Edward Turnbull es un representante de comercio sin suerte que un día conoce por casualidad a Amelia Fitzgibbon, pariente de un conocido inventor. De visita en su casa, Amelia le enseña el último invento de sir William: la máquina espacial, y le sugiere que la tomen prestada para un viaje corto. Esta imprudencia desencadena toda una serie de acontecimientos nefastos que los lleva a un futuro cercano y a un rincón de la campiña, que creen que es la Tierra del futuro, pero que en realidad es el planeta Marte, que está a punto de lanzar un ataque contra la Tierra.

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-space-machine-by-christopher-priest/

It’s a very entertaining mash-up of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. Our protagonist is a goggles salesman, who hooks up with the lovely Amelia (who is way better than he is; we can see this, though he does not know it); they are transported to Mars, where she undermines the structures of government by bringing them revolution; and return to Earth where they encounter H.G. Wells in the flesh. Witty and well-executed. ( )

It's war! For starters, martians vs. martians, then there is more, much more. A highly entertaining adventure story; a superbly imaginative tale of science fiction; a creative reworking of two classics: The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. This Christopher Priest novel is simply too good to be true, a fanciful cross between Anthony Trollope and H.C. Wells, a must read for any lover of Victorian literature or science fiction, a work featuring the following two main characters along with several highlights of their astonishing saga:

Amelia Fitzgibbon: Actress Keira Knightley captures the spirit of the novel's beautiful, brilliant heroine who is assistant to genius science inventor Sir William Reynolds. Shortly after the inventor leaves for London, Amelia persuades her new acquaintance, a proper young Victorian gentleman, to accompany her on a test run of Sir William's most astounding invention - a time machine.

Edward Turnbull: Little does young Edward know what adventures lie ahead and how he will repeatedly be thrust into the role of an Indiana Jones-style hero. But through it all, Edward is forever the Victorian gentleman. And, yes, this novel is also a romance: Edward and Amelia fall completely and totally in love with each other.

The Space-Time Machine: Once aboard Sir William's miraculous machine and moving through future time, catastrophe hits: Edward detects Amelia is in danger. Edward instinctively kicks out, hitting a lever propelling the machine not only through time but also through space. Oh, my! - zoom-zoom-zoom and the machine finally comes to an abrupt halt. "Where do you think we are, Edward?" To which our Victorian gentleman replies something to the effect: "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

Mars: One of the more charming parts of the novel is when Edward and Amelia stroll arm in arm across the strange, cold, desolate landscape. Judging from the thin air and barrenness, Amelia reasons they are on a Tibetan plateau. They explore further and discover even more strangeness. The author's descriptions are vivid and precise, making the couple's every step and encounter a believable event.

Martians: Amelia and Edward come upon human-like martians, tall with reddish skin, scant clothing, indecipherable language and strange gestures. But then they discover another race that isn't nearly as pleasant to be around.

War of the Worlds: There is good reason why the below illustration for the H.G. Wells classic is also most appropriate for this action-packed Christopher Priest story. You will have to read for yourself to find out exactly how and why this is the case. One of the most exciting adventure stories I've ever read. Also, there is a first-rate audio book available narrated by Barnaby Edwards.

http://speculiction.blogspot.com/2016/12/review-of-space-machine-by-christopher.... ( )

Ce roman de jeunesse de Christopher Priest est une œuvre mineure de l'auteur. L'auteur s'est fortement inspiré des romans La machine à explorer le temps et La guerre des mondes du romancier britannique Herbert George Wells, jusqu'à reprendre le début du premier et la fin du second. L'originalité n'est donc pas de mise ici, ni dans l'histoire, ni dans la manière de la conduire. Enfin, la psychologie des personnages n'est pas très développée. Bref, pas grand chose à retenir de ce roman, si ce n'est un hommage à H. G. Wells. ( )