The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

Ahead of its time in 1895, The Time Machine touches on ideas like time travel and futuristic vehicles.

The novella starts with the "Time Traveller" sitting around his dinner table with guests. He discusses the idea of time being the fourth dimension, and he announces that he has built a machine that can travel to the future. After his hesitant guests leave, the Time Traveller embarks on a test journey.

I wanted to read this book because I have never read much science fiction and thought I should give it a chance. Usually, I think of science fiction books as being the kind of cheap and poorly written pocket books you'd find in the drugstore, but this was nothing of that sort.

The descriptions of the action and the future are imaginative and vivid. From the buildings that seem to appear out of nowhere to the giant murderous crabs, Wells entertains the reader with memorable images. 

What I enjoyed so much about The Time Machine was its exploration of modern ideas in a Victorian writing style. It was refreshing and interesting to have that pairing of chronological opposites and it elevated the quality of the book. 

This was a great first exposure to science fiction and I'm happy to give The Time Machine five out of five stars. 

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Published in 1973, Breakfast of Champions is Kurt Vonnegut’s seventh novel. The story was adapted into a 1999 film of the same name.

Kilgore Trout is an aging science fiction writer. Trout is invited by his only fan, Eliot Rosewater, to an arts festival in Midland City where Trout will read some of his stories. Dwayne Hoover is a lonely, mentally ill old man who owns a Pontiac dealership in Midland City. Trout and Hoover eventually cross paths, provoking Hoover’s illness to erupt in violence. Most of the action alternates between Trout’s journey to Midland City and Hoover’s further descent into insanity.

Vonnegut writes well. His use of technical terminology connects the reader with the topic. In addition, he uses humor to make the most boring things sound interesting. Breakfast is also peppered with whimsical drawings of everything from buttons to chickens. These little bonuses were unique and entertaining.

The satire in the book is well done; it’s funny, unique, thought provoking, and topical for the time (The Vietnam War). The plot itself was tedious and unamusing. I also didn’t like when Vonnegut inserted himself into the action in the final third of the story. I found that completely unnecessary and distracting from the two main characters. Throughout the book, Vonnegut jumps from one topic to the next, constantly ranting about the things Americans do. That’s okay, especially if it’s done cleverly, as it is here. However, I wish he had fully completed his thoughts before moving on to other rants.

Overall, I think Vonnegut’s satire on America is humorous and engaging, and I wish he were around to write one about America today. The lackluster plot and random, incomplete rants are not as praiseworthy. Two and a half out of five stars.