When H. G. Wells completed the Time Machine he left some threads loose and dangling. K. W. Jeter doesn't so much as tie up the threads as reweaves them into something fantastic and new as he asks questions that thoughtful readers may have wondered, mainly, what happened to the time machine at the end?
Hocker, one of the character's from Well's book who listened in on the Time Traveller's story about his past and present adventures, transitions from a quiet, almost shy listener to the main character in this tale that starts just after the fateful telling as Hocker is walking home. We find Ambrosius, who also listened in, attempting to warn Hocker of the dangers of the time machine and the Morlocks as they walk down the London streets. A fog rolls in as Ambrosius leaves the scene. Hocker soon finds himself in a war torn London during a great battle between humans and Morlocks. Saved by a heroine, Tafe, Hocker finds that his London is not at war at all, rather he has been sent forward in time by Ambrosius to prove the warnings are true. The Morlocks have captured the time machine and are using it to set up a base to conquer London and then the world.
This is no true sequel of the Time Machine. Other than Hocker and the Morlocks no other characters take place in this story and no more is seen or heard of from the distant future of the Eloi. For fans of the book looking for a continuation of that story, you will likely be disappointed. However, for fans of science fiction, steampunk and the like you will find much to feast on.
Jeter's decision to write this novel (in 1979, reprinted in 2011) was not to provide a sequel but rather to use the original novel as a setting for a much more ambitious and amazing story. The author weaves King Arthur, Merlin, and the Antlanteans into Well's world of the Time Machine, takes a blender and mixes everything up. The end result is a smoothie that I loved drinking.
Jeter was the first person to use the term "steampunk" back in the 1970s and this book is a seminole example of the genre. Science fiction, fantasy, low-technology all combined in a world that is both believable and unbelievable at the same time. For lovers of the genre it doesn't get much better than this.
Highly recommended.
Review originally published at BookGateway. com. This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
