About the Book
Herbert George Wells was one of the most prolific and visionary British writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. H. G. Wells, as he is universally known, is now best remembered for his science fiction novels, although he wrote across many genres, including nonfiction. His fiction embraces history, science fiction, horror, satire, fantasy, and social commentary. Wells was also a futurist, foreseeing air travel, tanks (as in The Land Ironclads--part of this anthology) space travel, nuclear weapons, and even satellite television. Amongst his writings are dozens of short stories; some are very well known, others less so.
When planning this collection, Raconteurs sought stories that we enjoyed ourselves and which embody the range of H. G. Wells's imagination and talent. This collection of thirteen short stories includes gothic horror, fantasy, ghost stories, science fiction, satire, and stories of domestic and social commentary. It is a collection that we hope will intrigue and entertain you--and leave you wanting to hear more.
H. G. Wells's Short Stories - Volume One is produced by Raconteurs in partnership with Spoken Realms and includes:
The Magic Shop - read by James GilliesThe Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes - read by Nigel PattersonThe Door in the Wall - read by Greg WaglandThe Man Who Could Work Miracles - read by Malk WilliamsThe Story of the Late Mr Elvesham - read by Tim BruceThe Diamond Maker - read by Liam GerrardMiss Winchelsea's Heart - read by Helen LloydA Moonlight Fable - read by James GilliesThe Red Room - read by Nigel PattersonThe Star - read by Greg WaglandThe Land Ironclads - read by Malk WilliamsThe Jilting of Jane - read by Tim BruceThe Cone - read by Liam Gerrard
About the Author :
H. G. Wells was a professional writer and journalist, who published more than a hundred books, including novels, histories, essays and programmes for world regeneration. Wells's prophetic imagination was first displayed in pioneering works of science fiction, but later he became an apostle of socialism, science and progress. His controversial views on sexual equality and the shape of a truly developed nation remain directly relevant to our world today. He was, in Bertrand Russell's words, 'an important liberator of thought and action'. James A. Gillies has been a familiar voice across BBC television and radio for nearly a quarter of a century. Trained at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire, he has worked as an actor, continuity announcer, program narrator, and newsreader. He lives with his wife and two Norwegian Forest cats in Kilbarchan, Scotland.
British audiobook narrator and AudioFile Earphones Award winner Nigel Patterson has many credits as a stage, screen, and voice-over actor that influence his powerful characterization across a broad range of genres. AudioFile commented his keen ear and impeccable diction give insights into the prevailing attitudes of the period . . . his wholly credible characters stay with you long after you unplug. A graduate linguist of the University of Oxford, he is fluent in French and Spanish, has lived and worked in the U.S. for fifteen years, and knows many different accents and dialects from around the world. Greg Wagland is an actor, audiobook narrator, and voice artist. His audiobook credits include classics, fiction, history, poetry, biography, nonfiction, science fiction, as well as young adult and children's fiction.
Malk Williams is a voice talent and Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator.
British actor and singer Tim Bruce costarred with Phill Jupitus in ITV's popular comedy series Bottom Knocker Street, the West End production of Blood Brothers, the BAFTA-awarded BBC drama Bleak House, and the BBC's long-running Geordie series Byker Grove. He wrote and appeared in the title role of the West End production of William Blake's Divine Humanity (nominated for the Meyer-Whitworth Playwrighting Award, administered by the Royal National Theatre); the feature films Bright Young Things, Remainder, Out of Bounds, the BAFTA-awarded film Supertramp, the RTS award-nominated opera film Boheme; the TV series Hollyoaks, Family Affairs, 55 Degrees North, The Gang the Krays Feared, and Granada's BAFTA award-winning series In Suspicious Circumstances; and numerous operas for Music Theatre London, including the title role of Don Giovanni. A regular voice on BBC and BSkyB, Tim has narrated over seventy audiobooks and was the voice of BSkyB's Channel 996. Liam Gerrard is an award-winning voice artist with over ten years of experience working in every field of the voice industry, as well as a highly acclaimed stage and screen actor. His animation Walter Tull-Britain's First Black Officer was nominated for a BAFTA in 2016, and he has been nominated for an Audie Award in 2017. He has narrated over thirty audiobooks in a wide range of genres and styles. He comes from a large Irish family, although he was raised in Yorkshire before moving to the Middle East, where he went to school. He studied at Lancaster University and then as a classically trained actor at Mountview; he is currently the youngest actor to play the lead role of Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest in London's West End. He has worked for the most renowned theater companies, including the Royal Exchange Theatre (two Manchester theater award nominations), Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre (five Critics Choice nominations), Soho Theatre (MTN nomination), and most regional theaters throughout the U.K., including Alan Aykbourn's SJT, New Vic, Oldham Coliseum, Nottingham Playhouse, and Theatre by the Lake. His wide-ranging experience has also seen him perform Opera in Rigoletto. He is an associate lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University in Broadcast Voice and is also a communication skills specialist and trainer. In addition, he is an examiner for the Royal College of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons, Royal Scottish College of Surgery. In his spare time Liam is also a musician who plays the violin, drums, piano, and percussion. He also enjoys spending time with Peg, his Springer Spaniel, out on the Peak District whenever he can get away from the studio! Helen Lloyd is a classically trained actor who has a keen ear for accents and loves to bring characters to life. The narrator of books in numerous genres, she delights in new challenges.
Review :
Raconteurs Audio LLP in conjunction with publisher Spoken Realms has produced three volumes of H.G. Wells' short stories--hours upon hours--and I'm happy to report all with excellent result. The pacing is excellent throughout, as is the choice of stories. While many of these titles have been widely available for a long time by various other voices, this is a particularly welcome constellation. The individual performances throughout are nuanced and suitably dramatic but with no overacting. The talent pool includes BAFTA nominees, award-winning narrators, established voice-over artists and actors, as well as ITV and BBC personalities and documentarians...Definitely worth your time.
-- "Charles Keller of the H. G. Wells Society"
This audiobook is a pleasure to listen to. An ensemble of English narrators escorts the listener into the marvelous imaginings of Wells. Among the many auditory delights, James Gillies's nuanced performance of 'The Magic Shop, ' Greg Wagland's almost incantatory treatment of 'The Door in the Wall, ' and Nigel Patterson's heart-stopping yet subtle rendition of the science fiction gem 'The Star' excel. This audiobook collects a fine blend of Wells as fantasist ('The Man Who Could Work Miracles'), satirist ('Mrs. Winchelsea's Heart'), and futurist ('The Land Ironclads'). The narrators capture his fine ear for language and eye for detail throughout this collection of short fiction written from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries.
-- "AudioFile"
