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Showing reviews 1-5 of 15
 Expected More August 26, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
An extremely verbose book on the social and political issues between the Boer War and World War I in England with a solution to the world's problem via the green mist left by Earth passing through a comet's tail. I truly enjoyed the movie renderings of "The War of the Worlds" (the first version with Gene Barry), "The Time Machine" and "First Man on the Moon"; but I am let down by the wordiness of this novel and hope my reading of "War of the Worlds" and "Time Machine" do not do the same.
 Green dawn June 26, 2008
wiredweird (Earth, or somewhere nearby)
H.G. Wells had a strong streak in him of the social reformer. This relatively early work, from 1906, shows that more clearly (if ham-handedly) than any other work that I've read by him.
It starts with a snapshot of Dickensian dichotomy between haves and have-nots. Haves, in this case, are so rare and distant that they can safely be ignored. Instead, the narrator is one of the underclass, worrying whether his shoes will fall apart before the end of his day's walk. Malnourished, marginally educated, and economically marginalized, he seizes upon the one bright spot in his life, love of a charming woman. But in a "Young Werther" burst of emotion, that passion twists itself into its own homicidal inversion. At the same time, warships stand off within sight of the British shore, lobbing shells at each other across the night sky.
But there's a new star in that sky, and one that has incredible effect on human life. Suppose, just suppose, that one day, everyone in the world suddenly started acting reasonable, or mostly reasonable. Suppose that all the world leaders, all the soldiers in the trenches, all the capitalist barons, all the socialist firebrands, and even the lovers suddenly woke up, and said, "I've been stupid. Let's do better." This examination of humankind's entry into a better world foreshadows Wells's later "Modern Utopia." In "Comet," he imagines mankind reworked into the beings who could support that ideal world - with the striking examples of those few who need only minor adjustments. "Modern Utopia" assumes that unidealized people will populate the ideal world, so the ideal must have places in it for them. I find the combination of similarities and reversals between these two books equally interesting. By itself, "Comet" might not be Wells's best. In the context of his entire ouvre, however, it holds a fascinating and possibly transitional place.
-- wiredweird
 The Awakening of Mankind- Cosmic Peace Beyond Understanding April 24, 2008
OAKSHAMAN (Algoma, WI United States)
I thought that I was familiar with most of Well's body of work, until I stumbled over this unique novel.
First of all, do not be put off by the first part of this book- it is intended to be depressing. It is meant to paint the pettiness, ugliness, and just plain bloody-mindedness of human society in 1906. It does this quite well for I almost set the book aside several times in disgust. It is all unpleasantness after unpleasantness in the life of a working class young man (obviously modeled largely after the author's youth.) Even the fact of the approach of the great comet is almost mentioned only in passing as a minor occurrence.
Then everything changes when the comet hits. Mankind is transformed. That is to say that all of mankind is suddenly mentally and spiritually enlightened and awakened. I've read nothing quite like it in literature. The first part of the book makes it jump out at you all the more. All the meanness, pettiness, guile, and evil evaporate in the human species. The story of how these enlightened men put an end to want, injustice, and war around the world is breathtaking and inspirational. Wells attributes this to a chemical change in earth's atmosphere, but there is a surprising amount of spirituality also incorporated (surprising for Wells.)
All of this reminded me of the change that is said to occur when a human soul leaves the material world and enters the astral. All of the old heaviness and stupidity drop away. Only the highest of what it means to be human remains- the old ego dies. Even in the story everyone speculated if perhaps they were not dead and transported to a different world. Some even declared that this great Change was the Second Advent.
There is one thing about this novel that leaves a lingering element of disappointment. This is the fact that the core causes of all the economic, social, and political injustices and stupidities described in the first part of the book in 1906 are still with us. After 101 years these same problems are still with us. I'm sure that this would have also disappointed Mr. Wells.
Free SF Reader September 3, 2007
Blue Tyson
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
More than a few people have used this idea over the last few decades.
The people of Earth are going about their normal dodgy business, until
they realise that a comet may actually strike the planet.
A most definitely political novel, this looks at the upheaval such
a catastrophic event can cause, and what happens to the society as a
result.
It seems here that humanity will improve in the face of such calamity.
The Awakening of Mankind- Cosmic Peace Beyond Understanding August 3, 2007
OAKSHAMAN (Algoma, WI United States)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I thought that I was familiar with most of Well's body of work, until I stumbled over this unique novel.
First of all, do not be put off by the first part of this book- it is intended to be depressing. It is meant to paint the pettiness, ugliness, and just plain bloody-mindedness of human society in 1906. It does this quite well for I almost set the book aside several times in disgust. It is all unpleasantness after unpleasantness in the life of a working class young man (obviously modeled largely after the author's youth.) Even the fact of the approach of the great comet is almost mentioned only in passing as a minor occurrence.
Then everything changes when the comet hits. Mankind is transformed. That is to say that all of mankind is suddenly mentally and spiritually enlightened and awakened. I've read nothing quite like it in literature. The first part of the book makes it jump out at you all the more. All the meanness, pettiness, guile, and evil evaporate in the human species. The story of how these enlightened men put an end to want, injustice, and war around the world is breathtaking and inspirational. Wells attributes this to a chemical change in earth's atmosphere, but there is a surprising amount of spirituality also incorporated (surprising for Wells.)
All of this reminded me of the change that is said to occur when a human soul leaves the material world and enters the astral. All of the old heaviness and stupidity drop away. Only the highest of what it means to be human remains- the old ego dies. Even in the story everyone speculated if perhaps they were not dead and transported to a different world. Some even declared that this great Change was the Second Advent.
There is one thing about this novel that leaves a lingering element of disappointment. This is the fact that the core causes of all the economic, social, and political injustices and stupidities described in the first part of the book in 1906 are still with us. After 101 years these same problems are still with us. I'm sure that this would have also disappointed Mr. Wells.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 15
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