The War of the Worlds

Leo Meng

H.G. Wells

Setting: England

Genre: Science fiction

The War of the Worlds (1898) is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. It describes an unnamed narrator who travels through the suburbs of London when the earth was invaded by Martians.It is the earliest story that details a conflict between mankind and an alien race.

"At the end of nineteenth century, a metal object falls from the sky over the south of England, People come to see what it is." Then a lot of people surround the big hole. Suddenly, one end of the object starts to open, and the watchers realize that is hollow, but the creatures that come out are not human. Slowly, people begin to understand that these visitors have come from Mars. A small group of scientists approaches but they were killed. A second metal object lands, then a third, and more.

Most of the story takes place around the town of London where H.G.Wells was living when he wrote the novel.The book appeared in 1898,at the end of a century in which Britain became the most powerful country in the world. This is the background.Only these conditions could lead to a writer who created science fiction.

This story has interesting things to say about space and space creatures,but it also says a lot about our own society and the dangers of the world today.This is the most important reason why this book is absorbing to many people. It is because it reacted to real social phenomena. For example, why were Jackson's songs famous and his space walk dance? Because of the special surroundings in America! At that time, the American economy had a big problem which lead many people to lose their jobs and have nothing to do. The citizens wanted to express their emotions and the songs reflected human feelings.

H.G.Wells died in 1946.He had lived through two world wars in which his ideas about killing machines and their effect on ordinary people had come tragically true.

I advise you watch the movie before you read this book because it could help you understand. The film is more interesting than the book. Maybe such events as these will happen in the future.The scientist Stephen Hawkings said that aliens exist, but far away from the earth. However, one day they will get to the earth. While, we do not know whether or not they will be peaceful or have a war with people, I hope they will be harmonious visitors.