Tales of Space and Time

What It's About

This is a collection of three short stories and two novellas, first published in 1899. "The Crystal Egg" follows Mr. Cave, who discovers a strange crystal that offers glimpses of the surface of Mars. "The Star" imagines the panic that follows as astronomers detect a mysterious luminous object entering the Solar System and disrupting the orbit of Neptune. "A Story of the Stone Age" tells of a caveman named Ugh-lomi and his struggles for survival and status within his tribe. "A Story of the Days to Come" is set in a dystopian 22nd-century London and follows two lovers navigating a world transformed by urbanisation, class division, and rapid advances in medicine, communication, transport, and agriculture. "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" follows George McWhirter Fotheringay, an ordinary man who suddenly finds he can bend reality to his will, with unpredictable consequences.

Key Concepts

Across the five stories, Wells explores humanity's place in a vast and indifferent cosmos, the promise and peril of technological progress, and the social consequences of rapid urbanisation and class stratification. Several stories also examine how ordinary people respond when confronted with forces — cosmic, scientific, or supernatural — far beyond their control or understanding.

About the Author

H. G. Wells (1866–1946) was an English writer, born in Bromley, Kent. He trained in biology under Thomas Henry Huxley before turning to writing, and became known for his imaginative and socially conscious fiction as well as his work as a journalist and social commentator. He held progressive political views and was an active supporter of socialist causes throughout his life.