The War of The Worlds (Science Fiction Classic)
A Victorian Martian Invasion, Gothic Terror, and Darwinian Speculation in Southern EnglandBy H. G. Wells
Length6h 52m
About this audiobook
H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds is a foundational work of modern science fiction, recounting the invasion of late-Victorian England by technologically superior Martians. Presented through the intimate, often bewildered perspective of an unnamed narrator, the novel combines adventure narrative, scientific speculation, social observation, and documentary realism. Its descriptions of heat rays, ambulatory fighting machines, mass panic, and ecological vulnerability transform contemporary anxieties about imperialism and technological progress into a gripping planetary crisis. At the same time, Wells reverses the logic of empire: the colonizing power is no longer Britain, but humanity itself, suddenly rendered primitive and powerless. The novel's restrained prose and vivid reportage anticipate later disaster fiction while preserving the moral seriousness of Victorian social criticism. Born in 1866 and trained in science at the Normal School of Science under T. H. Huxley, Wells brought an unusually informed understanding of biology, evolution, and scientific method to his imaginative writing. His early experiences of poverty, teaching, journalism, and political debate shaped a lifelong concern with class inequality, social organization, and humanity's uncertain future. Written during the height of European imperial expansion, The War of the Worlds reflects Wells's skepticism toward claims of civilization and progress, exposing how quickly confidence collapses when confronted by superior force. This classic deserves recommendation to readers interested in science fiction, Victorian culture, imperial history, and the ethical consequences of technological power. It remains compelling not merely for its spectacular invasion, but for its unsettling questions about survival, humility, and the fragility of social order. Both an influential genre landmark and a penetrating critique of human arrogance, the novel rewards readers who approach its thrills alongside its historical and philosophical implications.
Audiobook details
GenreScience Fiction, Literary Classics
Length6 hrs 52 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 27, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The House of Sounds (Annotated)
2BOOK ONE THE COMING OF THE MARTIANS
3CHAPTER ONE The Eve Of The War
4CHAPTER TWO The Falling Star
5CHAPTER THREE On Horsell Common
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6CHAPTER FOUR The Cylinder Opens
7CHAPTER FIVE The HeatRay
8CHAPTER SIX The HeatRay In The Chobham Road
9CHAPTER SEVEN How I Reached Home
10CHAPTER EIGHT Friday Night
11CHAPTER NINE The Fighting Begins
12CHAPTER TEN In The Storm
13CHAPTER ELEVEN At The Window
14CHAPTER TWELVE What I Saw Of The Destruction
15CHAPTER THIRTEEN How I Fell In With The Curate
16CHAPTER FOURTEEN In London
17CHAPTER FIFTEEN What Had Happened In Surrey
18CHAPTER SIXTEEN The Exodus From London
19CHAPTER SEVENTEEN The “Thunder Child”
20BOOK TWO THE EARTH UNDER THE MARTIANS
21CHAPTER ONE Under Foot
22CHAPTER TWO What We Saw From The Ruined House
23CHAPTER THREE The Days Of Imprisonment
24CHAPTER FOUR The Death Of The Curate
25CHAPTER FIVE The Stillness
26CHAPTER SIX The Work Of Fifteen Days
27CHAPTER SEVEN The Man On Putney Hill
28CHAPTER EIGHT Dead London
29CHAPTER NINE Wreckage
30CHAPTER TEN The Epilogue
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