The Stolen Body
Written by H. G. Wells
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“The Stolen Body” is a short story written by one of the Founding People of the Sci-Fi genre, Mr. H. G. Wells himself. It was first published in 1898 and appeared in other publications afterwards. Other Founding People of the Sci-Fi genre include Mary Shelley, Jules Verne, William Hope Hodgson, Kepler, Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovercraft and many others. It is scifi, horror short story masterpiece.

The Stolen Body Goodreads webpage

“The Stolen Body” is the story of a couple of paranormal researchers called Mr. Bessel and Mr. Vincey who live in London and investigate the phenomenon of astral projection, or to be more precise, the idea of one’s consciousness leaving their body. I did not know that such a topic was even discussed more than a hundred, a hundred and fifty years ago around the time of the Industrial Revolution. It seems that so many interesting ideas have been around for a while. In the story Mr. Bessel leaves his body and his consciousness appears to Mr. Vincey. While outside of his body Mr. Bessel finds himself in a kind of ghost world or parallel dimension where he can see everything and everyone but cannot really physically interact with the reality around him. He is a ghost in a kind of limbo with other ghosts who all want to leave this limbo. Mr. Bessel soon finds out that his body has been stolen by one of the ghosts and is wreaking havoc in the physical world. It ruins his place and attacks people in the square but worst of all Mr. Bessel finds that he cannot reenter his body. His body has been stolen. Or so it seems.

This is the story of a paranormal researcher in way over his head. Mr. Bessel’s curiosity has him in a very dangerous neighborhood, so to speak. How many inventors, researchers, scientists, explorers have stumbled into a bad situation and where in way over their heads. That’s a type of story that works all the time. Whether it’s sci-fi, fiction, classic novels or novels of all types that story just works. But this one story has that paranormal edge to it. And in a time so long ago, that’s surprising.

The way the possessed body of Mr. Bessel rampages over town reminds me of the classic novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde” written by Robert Louis Stevenson. The entity that stole Mr. Bessel’s body went beserk at the taste of freedom to the physical world. The description of its rampage is actually funny at times. The way it ruins his place at the Albany and dances around is kind of comical and there is a kind of realism to that scene too. Think of it. If a non-corporeal being, who longed to physically interact with reality suddenly got their greatest wish wouldn’t they go berserk and disregard everything physical as they always had? I can see that happening. What a great imagination H.G. Wells had.

The ending of the story is great too, as with most H.G. Wells stories and novels the ending does not disappoint. He really has a knack for story endings and taking care of us, the reader. Most writers don’t have this gift but he does, for sure.

“The Stolen Body” is a fun and strange read that is well worth your time. It must have dazzled its readers back in 1898. I’d love to see this story turned into a kind of mini-series for the streaming services or just Youtube. Who knows.

John Ink2Quill

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