Review: War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells – In which Martians learn to OPEN DOORS!!

Novel: Sci-fi, horror. Contains: Violence and disturbing imagery.

“The Martians understood doors!” – H. G. Wells

That quote is no doubt the most comedic (and I have no doubt unintentionally so) sentence in the book, War of the Worlds, which ends on a rather grim note. Not that a story about aliens invading and causing destruction can’t end on a grim note, I would be disappointed any other way. But the books beginning isn’t nearly as interesting (or grim) as its end. Of course, you don’t want a book to end as it starts, otherwise the reader will feel that they, the author, and all the characters involved have simply walked around in circles a bit. 

But you want some sense of cohesion, and the beginning feels a little bit too “Oh, what wonderful astronomy!” for the rest of the book, which goes into themes of war, madness, starvation, and desperation. Those themes are dived just deep enough to keep the story on track, but Wells can surprise you with the sudden brutality the characters become capable of in such a terrifyingly unorthodox situation.

But where are my manners (buried somewhere)? I haven’t even explained what War of the Worlds is about! This is because it is considered a classic, and was the first piece of fiction to introduce the concept of alien invasion to the world. Even if you haven’t read the book, you know that it is about an alien invasion, mostly because of the radio drama by Orson Wells (does anyone else think that the double-Wells names are indicative of a higher power/alien conspiracy? No? Okay, then) popularized the story with mass hysteria. Which, come to think of it, is probably the most dangerous way to advertise your product. If you have been living under a rock, deep inside the Earth, War of the Worlds is about Martians landing on Earth and attempting to exterminate the human race. I won’t bother telling you about the characters as they are mostly just ways to move from setting to setting, and the man recounting the tale is essentially the Joe Schmoe of 1897. And by that I mean he is a well-off English speculative philosopher, not a run of your run of the mill 19th-century mill worker.

Of course by the time the radio show came out, H. G. Wells (or Wells A as I am inclined to call him), was long dead. It’s kind of a shame he never got to see just how enamored people would become with the concept, and had War of the World’s come during the fifties or sixties, I’m pretty sure that its author would be a literary rock star.

But of course the book was not written in the fifties or sixties, it was written close to 1900. And it definitely shows. No cars, no missiles with which the military might use against the invaders (which, to be fair, kind of increases the dread factor, as guns and cannons are the best they can do in terms of military power). Towards the end of the book, the main character marvels at the idea of air travel. Trains come into play as well, although people do use trains more frequently in England currently than they do in the United States, where I live, and where statistically, most of you are from. 
The following is another quote: “But as the saying goes, I gripped myself with both hands.”

Now maybe I'm the one whose been living under a rock, but I don’t think that has been a saying in at least half a century. I'm still thinking about it, and I can't make heads or tails of what that saying is supposed to mean in the first place. There is a moment in which a 19th-century submarine fights three alien tanks. Any book this old is going to be a little dated.

That said, I think the book holds up rather well.

My definition of a classic is a book which stands the test of time. And while Wells uses some language which isn’t found frequently today, the book still holds impressive scenery and concepts that do not age. I would say that the scenery and aesthetic are the best parts of the book. The characters have hardly any dialogue, and let’s face it, they wouldn’t have much to talk about. They are resourceful and desperate to maintain a bit of order in their world gone mad. But the characters are mostly just a way to get from one war-torn place to the next. War of the World’s has a setting which beats most post-apocalyptic settings and has time left over to take a pottery class.

It displays the loneliness of deserted cities, the terror of the burning countryside, and even the comradery of human beings unified under a common fear. The aliens do not zip about in saucers and shoot stuff, instead, they skitter across the land with metallic spider legs, while depositing smoke which sets everything and everyone on fire. Everything is grand and haunting, and as a person who loves Steampunk content, I can’t think of a better time period I which this catastrophe takes place.

Despite the mostly undeveloped characters, the book manages to squeeze some real emotion out of them. The commonality of the protagonist as well, allows the reader to place herself/himself in this dangerous and imposing world. While the book starts out a tad boring, it picks up to have a wonderful last quarter. At this point, an alien invasion has become something of a cliche’. 

But as a person who has loved the idea since I was a little kid, I can assure you that War of the World’s depicts it in a powerful way which knocks any Martian invader incarnations since aside with the flick of giant, metal spider-leg.

Awful – Bad – Good – Great – Brilliant

There is a reason why War of the World’s has inspired generation after generation, and I guarantee that if you are a fan of aliens, it is a must check out. 

It speaks about the human condition, the possibility of intelligent life, and after a hundred and eighteen years, how our reaction to an alien invasion would be mostly the same. 

Thanks for reading and I hope that you have a good day!