Review: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Hmm. This book made me realize some classics might be better left unread. Not that this book wasn't enjoyable but for me the 1960 version of the Time Machine movie was much more enjoyable.  There were a few things about this book that bothered me:

One: What’s in a name? A lot! I was really irked by the fact that none of these characters had true names. Instead the are called Scientist, Time Traveler etc. I couldn't really connect with the characters at all.
Two: Quiet Preachy: When is a time travel book not a time travel book? When it is an exploration of societal themes and not just about the story. I did find it fascination that some very heavy topics were at the center of the the conversations of the group of men but I wanted to have more about the traveling. It is a gift that science fiction can be used as a tool to explore themes of humanity but the different beliefs and thoughts of the group didn't seem to really tie into why the traveler was making the trip.

Once The Traveler began his trip however things got really interesting and there were some really great fantastical images described. This is definitely a book I need to revisit at some point, but upon first reading I didn't really love it.