We Are Evolving, Just Backwards! | The Time Machine (H.G. Wells) BOOK REVIEW

Would you rather evolve into an Eloi or a Morlock? In this episode, I dive into H.G. Wells ’The Time Machine', a short but hugely influential classic that may be one of the earliest stories to imagine time travel as a machine-driven journey into the future. I walk through the novel’s framing device, the Time Traveller’s unsettling visit to roughly 800,000 AD, and the split future of humanity into the carefree Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks. From there, I unpack why the book still holds up: its eerie vision of evolution, class division, and social decay, plus the way Wells blends scientific curiosity with imaginative speculation to create a compelling early sci-fi adventure. I also share what stood out to me most as a reader: the novel’s clever structure, its surprisingly gritty tone, and Wells’ deeply pessimistic view of humanity’s future. While I don’t rate it as an all-time personal favourite, I do think it’s well worth reading if you’re interested in the roots of science fiction, time travel stories, or how late-19th-century anxieties about class, progress and civilisation found their way into fiction. It’s a quick read, historically important, and full of ideas that still feel worth discussing today. If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit! Timeline: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:15) The Time Traveller sets off and reaches the far future (00:02:44) Eloi paradise and the horror of the Morlocks (00:04:49) Social themes and evolution gone backwards (00:08:30) Science fiction ideas and suspended disbelief (00:11:47) Narrative structure and standout moments (00:14:01) H G Wells and his bleak view of humanity (00:17:23) Final verdict and why the book still matters (00:19:18) Comparisons, Weena and the book's darker edge (00:21:59) What I am reading next Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast