The War of the Worlds

H. G. Wells

Jul 2012 · Blackstone Audio Inc. · Narrated by Christopher Hurt

About this audiobook

"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own..." So begins The War of the Worlds, the science fiction classic that first proposed the possibility that intelligent life exists on other planets. This spellbinding tale describes the Martian invasion of Earth. Following the landing in England of ten huge and indefatigable creatures, complete chaos erupts. Using their fiery heat rays and monstrous strength, the heartless aliens threaten the future existence of all life on Earth. This classic chiller, when adapted for radio in 1938 by Orson Welles, was realistic enough to cause widespread panic throughout the United States.

Ratings and reviews

Quite short for a classic; still took three attempts spanning 7+ years for me to finish. A little misogynistic, but mostly ignorable. One strongly racist comment at the beginning that's never addressed again. Ending was unexpected. I also listened to the radio broadcast version which is quite good, and I can see how it could cause mass panic if people missed or didn't pay attention to the intro.

About the author

H. G. Wells (1866–1946), born in Bromley, Kent, England, was apprenticed to a drygoodsman and a druggist before he made his way to the Royal College of Science where he studied biology. Known as the father of science fiction, he was also a prolific writer in other genres, including contemporary novels, history, and social commentary. As a spokesman for progress and peace, his middle period novels (1900–1920) were more realistic and covered lower-middle-class life, suffrage, and the emergence of feminist ideals that pushed against the limits set by male-dominated society.

Christopher Hurt is an accomplished narrator with a lengthy resume of popular titles for Blackstone. A graduate of George Washington University's acting program, he currently resides in New York City.