The War of the Worlds - Literary Touchstone ClassicThis Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classic? includes a glossary and reader?s notes to help the modern reader contend with Wells? vocabulary, use of science, and British references.Originally written for a magazine in 1897, The War of the Worlds became an instant, popular favorite. Long before our modern fascination with flying saucers and brightly glowing UFOs, H. G. Wells anticipated a close encounter between puny Earthlings and seemingly all-powerful Martians.A flash of light observed coming from the red planet sets the stage for a terrifying invasion, against which Earth?s modern weapons are useless. Throughout the epic battle, Wells points out that humans just might not have the talent or ability to defeat an extraterrestrial rival. Could we become slaves to a race of alien monsters? Will their heat-ray destroy all of London and decimate the rest of civilization? Can one man save the world? The War of the Worlds is a science fiction masterpiece that has fascinated us for more than a century, through at least three different movies, the infamous Orson Welles radio broadcast, and even a Broadway musical. Few books have captured the popular imagination as forcefully as this H. G. Wells novel. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Addlestone artilleryman astronomer began Black Smoke blackened body bridge brother Byfleet Chapter Chertsey Chobham crawled creatures crowd curate cylinder dark dead death door earth Edgware escape eyes face faint fear feet fighting-machine fire flame flash George's Hill going green grew guns hand handling-machine heap heard Heat-Ray Hill horse Horsell Common houses huge human hurried kitchen lane Leatherhead light London Londonward looked machine Mars Martians Maybury Maybury Hill miles mind morning night Ogilvy Ottershaw Park planet Primrose Hill Putney Pyrford railway realised red weed Regent's Park river River Thames road rose round ruins running rushed sand pits scarcely scullery seemed seen Shepperton shouted side silent slowly smashed sound star staring station steam stood stopped strange Street suddenly Surrey Surrey County tentacles Thames things thought trees tumult turned ulla vapour watching Weybridge wife window Woking Woking station yards