The Invisible Man
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4.0 • 456 Ratings
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Publisher Description
An Apple Books Classic edition.
“Alone-it is wonderful how little a man can do alone! To rob a little, to hurt a little, and there is the end.” What would you do if you were became invisible? Would you use that power for good, or would you become consumed with the freedom it afforded you? Griffin, the antihero of H.G. Wells’ classic novel, definitely belongs to the latter school of thought. A misunderstood genius with albinism, Griffin has suffered taunts and isolation his whole life. As he descends into madness, his plans become far darker than simple revenge on those who have wronged him.
In addition to this creepy novel, H.G. Wells-who is widely seen as the father of science fiction-also wrote The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Island of Doctor Moreau;. Besides killer plots, his work provides chilling insight on human nature. The Invisible Manis a story about cruelty, curiosity, and unfettered power. Read it-and you’ll immediately notice its inescapable influence on modern literature, movies, and comic books.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Spoiler alert: H. G. Wells’ science fiction classic really is about an invisible man. Written in 1897 as scientific progress and new inventions were revolutionizing the world, Wells’ novel still carries a palpable sense of wonder, amazement, and fear. We jump into the story feet-first from the opening page: The mysterious scientist Griffin is already invisible when we meet him and his horrifying backstory isn’t revealed until we’re almost halfway through his terrifying descent into insanity. Much more so than Mary Shelley’s earlier mad-scientist classic, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man feels modern and contemporary. Wells’ fundamental point—that technological progress inevitably comes with dangerous unintended consequences—is still something we’re grappling with well over a century later. We suspect this novel will forever feel unnerving and timely.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Actor Griffin adds to the mysterious atmosphere of this classic work of science fiction originally published in 1897. In his cultured British accent, he carries listeners through the trials and tribulations of Wells's creation, a mad scientist (also named Griffin) who does research into optical refraction until he finds a formula that makes him invisible a state he mistakenly believes will provide him with fame and fortune. Actor Griffin makes palpable the profound panic of the scientist, who is unable to find a formula to reverse his invisibility. He provides fine cockney accents for innkeepers Jenny and George Hall, which adds color and authenticity to the performance. Listeners will be immersed in the struggle of local scientists, doctors, and police to apprehend a man they cannot see.
Customer Reviews
Entertaining enough
Entertaining enough. Author with very good imagination.
An easy read, would definitely recommend to people that are trying to get back into reading.
This book is exciting and engaging. The pacing of events was easy to follow and not difficult to understand at all. In my opinion, the ending was obvious, but i think for the nature of this story it did make sense and fit the overall vibe of the story. The characters were funny and diverse (in terms of personality and attitude) despite them having ideals that would be common of people living in the countryside during the 20th century. Despite the good about this book, there are a few things that i did find irritating at times. For example, there were several characters that were deployed out of convenience for the plot rather than significance to the plot and sometimes I think it can make a narrative feel forced. Even though it didn’t take away from this story in particular, it is something that lots of writers tend to do, especially when concluding a major plot point. Another thing that I thought could’ve been explored more was the character development of the Invisible Man; I think it would’ve been really interesting to learn more about his childhood and his relationships with other people while he was a student, just so I could build a stronger relationship with the character. At times I also found it difficult to keep up with the action. This book has a lot of physical action in it and at maybe two or three points in the stories you do need to read closely to follow what’s actually going on as it is as fast-paced as it would’ve physically happened. However, these points didn’t make the book bad at all, as it is a short book anyway and I doubt it was trying to enforce lots of deeper meanings about society anyway. It’s definitely not the absolute best book I’ve read, but that’s mostly because I personally prefer to read books that deal with stronger themes and ideas. In terms of language, Wells has a brilliant vocabulary, incorporates humour into his descriptions making the book feel light-hearted at times, and creates strong dialogue that also encompasses the Cotswold accent. To conclude, this is a story worth reading if you’re looking for a casual novel to dive into that doesn’t require a lot of mental strain.
A Good Yarn
A good yarn though dated.