4.64k reviews for:

The war of the worlds

H.G. Wells

3.6 AVERAGE

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous 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
adventurous reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

"By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers; it would still be his were the Martians ten times as mighty as they are. For neither do men live nor die in vain."

The writing was very hard for me to get & the descriptions about London are very tedious to someone who has no idea what's where there
adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5/5
¡¡¡¡! Sólo había visto la película de Spielberg cuando salió y hasta el día de hoy la encuentro entretenida pero jamás me esperé quedar tan metida en el libro!!!!!!!!! Amo que por un lado diga que los invasores eran asquerosos y horribles y deformes y ew pero que al mismo tiempo diga bueno uwu quizás otros animales nos vean de la misma manera quién sabe no los juzguemos tan tajantemente jiji ^-^.
Sabía de las adaptaciones de Orson Welles pero wow este libro es del siglo XIX!! his MIND.
Qué gran historia realmente, sólo no le pongo un 5 porque me desilusionó que sobrevivieran los humanos u-u
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad slow-paced
adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
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.