H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
H. G. Wells' prophetic The War in the Air foretold the use of airplanes in warfare and the coming of World War I. First serialized in 1907 and published in book form in 1908, the novel tells the story of the forward-thinking tinkerer Bert Smallways. Alfred Butteridge is said to be the only English aviator to know the "secret of the flying machine." When Bert Smallways accidentally falls into Butteridge's hot air balloon, he soon finds himself
...Widely recognized as one of the key figures in the development of the science fiction and fantasy genres, H.G. Wells was a prolific writer who produced hundreds of short and long works in these styles. The tales collected in The Door in the Wall and Other Stories span Wells' early career and offer a satisfying cross-section of his work.