the greatest science fiction novel ever.
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this book was first written in 1898 and is as poweful today as it was then. a great read
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Clobber the Curate
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Having just finished this novel, many scenes and incidents are still reverberating in my mind's eye. The martians had the good sense to invade during the summer, thus providing wells with the opportunity to describe many beautiful days and sunsets. I don't think I will ever be able to skirt a clay pit without listening out for hammering or nervously glancing around for puffs of green smoke. A novel of wonderful invention, it is crying out for a faithful filmic representation that will do it justice. As one other reviewer has mentioned, the comments on the SF site were clearly made by an idiot.
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The ultimate sci-fi story.
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I'm sure most of you are aware of the premise of this book; what with two motion pictures, a musical, a double CD and an infamous radio program . I still feel, however, compelled to write a short review to reminds us all why this relatively short and simple Sci-Fi book is one of the best ever written.
From start to end it is a fascinatingly, absorbing read and almost believable account of alien invasion (hence maybe the panic after the 1938 radio show!) And not once did I forget this book was written in the 1800'S, before many people had even considered life outside our planet, let alone the threat it could pose.
The story itself is told through an individual who survives and witnesses much of the invasion. His version of accounts shows how humanity responded to this threat, behaved towards each other and the invasion itself. The scene of the steam battleship confronting one of the alien Tripods is very touching, as is of course, the lead character's (whom we never know by name) efforts to find his loved ones.
Needless to say , the descriptions of the aliens and their technology (the Tripods are very scary in any medium!); their ruthlessness to dominate and extinguish human kind would astound readers today. What they made of these ideas back in 1898 we can only imagine! One could also believe the Martians are a parody of humankind; portraying our recklessness and drive to consume or destroy without thought; "intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic" ...
In short, this is one book you MUST read (it wont take you long!). And do not be put off if you have seen any of the above versions. I only read this recently after seeing all of the above (not the musical) and still found it an amazing read and comfortably up there with the best books Ive ever read. Sci-Fi or other!
I believe the best Sci-Fi stories combines humankind, as we know it, with the unknown and unimaginable. What HG Wells does with War of The Worlds, is to bring the unimaginable to man's doorstep, and gives us one heck of a fright!
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Contains fascinating speculations
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While I did enjoy War of the Worlds, it did not take me by the scruff of the neck in quite the way I had been led to expect. Over a hundred years of science-fiction literature and horror flicks stand between its publication and my reading of it. So it is worth bearing in mind that its acclaim is rooted in its historical context - pitiless alien invasion and hopeless human subversion: for a modern reader, the idea is no longer spectacular.
That aside, what struck me most was the believability of the story. There are some very interesting ideas in here - including unsettling and sinister speculations on our further evolutionary development - and the resolution is clever and above all satisfyingly credible. Wells's education in the biological sciences is noticeable and lends real substance to the narrative.
The book really grabbed me in those moments where Wells allows himself to intrude most loudly in the narrative, such as during the detailed description of the aliens' physiology and the hypotheses to which it gives rise. The final scenes are also fantastic: Nature's seeming cruelty is given a fresh justification as the intruders themselves succumb to an invasion in the form of - well, read it and you'll find out. Through this final, spectacular event, the species of earth are united in a rare and shattering way to rival any openly pantheistic writings. The co-dependence of terrestrial species is thrown into sharp relief and man's hubris is dealt a fatal blow: that message, delivered by Wells in a poetic but modest way, is as relevant today as it ever was.
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A Victorian costume drama - with aliens!
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I have just been reading a rather snotty review of this book at the "the SF Site", in which it's claimed WotW is of merely "historical note" and "H.G. Wells is something of a disappointment today."
Well I beg to differ. My daily commute for the last two weeks has been completely transformed by this compelling and frightening page-turner. Wells's ability to juxtapose the mundane with the extraordinary - an extraterrestrial tripod-shaped tank bestriding and destroying a rural parish church is one example - puts images into the mind which won't go away in a hurry (and may even lead to bad dreams). His intentional satire on Victorian imperial arrogance, and, perhaps unintentional, revelation of the paranoia inherent in the British "island mentality", make this an intelligent book, one which must have sparked debate in its readership at the time.
The technological vision and attention to scientific detail is amazing for an author writing before the invention of television or the aeroplane (he had to call the Martians' aircraft a "Flying Machine"). Perhaps the Deus Ex Machina ending is a bit abrupt, but it's true to the underlying political intent: European settlers overseas had come to similar fates as the Martians.
Finally, this book is definitely for mature tastes. I can understand that children or teenagers who are growing up with Star Wars and comics will find both the style and substance rather old-fashioned and pedestrian. But for knowing adults, especially those already heavily exposed to both Sci-fi and BBC costume dramas (!), trust me, you won't regret time spent reading this.
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