3.6 AVERAGE

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

“By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers.”

Of all of H.G. Wells’ groundbreaking science fiction novels, "War of the Worlds" is arguably his best, at least for me. It strikes a perfect balance between thrilling alien horror, philosophical depth, and razor-sharp social commentary, wrapped in gripping prose that hasn’t dulled in over a century. 
At first glance, the book is nihilistic and unrelenting. The Martian invasion feels overwhelming and merciless, and Wells does not spare us from the stark reality of powerlessness. Humanity is reduced to fleeing animals, and civilization crumbles beneath an enemy that sees no value in negotiation or mercy. The Martians, cold and mechanical, seem like an unstoppable force and for a long stretch of the novel, hope feels entirely absent. It’s harrowing, even bleak. 
But Wells does something remarkable by the end. He turns that despair on its head, not through grand acts of heroism or human victory, but through a quiet, almost cosmic irony. The Martians are defeated not by our weapons, but by Earth's most unassuming inhabitants: bacteria. And in the aftermath, we are left with a world changed not just physically, but spiritually. 
Rather than portraying humanity as simply lucky survivors, Wells paints us as altered, humbled, yes, but also more connected and evolved. The trauma of the invasion becomes a catalyst for reflection and, possibly, unity. The final pages hint at a more introspective and cooperative species, one that no longer sees itself as the unquestioned master of its domain, but rather a part of a larger, more fragile ecosystem. 
In the end, "War of the Worlds" becomes a story not just of alien invasion, but of human transformation. Its pessimism gives way to a quiet, grounded optimism, one earned through loss and reflection. It's this emotional arc, from despair to hope, that makes it my favorite of Wells’ works. It leaves you haunted, but also strangely inspired.
adventurous challenging tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Being published in 1898, H.G. Wells wrote a science fiction novel that was way ahead of its time. He perfectly crafted a story of an alien invasion that mirrors David vs. Goliath in which all of Englands military might is no match for the Martians superior intellect and technology. Ultimately, the mighty Martians despite their superiority were defeated by Earths oldest and smallest organisms, bacteria. The novel also reflects humans nature and our tendencies. Our sense of security and position on the hierarchy of the animal kingdom is squashed. All throughout various characters responses to the attack reflect the different ways humans react to stress and the uncertain. 

The premise and story itself is flawless, especially considering the time. With that said, this was a rather difficult read at times. I often found myself having to reread sentences or entire paragraphs to fully grasp what he was trying to say. As perfect of a premise as this is, I felt it lacked in some areas as most of the Martians attack in the story was just people running away. As someone not from England, the continuous descriptions of the exact physical location of the narrator, Martians etc through city and street names very confusing. I did however find the reference map at the back of the book which I will be utilizing next time I read this.
adventurous fast-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

“the birth of science-fiction literature” yeah you can tell its the first one lol.
adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Short and sweet. Not much progression of plot, as is common with books of this era. Interesting to see how strongly this book has influenced much of today’s sci-fi.
adventurous dark inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I read this for the "If You've Got it, Read it" challenge hosted by The Spine Breakers on Youtube. The challenge was "read the book you've owned the longest". I went to Goodreads and this was the 1st book that I ever added to my TBR shelf that I still hadn't read.
And, I can't believe how much I didn't like it! I'm so surprised! I really like "The Time Machine" and I like "The Island of Dr. Moreau" just fine, but I actively didn't like this book and felt just blah throughout. While I can appreciate how ground-breaking and original this book was at the time and all that it's done for the sci-fi genre since, I just can't get over how bored I was while reading it. There were so many superfluous descriptions, drawn out scenes that were way too long, and a main character that was as inspired as milk toast. I also don't think it helped that I already knew most of the story and had seen multiple adaptations. 2 stars for historical importance. :(
dark emotional mysterious tense 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'm sure this is a good book. But boy was it not for me. It made me sleepy. In a bad way. The way it's written felt so flat and distanced. I simply didn't care about anything or anyone. Alien invasion doesn't sound boring - but it sure was exactly that in this book. Sorry to everyone who loves it. But at least I now know that Wells isn't for me. 
adventurous dark medium-paced