. Les apparences seulement. Car derrière ces jardins magnifiques, ces bosquets somptueux, cet éternel été où les hommes devenus oisifs n'ont à se préoccuper de rien, se cache un secret...

• Langue: Français
• Éditeur: Booklassic
• Date de sortie: 12 juin 2015
• ISBN: 9789635226597

H.G. Wells

Herbert George Wells, plus connu sous la signature H. G. Wells, né le 21 septembre 1866 à Bromley dans le Kent (Royaume-Uni) et mort le 13 août 1946 à Londres, est un écrivain britannique surtout connu aujourd'hui pour ses romans de science-fiction. Il fut cependant également l'auteur de nombreux romans de satire sociale, d'oeuvres de prospective, de réflexions politiques et sociales ainsi que d'ouvrages de vulgarisation touchant aussi bien à la biologie, à l'histoire qu'aux questions sociales. Il est considéré comme le père de la science-fiction contemporaine.

Aperçu du livre

Chapitre 1

INITIATION

L'EXPLORATEUR du Temps (car c'est ainsi que pour plus de commodité nous l'appellerons) nous exposait un mystérieux problème. Ses yeux gris et vifs étincelaient, et son visage, habituellement pâle, était rouge et animé. Dans la cheminée la flamme brûlait joyeusement et la lumière douce des lampes à incandescence, en forme de lis d'argent, se reflétait dans les bulles qui montaient brillantes dans nos verres. Nos fauteuils, dessinés d'après ses modèles, nous embrassaient et nous caressaient au lieu de se soumettre à regret à nos séants ; il régnait cette voluptueuse atmosphère d'après dîner où les pensées vagabondent gracieusement, libres des entraves de la précision. Et il nous expliqua la chose de cette façon – insistant sur certains points avec son index maigre – tandis que, renversés dans nos fauteuils, nous admirions son ardeur et son abondance d'idées pour soutenir ce que nous croyions alors un de ses nouveaux paradoxes.

« Suivez-moi bien. Il va me falloir discuter une ou deux idées qui sont universellement acceptées. Ainsi, par exemple, la géographie qu'on vous a enseignée dans vos classes est fondée sur un malentendu.

– Est-ce que ce n'est pas là entrer en matière avec une bien grosse question ? demanda Filby, raisonneur à la chevelure rousse.

– Je n'ai pas l'intention de vous demander d'accepter quoi que ce soit sans argument raisonnable. Vous admettrez bientôt tout ce que je veux de vous. Vous savez, n'est-ce pas, qu'une ligne mathématique, une ligne de dimension nulle, n'a pas d'existence réelle. On vous a enseigné cela ? De même pour un plan mathématique. Ces choses sont de simples abstractions.

– Parfait, dit le Psychologue.

– De même, un cube, n'ayant que longueur, largeur et épaisseur, peut-il avoir une existence réelle ?

– Ici, j'objecte, dit Filby ; certes, un corps solide existe. Toutes choses réelles…

– C'est ce que croient la plupart des gens. Mais attendez un peu. Est-ce qu'il peut exister un cube instantané ?

– Je n'y suis pas, dit Filby.

– Est-ce qu'un cube peut avoir une existence réelle sans durer pendant un espace de temps quelconque ? »

Filby devint pensif.

« Manifestement, continua l'Explorateur du Temps, tout corps réel doit s'étendre dans quatre directions. Il doit avoir Longueur, Largeur, Épaisseur, et… Durée. Mais par une infirmité naturelle de la chair, que je vous expliquerai dans un moment, nous inclinons à négliger ce fait. Il y a en réalité quatre dimensions, trois que nous appelons les trois plans de l'Espace, et une quatrième : le Temps. On tend cependant à établir une distinction factice entre les trois premières dimensions et la dernière, parce qu'il se trouve que nous ne prenons conscience de ce qui nous entoure que par intermittences, tandis que le temps s'écoule, du passé vers l'avenir, depuis le commencement jusqu'à la fin de votre vie.

– Ça, dit un très jeune homme qui faisait des efforts spasmodiques pour rallumer son cigare au-dessus de la lampe, ça… très clair… vraiment.

– Or, n'est-il pas remarquable que l'on néglige une telle vérité ? continua l'Explorateur du Temps avec un léger accès de bonne humeur. Voici ce que signifie réellement la Quatrième Dimension ; beaucoup de gens en parlent sans savoir ce qu'ils disent. Ce n'est qu'une autre manière d'envisager le Temps. Il n'y a aucune différence entre le Temps, Quatrième Dimension, et l'une quelconque des trois dimensions de l'Espace sinon que notre conscience se meut avec elle. Mais quelques imbéciles se sont trompés sur le sens de cette notion. Vous avez tous su ce qu'ils ont trouvé à dire à propos de cette Quatrième Dimension ?

– Non, pas moi, dit le Provincial.

– Simplement ceci : l'Espace, tel que nos mathématiciens l'entendent, est censé avoir trois dimensions, qu'on peut appeler Longueur, Largeur et Épaisseur, et il est toujours définissable par référence à trois plans, chacun à angles droits avec les autres. Mais quelques esprits philosophiques se sont demandé pourquoi exclusivement trois dimensions, pourquoi pas une quatrième direction à angles droits avec les trois autres ? et ils ont même essayé de construire une géométrie à quatre Dimensions. Le professeur Simon Newcomb exposait celle-ci il y a quatre ou cinq semaines à la Société Mathématique de New York. Vous savez comment sur une surface plane qui n'a que deux dimensions on peut représenter la figure d'un solide à trois dimensions. À partir de là ils soutiennent que, en partant d'images à trois dimensions, ils pourraient en représenter une à quatre s'il leur était possible d'en dominer la perspective. Vous comprenez ?

– Je pense que oui », murmura le Provincial, et fronçant les sourcils il se perdit dans des réflexions secrètes, ses lèvres s'agitant comme celles de quelqu'un qui répète des versets magiques.

« Oui, je crois que j'y suis, maintenant, dit-il au bout d'un moment, et sa figure s'éclaira un instant.

– Bien ! Je n'ai pas de raison de vous cacher que depuis un certain temps je me suis occupé de cette géométrie des Quatre Dimensions. J'ai obtenu quelques résultats curieux. Par exemple, voici une série de portraits de la même personne, à huit ans, à quinze ans, à dix-sept ans, un autre à vingt-trois ans, et ainsi de suite. Ils sont évidemment les sections, pour ainsi dire, les représentations sous trois dimensions d'un être à quatre dimensions qui est fixe et inaltérable.

« Les hommes de science, continua l'Explorateur du Temps après nous avoir laissé le loisir d'assimiler ses derniers mots, savent parfaitement que le Temps n'est qu'une sorte d'Espace. Voici un diagramme scientifique bien connu : cette ligne, que suit mon doigt, indique les mouvements du baromètre. Hier il est monté jusqu'ici, hier soir il est descendu jusque-là, puis ce matin il s'élève de nouveau et doucement il arrive jusqu'ici. À coup sûr, le mercure n'a tracé cette ligne dans aucune des dimensions de l'Espace généralement reconnues ; il est cependant certain que cette ligne a été tracée, et nous devons donc en conclure qu'elle fut tracée au long de la dimension du Temps.

– Mais, dit le Docteur en regardant fixement brûler la houille, si le Temps n'est réellement qu'une quatrième dimension de l'Espace, pourquoi l'a-t-on considéré et le considère-t-on encore comme différent ? Et pourquoi ne pouvons-nous pas nous mouvoir çà et là dans le Temps, comme nous nous mouvons çà et là dans les autres dimensions de l'Espace ? »

L'Explorateur du Temps sourit :

« Êtes-vous bien sûr que nous pouvons nous mouvoir librement dans l'Espace ? Nous pouvons aller à gauche et à droite, en avant et en arrière, assez librement, et on l'a toujours fait. J'admets que nous nous mouvons librement dans deux dimensions. Mais que direz-vous des mouvements de haut en bas et de bas en haut ? Il semble qu'alors la gravitation nous limite singulièrement.

– Pas précisément, dit le Docteur, il y a les ballons.

– Mais avant les ballons, et si l'on excepte les bonds spasmodiques et les inégalités de surface, l'homme est tout à fait incapable du mouvement vertical.

– Toutefois, il peut se mouvoir quelque peu de haut en bas et de bas en haut.

– Plus facilement, beaucoup plus facilement de haut en bas que de bas en haut.

– Et vous ne pouvez nullement vous mouvoir dans le Temps ; il vous est impossible de vous éloigner du moment présent.

– Mon cher ami, c'est là justement ce qui vous trompe. C'est là justement que le monde entier est dans l'erreur. Nous nous éloignons incessamment du moment présent. Nos existences mentales, qui sont immatérielles et n'ont pas de dimensions, se déroulent au long de la dimension du Temps avec une vélocité uniforme, du berceau jusqu'à la tombe, de la même façon que nous voyagerions vers le bas si nous commencions nos existences cinquante kilomètres au-dessus de la surface de la terre.

– Mais la grande difficulté est celle-ci, interrompit le Psychologue : vous pouvez aller, de-ci, de-là, dans toutes les directions de l'Espace, mais vous ne pouvez aller de-ci, de-là dans le Temps.

– C'est là justement le germe de ma grande découverte. Mais vous avez tort de dire que nous ne pouvons pas nous mouvoir dans tous les sens du Temps. Par exemple, si je me rappelle très vivement quelque incident, je retourne au moment où il s'est produit. Je suis distrait, j'ai l'esprit absent comme vous dites. Je fais un saut en arrière pendant un moment. Naturellement, nous n'avons pas la faculté de demeurer en arrière pour une longueur indéfinie de Temps, pas plus qu'un sauvage ou un animal ne peut se maintenir à deux mètres en l'air. Mais l'homme civilisé est à cet égard mieux pourvu que le sauvage. Il peut s'élever dans un ballon en dépit de la gravitation, et pourquoi ne pourrait-il espérer que finalement il lui sera permis d'arrêter ou d'accélérer son impulsion au long de la dimension du Temps, ou même de se retourner et de voyager dans l'autre sens ?

– Oh ! ça par exemple, commença Filby, c'est…

– Pourquoi pas ? demanda l'Explorateur du Temps.

– C'est contre la raison, acheva Filby.

– Quelle raison ? dit l'Explorateur du Temps.

– Vous pouvez par toutes sortes d'arguments démontrer que le blanc est noir et que le noir est blanc, dit Filby, mais vous ne me convaincrez jamais.

– Peut-être bien, dit l'Explorateur du Temps, mais vous commencez à voir maintenant quel fut l'objet de mes investigations dans la géométrie des quatre Dimensions. Il y a longtemps que j'avais une vague idée d'une machine…

– Pour voyager à travers le Temps ! s'exclama le Très Jeune Homme.

– … qui voyagera indifféremment dans toutes les directions de l'Espace et du Temps, au gré de celui qui la dirige. »

Filby se contenta de rire.

« Mais j'en ai la vérification expérimentale, dit l'Explorateur du Temps.

– Voilà qui serait fameusement commode pour un historien, suggéra le Psychologue. On pourrait retourner en arrière et vérifier par exemple les récits qu'on nous donne de la bataille de Hastings.

– Ne pensez-vous pas que vous attireriez l'attention ? dit le médecin. Nos ancêtres ne toléraient guère l'anachronisme.

– On pourrait apprendre le grec des lèvres mêmes d'Homère et de Platon, pensa le Très Jeune Homme.

– Dans ce cas, ils vous feraient coller certainement à votre premier examen. Les savants allemands ont tellement perfectionné

Avis sur La Machine à explorer le temps

[tess_schoolmarm · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

This is a novella about a time-traveller who firstly embarks to about 8270 AD (?) to the world of flesh eating Morlocks and peace-loving Eloi. I liked this book much better than The War of the Worlds as I think it has withstood the test of time a little better. I loved the vocabulary of Wells, much larger than today's writers and I even had to look up a few words to add to my word journal. Sci-fi is really not my genre at all (I usually despise it), but due to the writing and the short length of this book, it kept by rapt attention and I read it in one sitting. 88 pages

[vanishext · Évaluation : 5 sur 5 étoiles]

Great time travel classic. I have read it three times.

[ca8bookwyrm · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

Another classic that I took too long to read...

I enjoyed this, but am glad (I think) that I read it after seeing the movie. The movie was nothing like this, and I could read the book and be pleasantly surprised at the differences, rather than watching the movie after knowing the book and being incredibly disappointed.

It is a product of its era, however, and does read in the literary fashion that is common in other classics. If you like that style - as I do, when I'm in the mood for it - then this is a good book to read.

[dste_2 · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

 First off, I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than Wells' other book The Invisible Man. Unlike in that book, this one began by identifying the inventor of the time machine as a time traveler right off the bat instead of playing around with the revelation of an idea that’s contained within the title (as in, Oh, what do you think is up with this guy? He’s kind of weird and covered in bandages. He couldn’t by any chance be invisible, could he?) It also began by explaining the scientific theory behind the time machine, speaking of time as the fourth dimension and so on. I thought that the explanation of the underlying theory was one of the most interesting parts of [The Invisible Man], and the fact that this book began with something very similar ensured that it began on a good note. I also thought that it was a smart move on the author’s part to have his character travel exclusively into the future. He did mention the possibilities that existed if one travelled into the past, but usually in literature (and in theory) travelling into the past exposes one to all sorts of possible dangers and paradoxes: If you change even some small aspect of the past, is the present you return to affected in some major way? What happens if you go back in time and accidentally cause the death of one of your ancestors? etc. Travelling into the future can affect only events that haven’t happened yet, and thus vastly simplifies things. Travelling into the future also provided an opportunity for the author to engage in utopia and dystopia-type speculation. Yeah, that’s right, it’s both! At least, that’s my interpretation. I actually have no idea what all the literary experts out there classify it as. What I do know is that Wells takes some time to subtly take a dig at all the other utopia fiction of his time period: “This, I must warn you, was my theory at the time,” he says after explaining how the creatures of the time, the eloi and the morlocks, came to be. “I had no convenient cicerone in the pattern of the Utopian books.” Personally, I do think that the book was more interesting with the time traveler attempting to figure things out on his own instead of having another character explain everything to him. For one thing, it makes his final determination even more chilling. One thing that must be mentioned is that, because the story was told from the perspective of a character who is not the time traveler, the reader knows that the time traveller will make it back to his own time because he is telling the story after having already arrived there. That being said, I didn’t seem to mind, perhaps because there are further events after the time traveler tells his initial story. I thought this ending portion was one of the best parts of the book; I love the concluding lines especially.

[msaucier818 · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

This very short novel is the classic birth of science fiction writing. The backdrop of time travel is used to discuss the ideas of how mankind and different economic classes of people will develop and play off of one another. The Time Traveler guesses that over time, the aristocrats or Eloi had become so used to living off the hard work of the working class Morlocks that they became complacent and lazy. In the end, they lost all drive and purpose and were fearful of the Morlocks who could only come out in the dark and would kidnap the Eloi to eat then. I found the story to be fascinating and I could not put it down until I finished. Wells was way ahead of his 19th century world and I really cannot wait to read another of his stories.

[nielspeterqm · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

As much time travel as futurist dystopia – 800 000 years from now! – this is one of the first "real" sf novels & it reads as fluidly & thoughtfully as ever.

[schlau-2 · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

Listened to the Alien Voices production of this work which made the tale come alive. Love those guys. RIP Leonard.

[bookconcierge · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

Classic science fiction from one of the “fathers” of the genre (along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback). At a dinner party in 1895 London, the host introduces the idea of a fourth dimension of time, and demonstrates a small model of a machine he has constructed to travel through time. His guests, who are learned men, are incredulous and suspect some sort of legerdemain. But he insists it was not a trick, and further claims to have built a full-size machine that will allow a man to travel through time. He then invites them, plus a few additional gentlemen, to a future dinner where he promises to explain further. However their host is not in the house when they assemble the next week, though he has left instructions to begin without him. When he finally does appear, he is disheveled and clearly distressed and exhausted. After he has cleaned himself and eaten some, he tells them of his travels through time and what he has witnessed as the future of the Earth and her inhabitants.This is a gripping story and very well told. Wells imagines a future that is very different from the society of 1895 London, and from any of today’s civilizations. As the Time Traveler (he is never given any other name in the story) recounts his adventures he explains his evolving theories of what has happened. Darwin’s theories of evolution had been well established and accepted in learned circles by the time Wells was writing this book. His Time Traveler had expected to find an age of glorious invention, demonstrating man’s growing intelligence, but has to alter his assumptions of how man will evolve based on what he observes.What I find most fascinating is the decline of intelligence that Wells imagines. The Time Traveler supposes that as men developed industry and societal structure, they came to a point where there was no need to struggles to achieve all their needs. As necessity is the mother of invention, they slowly lost their inventiveness, their curiosity, their desire to improve or change their environment. I am reminded of a statement of Ray Bradbury’s where he laments the influence of mass media on today’s society; in effect, he feels that we are choosing to abandon curiosity and intelligence in favor of mindless entertainment. A society that does not read is no better off than a society that cannot read.I listened to the audio book narrated by Scott Brick. Brick’s performance of the audio book hits just the right tone. He strikes the right balance between an objective scientist reporting the results of his experimentation, and the fright, delight, anxiety of the Traveler as he relives the experiences.

[vombatiformes · Évaluation : 5 sur 5 étoiles]

I read this for the first time (somehow!) in a college class I had on literature and themes of evolution in literature, and even though I was familiar with the creatures in the story I wasn't familiar with the actual plot. I was kind of resistant to science fiction as a genre at the time, so I was surprised when I enjoyed it so much. I wound up writing my final paper for the class on this book and themes of social class!The Time Machine is about a scientist who presents his newest invention to his colleagues -- a machine that can actually (as the title suggests) move someone within the "dimension of time", and the scientist demonstrates that by using it for the first time to go far into the future during a time when man has evolved to become two distinct races of human. Things seem idyllic on the surface, but everything is not as it seems as the scientist quickly finds out. This is an exciting story that is both thought provoking and a little terrifying. There is a lot of really great imagery and ideas and it's easy to see why this is considered a classic.

[jdifelice-1 · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

This classic sci-fi tale, was interesting, but I really didn't enjoy the writing style, or the delivery of the story told. The whole, time travelling to the end of the world was really cool, and I enjoyed the philosophical ideas discussed, but I just really didn't enjoy the whole telling aspect as opposed to showing. In some books, when a narrator starts telling you a story, it starts out as a telling, but then you become immersed in the tale as if you were there and it was happening right then and there - this wasn't the case in this book - it was just like sitting around and someone telling you about the time they time travelled. Which is all well and good - but not what I enjoy when I read a book.

I appreciate what this story is and did for modern science fiction, but in present day - it just wasn't very great.

[shanaqui_1 · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

I enjoyed this a lot more than The Invisible Man. It's easy to read, and interesting, and innovative for its time. I really liked the descriptions of the ruins and of the fallen human race -- of Weena, mostly. It would be hard not to feel sympathetic towards her character, despite there not being much to it. I especially liked the ending, actually -- the idea of the flowers symbolising the things that still remained in the human race.

[joririchardson · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

It took me quite awhile to really get interested in this book, but once I did I liked it. While I think it is not one of H.G. Wells' best, I always like his writing and originality. However, I have to say that I would rather read something by Jules Verne or C.S. Lewis in terms of science fiction than this one.Still, an interesting book woven through with theories on Darwinism, the future, and technology. Great book for thinking!

[aspirit-1 · Évaluation : 2 sur 5 étoiles]

I really wanted to like this book but had to force myself to finish it out of a feeling of obligation. How can I consider myself a science fiction fan without having read Wells' The Time Machine?

My biggest issue with the story is that the only moments that felt realistic were within the narrator's home, in which too much was spent trying to hype up the time adventure.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more 15 years earlier in my own timeline.

[adilinaria · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

I wasn't a huge fan of this, not because of the story but the narrative style. It was very stiff for me, with all description. Probably my least favorite of all my classical reads so far. I am glad however that I read it, and I really like my edition so I'll definitely keep this one

[gmomaj · Évaluation : 5 sur 5 étoiles]

Includes three chapters of The Map of Time/Felix J. Palma.One of my all time favorite science fiction titles. The type of book that you can reread.

[tess_w · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

This is a novella about a time-traveller who firstly embarks to about 8270 AD (?) to the world of flesh eating Morlocks and peace-loving Eloi. I liked this book much better than The War of the Worlds as I think it has withstood the test of time a little better. I loved the vocabulary of Wells, much larger than today's writers and I even had to look up a few words to add to my word journal. Sci-fi is really not my genre at all (I usually despise it), but due to the writing and the short length of this book, it kept by rapt attention and I read it in one sitting. 88 pages

[brokenpsyko · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

The Time Machine is a compact yet thought-provoking science fiction novella that dives headfirst into the imagination of one eccentric scientist and his journey far into the future. Through the lens of a time traveler recounting his experiences to a skeptical group of peers, H.G. Wells invites readers to reflect on how society evolves—and how it sometimes stays the same in the most unsettling ways.
The story explores a fascinating duality: as the world advances and changes, basic instincts and human-like behaviors persist, almost making the far-future world feel eerily familiar. The time traveler finds himself building surprising emotional bonds—especially with a character named Weena—while simultaneously facing the cold realities of survival and alienation. Sadly, Weena is cast aside with less care than she deserves, and it’s hard not to feel like the time traveler failed her, emotionally and practically.
One standout feature is how Wells balances grand, sweeping concepts—like class division, decay, and evolution—with simple, grounded storytelling. However, the narrative occasionally blurs the lines between past and present. It takes a moment to orient yourself between the dinner-table storytelling and the actual events in the future, but once you catch the rhythm, it clicks into place.
Despite its age, The Time Machine remains relevant and reflective. It challenges us to consider the paths our world might take, and what "progress" really means. Though short, it leaves a lingering impression—especially with its subtle commentary on human nature and societal structures.

[bcpeterson727 · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

The most fascinating thing about this book is the fact that it was published in 1895. I look forward to reading more by Wells!

[2wondery_1 · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

Not an adventure story at all. Just a philosophical ramble.

[jamestomasino · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

Still a fun story. I listened to the Simon Vance recording this time and it was lovely.

[rmarcin-630843 · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

A quick read, a classic novel.
I never read this as a teen, so I thought I should read it as an adult. It is hard to imagine that H. G. Wells thought of this time machine in the late 19th C.
The mysterious time traveler tells his story to a group of men, who listen but are unsure if it is a talke or the truth. But, the descriptions of the other races are so real and vivid, they wonder.
Very interesting sci-fi.

[maydacat_1 · Évaluation : 5 sur 5 étoiles]

his story was first published in 1895, quite a novel idea at the time. A man referred to only as the Time Traveler tells an unbelieving group of men what he can do with his machine. He does travel to a far distant future, but does not find what he expected. Mankind has not progressed to a utopia. Instead, two factions of humans exist, and neither is better than what he came from. This imaginative tale is well worth reading. It sets the tone for the time travel books to come, and it could be argued that it is the best of all.

[pdcread · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

Set very firmly in the Victorian age, the primary character is a English gentleman and scientist living in Richmond. It starts as a dinner part as he explains to his guests the concept of time and shows them a model of a time machine he has made, and reveals that he has a full size one.

A week later he regals them with his first adventure using the device when he travelled to the year 802,701. In this strange land he comes across the Eloi, a small race of humanoid people, who live in small communities. Their very modern building are looking shabby and they do no work. he concludes that they are peaceful and have adapted to an environment that poses no threats.

Concluding his investigations he returns to his machine and finds it has been stolen. Locating it within a structure nearby, it has been locked away. As night falls he is approached by the sinister Morlocks, an ape like race that live in the dark. He investigates and find that this race are the ones who operate the machinery that enable the Eloi to live as they do. As he tries to recover his machine he gets to know the Eloi better, and explores the locality, find a ancient museum where he finds materials to enable him to recover his machine.

The Morlocks open the structure to trap him, but he uses it to escape to 30 million years in the future, when he sees the last life forms on the earth. He returns to his time, and recounts his tale to the dinner guests. He still has the flowers from this world, which he shows them. One of the guests returns the following day and finds that he is getting ready to travel again. He bids farewell, with promises to return within the hour.

The concept of time travel hadn't really occurred to most people in the Victorian age, most people were still coming to terms with standard time that the railways brought in. Wells uses his vivid imagination to bring to life these new lands that he finds, but there is precious little as to the function and style of the time machine. One that has been on my to read list for a long time, it does show that Wells is an original and innovative writer.

[thetruebookaddict · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

This is a really short read, but no less impactful. Wells really was ahead of his time in the prediction of man's future on earth. Yes, certainly, what he predicted for our future has not happened...yet...and we will never know in our lifetimes (or our childrens' lifetimes) if it will happen this way. But I believe the future of our world is bound to end up similarly, especially if mankind doesn't start changing its ways now. And, of course, it's a question of evolution as well. Wells was an expert craftsman in his depiction of the starkly different characters of the Eloi and the Morlocks. Again, for a very short book, the story packs quite a punch. I listened to it on audio and it was very easy book to listen to in this way.

[arkrayder · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

A classic for a reason. I believe this story has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. H.G. Wells was ahead of his time. I really need to read his other works.

[scottcholstad · Évaluation : 5 sur 5 étoiles]

Wells was a true visionary, a man clearly ahead of his time, and this is merely one of his masterpieces and remains fresh and relevant even today. It's not necessarily the best sci fi novel ever written, but it was the first "best" ever written and remains very high on the list today. Strongly recommended!

[danielstj · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

A good book, one that is an epitome of early science fiction. I enjoyed the journey, but it was altogether short- but still plentiful of interesting happenings. It was heavily description based with the only dialogue returning when the Time traveller returns and recounts his story. Still, a worthwhile tale.

[coach_of_alva · Évaluation : 5 sur 5 étoiles]

I think this must have been one of the first novels to warn that the future might not be a Utopia. I found convincing because the unhappy future wasn’t caused by the establishment of an evil dictatorship or the destruction from a catastrophe. No, it came about as the logical climax of certain social trends, trends that are continuing in our time.What I have learned listening to audio versions of Wells’ classic science fiction novels, which I read when I was young, is that he not only an idea man but also a good novelist, with much skill at scene setting, world building, sharp characterizations, and sheer story telling.Scott Brick portrays the Time Traveler as an upper-class adventurer with a sneer in his voice that his terrible experiences do nothing to remove.

[jonfaith · Évaluation : 4 sur 5 étoiles]

Regina Spektor was on NPR today speaking with Terry Gross. The NPR interviewer accomplished no favors. She asked woefully stupid questions about the Soviet Union and its relationship to WWII. this originated when Spektor noted that growing up in the USSR she always felt that the Great Patriotic War had happened recently, given its absorption into the collective consciousness. Emigrating to the Bronx, she was struck that such wasn't a universal condition. Such made me think of The Time Machine.

As with most archetypes of speculative fiction, the premise had been closeted in my brainpan before opening the book, yet, this one succeeded, especially as a treatise on species within or over time. I'm curious what Spengler thought of this?

[deltaqueen50 · Évaluation : 3 sur 5 étoiles]

I can’t say that I actually enjoyed The Time Machine by H. G. Wells but the fact that it was originally published in 1895 and is one of the first books to explore the theory of time travel gives this short novel a special place in history.

The story is of a Victorian scientist who creates a time machine and travels to the year AD 802701, where he discovers a childlike race of humanoids called the Eloi. They live in a decaying city which leads the scientist to believe these are the remnants of a great civilization. He then must change his theory when he meets the Morlocks, who are threatening ape-like creatures that live in the dark underground. The narrative reads much like a critique of the class system that was prevalent in Britain at that time bringing together Wells love of both science and politics.

The Time Machine paints a rather bleak future for mankind but it does have a very dated feel to it so I never took the story very seriously. The invented machine also had sounded quite dated and downright uncomfortable, having the traveller seated out in open exposed to the weather and other dangers. But before one writes off this story, one should remember the countless stories of time travel that have followed, and each story owes H. G. Wells a tip of the hat.