The narrator tells of witnessing the unstoppable onslaught of invaders
from Mars, leading toward the seemingly inevitable downfall of mankind
in this landmark of the literary imagination and foundational novel of
the science fiction genre.
First published in 1897 and never out of print since, The War of the
Worlds is told in a lucid, almost documentary, style. The realistically
depicted setting, with cities and streets accurately described, gives
the Martian attack, and the subsequent collapse of order in Victorian
England, unforgettable impact. The British Empire brings its mightiest
war machines to bear to no avail as the fleeing narrator is reduced to
hiding in the ruins of civilization while being stalked by an inhuman
enemy. Adapted repeatedly to film and television, the novel's central
concept of humanity under attack by extraterrestrials has never ceased
resonating in pop culture and may have inspired more imitations than any
other trope in the science fiction genre. It is a tribute to the
capacious imagination of H.G. Wells that this novel retains both a
sense of otherworldly wonder and a harrowing intensity to this day.
With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of The War of the Worlds is both modern and readable.