Most of you know the premise, I'm sure. Martians land on earth and begin the wanton destruction of England. The first person narrator is unnamed, but he's a writer and a philosopher. So he gives a "factual" narration of what happened to him and his brother, who was in a different part of England.
You can feel the mounting tension and at times panic of the narrator and those he encounters. The story is brutal and doesn't pull any punches. The descriptions of the Martians and their fighting machines are vivid and many artists have attempted to depict scenes from The War of the Worlds.
As with most classic novels, the descriptions are at times a bit wordy, although I probably would have gotten more out of them if I were more familiar with that area of England. The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest science fictions works, and if you are a fan of the genre, you should not miss it.
Published by William Heinemann, 1898 (published in serial form in 1897)
eBook obtained from Serial Reader
287 pages
Rating: 4/5
Oh gosh, this is one of those books I have heard so much about and never read. I do know England pretty well so maybe I should give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI used to have one of those “books to read before you die” lists, and I’m pretty sure this one was on it. I have seen the movie, if that counts. Great review! I’m glad you mostly liked it.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!