One of the most famous science-fiction stories ever written, The War of the Worlds helped launch the entire genre by exploiting the concept of interplanetary travel. First published in 1898, the novel terrified readers of the Victorian era with its account of an invasion of hostile creatures from Mars who moved across the English landscape in bizarre metal transports, using deadly heat rays to … heat rays to destroy buildings and annihilate all life in their path. Its power to stir the imagination was made abundantly clear when Orson Welles adapted the story for a radio drama on Halloween night in 1938 and created a national panic.
Despite readers’ increasing sophistication about space travel and interplanetary invaders, The War of the Worlds remains a riveting reading experience. Its narrative energy, intensity, and striking originality remain undiminished, ready to thrill a new generation of readers with old-fashioned storytelling power.
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War of the Worlds H. G. Wells 1897
Martians invade the home of an unnamed narrator, and his younger brother, in southern England.
The War of the Worlds
Wow. I knew this, but I didn’t KNOW this, until I re-read his 1898 novel, The War of the Worlds: H.G. Wells was eerily and impressively ahead of his time.
I’ll admit, The War of the Worlds was hardly an easy read. The dispassionate and overly formal style of writing/reporting constantly dragged me back to a long ago time and place almost as …
I’m glad I finally read this classic. So many iconic images now fall into place. Interesting how reading the original resource makes sense of current references. H. G. Wells was ahead of his time.
An absolute bore. I lasted through five chapters before converting to the audiobook. Even then, I probably listened to it only 50% of the time. Maybe it’s the execution that didn’t deliver for me; I’m fairly sure the reader was supposed to fear the heat ray as much as the titular character. But I couldn’t have cared less. Anti-climactic. Do not …
The War of the Worlds, this is another book that has been on my to read list for 30 years! A classic which I never got around to reading. To be honest, I didn’t think I would like it because it was written so long ago and the writing style back then is not what it is today. But it really didn’t take me long to get hooked and really enjoy my …
The War of the Worlds is an amazing book and through reading the book, as opposed to watching the movie, you get to appreciate HG Wells incredibly progressive understanding of philosophy and how human societies work. For me, these insights were the most outstanding feature of this intriguing science fiction story and provide food for thought about how people could evolve if our species focuses only on mathematical and scientific progress and moves away from creativity and emotion as the Martians are depicted to have done.
The narrator of this story is a journalist living an ordinary life in an ordinary English town. He happens to be good friends with an astrologer named Ogilvy and, due to this friendship, chances to witness an extraordinary sequence of explosions of gas on the planet, Mars. Ogilvy attaches not importance to this strange occurrence and reassures the narrator that there is very little chance of intelligent life on Mars.
A few days later a meteorite hits the common near to where the narrator lives on Maybury Hill. Ogilvy and the narrator investigate the pit created by the meteorite and suspect that it is unusual due to it being cylindrical in shape and made of metal. This event does not, however, attract much attention and only a small gathering of curious bystanders is present when the cylinder opens and the Martians are revealed in all their astonishing ugliness and clumsiness. Ogilvy is still convinced the Martians pose no threat to man as they are hampered so significantly by the greater gravitational forces present on Earth. He underestimates the advanced intelligence of the Martians and can’t imagine a being that is so highly evolved it has replaced its physical body with machinery making them entirely impervious to the forces of nature, or so they think.
Ogilvy becomes a victim of the Martians first demonstration of their military superiority and the narrator soon discovers that he is entirely incorrect in everything he surmised about Mars and the Martians. The war against the alien invaders begins and all of the weapons created by men are quickly and easily overcome by the Martians.
The story is told from the point of view of the narrator, who is present from when the Martians first arrive on Earth, and from that of his brother, who is living in London when the alien invaders attack the city.
Aside for the intriguing ideas about the nature and psychology of the Martian invaders, there are also some through provoking scenes featuring the narrator and a pastor which cannot come to terms with the demise of mankind at the hands of the Martians.
An excellent book for readers who are interesting in philosophy, psychology and science fiction.
A great exploration of imagination on the part of Wells. For, it was unique and fun to read, and unlike most other classic SyFy, it isn’t long and hard to follow, so it’s great if your new to reading, or are just getting into the genre (it was my first SyFy book)
the reason I give it only 4 stars because the ending, for me, was a little disappointing, but it was still a good overall read.
A classic
A fantastic alien invasion story, far more readable than you’d think for something penned in the 19th century, and an absolute classic for good reason.
Excellent Classic
Dated, but a classic