The Official Blurb
The Sleeper Awakes is a dystopian novel about a man who sleeps for two hundred years, waking up in a completely transformed London, where, because of compound interest, he has become the richest man in the world. He has been the famous Sleeper for centuries. A fanatic socialist, the main character awakes to see his nightmares realized, and the future revealed to him in all its horrors and malformities. The people adore him, and their masters - the supervisors of his legacy who rule in his name - do not want him breathing.
My Review
H.G. Wells has written an outstanding story here. Of course it is of its own time and the idea that compound interest could lead to ruling the world is clearly daft. But, perhaps when he was writing this story, governments were more honourable and wouldn't just freeze peoples accounts at the drop of a hat ( sorry Iceland ).
The sleeper wakes in world so changed that he barely understands what is happening and finds himself being manipulated and used. Through the lies and deceit he struggles against the things that surround him, and he finds himself. With battles on and under the ground and even fights taking place in the air we do have a good deal of action.
This is classic period sci fi, written by the master and well read to boot. There tended to be hum on this recording but this is easily overlooked and put from your mind.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
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