Chapter 51: H.G. Wells

"Sir, there's a Mr. Herbert George Wells from London waiting for you in the reception room!" On that day, as Monet was engrossed in writing, Casey suddenly came up to report.

Upon hearing this name, Monet paused briefly and then, with a touch of excitement, asked Casey, "Are you sure you didn't mishear? It's Herbert George Wells?"

Casey was a bit taken aback by Monet's reaction and hesitantly stepped back half a step before timidly answering, "No mistake, it's Herbert George Wells!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Casey noticed that Monet had already rushed past her like a gust of wind. It wasn't surprising that Monet was so excited; any science fiction enthusiast would probably react in a similar way upon learning they had a chance to meet Wells in person.

While Wells might not have reached the same level of fame as the French science fiction writer Jules Verne during the same period, his contributions to the genre were even greater. Concepts like "aliens," "time machines," "invisibility," "dystopias," and "interstellar wars," which are now widely used in science fiction novels, were all pioneered by Wells. (This is similar to how Arthur Conan Doyle is the most well-known detective fiction writer, but the common tropes of locked room mysteries, armchair detectives, cipher tricks, and the detective as the culprit were all originated by Edgar Allan Poe.)

Moreover, unlike Verne, Wells didn't solely dedicate most of his writing to science fiction. For him, writing science fiction was more of a part-time job or a hobby. He was also a well-known historian (author of "The Outline of History"), sociologist, politician (a significant member of the Fabian Society), and journalist (interviewed both Roosevelt and Stalin). He also counted George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill among his close friends.

Upon entering the reception room, Monet greeted Wells proactively, saying, "Hello, Mr. Wells!"

"Hello, Mr. Monet. Coming by suddenly, I hope I'm not disturbing your work," Wells politely responded.

"It's an honor to have you here. Normally, it should be me visiting you!" Monet replied.

"You're too kind, Mr. Monet. Actually, the main reason I'm here today is to discuss your recent story, 'Little Jack's Journey through the Future.' I must say, I quite enjoyed the tale, and I'm both amazed and impressed by your boundless imagination in it," Wells praised.

However, he swiftly changed the topic, saying, "But I do have some differing viewpoints. I wonder if you're open to them?"

"Please, go ahead," Monet gestured.

"I believe that your story 'Little Jack's Journey through the Future' should not strictly be classified as science fiction. In the narrative, you haven't expounded on the scientific principles behind these technological devices or their connections to existing technology. Take, for instance, the telephone used by Little Jack in your story. While it's also called a telephone, there's almost no connection between it and the telephones we use today, apart from the name and the ability to make calls. Perhaps in a hundred years, such a communication device might exist, but based on current technology, it's simply impossible to achieve!

Therefore, I consider your 'Little Jack's Journey through the Future' to be more fittingly defined as fantasy rather than science fiction. Defining it as science fiction due to its current success could potentially mislead readers. Thus, I hope that in the next edition, you could provide a clarification, explaining the nature of the story. I myself have made such mistakes before, and I don't want a talented young individual like Mr. Monet to follow in my footsteps!" Wells stated with a serious expression.

Upon hearing this, Monet finally understood why Wells had come to visit him. It wasn't out of mutual admiration; he was concerned about Monet potentially "tainting" the reputation of science fiction. In Wells' eyes, 'Little Jack's Journey through the Future' wasn't science fiction at all.

Of course, Wells' intention was for Monet's benefit. He had faced similar criticism of his works, and this matter touched on a crucial debate in the development of science fiction. Not only in the early days of science fiction in 1888, but even in 2021, the debate was still quite significant.

It centered around the debate between "hard science fiction" and "soft science fiction." In simple terms, hard science fiction emphasizes scientific accuracy, basing its ideas on existing technology and logical extrapolation. On the other hand, soft science fiction takes a more imaginative approach. In the realm of science fiction enthusiasts, soft science fiction is often looked down upon; many enthusiasts of hard science fiction argue that many works classified as soft science fiction don't deserve to be called science fiction at all. However, outside of the enthusiast circle, soft science fiction tends to be more popular. It focuses on storytelling, minimizing the exposition of dry scientific information and logical deduction, making it more accessible to a broader audience.

Although Monet was confident that many of the seemingly unimaginable elements in 'Little Jack's Journey through the Future' could actually be achieved a century later, the problem lay in his inability to explain the underlying principles or describe them using current technology, such as smartphones.

Thus, he explained, "Mr. Wells, in my view, contemporary science fiction has become overly focused on a singular perspective. Some science fiction works resemble more like popular science pieces or research papers. Therefore, there's room to diversify the categorization of science fiction. For instance, we could diminish the emphasis on scientific theories, using technological advancements as a backdrop while prioritizing the plot and character development. I call this type of science fiction 'soft science fiction.' This approach could attract more readers and creators to the world of science fiction. Even though not all readers drawn in by this approach might enjoy hard-core science fiction, there will still be a portion who do. Over time, this will contribute to a growing audience of science fiction enthusiasts, truly promoting the genre's development.

And, there's no rule stating that science fiction must be written in the manner of Mr. Verne, right? Must science fiction only explore technology and not humanity? For instance, let's suppose that one day, London is divided into three layers based on social strata, and a middle-aged man from the lowest layer embarks on a risky adventure to the second layer to secure a better education for his daughter, thereby elevating their status. However, the tale ends tragically. Would such a story not qualify as science fiction?"

Upon hearing Monet's explanation, Wells was genuinely astonished. "Mr. Monet, even though your story outline is succinct, I can sense that if written out, it would indeed be a captivating story. May I inquire if this is to be your next science fiction piece?"