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- Biography of the author
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- Literary critique

The First Men in the Moon is a 1901 scientific romance novel by the British author H. G. Wells. The novel tells the story of a journey to the moon undertaken by the two protagonists, the impoverished businessman Mr Bedford and the brilliant but eccentric scientist Dr. Cavor. On arrival, Bedford and Cavor find the moon inhabited by an extraterrestrial civilization the two refer to as "Selenites".

The novel can be read as a critique of prevailing political opinions of the period, particularly of imperialism. The theme of a clash between civilizations is reminiscent of Wells's earlier and more famous work, The War of the Worlds. As in The War of the Worlds, it is hinted that the non-human civilization presented might reflect the way human society would develop in the far future. As such, the Selenite society depicted could be considered either a utopia or a dystopia, depending on which of its features one emphasizes.

Mr. Bedford is a British businessman with many financial problems. He is working on a play to bring in some money. He rents a small countryside house to get some peace while writing the play. However, everyday a scientist passes by his house, making odd noises. After two weeks Bedford questions the scientist, Dr. Cavor, about his odd behaviour. It turns out that Cavor is developing a new material, cavorite, which is supposed to shield off gravity.

As they discover when some cavorite is prematurely produced, it shields the air above from Earth's gravity, making that air weightless, and then shoots off into outer space by the pressure of the air below. Cavorite is later used to build a small spherical spaceship, which they use to travel to and land on the Moon.

At the Moon, the two men at first discover a desolate landscape, but as the sun rises, the (fictional) thick atmosphere of the Moon, frozen out overnight, begins to melt and vaporize. Soon strange fast-growing plants start to grow in the landscape, producing a very thorny vegetation called "bayonet scrub". Bedford and Cavor leave the capsule, but they get lost in the rapidly growing jungle, where strange creatures can be seen. Growing hungry, the pair sample native flora, described as fungus. Soon after ingestion a hazy euphoric state overtakes them, and they wander drunkenly, speaking gibberish.

They are captured by the insect-like Moon men (referred to as "Selenites", after Selene, the moon goddess), who have formed a relatively advanced society underground. After some time in captivity, Bedford and Cavor manage to flee. They are able to kill several of their captors and numerous other Selenites due to their superior strength that results partly because of previously having lived in the Earth's stronger gravity. When Bedford and Cavor reach the surface, they devise a plan to locate their spaceship, which involves them separating. Bedford finds his way back to the spaceship and returns to Earth while Cavor becomes injured and is unable to escape recapture by the Selenites.

Back in Britain, Bedford undertakes to publish the details of the story, including some additional material from Cavor received through one-way radio transmission from the Moon. Apparently, Cavor had enjoyed a period of relative freedom in the Lunar society, during which a few of their number learned English. He also managed to build or access a radio transmitter, which he uses to tell the story of his time inside the Moon using Morse code.

Cavor recounts near everything that happened to him after being re-captured, but some pieces of his story are not received due to curious "interference" with the radio signal. Through these messages, Bedford learns of Cavor's meeting with the "Grand Lunar", who is the ultimate ruler of the Selenites and the Moon. At this meeting, Cavor inadvertently portrays humanity as predatory.

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• Literature & Fiction

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