The First Men in the Moon
The Complete & Unabridged Original Classic
by H. G. Wells
This story, an early and influential tale of humans traveling through space, involves the theme of humanity coming into conflict with alien societies, in this case the encounter between human explorers and the native inhabitants of the moon. Wells had previously considered this theme, in the context of the invasion of the earth by hostile Martians, in The War of the Worlds. A common theme in the science fiction genre, these tales by Wells represent two of the earliest and most influential such stories. But unlike so many of the similar stories that have followed, Wells did not indulge assumptions of the innate superiority of humanity or man’s scientific achievements. Rather, Wells portrays humanity as engaged in a struggle with forces beyond its control, reflecting an underlying fear that scientific discovery and progress might not make man the unchallenged master of the universe after all. Continue reading “The First Men in the Moon [Large Print]”