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4.5k reviews for:
The War of the Worlds: The Book That Started It All...
Maxwell Caulfield, H.G. Wells
3.6 AVERAGE
4.5k reviews for:
The War of the Worlds: The Book That Started It All...
Maxwell Caulfield, H.G. Wells
3.6 AVERAGE
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Simply one of the best sci-fi stories of all time. There’s a reason it’s still read 100 years later.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
dark
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was one of the science fictions novels that I had to read for my classes this semester. I remembered picking it up when I was younger and found it to be extremely boring. I only got through the first chapter.
I had to forcibly drag myself to continue to read this novel, mostly because I had to have discussions about it in class. My opinion clearly has not changed since the first time I laid eyes on it.
The narrator is dull, there is some dry humor in the story line from the narrator but even that isn't enough to alleviate the mind-numbingly boring pages I had to read.
I never really had a sense of danger or worry for the character, it could have been because this was all in past tense, so I knew that nothing bad did happen to the author and he was just reflecting back on his time during the alien attack.
There is an odd change from the narrator's POV to his brother's towards the end of the novel, which seemed very random. If H.G Wells had actually done every chapter as a different character and story line, explaining how the alien attack affected them, I would have been all over it. It would have been very much like World War Z where there were different interviews from those who had been affected during the zombie apocalypse.
All in all, I wasn't very overwhelmed with the desire to keep reading this novel and it was only because I had to for my class that I did continue. I think War of the Worlds is better left in the past and should allow other science fiction novels to take the forefront in classes.
I had to forcibly drag myself to continue to read this novel, mostly because I had to have discussions about it in class. My opinion clearly has not changed since the first time I laid eyes on it.
The narrator is dull, there is some dry humor in the story line from the narrator but even that isn't enough to alleviate the mind-numbingly boring pages I had to read.
I never really had a sense of danger or worry for the character, it could have been because this was all in past tense, so I knew that nothing bad did happen to the author and he was just reflecting back on his time during the alien attack.
There is an odd change from the narrator's POV to his brother's towards the end of the novel, which seemed very random. If H.G Wells had actually done every chapter as a different character and story line, explaining how the alien attack affected them, I would have been all over it. It would have been very much like World War Z where there were different interviews from those who had been affected during the zombie apocalypse.
All in all, I wasn't very overwhelmed with the desire to keep reading this novel and it was only because I had to for my class that I did continue. I think War of the Worlds is better left in the past and should allow other science fiction novels to take the forefront in classes.
Not sure if there is anything I find particularly wrong with how this was written, just doesn’t feel like it aged well and felt a bit dull.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have way too many thoughts about this book!
It's noted as the "grandaddy of sci-fi" and I can completely see that. I saw the beginnings of alien/monster invasion stories, dystopian worlds, and even nature/weird plant horror, which was unexpected.
What also struck me is how graphic it was. Considering it was written in 1898, I didn't expect it to go into the detail it did in some descriptions. I also noticed that while many things have changed in society, some things simply haven't. The arrogance of humanity that another species could conquer us, the reactions from panic to organization to religious fervour, and how some people think it won't impact them. In 1898 it was because info didn't move fast enough, but now, it might be the dearth of info and misinfo that harms us.
Note there's some casual sexism, but considering the time period, I expected worse.
Glad I finally read this classic, I'm sure it'll pop into my head as I continue to read horror and sci-fi!
It's noted as the "grandaddy of sci-fi" and I can completely see that. I saw the beginnings of alien/monster invasion stories, dystopian worlds, and even nature/weird plant horror, which was unexpected.
What also struck me is how graphic it was. Considering it was written in 1898, I didn't expect it to go into the detail it did in some descriptions. I also noticed that while many things have changed in society, some things simply haven't. The arrogance of humanity that another species could conquer us, the reactions from panic to organization to religious fervour, and how some people think it won't impact them. In 1898 it was because info didn't move fast enough, but now, it might be the dearth of info and misinfo that harms us.
Note there's some casual sexism, but considering the time period, I expected worse.
Glad I finally read this classic, I'm sure it'll pop into my head as I continue to read horror and sci-fi!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gore