H. G. Wells (1866-1946) was an English novelist, journalist, and social critic whose imagination helped shape modern science fiction. Born in Bromley, Kent, Wells rose from modest beginnings to become one of the most influential writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Trained in biology under T. H. Huxley, an ardent defender of Charles Darwin, Wells infused his fiction with scientific realism and philosophical inquiry. His early novels-including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898)-earned him international acclaim and established him as a pioneer of speculative fiction.

Beyond his imaginative tales, Wells wrote extensively on politics, history, and social reform, advocating for education, global cooperation, and scientific responsibility. His works often explored the moral consequences of unchecked ambition and technological progress-questions that remain strikingly relevant today. Wells left behind more than a hundred books and countless essays, securing his legacy as one of the founding architects of modern science fiction.