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by H. G. Wells (Author)
H. G. Wells's classic science fiction novel about a depraved scientist living on a remote island whose diabolical experiments on animals brought about hideous, humanlike results.
With an introduction by Alan Lightman Close to death after a shipwreck left him stranded at sea, Englishman Edward Prendick finds himself on a remote island in the Pacific. He soon meets the enigmatic and notorious Dr. Moreau, a scorned physiologist who was forced to leave England when a journalist exposed his gruesome experimentation with vivisection. Thus begins Prendick's journey that leads him to discover dark secrets, strange creatures, and a reason to run for his life. . . . A riveting tale intended to be a commentary on evolution, divine creation, and the tension between human nature and culture, The Island of Dr. Moreau was met with intense criticism from reviewers who found it horrifying and blasphemous after its initial publication in 1896. Yet even now, more than a century later, Wells's haunting exploration of ethical issues raised by producing "smarter" humans or bringing back extinct species still rings true.Front Jacket
Ranked among the classic novels of the English language and the inspiration for several unforgettable movies, this early work of H. G. Wells was greeted in 1896 by howls of protest from reviewers, who found it horrifying and blasphemous. They wanted to know more about the wondrous possibilities of science shown in his first book, "The Time Machine, not its potential for misuse and terror. In "The Island of Dr. Moreau a shipwrecked gentleman named Edward Prendick, stranded on a Pacific island lorded over by the notorious Dr. Moreau, confronts dark secrets, strange creatures, and a reason to run for his life.
While this riveting tale was intended to be a commentary on evolution, divine creation, and the tension between human nature and culture, modern readers familiar with genetic engineering will marvel at Wells's prediction of the ethical issues raised by producing "smarter" human beings or bringing back extinct species. These levels of interpretation add a richness to Prendick's adventures on Dr. Moreau's island of lost souls without distracting from what is still a rip-roaring good read.
Author Biography
Peter Straub is the bestselling author of fourteen novels, including Black House (with Stephen King), Ghost Story, Koko, and Mr. X. He has won three Bram Stoker Awards, two World Fantasy Awards, and the British Fantasy Award. He lives in New York City.
