The Wild Asses of the Devil
The Wild Asses of the Devil is a collection of short stories by H.G. Wells, first published in 1895. The stories explore the themes of science, religion, and morality, and are set in a variety of locations, from the English countryside to the jungles of Africa. The collection includes stories such as “The Star”, in which a scientist discovers a new star in the night sky, and “The Country of the Blind”, in which a man discovers a hidden valley populated by people who have been blind since birth. Other stories explore the consequences of scientific progress, such as “The New Accelerator”, in which a scientist creates a machine that can accelerate time, and “The Plattner Story”, in which a man is transformed into a living statue. The Wild Asses of the Devil is a thought-provoking collection of stories that explore the implications of science and technology on society. It is a classic work of science fiction that is sure to captivate readers of all ages.
By H.G. Wells · First published 1946 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Horror · 4,008 words
First lines
There was once an Author who pursued fame and prosperity in a pleasant villa on the south coast of England. He wrote stories of an acceptable nature and rejoiced in a growing public esteem, carefully offending no one and seeking only to please. He had married under circumstances of qualified and tolerable romance a lady who wrote occasional but otherwise regular verse, he was the father of a little daughter, whose reported sayings added much to his popularity, and some of the very best people in the land asked him to dinner. He was a deputy-lieutenant and a friend of the Prime Minister, a literary knighthood was no remote possibility for him and even the Nobel Prize, given a sufficient longevity, was not altogether beyond his hopes. And this amount of prosperity had not betrayed him into any un-English pride. He remembered that manliness and simplicity which are expected from authors. He smoked pipes and not the excellent cigars he could have afforded. He kept his hair cut and never posed. He did not hold himself aloof from people of the inferior and less successful classes. He habitually travelled third class in order to study the characters he put into his delightful novels; he went for long walks and sat in inns, accosting people; he drew out his gardener. And though he worked steadily, he did not give up the care of his body, which threatened a certain plumpness and what is more to the point, a localised plumpness, not generally spread over the system but exaggerating the anterior equator. This expansion was his only care. He thought about fitness and played tennis, and every day, wet or fine, he went for at least an hour's walk.
What this Textopian page supports
The Wild Asses of the Devil is listed on Textopian as a novel by H.G. Wells, dated 1946 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: H.G. Wells
- Date: 1946 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Horror, Mystery
- Length: 4,008 words
- Structure: 1 section, 150 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Wild Asses of the Devil by H.G. Wells
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Wild Asses of the Devil?
- How does this novel by H.G. Wells fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Wishes by G. K. Chesterton
- The Croquet Player by H. G. Wells
- Authenticated Vampire Story by Franz Hartman
- Tempora Mutantur by Ambrose Bierce
- The Free Traders Lament by Ambrose Bierce
- Aylmer Vance And The Vampire by Alice Askew
Genres
- Fantasy — The title of the book implies a fantastical setting, and the author, H.G. Wells, is known for writing science fiction and fantasy stories.
- Adventure — The title of the book implies a thrilling journey, and the author, H.G. Wells, is known for writing stories with exciting adventures.
- Horror — The title of the book implies a dark and mysterious setting, and the author, H.G. Wells, is known for writing horror stories.
- Mystery — The title of the book implies a mysterious plot, and the author, H.G. Wells, is known for writing stories with mysterious elements.
Tags
satire · social criticism · H.G. Wells · fiction · political commentary · allegory · morality · human nature · dystopian · philosophical · adventure · 20th century literature