The War of the Worlds
H. G. Wells (1866-1946)
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Summary
Extraterrestrial invasion, the earth taken over by omniscient intelligences from Mars, the whole of humanity under siege and a nameless narrator who seems to be the lone survivor of the complete devastation of human civilization – scenes from a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster? Far from it! The War of the Worlds by HG Wells was written more than a century ago and went on to become an iconic work in the science fiction genre, spawning a whole new genre of literature featuring alien invaders. It was in fact the first book to present the idea of conflict between inhabitants of different planets. The story begins in an observatory in Ottershaw, when scientists note a series of mysterious explosions taking place on Mars. Some days later, the narrator who is on a walk on the Surrey Downs notices a weird cylindrical vehicle that suddenly opens to release a horde of hideous creatures who are later discovered to be Martians. The creatures are unable to breathe Earth's air and swiftly return to their vehicle. A peace delegation of humans tries to make contact but they're ruthlessly scorched to death by Martian heat-ray weapons. Thus begins the War of the Worlds. The British military swings into action, but their arms and ammunition are defenseless against sophisticated chemical weapons and heat-rays. Events race towards calamity as the nations of the earth unite to combat these fearful invaders to no avail. Survivors are reduced to scavenging for food with the cities of the world reduced to mere rubble. Can the human race survive? Will the narrator and his family escape destruction? The author, HG Wells was a science teacher in a small village in Somerset, England. However, he was also a gifted writer who wrote in several genres – science fiction, literary novels, short stories, history, politics and social sciences. A keen student of war and combat, he created a set of rules for playing war games with toy soldiers, which provides an interesting glimpse of logistics, strategy and close combat techniques. Wells' contribution to our ideas of science fiction remains unparalleled and the book has been widely filmed, staged and televised. The War of the Worlds was immortalized as a Halloween prank in a radio show that aired on CBS on October 30, 1938, causing widespread panic and chaos as listeners across the United States tuned in and began fleeing from their homes! The enduring appeal of this book makes it a must read classic for readers of all ages.
Reviews
judah todd
a riveting story of aliens, machines, science, and battle. I couldn't stop reading. Im reading this december 10, 2018 and I'm getting chills I can't imagine how terrifying this would be to people living when it was written. it gets a five star review from me for a grate story line, wonderful reader, and above all its superbly written.
fart
watch the movie
Gilberto Hudson
Great reading and an outstandig book!
Vahe
This is good, but you should listen to the original version read by Orson Welles.
Omega
great story teller, I thought the artillary mans voice was hilarious
Marty - 13/09/16
Streaming version is excellent, but the download version is disappointing.
Kerrysean
Absolutely brilliant I'm already at chapter six of book one and can't stop listening to it
Mark
This is a classic SF work that will appeal to many, as it is well-paced and full of both action and poignantly thoughtful moments. It's very well-suited to be an audiobook because it has a true journalist/storyteller feel to it by the author's design. My wife and I listened to a chapter each night before bed and thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator is nearly flawless and quite dedicated to producing an excellent version of the story that will keep you riveted from beginning to end. If you're an American like me, just ignore the extensive geographical name dropping of English geography (the book's biggest hurdle when it comes to relatability) and enjoy the ride!
BLG
Brilliant narration! Story had me hooked from the first chapter .. was sad that it ended
Julie
Wow! What a fantastic and riveting book. I had no idea how the original actually went. This must have been a terrifying book in its day. EXCELLENT NARRATION! This guy should read more of the classics..... I don't know his name but hats off to him!
e g t
excellent story excellently narrated
Narrator was fantastic. First time with the story. Enjoyed every chapter of it.
BellaKarma
Flawless narration! Just superb! Brilliant at giving each character their own voice.
JMB
Took awhile for me to get into the story, but once I did there was no stopping. Thought the reader was good.
Great book, classic read.
ben
Brilliant reading which is flawless throughout the entire long narration.
A. Elizabeth
Listened to this on my road trip. Loved every second of it.
Caleb
Just one great book. I love the way it was told!
Extremely well done!
Alan
Pity it won't stream nor download?
Trevor
I loved it, especially the narration.
Jamie
Loved this narration.
Ralph
Good diction. Very well read. I enjoyed it greatly.
Mr. Cab
Reader dose a nice job. Such a freaking' awesome book, too! Side note: the .m4b format is read by someone completely different; I do not recommend that version. Also, the mp3 files don't line up too well once imported to iTunes then to the iPod. Had to create a playlist.
Batman
One reader, a good reader, and an excellent book!
Scott
The reader is very good.
C.
Excellent reader.
blook
A sci-fi classic very well read and nice to listen to.
Archie Escobar
This is an awesome story. Thank you for having it on line for me to stream!!!!!
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