David Lodge’s latest novelopens in 1944 as London isbeing hit by the Blitz andH.G. Wells – once but nolonger the most famous writerin Britain – discovers he hascancer. Approaching deathevokes in Wells an internalinterviewer, who draws out his life story: a risefrom poverty to great popular and financialsuccess as an author, renown for his idealisticpolitical views, scandal for his sexual moresand acclaim as an originator of science fictionthat endured even as his popularity faded.

Wells is ripe for fictionalisation and Lodgemakes the most of him, skilfully weavingoriginal material (letters between Wells andHenry James are a highlight) and excerptsfrom Wells’s books into invented scenes. Wells’swriting and his womanising share the focus,both shown in their complexity. On onelevel a literary hack, churning out everythingfrom pot-boilers to political polemics andsocial comedies, Wells’s incisive imaginationwas early to explore the possible impacts ofscience on humanity and foresaw the rise oftank warfare and atomic power. His deep beliefsin sexual freedom and emancipation forwomen conveniently allowed him to seducehighly intelligent, beautiful, occasionally veryyoung women, often with the knowledge andsometimes the support of his second wife,Jane. With two of these women – AmberReeves and Rebecca West – he had children.His behaviour raised eyebrows then, as it maystill for different reasons.

In the unseen questioner, Lodge has foundan effective way of disrupting Wells’s pointof view. Without hammering retrospective judgement home, the device draws attentionto Wells’s egotism, selfishness and blindness tothe effects of his actions on others, particularlythe women in his life and his children.More subtly, these traits are also hinted atthrough the gently humorous storytelling.It’s an involving, enjoyable depiction of thewriter’s life. The background, a familiar onepeopled with the eccentric British literaryand socialist elite of the late Victorian andEdwardian years, is also entertaining. But still:I would have liked to have seen more of Jane.

Ann Standish is a freelance reviewer.