Wells, who was born in 1866 and died in 1946, was trained as a zoologist. His scientific background fed right into his writing. Though he's known as a science fiction writer, he was also a teacher, a journalist, and a historian. Dang, Wells. When did you find the time to write?

Wells' fiction reflects many of the hallmarks of the sci-fi genre. We'll find time travel, aliens, and crazy science experiments in his body of work. Is it any wonder that he's often thought of as the father of modern sci-fi?

The Time Machine (1895)

In this novel we have one of the earliest depictions of sci-fi time travel. The Time Traveller, the protagonist of the novel, is a scientist who creates a machine that can take him forward in time. Sure enough, the Time Traveller goes for a joy ride that takes him thousands and even millions of years into the future, all the way to the end of the world—when the last living things are going extinct.

This novel isn't just a great time travel adventure; it's also a deep commentary about the fate of the world, the irresponsibility of people when it comes to their environment, and the injustices of society. This novel is so much more than fun times in the future.

The War of the Worlds (1898)

Watch out, the Martians are coming. This classic novel about the earth's invasion by aliens is the mother of all alien-invasion stories.

In Wells' novel, greedy Martians have an eye on our planet. Mars is combusting, and they need a nice new cool planet to relax in. What better place to take over than that green planet with rivers and oceans and a wonderful climate just, oh, thirty-five million miles away? A hop, skip and a jump for those wily (and evil) Martians.

Chew On This

Time travel anyone? Check out Wells' Time Traveller talking about his adventures in The Time Machine here.

Ugh, you wish the men from Mars were as chill as Ziggy Stardust. In H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, we get one of the earliest depictions of Martians in Sci-fi. Delve into an analysis of these strange creatures here.