Jules Verne and H.G. Wells

Two men. Said to be the founders of science fiction. Is it possible, in any way, shape, form, or fashion, to have the two collaborate on a science fiction book? If so, when would it be written?
What would it be about?
How would this affect the genre?
 
It would have to be around 1900, before Verne dies and after Wells establish a reputation. Verne didn't like Wells because the latter wrote of things that were too far fetched (i.e. time travel). Also Verne was an optimist, unlike Wells who favored dystopian stories.

If they were to collaborate it would most likely be on the subject of space since they both wrote about that subject. Wells would have to defer to Verne on artistic direction since he would still be fairly young. Perhaps something like 20,000 Leagues, but set in space. An early Star Trek?
 

maverick

Banned
Jules Verne was not an optimist, quite the opposite in fact.

But his publisher Pierre Jules Hetzel knew that positivism sold, so he told Verne to change it. Thus, when Hetzel died and his son took over the business, the son didn't edit Verne's work and we get his second phase, of more dystopian results of technological development.

Hadn't it been for Hetzel, a lot more of Verne would be like 'Paris in the 20th Century' and 'The Amazing adventure of the Barsac Mission'
 
I think that Verne had a dislike for Wells, and thought that some of his stories took too many liberties, and were "silly". If they did a story, it would probably involve Verne writing about the technologies, and Wells would focus more on the plot.
 
The exact disagreement between them has been going on for a while. Do you focus on the story? Or do you focus on the science?

Now, so you're saying we'd have to do it sometime in 1900? Well then, how exactly do we get that to work? Maybe a publicity thing?
 
Not sure it would work out. They'd each argue over the science (Verne thought Time Travel was preposterous). Any surviving rough draft manuscripts would be worth millions today, ITTL.
 
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