The complete HG Wells?

[mae]

I just noticed something that could potentially be very cool on Amazon. Could this series put out all his fiction? That would be priceless. The first volume is entitled "Classic Collection I" though the number isn't reflected on the cover, but I'm still hopeful for further volumes.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0575095202/

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HqS5cBVnL.jpg


The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon, and The Invisible Man are all collected in a stunning leather-bound omnibus.

Five of the best science fiction novels by the father of science fiction are collected in one volume. Unsurpassed in their timeless capacity to thrill and transfix, these are tales that reach to the heart of human ambition, fear, intelligence, and hope. The Time Machine was Wells' first major piece of fiction: a haunting vision of a far future earth orbiting a sun cooling to extinction. The War of the Worlds is still considered by many to be the best novel of alien invasion ever written. The terrible creations of The Island of Doctor Moreau continue to haunt the popular imagination. The House of Pain anticipated our terror of genetic engineering. The Invisible Man is the classic study of scientific hubris. In The First Men in the Moon: A Scientific Romance, a fantastical voyage reveals a dystopian nightmare. Acclaimed World Fantasy Award-winner Les Edwards contributes black and white illustrations before and after each story.

640 pages
Gollancz (October 1, 2010)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0575095245/

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tIke3pQEL.jpg


This collection of short stories by H. G. Wells is the most comprehensive yet, and showcases the hugely fertile imagination of the great author, whose ideas and storylines remain hugely relevant to this day.

400 pages
Gollancz (January 15, 2011)

[WeDealInLead]

will buy

[mae]

The only thing that worries me is that there has been a complete short story collection before, and with this being only 400 pages long, it has to be a pretty big book, because the previous hardcover was over a thousand pages, and the subsequent paperback over 800.

[mae]

Well, worry not fellow completists! Despite the fact that there's no "Volume I" on that cover, there is already a listing for a second volume. It's due in a year, but it's preorderable at Amazon.co.uk (and soon .com, I'm sure).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0575095229/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0575095229/

No real details, except the note that "Following the previous Big Black Omnibus collection, this second omnibus collects more of H.G. Wells' best-loved works, and is perfect for collectors and aficionados of great SF." Not sure what "Big Black" means, since the first volume's cover is red, but whatever. This is great news.

[mae]

I have my Classic Collection I and it's a great book with awesome illustrations. Highly recommended. The short story omnibus is due next month. And volume II of the novels is out in August. It will contain "In the Days of the Comet," "Men Like Gods," "The Sleeper Awakes," and "The War in the Air."

[mae]

I see no one cares but me, but there is yet another volume, seems like:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lCMglLR6L.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0575095199/

[mae]

Oh and the cover of Collection II:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hg3myyLEL.jpg

[blunthead]

I've read The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, First Men in the Moon, and The Invisible Man only. I enjoyed them all very much, finding Wells' voice an interesting, easy scifi one on the ear.

[mae]

It seems this series is done, which is a shame. Wells has a huge bibliography.

[WeDealInLead]

I was just browsing e-books on Amazon and noticed that a lot of Wells novels cost a princely zero dollars. I suggest people jump on this before the price goes back up to the unreasonable $1 again. /sarcasm]

I couldn't help but download them all although I have them in multiple editions already. I think Wells would go bananas if he knew every word he ever wrote could fit into his waistcoat pocket.

[Br!an]

If your interest is in reading his work then you should consider that everything 1922 and prior is in the public domain and most is available online.

Project Gutenburg has 83 of his books. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/30 I recently read "A Short History of the World" and learned a few things.

I love Project Gutenburg. I have some antiquarian books that I would rather not handle but want to read. I have found many of them online and satisfied my desire to read the stories.