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The Space Machine
From the back cover:
The story of the War of the worlds as it has never been told before.
Mars was invading the earth!
Giant, long-legged machines, operated by gruesome, octopus-like creatures, were moving over the globe, leveling all opposition, laying waste to cities and countryside, on the verge of horrifying triumph.
This was the War of the Worlds as we know it.
Now at last we can learn the story we do not know -- the incredibly enthralling, almost unbearably suspenseful story of a man and a woman from Victorian England who traveled through time and space to a startling and momentous rendezvous with the desitny in ----
The Space Machine
The story of the War of the worlds as it has never been told before.
Mars was invading the earth!
Giant, long-legged machines, operated by gruesome, octopus-like creatures, were moving over the globe, leveling all opposition, laying waste to cities and countryside, on the verge of horrifying triumph.
This was the War of the Worlds as we know it.
Now at last we can learn the story we do not know -- the incredibly enthralling, almost unbearably suspenseful story of a man and a woman from Victorian England who traveled through time and space to a startling and momentous rendezvous with the desitny in ----
The Space Machine
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Christopher Priest
416 books993 followersChristopher Priest was born in Cheshire, England. He began writing soon after leaving school and has been a full-time freelance writer since 1968.
He has published eleven novels, four short story collections and a number of other books, including critical works, biographies, novelizations and children’s non-fiction.
He has written drama for radio (BBC Radio 4) and television (Thames TV and HTV). In 2006, The Prestige was made into a major production by Newmarket Films. Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Prestige went straight to No.1 US box office. It received two Academy Award nominations. Other novels, including Fugue For a Darkening Island and The Glamour, are currently in preparation for filming.
He is Vice-President of the H. G. Wells Society. In 2007, an exhibition of installation art based on his novel The Affirmation was mounted in London.
As a journalist he has written features and reviews for The Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the New Statesman, the Scotsman, and many different magazines.
He has published eleven novels, four short story collections and a number of other books, including critical works, biographies, novelizations and children’s non-fiction.
He has written drama for radio (BBC Radio 4) and television (Thames TV and HTV). In 2006, The Prestige was made into a major production by Newmarket Films. Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Prestige went straight to No.1 US box office. It received two Academy Award nominations. Other novels, including Fugue For a Darkening Island and The Glamour, are currently in preparation for filming.
He is Vice-President of the H. G. Wells Society. In 2007, an exhibition of installation art based on his novel The Affirmation was mounted in London.
As a journalist he has written features and reviews for The Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the New Statesman, the Scotsman, and many different magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
February 25, 2020
It's war! For starters, martians vs. martians, then there is more, much more. A highly entertaining adventure story; a superbly imaginative tale of science fiction; a creative reworking of two classics: The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. This Christopher Priest novel is simply too good to be true, a fanciful cross between Anthony Trollope and H.C. Wells, a must read for any lover of Victorian literature or science fiction, a work featuring the following two main characters along with several highlights of their astonishing saga:
Amelia Fitzgibbon: This photo of actress Keira Knightley captures the spirit of the novel's beautiful, brilliant heroine who is assistant to genius science inventor Sir William Reynolds. Shortly after the inventor leaves for London, Amelia persuades her new acquaintance, a proper young Victorian gentleman, to accompany her on a test run of Sir William's most astounding invention - a time machine.
Edward Turnbull: Little does young Edward know what adventures lie ahead and how he will repeatedly be thrust into the role of an Indiana Jones-style hero. But through it all, Edward is forever the Victorian gentleman. And, yes, this novel is also a romance: Edward and Amelia fall completely and totally in love with each other.
The Space-Time Machine: Once aboard Sir William's miraculous machine and moving through future time, catastrophe hits: Edward detects Amelia is in danger. Edward instinctively kicks out, hitting a lever propelling the machine not only through time but also through space. Oh, my! - zoom-zoom-zoom and the machine finally comes to an abrupt halt. "Where do you think we are, Edward?" To which our Victorian gentleman replies something to the effect: "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
Mars: One of the more charming parts of the novel is when Edward and Amelia stroll arm in arm across the strange, cold, desolate landscape. Judging from the thin air and barrenness, Amelia reasons they are on a Tibetan plateau. They explore further and discover even more strangeness. The author's descriptions are vivid and precise, making the couple's every step and encounter a believable event.
Martians: Amelia and Edward come upon human-like martians, tall with reddish skin, scant clothing, indecipherable language and strange gestures. But then they discover another race that isn't nearly as pleasant to be around.
War of the Worlds: There is good reason why the below illustration for the H.G. Wells classic is also most appropriate for this action-packed Christopher Priest story. You will have to read for yourself to find out exactly how and why this is the case. One of the most exciting adventure stories I've ever read. Also, there is a first-rate audio book available narrated by Barnaby Edwards.
Looks like Christopher Priest is witnessing martians launching an attack against Earth complements of live footage via his iphone!
November 7, 2021
“Intelligence is no match for Nature.”
The English author Christopher Priest writes astonishingly original novels. Unusually, he is equally respected both in literary circles and in those of contemporary Science Fiction and Fantasy, and has won a substantial number of awards. His novels, twenty so far, are challenging and complex. They include “Inverted World”, “The Affirmation”, “The Glamour”, and “The Separation” … perhaps “The Prestige” is the most famous, since it was made into a film. The other one with potentially huge popular appeal is this one: The Space Machine: A Scientific Romance, an early novel written in 1976.
I began reading it with absolutely no idea of the plot—except that I strongly suspected it would be Sci Fi, and I do like Christopher Priest’s writing. It is likely that you will already have read the blurb, so will have a far clearer idea of what to expect. You may also know that Christopher Priest’s work is heavily influenced by H.G. Wells’s science fiction. In fact he has been Vice-President of the international H.G. Wells Society for just over 15 years.
So when I began listening to the complete audio book of The Space Machine, I was a little surprised to find myself in a Victorian boarding house, surrounded by characters who exhibited typical Victorian behaviour. The narrator is a very ordinary, slightly stuffy and dignified young man called Edward Turnbull. He is a travelling salesman in leather goods, but also has a keen interest in science and technology. He would actually like to be involved with its development, although he spends most of his time in boring conversation with others in his field. However, Edward Turnbull has a secret he wishes to keep under his hat (this pun was not intended). He has designed what he calls a “Visibility Protection Mask”—which we recognise with delight as motoring goggles—and which Edward hopes to promote to those who are taking up the latest craze of automobiles.
Since we are in England, this sets the novel nicely in 1893, and fans of H.G. Wells may well prick up their ears at this. To Edward’s surprise, he learns that there is a lady commercial traveller staying at his commercial hotel in Skipton. This is almost unheard of for the time, and indeed rather scandalous. The other reps staying in the boarding house have designs on Miss Amelia Fitzgibbon, which are not altogether honourable. Our hero Edward, though, is an upright fellow with no ulterior motives—except when he learns that she works for her uncle, Sir William Reynolds, an eccentric and wealthy inventor. What’s more, Sir William is a motoring enthusiast.
However, Amelia Fitzgibbon is closely guarded and chaperoned by the hotel’s lady proprietor, and never to be seen on her own. Edward is eager for an introduction, as this might lead to Sir William’s patronage.
By now the tone of the book is well established. It is an amusing pastiche of Victorian mores, with a very proper but introverted and not very bright young man (Edward) and a much more enterprising and confident young woman (the fair Amelia). What follows is an amusing section which borders on farce. Edward contrives a meeting which leads to him being closeted with Miss Fitzgibbon in her bedroom. These are perilous waters, not because Edward has any base intentions—he has far too much respect for any young lady to try anything untoward—but because of the ever-watchful proprietor. In fact Amelia is far more free and easy, and seems to regard it all as a bit of a lark, and Edward’s embarrassment as rather amusing.
Readers of H.G. Wells will by now have an idea of where we might be going with this rather lengthy, but hilarious, opening section. Christopher Priest has cleverly combined aspects of both novels, expanding some of the ideas such as closely examining the Martian civilisation, and incorporating them into his own new creation. This central section on Mars is very slow-burning; we do not recognise the elements at first.
The gentle humour continues, as these all too believable protagonists are not only at odds with each other, but ill equipped to deal with the situations they have found themselves in. The minutiae they are accustomed to in daily Victorian life is vast worlds away. Nevertheless, they try to survive as best they can,
This is a very enjoyable book, with a mischievous sense of humour I have not come across before in Christopher Priest’s work. I am tempted to give it five stars, but a more objective rating for a general reader is perhaps 4. H.G. Wells always tried to be scrupulously accurate with the known science of his time, but Christopher Priest tends to gloss over this. If you dislike steampunk, and prefer hard contemporary science fiction, rather than pseudo-science set in the Victorian era, this may not be for you. The denouement is extremely speculative, and you do also have to be familiar with (and enjoy) some of H.G. Wells’s stories to get the most out of it. Christopher Priest has clearly written this as a tribute to his literary hero, paying homage to the father of British Science Fiction, interweaving aspects from two of the master’s most popular novels into his own new and exciting adventure story.
A large part of the novel is an ingenious pastiche which sometimes made me laugh out loud. He has also captured the “voice” of H.G. Wells particularly well, accurately echoing his style of writing and keeping an authentic period writing style and cultural perspective. At no time did I feel this to be a parody; The Space Machine is consistent with those works he references, and equally captures the wonder of such a dramatic voyage. Christopher Priest does not touch on any of H.G. Wells’ social or political writings, although the wistful humour of his classic novels such as “Kipps” or “The History of Mr Polly” is there in the character of Edward Turnbull. Amelia Fitzgibbon is just the kind of emancipated end of the 19th century young woman H.G. Wells would have admired in real life, and aspects of class, authority and power, plus prescient environmental warnings are all there. At its core it reminds me of Stephen Baxter’s excellent “The Time Ships”, but it is a lot more fun! We even have a brief sojourn into metafiction , which means that this novel cannot be regarded as a straight sequel.
It’s no good, I simply can’t not give this one 5 stars, for pure reading pleasure. If you enjoy the Science Fiction stories of H.G. Wells as much as I do, please don’t miss this one. Here are some critical reviews:
“This is an astonishing change of pace for Mr. Priest, and one which extends his powers in ways which reveal him as one of the best and most persuasive young British writers.”—The Times
“First rate … science fiction at its best!”—Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
“A novel that is unusual for its kind, a science fiction story with recognizable characters and a sense of style, atmosphere and humour. Imaginative and full of amusing curiosities.”— Sunday Express
The English author Christopher Priest writes astonishingly original novels. Unusually, he is equally respected both in literary circles and in those of contemporary Science Fiction and Fantasy, and has won a substantial number of awards. His novels, twenty so far, are challenging and complex. They include “Inverted World”, “The Affirmation”, “The Glamour”, and “The Separation” … perhaps “The Prestige” is the most famous, since it was made into a film. The other one with potentially huge popular appeal is this one: The Space Machine: A Scientific Romance, an early novel written in 1976.
I began reading it with absolutely no idea of the plot—except that I strongly suspected it would be Sci Fi, and I do like Christopher Priest’s writing. It is likely that you will already have read the blurb, so will have a far clearer idea of what to expect. You may also know that Christopher Priest’s work is heavily influenced by H.G. Wells’s science fiction. In fact he has been Vice-President of the international H.G. Wells Society for just over 15 years.
So when I began listening to the complete audio book of The Space Machine, I was a little surprised to find myself in a Victorian boarding house, surrounded by characters who exhibited typical Victorian behaviour. The narrator is a very ordinary, slightly stuffy and dignified young man called Edward Turnbull. He is a travelling salesman in leather goods, but also has a keen interest in science and technology. He would actually like to be involved with its development, although he spends most of his time in boring conversation with others in his field. However, Edward Turnbull has a secret he wishes to keep under his hat (this pun was not intended). He has designed what he calls a “Visibility Protection Mask”—which we recognise with delight as motoring goggles—and which Edward hopes to promote to those who are taking up the latest craze of automobiles.
Since we are in England, this sets the novel nicely in 1893, and fans of H.G. Wells may well prick up their ears at this. To Edward’s surprise, he learns that there is a lady commercial traveller staying at his commercial hotel in Skipton. This is almost unheard of for the time, and indeed rather scandalous. The other reps staying in the boarding house have designs on Miss Amelia Fitzgibbon, which are not altogether honourable. Our hero Edward, though, is an upright fellow with no ulterior motives—except when he learns that she works for her uncle, Sir William Reynolds, an eccentric and wealthy inventor. What’s more, Sir William is a motoring enthusiast.
However, Amelia Fitzgibbon is closely guarded and chaperoned by the hotel’s lady proprietor, and never to be seen on her own. Edward is eager for an introduction, as this might lead to Sir William’s patronage.
By now the tone of the book is well established. It is an amusing pastiche of Victorian mores, with a very proper but introverted and not very bright young man (Edward) and a much more enterprising and confident young woman (the fair Amelia). What follows is an amusing section which borders on farce. Edward contrives a meeting which leads to him being closeted with Miss Fitzgibbon in her bedroom. These are perilous waters, not because Edward has any base intentions—he has far too much respect for any young lady to try anything untoward—but because of the ever-watchful proprietor. In fact Amelia is far more free and easy, and seems to regard it all as a bit of a lark, and Edward’s embarrassment as rather amusing.
Readers of H.G. Wells will by now have an idea of where we might be going with this rather lengthy, but hilarious, opening section. Christopher Priest has cleverly combined aspects of both novels, expanding some of the ideas such as closely examining the Martian civilisation, and incorporating them into his own new creation. This central section on Mars is very slow-burning; we do not recognise the elements at first.
The gentle humour continues, as these all too believable protagonists are not only at odds with each other, but ill equipped to deal with the situations they have found themselves in. The minutiae they are accustomed to in daily Victorian life is vast worlds away. Nevertheless, they try to survive as best they can,
This is a very enjoyable book, with a mischievous sense of humour I have not come across before in Christopher Priest’s work. I am tempted to give it five stars, but a more objective rating for a general reader is perhaps 4. H.G. Wells always tried to be scrupulously accurate with the known science of his time, but Christopher Priest tends to gloss over this. If you dislike steampunk, and prefer hard contemporary science fiction, rather than pseudo-science set in the Victorian era, this may not be for you. The denouement is extremely speculative, and you do also have to be familiar with (and enjoy) some of H.G. Wells’s stories to get the most out of it. Christopher Priest has clearly written this as a tribute to his literary hero, paying homage to the father of British Science Fiction, interweaving aspects from two of the master’s most popular novels into his own new and exciting adventure story.
A large part of the novel is an ingenious pastiche which sometimes made me laugh out loud. He has also captured the “voice” of H.G. Wells particularly well, accurately echoing his style of writing and keeping an authentic period writing style and cultural perspective. At no time did I feel this to be a parody; The Space Machine is consistent with those works he references, and equally captures the wonder of such a dramatic voyage. Christopher Priest does not touch on any of H.G. Wells’ social or political writings, although the wistful humour of his classic novels such as “Kipps” or “The History of Mr Polly” is there in the character of Edward Turnbull. Amelia Fitzgibbon is just the kind of emancipated end of the 19th century young woman H.G. Wells would have admired in real life, and aspects of class, authority and power, plus prescient environmental warnings are all there. At its core it reminds me of Stephen Baxter’s excellent “The Time Ships”, but it is a lot more fun! We even have a brief sojourn into metafiction , which means that this novel cannot be regarded as a straight sequel.
It’s no good, I simply can’t not give this one 5 stars, for pure reading pleasure. If you enjoy the Science Fiction stories of H.G. Wells as much as I do, please don’t miss this one. Here are some critical reviews:
“This is an astonishing change of pace for Mr. Priest, and one which extends his powers in ways which reveal him as one of the best and most persuasive young British writers.”—The Times
“First rate … science fiction at its best!”—Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
“A novel that is unusual for its kind, a science fiction story with recognizable characters and a sense of style, atmosphere and humour. Imaginative and full of amusing curiosities.”— Sunday Express
September 28, 2023
Поредно упражнение върху сюжета на великия роман на Х. Дж. Уелс.
Кристофър Прийст е по-принцип интересен автор, но тук не му се е получило. Попровлачено, скучно на моменти и излишно клиширано, в опита да се пресъздадат викторианските нрави и норми на поведение.
Една от малкото книги от библиотека "Галактика", които не съм прочел навремето. И най вероятно, тогава нямаше и да я дочета.
Линк към трилогията на Феликс Палма, която много ми допадна:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/6649...
Кристофър Прийст е по-принцип интересен автор, но тук не му се е получило. Попровлачено, скучно на моменти и излишно клиширано, в опита да се пресъздадат викторианските нрави и норми на поведение.
Една от малкото книги от библиотека "Галактика", които не съм прочел навремето. И най вероятно, тогава нямаше и да я дочета.
Линк към трилогията на Феликс Палма, която много ми допадна:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/6649...
August 29, 2023
The Space Machine (January 1976) is a tribute to the genius of H.G. Wells, particularly his novels The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds, and includes a cameo appearance by Wells towards the end of the novel. Starting off slowly in Victorian England, it begins with a meeting between the two principal characters, Edward Turnbull and Amelia Fitzgibbon. Indeed, their clandestine meetings in a lodge seem to take forever and lead nowhere, but offer a flavor of the Victorian age. It offers a subtle glimpse of their burgeoning romance.
It all changes when they meet at Sir William Reynold’s laboratory, where waits a machine that does Well’s Time Machine one better. It is, in effect, a TARDIS for fans of Dr. Who as it travels in both time and space. Of course, Amelia would like nothing better than to demonstrate how it works and, of course, on a second try, something goes wrong and the machine whisks them across time and space rather far and, in fact, to Mars. There, the machine automatically returns to where it came from, leaving the two stranded on a strange planet much like John Carter when he first landed on Barsoom.
Not knowing how to get home, if ever that would be possible, the two make the best of it, eating strange plants and trying to fit in with strange people who are sort of like them, but depressed and beaten down. It appears to be a gray downcast communal society until Edward and Amelia realize that all these people are slaves to the overlords, who do battle in giant tripod machines (think Wells’ War of the Worlds). It is a society closer to Burroughs’ Pellucidar than anything John Carter ever found on Barsoom, particularly as the monster-creatures who are the overlords dine on human blood similar to the Mahars dining on human flesh. Eventually, of course, the creature monsters in the tripods come to conquer Earth just like in War of the Worlds.
Despite the fact that the Space Machine is, to some degree, derivative of two of Wells’ science fiction novels, it is such tremendous fun to read and just so hard to put down.
It all changes when they meet at Sir William Reynold’s laboratory, where waits a machine that does Well’s Time Machine one better. It is, in effect, a TARDIS for fans of Dr. Who as it travels in both time and space. Of course, Amelia would like nothing better than to demonstrate how it works and, of course, on a second try, something goes wrong and the machine whisks them across time and space rather far and, in fact, to Mars. There, the machine automatically returns to where it came from, leaving the two stranded on a strange planet much like John Carter when he first landed on Barsoom.
Not knowing how to get home, if ever that would be possible, the two make the best of it, eating strange plants and trying to fit in with strange people who are sort of like them, but depressed and beaten down. It appears to be a gray downcast communal society until Edward and Amelia realize that all these people are slaves to the overlords, who do battle in giant tripod machines (think Wells’ War of the Worlds). It is a society closer to Burroughs’ Pellucidar than anything John Carter ever found on Barsoom, particularly as the monster-creatures who are the overlords dine on human blood similar to the Mahars dining on human flesh. Eventually, of course, the creature monsters in the tripods come to conquer Earth just like in War of the Worlds.
Despite the fact that the Space Machine is, to some degree, derivative of two of Wells’ science fiction novels, it is such tremendous fun to read and just so hard to put down.
August 13, 2014
I picked up this book a couple of months ago ..after hearing about this Scientific Romance written by Christopher Priest, written as a homage to H.G Wells. And by God, this book lived up to my expectations!
An elegant pastiche of The Time Machine and The War Of The Worlds, written in a Victorian hand reminiscent of Wells, the Space Machine starts off as a seemingly innocent Victorian-era romance then, through a quirk of fate, the two main protagonists are accidentally shot off to Mars and encounter the Martian monsters before their invasion of Earth.
This may sound like heresy but I believe that Christopher Priest has surpassed Wells on a number of levels, most notably in describing the alien surroundings of the two main characters Edward Turnbull and Amelia Fitzgibbon with vivid descriptions of the Mars landscape and fascinating descriptions of the humans that inhabit Mars and the monsters that these humans have genetically created. Parts of the book reverberate with a sinister edginess, most notably in the heartbreaking descriptions of the "killing cubicles" that the Martian monsters use to drain human victims of their blood for the monsters cannibalistic sustenance. And who could possibly forget the images of the Thames Valley being clogged with the monstrous red weeds that the monsters bring with them and sow during their invasion of Earth ???
Countless twists also abound in the book. Most surprising (and most definitely enjoyable) is the inclusion of H.G Wells himself (known in the book as Mr Wells) as a third protagonist towards the book's ending.
Christopher Priest uses the inclusion of "Mr Wells" to great effect, parts of Mr Well's observations read like subtle versions of the fascist mouthings of the Artilleryman of The War Of The Worlds and a comical gem .... the part where Mr Wells implies he disbelieves Edward's and Amelia's story of having been on Mars and plans to turn their story into a book. I just about fell out of my chair laughing fit to bust at this point.
All readers of intelligent sci-fi should acquaint themselves with this wonderful book at least once in their lives. Both a homage to, and reassessment, of early genre forms, The Space Machine is for the intelligent reader of sci-fi who appreciates the style and structure of Scientific Romance and is a book to be cherished. Possibly the greatest Scientific Romance ever written.
An elegant pastiche of The Time Machine and The War Of The Worlds, written in a Victorian hand reminiscent of Wells, the Space Machine starts off as a seemingly innocent Victorian-era romance then, through a quirk of fate, the two main protagonists are accidentally shot off to Mars and encounter the Martian monsters before their invasion of Earth.
This may sound like heresy but I believe that Christopher Priest has surpassed Wells on a number of levels, most notably in describing the alien surroundings of the two main characters Edward Turnbull and Amelia Fitzgibbon with vivid descriptions of the Mars landscape and fascinating descriptions of the humans that inhabit Mars and the monsters that these humans have genetically created. Parts of the book reverberate with a sinister edginess, most notably in the heartbreaking descriptions of the "killing cubicles" that the Martian monsters use to drain human victims of their blood for the monsters cannibalistic sustenance. And who could possibly forget the images of the Thames Valley being clogged with the monstrous red weeds that the monsters bring with them and sow during their invasion of Earth ???
Countless twists also abound in the book. Most surprising (and most definitely enjoyable) is the inclusion of H.G Wells himself (known in the book as Mr Wells) as a third protagonist towards the book's ending.
Christopher Priest uses the inclusion of "Mr Wells" to great effect, parts of Mr Well's observations read like subtle versions of the fascist mouthings of the Artilleryman of The War Of The Worlds and a comical gem .... the part where Mr Wells implies he disbelieves Edward's and Amelia's story of having been on Mars and plans to turn their story into a book. I just about fell out of my chair laughing fit to bust at this point.
All readers of intelligent sci-fi should acquaint themselves with this wonderful book at least once in their lives. Both a homage to, and reassessment, of early genre forms, The Space Machine is for the intelligent reader of sci-fi who appreciates the style and structure of Scientific Romance and is a book to be cherished. Possibly the greatest Scientific Romance ever written.
November 22, 2021
Basically reads like well-written fanfiction. I say this merely in a descriptive sense, with no disparaging intent at all, because this is literally what it is: a reimagining of the behind-the-scenes of The Time Machine and the The War of the Worlds, and H. G. Wells even appears as a character. I found it completely and utterly uninteresting, however, and the book displays none of the usual Priestian vertigo that is typical of his novels. It left me wondering what the whole point was.
August 2, 2010
I read this in the omnibus edition (with the wonderful A Dream of Wessex) that was done by the short-lived imprint Earthlight, 'way back when.
As will be evident to all, I'm a great fan of Priest's work. I read this novel many years ago and, while I enjoyed it on its own terms, felt it to be the weakest of his books. Rereading it recently confirmed both of these senses to me: the fact that his writing has gone from strength to strength in later novels makes The Space Machine seem even flimsier, yet I enjoyed the romp even more this time around. That said, I was more irritated this time by the constant stream, most especially in the earlier chapters, of arch knowingness on sexual matters and narrator Edward Turnbull's astonishing innocence of them; that aside, though, this was lots of fun.
Essentially this is a sequel to Wells's The Time Machine and a complement to the same author's The War of the Worlds. Edward, a travelling salesman and part-time inventor, encounters Amelia Fitzgibbon, the beautiful young ward of and assistant to famous inventor Sir William Reynolds, who proves to be the character known only as the Time Traveller in Wells's book. With a few drinks inside them and Sir William away on business, the young pair drunkenly experiment in his Richmond laboratory with the time machine, which -- as Amelia tells us -- is also a space machine, in that it moves in all four dimensions and not just the temporal one. When they manage to stop the device, they find themselves on Mars, with no immediate hope of return. There they discover a society ruled by the ruthless, soulless, near-immobile monsters of The War of the Worlds, who are creatures bred into existence from themselves centuries ago by the Martians, who are normally humanoid; the reason for developing these "thinking machines" was to tackle the problem of Mars's rapidly depleting resources, a problem the monsters have decided to solve by taking over the earth. Beneath the monsters in Martian society are the techs and slavemasters, and beneath those are countless slaves, who serve also as food animals for the monsters, who must feed regularly on human blood. After many adventures, Edward and Amelia find themselves in the cockpit of the first of the mighty projectiles fired at earth as the monsters mount their invasion. Landing near Richmond, they encounter H.G. Wells, who informs them that Sir William departed years ago aboard the time machine (whose automatic Snap Home feature returned it from Mars to the inventor's laboratory, without him being aware it had ever been gone) and has never been heard of since. The trio, in Sir William's home, build a second, more primitive version of the time machine, employing its space-machine capabilities to mount a resistance against the Martian conquerors . . .
While I was reading it occurred to me that, with The Space Machine, Priest must have more or less invented the recursive Steampunk novel. The only other one I can offhand think of that's of similar vintage is Tim Powers's The Anubis Gates, but that was published quite a few years later, in 1983. Hm. Checking in the Clute/Nicholls Encyclopedia of Science Fiction I find it mentions also Michael Moorcock's The Warlord of the Air which, published in 1971, predates The Space Machine. As with Colin Greenland -- another extremely literary writer -- being the one to trigger the great Space Opera Revival with his Take Back Plenty (and I can remember disbelieving him, a couple of years before that, when he told me he thought Space Opera was due for a comeback), it seems an unexpected matchup. All power to Priest's elbow that it should be so.
July 26, 2016
-Revisión de clásicos, uniendo sus conceptos y desarrollando alguna de sus ideas.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. A comienzos de la última década del siglo XIX en Inglaterra, Edward Turnbull es un viajante que está teniendo poca suerte con las ventas de los productos que representa. Cuando se hospeda en el mismo lugar que Amelia Fitzgibbon, secretaria del conocido inventor Sir William Reynolds, Edward ve una oportunidad para llegar hasta el científico y ofrecerle material que puede ser de su interés, lo que además de ser una venta daría más prestigio a sus productos a través de tan famoso usuario. Cuando le conoce en su mansión, a la vez hogar y laboratorio, uno de sus inventos hará que Amelia y Edward vivan una increíble aventura.
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Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. A comienzos de la última década del siglo XIX en Inglaterra, Edward Turnbull es un viajante que está teniendo poca suerte con las ventas de los productos que representa. Cuando se hospeda en el mismo lugar que Amelia Fitzgibbon, secretaria del conocido inventor Sir William Reynolds, Edward ve una oportunidad para llegar hasta el científico y ofrecerle material que puede ser de su interés, lo que además de ser una venta daría más prestigio a sus productos a través de tan famoso usuario. Cuando le conoce en su mansión, a la vez hogar y laboratorio, uno de sus inventos hará que Amelia y Edward vivan una increíble aventura.
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January 27, 2015
Priest realiza en esta novela una especie de refrito con cierto sabor steampunk entre La máquina del tiempo y La guerra de los mundos, una magistral combinación de historias tan conocidas como elogiadas que, lejos de convertirse en el pretencioso desastre que cabría esperar, consigue explotar lo mejor de ambos relatos sin perder ni un ápice de su manifiesta originalidad. Además de su delicioso estilo, la increíble cantidad de vueltas que da la trama y la imprevisibilidad de la misma a pesar de que conocemos su desenlace de antemano, la obra de Christopher Priest destaca por la intensidad que se desprende en cada una de sus páginas, la espectacularidad visual de ciertas escenas bélicas o la increíble caracterización de sus personajes principales.
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March 16, 2023
25th book for
I was looking forward to reading Christopher Priest's "The Space Machine," a novel that combines elements of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" and "The War of the Worlds," but unfortunately the execution fell short of its potential. Despite capturing the 19th-century writing style of the original works, the book is marred by weak character development and sluggish pacing.
If you're looking for a more engaging novel that pays homage to H.G. Wells, I highly recommend Stephen Baxter's The Time Ships. Baxter's work offers a much more satisfying exploration of the themes and concepts introduced by Wells, and breathes new life into this micro-genre of professional Wellsian fan-fiction.
2-stars
I was looking forward to reading Christopher Priest's "The Space Machine," a novel that combines elements of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" and "The War of the Worlds," but unfortunately the execution fell short of its potential. Despite capturing the 19th-century writing style of the original works, the book is marred by weak character development and sluggish pacing.
If you're looking for a more engaging novel that pays homage to H.G. Wells, I highly recommend Stephen Baxter's The Time Ships. Baxter's work offers a much more satisfying exploration of the themes and concepts introduced by Wells, and breathes new life into this micro-genre of professional Wellsian fan-fiction.
2-stars
July 28, 2011
I'm a massive Christopher Priest fan, and also loved the two HG Wells books in whose universe this story is set, so I had pretty high expectations of The Space Machine.
It didn't disappoint. The story is original enough and runs brilliantly parallel to the events of Wells's classics, as well as providing a humorous retrospective on social attitudes of the time.
I don't want to say much more or I'll spoil it. Suffice to say, it fits perfectly - and where it doesn't, Priest has a good explanation.
Not his best, but definitely a top read.
It didn't disappoint. The story is original enough and runs brilliantly parallel to the events of Wells's classics, as well as providing a humorous retrospective on social attitudes of the time.
I don't want to say much more or I'll spoil it. Suffice to say, it fits perfectly - and where it doesn't, Priest has a good explanation.
Not his best, but definitely a top read.
July 29, 2015
I was given this book as a present,and I found that I did like it after all. It was written by a much respected author, but it is a kind of retro homage science fiction tale. Possibly more a vintage sci-fi style than I may usually read, but it was enjoyable.
I do read a wide range of books, and I found that this book started slow and was slightly literary or period drama. This did not grab me but I continued on reading as I hoped to encounter some kind of entertaining SF story.
Eventually, it did offer good characters, interesting plot and much to keep my attention righ to the last pages.
If you like some of the science fiction classic authors such as Wells and Verne or alternate history stories, this may be a suitable and good book for you.
I do read a wide range of books, and I found that this book started slow and was slightly literary or period drama. This did not grab me but I continued on reading as I hoped to encounter some kind of entertaining SF story.
Eventually, it did offer good characters, interesting plot and much to keep my attention righ to the last pages.
If you like some of the science fiction classic authors such as Wells and Verne or alternate history stories, this may be a suitable and good book for you.
October 26, 2018
Първите сто страници са класика.
Свенлив джентълмен попада в игра на съдбата, която му предоставя възможност да се докосне до изпреварила времето си мацка и пътуваща във времето машина.
И когато всичко звучи страхотно, двамата се озовават на Марс.
Не, че романът е лош, просто се надявах на нещо по-различно.
Четим, приключенски и закачливо-мъдър - честно да си кажа, няма да допрочета.
Свенлив джентълмен попада в игра на съдбата, която му предоставя възможност да се докосне до изпреварила времето си мацка и пътуваща във времето машина.
И когато всичко звучи страхотно, двамата се озовават на Марс.
Не, че романът е лош, просто се надявах на нещо по-различно.
Четим, приключенски и закачливо-мъдър - честно да си кажа, няма да допрочета.
December 10, 2013
Some people may tell you that this is an exciting adventure which brilliantly connects H.G. Wells' The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. Don't believe a word of it! This is actually a devastating study of the effects of a repressively puritanical society on the psyches of its young men and women.
Our protagonist, Trumbull, begins the story as a young man making his way through Victorian gentility. His body is subject to the normal desires of any twenty-three year old man, but Trumbull would never for a moment admit to feeling any such urges, even to himself. Thus when he wishes to meet with the travelling Amelia Fitzgibbon, even though for totally professional reasons, he is forced to use stealth, subterfuge and extreme patience - and his efforts still result in him being ejected from his hotel! Fortunately their paths cross again, and the first buds of romance begin to bloom in our hero's heart. In one touching scene when some of Amelia's hair is accidentally blown into his mouth, he savours the sensation with such a passion it is made obvious that this is the most intimate moment he has had with anyone in his life.
After our young couple are wrenched from the rules of the society they know, the conditioning of their impulses remains in place for a long time, while events force them to take familiarities with each other they normally would not dream of. Their rigid behaviour and their rigid Victorian dress are both eventually lost and they are both finally free to express their love for one another. When Amelia is forced to once again adopt the neat, covered appearance of the Victorian lady, Trumbull literally weeps.
But are they tears of joy for a return to normality, or of loss of the freedoms he had grown accustomed to?
Our protagonist, Trumbull, begins the story as a young man making his way through Victorian gentility. His body is subject to the normal desires of any twenty-three year old man, but Trumbull would never for a moment admit to feeling any such urges, even to himself. Thus when he wishes to meet with the travelling Amelia Fitzgibbon, even though for totally professional reasons, he is forced to use stealth, subterfuge and extreme patience - and his efforts still result in him being ejected from his hotel! Fortunately their paths cross again, and the first buds of romance begin to bloom in our hero's heart. In one touching scene when some of Amelia's hair is accidentally blown into his mouth, he savours the sensation with such a passion it is made obvious that this is the most intimate moment he has had with anyone in his life.
After our young couple are wrenched from the rules of the society they know, the conditioning of their impulses remains in place for a long time, while events force them to take familiarities with each other they normally would not dream of. Their rigid behaviour and their rigid Victorian dress are both eventually lost and they are both finally free to express their love for one another. When Amelia is forced to once again adopt the neat, covered appearance of the Victorian lady, Trumbull literally weeps.
But are they tears of joy for a return to normality, or of loss of the freedoms he had grown accustomed to?
September 13, 2013
En ‘La máquina espacial’, Christopher Priest realiza todo un homenaje a la ciencia ficción de los precursores del género, esa literatura de finales del siglo XIX y principios del XX con sabor a romance científico cuyos mayores exponentes fueron H.G. Wells y Julio Verne.
Lo que nos propone Priest es un pastiche en toda regla, centrándose en dos obras de Wells, ‘La máquina del tiempo’ y ‘La guerra de los mundos’. La historia comienza en 1893, en Inglaterra, y el narrador es Edward Turnbull, un viajante de comercio. En el mismo hotel en el que se hospeda se encuentra con Amelia Fitzgibbon, amanuense de Sir William Reynolds, el famoso inventor, y Edward ve la oportunidad de ofrecerle unos productos con un gran potencial. A raíz de este encuentro, Edward y Amelia vivirán una aventura extraordinaria. Me niego a contar nada más sobre el argumento. Tanto en la contraportada como en el prólogo ya se encargan de destripar sucesos que tienen lugar pasada la página 150. El prólogo de Javier Negrete es estupendo, por otra parte, y debería leerse tras la lectura de la novela y no antes.
Priest realiza un buen trabajo de ambientación, y recrea perfectamente los escenarios de las novelas de Wells. La narración es absolutamente lineal, y se aleja de lo es habitual en Priest. En la parte final del libro hay un giro argumental con la aparición de cierto personaje que, francamente, no me ha gustado nada y encuentro innecesario. Para pastiches del tipo que podemos encontrar en ‘La máquina espacial’, Félix J. Palma está un paso por encima, tanto en argumento como en calidad.
No es la mejor novela de Priest, pero resulta una buena historia de aventuras con gusto clásico. Priest no tiene ninguna novela mala (al menos de lo que he podido leer hasta la fecha), y eso es mucho decir.
Lo que nos propone Priest es un pastiche en toda regla, centrándose en dos obras de Wells, ‘La máquina del tiempo’ y ‘La guerra de los mundos’. La historia comienza en 1893, en Inglaterra, y el narrador es Edward Turnbull, un viajante de comercio. En el mismo hotel en el que se hospeda se encuentra con Amelia Fitzgibbon, amanuense de Sir William Reynolds, el famoso inventor, y Edward ve la oportunidad de ofrecerle unos productos con un gran potencial. A raíz de este encuentro, Edward y Amelia vivirán una aventura extraordinaria. Me niego a contar nada más sobre el argumento. Tanto en la contraportada como en el prólogo ya se encargan de destripar sucesos que tienen lugar pasada la página 150. El prólogo de Javier Negrete es estupendo, por otra parte, y debería leerse tras la lectura de la novela y no antes.
Priest realiza un buen trabajo de ambientación, y recrea perfectamente los escenarios de las novelas de Wells. La narración es absolutamente lineal, y se aleja de lo es habitual en Priest. En la parte final del libro hay un giro argumental con la aparición de cierto personaje que, francamente, no me ha gustado nada y encuentro innecesario. Para pastiches del tipo que podemos encontrar en ‘La máquina espacial’, Félix J. Palma está un paso por encima, tanto en argumento como en calidad.
No es la mejor novela de Priest, pero resulta una buena historia de aventuras con gusto clásico. Priest no tiene ninguna novela mala (al menos de lo que he podido leer hasta la fecha), y eso es mucho decir.
July 9, 2017
Lectura perfecta para los fans de H.G. Wells, al que este libro rinde claro homenaje, tanto en temática como en estilo narrativo. A mí se me queda a medio gas, porque precisamente no soy gran fan de Wells, pues le falta un punto de emoción... supongo que si hubiera sido coetáneo, otro gallo nos cantaría, pero a estas alturas una ya ha visto de todo.
Esta novela mezcla "La Guerra de los Mundos" con "La Máquina del Tiempo", consiguiendo un delicioso tono victoriano, aunque le falta un poco de variedad de personajes y a veces abunda en exceso en descripciones científicas o, más bien, tecnológicas.
El final me ha parecido un pelín abrupto, pero casa con el homenaje a Wells.
Curiosamente, disfruto más los homenajes que a Wells mismo; y como esta novela es homenaje tan fiel, me sigo quedando con títulos como los 'Mapas' de Félix J. Palma o las maravillosas novelas gráficas de 'Wild End's'... aunque tengo pendiente todavía el segundo arco argumental.
Entretenida.
Esta novela mezcla "La Guerra de los Mundos" con "La Máquina del Tiempo", consiguiendo un delicioso tono victoriano, aunque le falta un poco de variedad de personajes y a veces abunda en exceso en descripciones científicas o, más bien, tecnológicas.
El final me ha parecido un pelín abrupto, pero casa con el homenaje a Wells.
Curiosamente, disfruto más los homenajes que a Wells mismo; y como esta novela es homenaje tan fiel, me sigo quedando con títulos como los 'Mapas' de Félix J. Palma o las maravillosas novelas gráficas de 'Wild End's'... aunque tengo pendiente todavía el segundo arco argumental.
Entretenida.
March 23, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I love Sci-Fi set in Victorian times where you don't have to worry about justifying the science element.
It is the 'true' story behind the 'Time Machine
and War of the Worlds
It is a ponderous book and you will need to be patient.
It does amble and sometimes loses direction but again I think it works. Also if you have read the two books it is based on it is quite gratifying see things slot into place.
It is the 'true' story behind the 'Time Machine
and War of the Worlds
It is a ponderous book and you will need to be patient.
It does amble and sometimes loses direction but again I think it works. Also if you have read the two books it is based on it is quite gratifying see things slot into place.
April 28, 2012
If you love the finest writing, if you love science fiction, if you love humour, historical fiction and a page turning read, get this.
It is one of the real joys of twentieth century writing.
Priest is a master and this shows his skills in plenty.
I hope that it is soon published on ebook.
It is one of the real joys of twentieth century writing.
Priest is a master and this shows his skills in plenty.
I hope that it is soon published on ebook.
September 1, 2013
A fun little adventure story, with a tongue-in-cheek look at H.G. Wells and Victorian technology. It really feels like a contemporary pastiche, for fun more than for criticism. There are tripods and time machines, fast-paced adventure and everything. It's probably a little forgettable, but it's fun!
May 12, 2015
Love it. I regonize parts from War of the Worlds and it made it feel like a behind the scenes book. so it made me feel nostaligic and stuff.
Good if you want/need more after reading wars of the worlds.
Good if you want/need more after reading wars of the worlds.
August 21, 2013
It gets a bagging from many critics, but I loved the melding of Victorian England and science fiction and time travel.
June 2, 2022
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-space-machine-by-christopher-priest/
It’s a very entertaining mash-up of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. Our protagonist is a goggles salesman, who hooks up with the lovely Amelia (who is way better than he is; we can see this, though he does not know it); they are transported to Mars, where she undermines the structures of government by bringing them revolution; and return to Earth where they encounter H.G. Wells in the flesh. Witty and well-executed.
It’s a very entertaining mash-up of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. Our protagonist is a goggles salesman, who hooks up with the lovely Amelia (who is way better than he is; we can see this, though he does not know it); they are transported to Mars, where she undermines the structures of government by bringing them revolution; and return to Earth where they encounter H.G. Wells in the flesh. Witty and well-executed.
March 11, 2016
Not having read any Christopher Priest before, I was a bit wary in case this proved to be "challenging" sci-fi or overly complicated. I was pleasantly relieved to find this was a joy to read. A great Victorian pastiche that provides a parallel story to the War of the Worlds, with a bit of the Time Machine thrown in (and maybe a dash of Bedknobs & Broomsticks). Our stiff upper lip hero and stiff-bodiced heroine are great fun as they embark on their thrilling adventures - a real rippping yarn.
The late appearance of H.G. Wells is a nice touch, although I there was less of a twist than I was expecting. I found the ending, like that of the War of the Worlds, a bit of an anti-climax. If you haven't read the original, then this book may not pack the same punch. Still, I'm being picky, this was great and will encourage me to return to H. G. Wells (the daddy) and maybe more Christopher Priest.
The late appearance of H.G. Wells is a nice touch, although I there was less of a twist than I was expecting. I found the ending, like that of the War of the Worlds, a bit of an anti-climax. If you haven't read the original, then this book may not pack the same punch. Still, I'm being picky, this was great and will encourage me to return to H. G. Wells (the daddy) and maybe more Christopher Priest.
January 23, 2014
A clever and enjoyable conflation of HG Wells' War of the Worlds and his The Time Machine. At first it read like a Victorian comedy of manners, but as it moved into SF adventure, became a 70's SF action-adventure. I wish Priest has kept up the Victorian sound of the prose. I found no other allegorical elements in the story, as some reviewers have suggested. Priest has expanded the Wellsian universe, but has not improved upon it. Read the originals first.
March 3, 2013
Having never heard of Christopher Preist before, and having never read War of the Worlds, I did not have any expectations when I started this book. It didn't take me that long to finish it, and I can genuinely say that overall it was a nice book, with a simple plot and memorable characters. I would have preferred if the book had more dimensions and more twists. Once the main conflict was established, it was pretty obvious how the book will end. And still, I feel as if a lot of questions were not answered in the end.
May 17, 2015
It was ok. A straight-forward retelling of both The Time Machine and War of the Worlds by HG Wells, who turns up as a character in the book. It really wasn't great and it seemed very rushed. It was badly edited for a major house like Gollancz, and while I try not to let that colour my view of the book, the fact that it just wasn't that exciting combined with the typographical issues to make it less than enjoyable.
February 17, 2008
The Time Machine meets The War of the Worlds with lots of great Victorian stuffiness. Mr. Priest is good and this book is fun.
August 16, 2017
Good in parts. I liked the H.G. Wells setting and atmosphere but the plot flagged at times and the ending was too abrupt.
June 29, 2024
A wonderful homage to The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells!
Priest adopts Wells's first-person narrative and writing style, easily transporting the reader back to the late 19th century. We begin with Edward Turnbull, a young commercial traveller, describing his first encounter with one of the few women in his field, Amelia Fitzgibbon. We see Edward's gentle approaches in the light of the rather strict English society and his shyness. This is very sweet and appealing to read and Priest makes it easy to feel for this relationship. Already in the first few pages, I was totally involved in the story, which is rather slow paced at the beginning.
Amelia works for the famous (at least for Edward) scientist Sir William Reynolds and when he is able to meet him, he finds out that Reynolds has not only invented a bicycle which requires no effort to ride fast, but also a time machine...
After familiarising myself with the 19th century setting, the story suddenly takes a rather fast turn and Edward and Amelia are thrown through time and space, partly through their own fault or curiosity. Yes, of course, they got mixed up with the machine and something had to go wrong... But where have they landed? Why is the air so poisonous? Why are there only strange red fields of weeds? I don't want to give any more away, but anyone familiar with War of the Worlds will be able to guess where they have landed. Edward and Amelia have one of the most exciting adventures in human history, perhaps only surpassed by the original time traveller and his encounter with the fate of the Eloi...
This is truly a science fiction romance, and even though it can be seen as nothing more than fan fiction, the book has its own charm and is, in my opinion, an exciting page-turner. Similar to the original books by Wells, some points seem to be too unreliable and some passages, especially when unknown technologies are presented, are rather difficult to understand.
However, the main thing is that in many ways it takes you back in time, and Priest has done what every writer tries to do: make you forget everything around you and immerse yourself in the story. Overall a great read!
There are also other homages to Wells' novels by Stephen Baxter, The Time Ships and The Massacre of Mankind which I have added to my reading list. I'm totally fascinated again to go back to those melancholic beginnings of SF!
Priest adopts Wells's first-person narrative and writing style, easily transporting the reader back to the late 19th century. We begin with Edward Turnbull, a young commercial traveller, describing his first encounter with one of the few women in his field, Amelia Fitzgibbon. We see Edward's gentle approaches in the light of the rather strict English society and his shyness. This is very sweet and appealing to read and Priest makes it easy to feel for this relationship. Already in the first few pages, I was totally involved in the story, which is rather slow paced at the beginning.
Amelia works for the famous (at least for Edward) scientist Sir William Reynolds and when he is able to meet him, he finds out that Reynolds has not only invented a bicycle which requires no effort to ride fast, but also a time machine...
After familiarising myself with the 19th century setting, the story suddenly takes a rather fast turn and Edward and Amelia are thrown through time and space, partly through their own fault or curiosity. Yes, of course, they got mixed up with the machine and something had to go wrong... But where have they landed? Why is the air so poisonous? Why are there only strange red fields of weeds? I don't want to give any more away, but anyone familiar with War of the Worlds will be able to guess where they have landed. Edward and Amelia have one of the most exciting adventures in human history, perhaps only surpassed by the original time traveller and his encounter with the fate of the Eloi...
This is truly a science fiction romance, and even though it can be seen as nothing more than fan fiction, the book has its own charm and is, in my opinion, an exciting page-turner. Similar to the original books by Wells, some points seem to be too unreliable and some passages, especially when unknown technologies are presented, are rather difficult to understand.
However, the main thing is that in many ways it takes you back in time, and Priest has done what every writer tries to do: make you forget everything around you and immerse yourself in the story. Overall a great read!
There are also other homages to Wells' novels by Stephen Baxter, The Time Ships and The Massacre of Mankind which I have added to my reading list. I'm totally fascinated again to go back to those melancholic beginnings of SF!
May 26, 2022
The mash-up/ cross-over/ homage/ companion and -sort of- prequel to The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine you never knew you wanted.
Priest makes a good fist of a Wellsian novel (though for the first quarter of it he approaches eye-rolling with Victorian mores and manners and a couple of 'comedy' moments that that verge upon Carry On), and his love and respect of his source material is very evident throughout. There are some good ideas that always remain in keeping with the time period, and some thrilling set-pieces (in particular a fighting machine battle outside of a Martian city). The two main characters are likeable enough, even if one of them -whilst otherwise of an almost contemporary attitude- does yet still tend to faint and make the sandwiches.
Quite unlike anything else I've read by Priest (especially his later stuff), and possibly something he needed to get out of his system - but a thoroughly enjoyable romp nevertheless.
Priest makes a good fist of a Wellsian novel (though for the first quarter of it he approaches eye-rolling with Victorian mores and manners and a couple of 'comedy' moments that that verge upon Carry On), and his love and respect of his source material is very evident throughout. There are some good ideas that always remain in keeping with the time period, and some thrilling set-pieces (in particular a fighting machine battle outside of a Martian city). The two main characters are likeable enough, even if one of them -whilst otherwise of an almost contemporary attitude- does yet still tend to faint and make the sandwiches.
Quite unlike anything else I've read by Priest (especially his later stuff), and possibly something he needed to get out of his system - but a thoroughly enjoyable romp nevertheless.
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