H.G. Wells

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Referenced as a comparison to Heart of Darkness — both transpose the horrors of European colonialism to Britain. Just as Wells imagines an invasion of England, Conrad imagines armed Africans appearing on the road between Deal and Gravesend, catching yokels to carry heavy loads, to illustrate the reality of colonial violence.

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Described as one of the great anti-imperial novels, mentioned because it references the Tasmanian genocide at the beginning

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Called 'one of the great novels about the First World War' despite being written in the late 19th century; discussed how Wells compared the Martian destruction of London to British treatment of Tasmanians

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Referenced as a book that Jose Figueres Ferrer read at the Boston Public Library, which predicted a future with no armies and influenced his decision to abolish Costa Rica's army in 1949.

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Chris Stringer mentions H.G. Wells 'writing a story called The Grizzly Folk' which painted Neanderthals as very distinct and ape-like, representing a 'dark side' of humanity, like 'warlocks.' This short story was highly influential in shaping negative perceptions of Neanderthals and is contrasted with Golding's more sympathetic portrayal in The Inheritors. A key text in the cultural history of how Neanderthals have been imagined.