War of the Worlds is one of the biggest and well respected stories of all time. Written by H.G. Wells, the book was first serialized in 1897 and originally published in 1898. It is the story of an alien invasion and it has influenced many people since its inception.
Readers seeking what an alien invasion would be like, this is the book for you. It deals with what the world would be like if aliens actually came to take over the world. People rationing food, being killed, traveling from place to place hoping that the aliens won’t catch them there, etc. War of the Worlds not only deals with the alien invasion, but it also deals with religion. It tests the main character, and also the reader, to think “Is there really a higher power out there?”
War of the Worlds demonstrates a lot of different people’s beliefs. For instance, natural selection is very present throughout the story. H.G. Wells was a student of Thomas Henry Huxley, who was a big believer of natural selection. Natural selection, survival of the fittest shows that the Martians, who have survived longer, thus being smarter and more technologically advanced than the humans.
War of the Worlds also displays human evolution. Although the Martians are more intelligent and technologically advanced, they lack emotions. Along with these beliefs, the story also shows colonialism and imperialism. At the time the book was published, the British colony was taking over. He also pointed out that us as humans weren’t completely innocent either. We were the cause of the death and extinction of many animals, therefore are we really that much different from the Martians that H.G. Wells wrote about?
This story also shows the notion of Social Darwinism. The Martians feel like they have a right to rule over planet Earth because they are a superior race and are more advanced in evolution. The Martians did not care who you were or where you came from; they were determined to exterminate everyone in order to take over planet Earth.
The final belief that War of the Worlds touches upon is may be the most important, religion and science. For thousands of years religion and science have been butting heads over which one is truly correct. We may never get the answer to this eternal question. There are many times in the story where the main character prays to God for support. Whether or not God answers his prayers is entirely up to you.
War of the Worlds was great with its character development, tone, description, etc. The difference between where the main character starts and where it ends is truly outstanding. The book really makes you feel like you’re in the alien invasion and fully invests you in the main character’s story. War of the Worlds has stood the test of time and by the end you will feel extremely happy that you read such a phenomenal book.
In conclusion, War of the Worlds is an absolutely phenomenal book that was made into two movies. The first movie was made in 1953 and starred Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. The 2005 remake was directed by Steven Spielberg, narrated by Morgan Freeman, and starred Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning. Even though both movies were very well done they cannot compare to the greatness that was the novel. War of the Worlds may not be for everyone but fans of alien invasion stories then it is highly recommend for you.
