The First Men in the Moon

The First Men in the Moon by the English author H. G. Wells is a story about two men who travel to the Moon. They find a smart group of insect-like creatures called "Selenites" living inside the Moon. The man telling the story is Mr. Bedford, and his friend Mr. Cavor made a special material that blocks gravity. They used this to build a round spacecraft to fly to the Moon, hoping to find valuable minerals.

The book was first published in parts in magazines in 1900 and 1901, and then as a book in 1901. Wells thought it was one of his best "fantastic stories". The novel is important in stories about the Moon, going back to ancient times. It was inspired by another writer, Jules Verne, who wrote about traveling to the Moon in books like From the Earth to the Moon.

Even though it is a fun adventure story, the book also shows a criticism of a society where everyone has a fixed role and life. Wells wanted to make fun of how specialisation can limit people. The story is known for its exciting action, funny moments, and detailed descriptions of strange places and creatures.

Plot summary

The story starts with a man named Bedford meeting a scientist named Mr. Cavor. Cavor has made a special material called cavorite that can block gravity. They use this material to build a spaceship and travel to the Moon.

On the Moon, they find a strange and empty place. When the Sun rises, plants grow very fast, and they see unusual creatures called Selenites. These Selenites live underground in an organized society. Bedford and Cavor escape but face danger. They find that gold is common on the Moon. Bedford returns to Earth alone when Cavor gets hurt, but later hears that Cavor has been sending messages from the Moon. These messages tell about the Selenites' world with its deep tunnels and special roles for each creature. The story ends with Cavor’s messages stopping suddenly, so his fate is unknown.

Publication history

The story first appeared in parts in magazines called The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom and The Cosmopolitan in the United States from November 1900 to June 1901. Later that same year, the full story was printed as a book. In the United Kingdom, the book was published by George Newnes Ltd in London, with pictures by Claude Shepperson. In the United States, the book was published by the Bowen-Merrill Company in Indiana, with pictures by Emil Hering.

Influence on C. S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis said his science fiction books were inspired by H. G. Wells. He thought The First Men in the Moon was one of the best science fiction stories.

You can see this in Lewis's first book, Out of the Silent Planet, part of his Space Trilogy. In this story, a businessman and a scientist secretly build a spaceship and travel to space. The story ends with the scientist meeting a wise leader of an alien world.

In Lewis's book, the businessman and scientist cause trouble. The scientist, Professor Weston, thinks humans should take over other planets, even if others live there.

Other influences, references, and adaptations

Brian Stableford says this book is the first story about an alien world that is not a good place.

The story has been used in many other books, games, and shows. For example, a character in the story Journey into Space takes a copy of the book with him. The material called "cavorite" from the story appears in many other stories and games, like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Warehouse 13, and Voyage: Inspired by Jules Verne. It also plays a role in Scarlet Traces: The Great Game and The Martian War.

Film adaptations

The story has been made into movies four times. The first was in 1902, called A Trip to the Moon. The second was made in 1964, starring Lionel Jeffries as Cavor and Edward Judd as Bedford. The third was shown on BBC Four in 2010, written by Mark Gatiss. A fourth version was being made in 3D from 2009 to 2010.

Audio adaptation

There was a 90-minute version shown on BBC Radio 4 in 1981, with Willie Rushdon as Cavor and Hywell Bennett as Bedford. This version was thought to be lost but was found and shown again in 2025.

Reception and criticism

After The First Men in the Moon was published, some people thought the writer H. G. Wells might have taken ideas from another book. An Irish writer named Robert Cromie said Wells used a similar idea from his own story A Plunge into Space. Both stories had a special way to travel to the Moon without normal technology. Wells said he had never heard of Cromie or his book.

Another famous writer, Jules Verne, did not like Wells’s story. Verne liked stories that used real science and technology, but Wells’s story used a made-up material to travel to the Moon.

A reviewer named Wendy Graham liked the book. She said it was an exciting adventure and made readers think about how people might react when meeting someone from another world for the first time. In the story, one character wanted to be friends, while the other liked action and excitement.