The First Men in the Moon

Written by H. G. Wells

Narrated by Jonathan Keeble

Published in 1901, The First Men in the Moon is one of the earliest science-fiction novels in the English language. An impecunious businessman, Bedford, retreats to the Kent coast where he meets the archetypal absent-minded scientist, Dr Cavor, who is on the point of producing a gravity-defying material. His experiments prove successful, making possible one of man’s oldest dreams: a journey to the moon. The two men embark on this fantastic voyage – Bedford motivated by the prospect of wealth, and Cavor by the thirst for knowledge. However, when they arrive, they find a world of freezing nights and sweltering days, and signs of a threatening alien presence, from which they may never escape.
The novel invites obvious comparisons with its predecessor, Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon, though Wells’s approach markedly differs from that of his French counterpart, with Wells being more concerned by the adventure on the moon, even at the expense of scientific plausibility.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: Oct 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781781984307

H. G. Wells

H.G. Wells is considered by many to be the father of science fiction. He was the author of numerous classics such as The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The War of the Worlds, and many more. 

Reviews for The First Men in the Moon

[girlblossom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great! It's incredible that this was published in 1901. With so many missions to the moon maybe we will finally find the moon calves! This story brilliantly uses 2 strong characters that are neither heroes or anti-heroes exactly, bringing a welcome reminder to the rich possibility of narrative fiction, mostly buried in the superhero and ultra-accessible characters of today. I couldn't help wishing Wells had made the moon-women the brains but I guess feminism had a way to come yet.

[Cassandra Tynan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellently narrated! My son and I listened all afternoon and enjoyed it very much. Mr Keeble held our interest. Sometimes it seemed like a dramatized reading with more than one actor.