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A review by kevin_shepherd
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
5.0
There is considerable speculation that Wells (A) intended this short novel to be an asseveration on Darwinian natural selection. Wells himself was once a student of Thomas Henry Huxley, a man known affectionately (and scornfully) as “Darwin’s Bulldog.” Whether or not that conjecture is true, it certainly fits the narrative.
It’s also speculated that this is (B) a slam on British colonialism, (C) an advocation for the rights of animals, and (D) a stab at religious fundamentalists. I doubt that Wells consciously set out to incorporate so many subliminal messages in this now classic sci-fi thriller.
A better explanation (in my humble opinion) is that Wells’ phenomenal ability to imagine real responses to surreal circumstances tends to bring our societal monsters (racism, exceptionalism, speciesism, etc.) out of the shadows.
Five Stars.
It’s also speculated that this is (B) a slam on British colonialism, (C) an advocation for the rights of animals, and (D) a stab at religious fundamentalists. I doubt that Wells consciously set out to incorporate so many subliminal messages in this now classic sci-fi thriller.
A better explanation (in my humble opinion) is that Wells’ phenomenal ability to imagine real responses to surreal circumstances tends to bring our societal monsters (racism, exceptionalism, speciesism, etc.) out of the shadows.
Five Stars.