Book Review: The ‘Time’ Machine or the ‘Space’ Machine? Christopher Priest Takes the Easy Road!

One is left with the distinct impression that Priest truly believes that if his version HG Wells classics were published in the 1880s – well-bred young men would be masturbating everytime there is mention of Amelia’s exposed ankles- to the back drop of a Martian invasion of Earth and nutty Professors who have convinced themselves that their ‘Time’ machine (which is only secondarily a ‘Space’ machine) is ‘not quite there’ whilst it l supposedly lays shimmering in and out of material existence whilst inhabiting a study in Richmond! Those motoring goggles may well come in handy yet – and not necessarily for motor driving! As Priest penned this tome in 1976 – he was probably influenced by the highly successful British science fiction series of ‘Dr Who’ (that also possessed an advanced machine – the ‘TARDIS’ – which funnily enough could also travel in both ‘time’ and ‘space’) and was reaching its creative peak with the actor – Tom Baker – at the helm! More to the point, the ‘love’ scenes, if we can call them that, seem as if the author quickly threw the two Wells novels together, and then realised his caper was up if he did not attempt to go back and at certain random points in the story literally ‘insert’ obviously ‘out of place’ amorous interactions to act as a type Pythonesque ‘camouflage’ – in the hope that the distraction will draw the attention of the audience away from the fact that the book contains ‘zero’ originality and no genuine labour on his part! If anyone does happen to invent a genuine time machine, perhaps the top of any list might be the necessity to go back to 1976 and hide all the pens in the Priest household – and thus save humanity from a genuine catastrophe!

Supporting Jodie Whittaker as Dr Who

Indeed, the UN Report stated that the British media – which included the BBC – was behaving like the media of Nazi Germany in the 1930s as Hitler ideologically targeted Jews, Communists, Romany, the Disabled and anyone who opposed his dystopic view. I see no reason why the BBC should be allowed to hide its Crimes Against Humanity behind a veneer of responsibility that is Dr Who. Having re-engaged Series 11 (and watching single episodes out of sequence), I find Jodie Whittaker playing a very good Dr Who, with her unusual co-stars all playing their parts at different times and in different ways. Chris Chibnall has produced a multicultural masterpiece which I now support after ideologically ‘divorcing’ it from the BBC that produced it. Seeing an openly ‘gay’ King James finally melted my heart and has led to me re-positioning my stance over this series. My position has been strengthened against the misogynistic attacks upon Jodie Whittaker, and those who express a racist dislike of the series simply because of its elaborate multicultural cast! Dr Who is liked in Communist China due to its progressive science and perceived leftwing bias – and long may it remain so! 

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