The War of the Worlds (AmazonClassics Edition)

By: H. G. Wells

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

A metallic cylinder falls to earth, landing in the sands of Horsell Common, Surrey, generating curiosity and awe. But what's inside soon induces only terror. The story that unfolds is a breathless first-person account of an inconceivable reality: an extraterrestrial war has been waged on the planet.

In a twist on cautionary turn-of-the-century invasion literature, H. G. Wells posits the Martian attack as an insurmountable apocalyptic event. The first of its kind and a foundational work, The War of the Worlds inspired a radio broadcast, television shows, graphic novels, and countless films; roused the imagination and stirred anxieties; and changed the landscape of science fiction for generations.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to listen to a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature's most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Revised edition: Previously published as The War of the Worlds, this edition of The War of the Worlds (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Public Domain (P)2017 Brilliance Audio

A decent invasion story...

This was a decent invasion story. And while I do understand the point the author was trying to make, considering the culture of Britain at the time, I don't think the story did anything groundbreaking, even for its time.

Matthew Lloyd Davies gives us skillful narration with some decent voices and good tempo modulation.

Now, I won't delve into the plot. There are plenty of reviews that can analyze that. I'll focus on what I care about the most, which is, consequently, the thing I was most disappointed in with this book. And that is the characterization.

The main character just isn't terribly relatable. He doesn't seem to much care about anyone, and in what is, I suppose, true British fashion, no one really seems to think much of the invaders. It's just business as usual until people start dying. And even then, those who haven't seen it first hand still carry on business as usual.

The bigger thing for me though is there's very little sense of who anyone is. The majority of the action is told in free indirect speech, which has the unfortunate side-effect of making it feel a lot less immediate than it otherwise might, and denies us any detail about the main character's interactions with most people.

All in all (and I can't believe I'm about to say this), I think I actually prefer the film adaptation. It's a stronger story that more successfully makes me care about the character.

H G Wells postulates Martians conqured Venus.

"Lessing has advanced excellent reasons for supposing that the Martians have actually succeeded in effecting a landing on the planet Venus."

The book also mocks those beneath the globalist H G wells in his then hierarchical society.

Audible Narrator called Chipping Barnett Chipping Norton in paired Prime audible reading. I would guess the audible version is incorrect.

At least the book was written to appeal to the masses who were very devout Christians in that era, as was the lead protagonist in the book.

"The morning service was over, I was walking through the roads to clear my brain for the afternoon, and then—fire, earthquake, death! As if it were Sodom and Gomorrah! All our work undone, all the work— What are these Martians?”

A look back at the well known classic without Hollywood’s FXS

Interestingly the story holds up even without our jaded Tom Cruisian Zeitgeist impressions of Martians attacking Staten Island in a post 9/11 world. Instead we meet the sharply divided British Upstairs/Downstairs class struggle confronting Martian Space Invaders with steam engine technology. The struggle of the Martians and the Earthlings is a thinly veiled allegory of the Class struggle ongoing in Victorian Britain. The finger wagging is delightful, while the victorious virus annihilating the best scientific minds from Mars is additionally unsettling!

great classic

great narration, great classic story, great, classic story about the s s s s w

Still Timely in it's Message

So much better than the many attempts to put this story in theatres. The War of the Worlds is enjoyable from an entertainment angle, but carries with it a study of how humans might act in desperate situations. Humanity itself is examined, when we are no longer the wearer of the boot stepping on the ant, but the ant itself. A great book. Do not dismiss this because of Tom Cruise' s film.

War of the Worlds

The story was good, however, I do prefer the radio broadcast where Orson Wells reads the story himself. That's the best version. The was a close second.

Comments from a reader

This book is amazing. Just the right amount of science and fiction. You would think it was written in the 20th or 21st century, not the 1800s. Do read it.

Well written- always a classic

This story is an exciting sci-fi tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat. However, I can’t help but notice if the narrator would have just stayed at home and minded his business- the result would have been the same.