The War of the Worlds

By: H. G. Wells

Narrated by: Christopher Hurt

This classic chiller, when adapted for radio in 1938 by Orson Welles, was realistic enough to cause widespread panic throughout the United States.

"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own...." So begins The War of the Worlds, the science-fiction classic that first proposed the possibility that intelligent life exists on other planets.

This spellbinding tale describes the Martian invasion of earth. Following the landing in England of ten huge and indefatigable creatures, complete chaos erupts. Using their fiery heat rays and monstrous strength, the heartless aliens threaten the future existence of all life on earth.

(P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"This archetypal story of alien invasion provided a model for countless cruder imitations." (The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English)

Not what I had expected

I don’t know what I expected with a title like that , BUT I was not disappointed. Kept on listening to it even in bed!

Not bad

Not bad for 1898
I enjoyed it
You should give it a listen
The narrator could have been a little better

Pretty solid book, interesting story

The narrator did the book justice, nice voice.
It's not as relatable as the later retellings because of the author's time relative to our own, but the core components are there in newer versions all the way down to the dead transportation.
I wouldn't say it's a must-read, it didn't drag me in like some of its contemporaries, but it's worth the time. I do appreciate that the author showed the main character's ptsd while wrapping up the story, those details make it feel more realistic

A Worthy Classic

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to listening to this one but it was absolutely worth the hype.

Required listening for the SciFi fan.

Highly recommended for any fan of science fiction as foundational literature of the genre. If you saw the Tom Cruise remake, you’ll recognize the original characters and be impressed that the basis for the screenplay was written in the 1890s.
Enjoy!