The War of the Worlds

Story

This science fiction classic begins in 1894 when the narrator observes a mysterious flash of light on Mars through a telescope. When a falling star flashes over England and a mysterious metal cylinder is discovered in Maybury, the narrator’s enigmatic observations become his worst nightmare and he must fight for survival.

Why we chose it

A science fiction classic which has meant different things to different generations, each with their own global concerns. It remains a story that challenges the reader to think about how humanity behaves.

Where it came from

Prior to publication as a novel, War of the Worlds was first serialized in Pearson’s Magazine (UK) and Cosmopolitan (US) in 1897. It was published as a hardcover novel one year later. The plot reflects invasion literature popular to the time and is a commentary of British imperialism.

Where it went next

Upon publication, the novel was well received and is continues to be listed as required reading by many schools. Besides film, stage, comic book, video game, and television adaptations, War of the Worlds was famously adapted into a radio play by Orson Welles in 1938 which was supposed to have tricked listeners into believing that the world was under attack. In the 1970s Jeff Wayne produced a musical version with Richard Burton narrating and David Essex recording a number of the songs. Forever Autumn and The Eve of the War became hits.

Associated Stories

HG Wells also wrote The Time Machine.