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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Another book that was way ahead of its time. I enjoyed this futuristic tale.
50% Martian invasion sci-fi notable only as a predecessor of better works
45% the names of towns in England
5% “tumult[uous]”
45% the names of towns in England
5% “tumult[uous]”
Very interesting and one to tickle your thoughts from time to time in the future.... asteroids.. hmmm.....
fast-paced
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
As with most of the work of H.G. Wells, he isn't exactly subtle with his message. It's hard to imagine a more brutal critique of the late-nineteenth century British Empire, and its role in imperialist colonialism.
As such, it's remarkable how dark and violent this book is. Huge recommendation, especially if you think that you know the story.
As such, it's remarkable how dark and violent this book is. Huge recommendation, especially if you think that you know the story.
I have a lot to say about this book.
It really pleasantly surprised me. As someone who doesn’t enjoy sci-fi novels, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can see myself reading more of H. G. Wells’ work. His descriptions are extremely detailed and beautifully written.
The only negative point that I have is that I struggled to get into it at first, but I think that’s due to my unfamiliarity with or rather dislike of the sci-fi genre. Once I got past the first chapter, I read this book in less than 24 hours.
It was very fast-paced and easy to read. I felt genuine terror throughout. I could feel the tension, the sense of hope and then the hopelessness. The structure of the plot kept me gripped and interested in what happens next.
I particularly enjoyed the narration style, it almost felt like a non-fiction book, almost auto-biographical, the way the writer engages with the reader and describes the events as a survivor of the war.
In the first few chapters, I felt like character engagement was lacking, there was not very much dialogue, and I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters. However that all changed when we were introduced to the writer’s brother and his female companions, then the curate (I hated this man!) and the artilleryman. I felt that the more the book progressed, the more we engaged with the characters and came to understand the personality of the writer himself. I thought he was quite likeable.
My favourite chapters were The Heat-Ray, The Death of the Curate, and the Man on Putney Hill.
I really enjoyed the underlying themes of this novel, particularly the idea that curiosity is an undoing of the human race. I think I want to read this again and highlight some of those key themes and the messages that Wells is trying to convey through the story.
This book was recommended to me and I would recommend it to anyone, even those who are not very interested in science fiction.
It really pleasantly surprised me. As someone who doesn’t enjoy sci-fi novels, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can see myself reading more of H. G. Wells’ work. His descriptions are extremely detailed and beautifully written.
The only negative point that I have is that I struggled to get into it at first, but I think that’s due to my unfamiliarity with or rather dislike of the sci-fi genre. Once I got past the first chapter, I read this book in less than 24 hours.
It was very fast-paced and easy to read. I felt genuine terror throughout. I could feel the tension, the sense of hope and then the hopelessness. The structure of the plot kept me gripped and interested in what happens next.
I particularly enjoyed the narration style, it almost felt like a non-fiction book, almost auto-biographical, the way the writer engages with the reader and describes the events as a survivor of the war.
In the first few chapters, I felt like character engagement was lacking, there was not very much dialogue, and I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters. However that all changed when we were introduced to the writer’s brother and his female companions, then the curate (I hated this man!) and the artilleryman. I felt that the more the book progressed, the more we engaged with the characters and came to understand the personality of the writer himself. I thought he was quite likeable.
My favourite chapters were The Heat-Ray, The Death of the Curate, and the Man on Putney Hill.
I really enjoyed the underlying themes of this novel, particularly the idea that curiosity is an undoing of the human race. I think I want to read this again and highlight some of those key themes and the messages that Wells is trying to convey through the story.
This book was recommended to me and I would recommend it to anyone, even those who are not very interested in science fiction.
reflective
slow-paced
It's worth reading once since it is the foundation of sci fi as a genre. It's classically dry and reads more like a bedtime story than a tense action novel, despite the dark themes and content.
A sci-fi classic. While reading, I found myself wondering if there is an H.G. Wells' Martian counterpart who is currently writing his thoughts about the Curiosity Rover "invasion."
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
I loved the worldbuilding and I thought the messages about colonialism were very clear. The problem with it was the outdated science I thought.