The First Men in the Moon“Why do people read science fiction? In hopes of receiving such writing as this—a ravishingly accurate vision of things unseen; an utterly unexpected yet necessary beauty.” So says Ursula K. Le Guin in her Introduction to The First Men in the Moon, H. G. Wells’s 1901 tale of space travel. Heavily criticized upon publication for its fantastic ideas, it is now justly considered a science fiction classic. Cavor, a brilliant scientist who accidentally produces a gravity-defying substance, builds a spaceship and, along with the materialistic Bedford, travels to the moon. The coldly intellectual Cavor seeks knowledge, while Bedford seeks fortune. Instead of insight and gold they encounter the Selenites, a horrifying race of biologically engineered creatures who viciously, and successfully, defend their home. |
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altogether amazed amidst asked became Bedford began beneath blind blue brain bungalow cavern Cavor Cavorite crater crawled creatures cried crowbar darkness Darko Suvin doubt dropped earth earthly edge enormous eyes face faint feet fell felt find the sphere fungus glass goad gold Grand Lunar gravitation grip hand head huge human imagine insects Island of Dr leap leapt lenite light looked Lympne machine manhole mind mooncalf Morlocks never night noise Patrick Parrinder peered perceived perhaps Phi-oo phosphorescent planet presently realised rocks round science fiction scientific scientific romances scrub seemed Selenites shadow shouted side smashed snow sort sound space stared stars stood story strange stuff suddenly T. S. ELIOT terrestrial thin things thought thrust tion told took Tsi-puff tunnel turned Ursula K vague vanished vast Wells's window