The First Men in the Moon.

WELLS, H.G.

Item Number: 143735

London: George Newnes, Limited, 1901.

First English edition of Wells’s classic work of science fiction. Octavo, original publisher’s gilt-decorated blue cloth, illustrated with 12 plates by Claude Shepperson. In very good condition. Small embossed bookplate to the front free endpaper.

The First Men in the Moon tells the story of a journey to the Moon undertaken by the two protagonists: a businessman narrator, Mr. Bedford; and an eccentric scientist, Mr. Cavor. When the reach the moon, Bedford and Cavor discover that it is inhabited by a sophisticated extraterrestrial civilization of insect-like creatures they call "Selenites". The work was originally serialized in The Strand Magazine from December 1900 to August 1901 and published in book form in 1901. "The last and most complex [of Wells's early scientific romances] is The First Men in the Moon. The two first men, Bedford and Cavor are well-contrasted, the civilization of the Selenites is excellent both as horror and satire; and the novel abounds with wonderful passages of unforced description at which Wells is unrivaled. This lovely book also contains much of Wells's delightful humor; it has kept the joints of his discourse oiled to this day. After The First Men in the Moon, Wells's science fiction novels are never quite the same" (Bleiler , Science Fiction Writers). "One of Wells better known and altogether delightful scientific romances" and "an example of Wells humour and satire at its best" (Feir 18).