The War of the Worlds

By: H. G. Wells

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

First published by H. G. Wells in 1898, The War of the Worlds is the granddaddy of all alien invasion stories. The novel begins ominously, as the lone voice of a narrator intones, "No one would have believed in the last years of the 19th century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's."

Things then progress from a series of seemingly mundane reports about odd atmospheric disturbances taking place on Mars to the arrival of Martians just outside of London. At first, the Martians seem laughable, hardly able to move in Earth's comparatively heavy gravity, even enough to raise themselves out of the pit created when their spaceship landed. But soon the Martians reveal their true nature as death machines 100 feet tall rise up from the pit and begin laying waste to the surrounding land. Wells quickly moves the story from the countryside to the evacuation of London itself and the loss of all hope as England's military suffers defeat after defeat.

With horror, the narrator describes how the Martians suck the blood from living humans for sustenance and how it's clear that man is not being conquered so much as corralled.

Public Domain (P)2009 Tantor

Experience the Invasion

Would you consider the audio edition of The War of the Worlds to be better than the print version?

I always think that text and audio combine beautifully, it makes the experience all the more chilling to have it read aloud.

What did you like best about this story?

The great use of tension in the readers voice, really set the mood.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but I really want to hear more of his work.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did it over a few days, due to time constraints, but I could easily listen to it in one sitting.

The War is Coming

This is just as exciting as it purports to be. If you want to know more of the coming invasion listen to this tale.

Very good Sci Fi

Any additional comments?

HG Wells had a very good imagination. I have seen a couple movies based on this book so I already knew the story. But, the story telling was better than I anticipated. The book grabs you early and I listened intently as the invasion transpired. The middle of the book drags a little as there seems to be several chapters describing the desolation caused by the martians. The problem was that it seemed to be rehashing how bad everything was destroyed over and over again.

The ending picks up as there's a philosophical discussion about our existence. Knowing that HG Wells was an atheist, which is evident regarding the numerous references to evolution through the book, I was ready for him to exercise his beliefs here. I was surprised that while he showed a clergyman as insane, the narrator himself prays to God and thanks God for their salvation from the martians.

Anyway, this is a well written story and hard to believe it was from the late 1800s. Simon Vance was great as usual.

Just great!

absolutely beautiful,this together with the Mercury radio and chilling tales for dark nights are a sublime and deep history that you need to read or listen before die.

Gripping tell of terror

A classic in the SciFi genre and a very chilling read. Very dated at times but the world on the brink of snuffing on humanity makes for a gripping read. The sub plot of preserve fence against all odds comes through loud and clear.

Couldn't turn it off

I had this on while doing a cleaning project. Great news, it's finished because I could not turn this off.

I've longtime been a fan of the Jeff Wayne musical adaptation of the story but had not realized Wells was such an amazing writer. The details leap to life in this. I may have nightmares of an alien invasion tonight - I am entirely serious! 😳

The science is out of date in several spots but you ask me, it adds interest. The narration is fantastic. Up next: Time Machine!

still holds up after 100 years

excellent reading, this book is fantastic. in light of UFO news it sheds light on the human condition

Wow

What an epic story, and an epic narrator. I had only seen the movies before this, but the book is so much more powerful and complete. Written over 120 years ago, it still is an awesome story of alien invasion, and blows away modern sci-fi movies / shows. I just love it.

Sexist Eugenics Classic SciFi

"The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells, first serialized in UK and US magazines in 1897, is a classic science fiction alien invasion tale that has influenced so many media that has been released since then. Wells uses the Martian invasion to offer commentary on the faults of humanity, our weakness and cowardice in the face of adversity, the atrocities of technological warfare (gas use nearly 10 years before WWI), eugenics (which was a popular view for his time), and the inability for humanity to solve its own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

No, it's not a very uplifting novel, but that's not why I am only giving it 3 out of 5 stars. The eugenics discussion is extremely outdated and problematic, especially the bit about refusing any "problematic" or "troublesome" women to survive. Handmaid's Tale, anyone? For an author who was notorious during his lifetime as a "lover of women" aka sex addict, he completely ignores female characters in his novel that is supposed to speak so much to the human experience and how society would change in the face of a global existential crisis. The protagonist has a wife that is more of a symbolic notion to give him someone to find after he's lost in the English countryside rather than an actual person. It's an interesting premise, but it's definitely longer than it needs to be.

To be sure, this novel was extremely revolutionary in concept when it was published, and much of Wells' work is responsible for the development of the sci-fi genre and themes as we know them today. As such, if you're really into the premise of this book, then I recommend you take a read. But there's so much better content out there now that deals with similar topics--like the movie "A Quiet Place"--that I must mention you will not be missing much if you choose not to read this. I did enjoy the English countryside setting, though Daniel Defoe's "A Journal of the Plague Year" is better.

A fine read, but problematic at times, and in the end, not necessary.

Surprised

I came into this not knowing what to expect, only ever seen the movie.
This book is so good, definitely one of my all time favorites now.