The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells, is a foundation work in the genre of Science Fiction, no less groundbreaking than Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The fact that this hair-raising story was written in the 19th century is lost on most, a natural result of the highly impactful 20th century treatment of the story by Orson Wells, and of course, our own contemporary perspective through the eyes of film star Tom Cruise. Brilliant illustrations by John Patrick make vivid this startling contrast: Victorian England versus extraterrestrials, bucolic villagers against blood-sucking Martians; canons against mechanized tripods; muskets and cutlasses against heat rays! One can only imagine Queen Victoria's reaction to London being overrun by monsters from outer space.

The simple and elegant prose that Wells used to create this story sets it apart from the sterile and pulp nature of much of 20th century science fiction. The War of the Worlds is a timeless story that can be read and re-read without any loss of freshness and excitement. We hope you enjoy this new illustrated edition of a groundbreaking classic.