Great book to have, if just to be able to have some great stories in one easy to carry book. I checked out a very early copy that had that '1970's' hardcover conversion/update done to it back in the day. It's ugly as sin, but it was a great weekend read, with those beautiful old pages and that glorious antique smell that hides inside all old books.

Of the seven novels included in this omnibus, I've read three over the course of time: The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau and The War of the Worlds. The first and third, in separate, standalone editions initially.

This volume has become my usual reading before going to bed as I endeavor to complete the collection. As of writing this note, I'm in the middle of The First Men in the Moon [November 2020].

As long as you can deal with the fact that H.G. was a white, male, European writer of his time, the stories are entertaining and there is a certain fascination with seeing what constituted a "hero" in the late Victorian era. I was struck particularly with the cruel, heartless pragmatism of the "hero" of Dr. Moreau. And, for whatever reason, I still find the final words of WotW moving: "And strangest of all is it to hold my wife's hand again, and to think that I have counted her, and that she has counted me, among the dead."

I got this from Barnes and Noble a year or two ago. I wish I had purchased more of the books like this.
Books I just can't read enough of them!

The Time Machine: 5 stars
The Island of Dr. Moreau: 5 stars
The Invisible Man: 3 stars
The First Men in the Moon: 4 stars
The Food of the Gods: 4 stars
In the Days of the Comet: 3 stars
The War of the Worlds: 4 stars

Great science fiction, full of interesting ideas and suspence; but I found my children couldn't become involved in the old-fasioned, somewhat wordy and slow-moving narration.

When I think science fiction, I think H.G. Wells. What a creative man.

My dad and I were at the bookstore one day, and I came across this collection, my dad told me I would probably enjoy it. Man...Was he right.

Each story is so different, interesting, and a masterpiece in their own right. If you read science fiction, you have to read this collection. This is a book you buy, and keep, reas it, and pass it down. Just awesome. So glad I still have my copy proudly on my bookshelf.

So..none of them were scary at all. Though I can see how they would have freaked out people of that time. I really appreciated the observations on human kind included in each story. And the whole 'pick one impossibility and see where it goes' version of sci-fi.

Totally Awesome

I tried. I read The Island of Dr. Moreau, War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man (many years ago), and some of The Time Machine. After that sampling, I can say I am not a fan of HG Wells. He has a similar style about all of them—no character development, sets up an improbable explanation for improbable science (like how I felt when reading Frankenstein), 1st person objective narrative, and plodding plot. I can appreciate the imaginative writing in its time and the horror vibe along with sci-fi, but it’s just not enjoyable to read.

H.G. is a fantastic science fiction writer, and viewed as one of the founding fathers - and rightfully so. Some of his work verges on prophetic in regard to advances in the future. His writing may be considered a little dry in comparison to contemporary works of science fiction, but I personally don't think so - especially considering the time it was written - ground breaking. For detailed descriptions and lengthy critiques, I'd suggest readers look him up elsewhere. I'd like to mention though, if one has an interest in the actual history of science fiction as a genre itself, H.G. is a must read.

Some stories were great! Others, not so much

I began reading this book as my bedtime reading (a chapter or so each night) back in February; I found it to be entertaining reading, especially as I knew the earlier books well, and the later ones not at all. (I will note that the original edition of this book, published in 1934, was titled Six Famous Novels of H. G. Wells; I had been wondering why a “complete science fiction treasury” would not include When The Sleeper Wakes. I did enjoy this collection, even though Wells had trouble in ending his books well.

After a preface by H. G. Wells, this “complete science fiction treasury” consists of The Time Machine (regarding the Future, There and Back Again), The Island of Dr. Moreau (don’t mess with Mother Nature), The Invisible Man (before making yourself invisible, give some though as to how to become visible again), The War of the Worlds (man impotent, bacteria saves the day), The First Men in the Moon (the closest Wells ever came to a comic novel), The Food of the Gods (is Bigger Better?), and In The Days of the Comet (comet arrives, changes the world, fortunately for the smarmy socialist self-absorbed main character). Wells is at his best with describing the effects of technology, good and bad; but he is also addicted to long windy passages of social commentary, his romantic scenes are rather stiff, and, as noted, he does not seem to know how to end several of the books well.

I do like H. G. Wells, and found this “complete science fiction treasury” to be great bedtime reading; but I do wish the editors had included When The Sleeper Wakes.