The War of the Worlds

Regarded as a timeless classic, this novel is a first-person narrative of an unnamed protagonist in Surrey and his younger brother in London, as Earth is invaded by Martians. One of the first stories that fantasises with a conflict between mankind and an extraterrestrial race. The novel is one of the most commented-on works in the science fiction canon. The War of the Worlds has two parts, Book One: The Coming of the Martians and Book Two: The Earth under the Martians. The philosophically inclined narrator, struggles to return to his wife while seeing the Martians lay waste to the southern country outside London. Book One also imparts the experience of his brother, who also is unnamed, describes events as they deteriorate in the capital. The plot has been related to invasion literature of the time. The novel has been variously interpreted as a commentary on evolutionary theory, British imperialism, and generally Victorian superstitions, fears and prejudices. At the time of publication, classified as a scientific romance, like Wells' earlier novel The Time Machine. The War of the Worlds has been popular and influential, spawning half a dozen feature films, radio dramas, various comic book adaptations, television series, sequels and parallel stories by other authors. It has even influenced the work of scientists.