The Time Machine

- In this relatively short novella (little more than 30,000 words) Wells combines two prophecies, the first into the year 802701 in which society has become divided into two distinct groups, the Eloi and the Morlocks, the second is a journey to the end of all life on Earth as we know it. - These two prophecies are related, but they have distinct messages for the late nineteenth century reader, coming at the issues of progress and evolution from two contrasting angles. - The first offers one portrait of evolutionary decline, extrapolating the divisions within Victorian society between the Aristocracy, and the subterranean proletariat. Here, it could be argued, Wells's point is a social one: unless these divisions are bridged warfare between the two classes is inevitable. The final vision on the beach is, however, more cosmically pessimistic: in the longest possible term vision Man is but a fleeting moment in the pattern of evolutionary decline into chaos and entropy. - Clearly the two prophecies, taken together, express an alternative, pessimistic rather than idealistic, view to the orthodox Victorian belief in the inevitability of Progress and Perfectibility. - Horizon Publishing Group s Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract all categories of readership who are interested in good reading, classics, and science fiction. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each book. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterword. - This edition of The Time Machine includes an Introduction, Biographical Note, and Afterword by FP Hanna.