Tales of the Unexpected

Herbert George (H.G.) Wells was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote dozens of novels, short stories, social commentary, history, satire, biography, and autobiography. Wells, however, is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the "father of science fiction." His many works include The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and The War of the Worlds. In Tales of the Unknown, Wells' series of 15 stories investigate "the other side"; that is, a fourth dimension where human beings enter into a world outside or parallel to our own. In the otherworld that Wells describes, it seems we can see others, observe their actions, yet be unable to speak, hear, or touch them. His imaginative mind questions what happens to us after death? Is there an afterlife? Are there ghosts? Does an afterworld exist, or is it all in our minds? Can we return from the beyond? Wells offers no answers but plenty of opportunities to perplex the mind.Public Domain (P)20