← Back to catalog

The War of the Worlds

H. G. Wells · 1898 · Novel

Setting: contemporary (late 1890s)

Synopsis

The ultimate science fiction classic: for more than one hundred years, this compelling tale of the Martian invasion of Earth has enthralled readers with a combination of imagination and incisive commentary on the imbalance of power that continues to be relevant today. The style is revolutionary for its era, employing a sophisticated first and third person account of the events which is both personal and focused on the holistic downfall of Earth's society. The Martians, as evil, mechanical and unknown a threat they are, remain daunting in today's society, where, despite technology's mammoth advances, humanity's hegemony over Earth is yet to be called into question. In Well's introduction to the book, where the character discusses with the later deceased Ogilvy about astronomy and the possibility of alien life defeating the 'savage' (to them) nineteenth-century Britain, is he insinuating that this is the truth and fate of humanity?

Ideas Explored

Metadata

Source: OpenLibrary

Tags: Imaginary wars and battlesJuvenile fictionSpace warfareScience Fiction & FantasyFictionDiseasesMartiansInvasionsClassic LiteratureOpen Library Staff Picks

isfdb_id: 895

openlibrary_id: OL52114W

Find This Book