Product Description

The Shape of Things to Come is one of the great classics of science fiction. Spanning the years from 1929 to 2105, it describes future generations and predicts the advent of wars, advancing technology and sweeping cultural changes. Originally written in 1929, this masterly work of science fiction has already confirmed H G Wells' status as a remarkable soothsayer, and provides glimpses of what is perhaps yet to come. AUTHBIO: Known as the 'Father of Science Fiction', H G Wells was responsible for an entirely new genre of writing. It was his bold, daring and hugely innovative books that first introduced readers to the concepts of time travel, invisibility, genetic experimentation and interstellar invasion - ideas that have gone on to inspire future generations and given rise to the entire science fiction industry. Disturbingly accurate in his prophetic writing, H G Wells was also the author of a number of key sociological and historical works.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #356688 in Books
• Published on: 1993-10-07
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

About the Author
HG Wells was born in Bromley, Kent in 1866. After working as a draper's apprentice and pupil-teacher, he won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in 1884, studying under T H Huxley. He was awarded a first-class honours degree in biology and resumed teaching but had to retire after a kick from an ill-natured pupil afflicted his kidneys. He worked in poverty in London as a crammer while experimenting in journalism and stories. It was with The Time Machine (1895) that he had his real breakthrough.

Customer Reviews

Asks blindingly obvious questions which no one ever asks...
This is without doubt one of the major works of speculative fiction of the 20th century, and the fact that it is still so little known and so hard to get hold of is ample fuel for conspiracy theorists the world over - thank God, finally, there is a new edition! It presents itself as a history book written in the 22nd century, covering the previous 400 years; the rise and fall of capitalism and the establishment of a utopian world government. Whilst Wells' own communistic ideology shines through, it is nevertheless a reasoned, accessible attempt to discuss the geopolitical forces which shape our world and to debate the future of our species and our society. Wells is profoundly against the laissez-faire approach to social and political development, and argues for an intelligent, directed interventionism towards a more just and egalitarian future. It's possible to read this book as a counterargument to such dystopian classics as Zamyatin's "We", Huxley's "Brave New World", or Orwell's "1984", but at the same time it's hard to dismiss the suspicion that Wells' political and ideological enemies have happily buried this controversial and deeply thoughtful work whilst championing its "dark vision" contemporaries.

"The Shape of Things to Come" is profoundly anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, and anti-corporate feudalist. It effortlessly exposes and deconstructs the cynical manipulations which drive world politics; in the age of the oil wars and the artificial enemy, it's more relevant than ever.

I would put this book on any O-level or A-level curriculum. I'd challenge any thinking person with hope for the future of our society to read this book and disagree. You might not agree with Wells, but you can't deny that this is a topic we should all be talking about.

Wonderful Wells!
I really enjoyed The Shape of Things to Come and it should be read in conjunction with Wells' 1927 equally prophetic but lesser known, A Story of the Days to Come, set in London. If you enjoyed The Shape of Things to Come, you'll equally enjoy A Story of the Days to Come as while the theme is similar, the story is very different.

Hard work, but worth it
While everyone else I know was reading Harry Potter, The DaVinci Code or some other throw-away fairy tale, I was making my way through this classic piece of literature. It was hard work, and at times I thought about giving up, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

Don't read this for entertainment value, read it becuase it is a very interesting look at how people in the 1930's perceived the future. Wells is obsessed with gas and chemical warfare. To his 1930's mind, gas was the weapon of the future. And so over-awed was he with the introduction of air travel that he believed the entire future of the Earth would be shaped by aviators.

There is some fun to be had in his predictions (he, or rather Raven, predicted that a period of war would break out in Europe because a jewish fellow with something stuck in his teeth inadvertently pulled a face at a young nazi) and it is interesting to note now that he was way off the mark. Imagine you're a man or woman from the 1930's however, and you can understand how a book like this could have caused quite a stir.

To summarise, I would not say that I was happy reading this book, but I am happy that I have read it. It's very pro-communist and would probably anger a lot of people for that reason. The predictions are, for the most part, way off, but interesting. Read it, but just the once!