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yulebynn 's review for:
The War of the Worlds
by H.G. Wells
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I honestly can't even remember why I picked this book up, but I ended up finding it surprisingly enjoyable. It's a well-known classic, often regarded as one of the earliest works of science fiction. The last time I read a classic that were also regarded as earliest of its genre, I had an unpleasant time, so I'm relieved this one actually held my attention.
'The War of the Worlds', set in the 1980s, follows an unnamed narrator who found himself in a sudden, catastrophic invasion of Earth by the highly advanced Martians. These beings arrive in massive cylinders, who they later used as tripods to lay waste to London in a short matter of time. Through the narrator, we see panic, destruction, and desperate attempts to survive as humanity is faced with its own fragility.
Reading this as someone from the 21st century, I was baffled by how even a tinge of panic wasn't felt when the first cylinder landed Earth. Doesn't the "unknown" usually strike fear in humans, regardless of the century they're from? So it frustrated me to see them not regard the cylinder of any importance. They were so casual about it, the narrator sometimes seemingly amazed by it. Though to be fair, I understand that people from the 19th century probably couldn't fathom the possibilities of horrors from another planet. Add the fact that communication were done traditionally in this century, so the news were always delayed.
I find it interesting now that even when the narrator's encounters with the Martians felt almost contained, it held my attention. I felt the rush, and I found myself constantly anticipiting what would happen next. But I was even more curious about how humanity would cope with the sudden realization that they where no longer at the top of the food chain. There where caught in a battle of the fittest too impossible to win. It's a very intriguing concept.
I've read people say this novel was ahead of its time, and I will have to agree. By today's standard, it's not the most creative or well-structured, but I could say that it earned its title as good classic.
'The War of the Worlds', set in the 1980s, follows an unnamed narrator who found himself in a sudden, catastrophic invasion of Earth by the highly advanced Martians. These beings arrive in massive cylinders, who they later used as tripods to lay waste to London in a short matter of time. Through the narrator, we see panic, destruction, and desperate attempts to survive as humanity is faced with its own fragility.
Reading this as someone from the 21st century, I was baffled by how even a tinge of panic wasn't felt when the first cylinder landed Earth. Doesn't the "unknown" usually strike fear in humans, regardless of the century they're from? So it frustrated me to see them not regard the cylinder of any importance. They were so casual about it, the narrator sometimes seemingly amazed by it. Though to be fair, I understand that people from the 19th century probably couldn't fathom the possibilities of horrors from another planet. Add the fact that communication were done traditionally in this century, so the news were always delayed.
I find it interesting now that even when the narrator's encounters with the Martians felt almost contained, it held my attention. I felt the rush, and I found myself constantly anticipiting what would happen next. But I was even more curious about how humanity would cope with the sudden realization that they where no longer at the top of the food chain. There where caught in a battle of the fittest too impossible to win. It's a very intriguing concept.
I've read people say this novel was ahead of its time, and I will have to agree. By today's standard, it's not the most creative or well-structured, but I could say that it earned its title as good classic.