War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells Annotated Version (War and Military Novel)

I loved War of the Worlds. It's been on my shelf my whole life and somehow I never got round to it. It's the exact kind of speculative mundane science fiction that gets me really excited, and Wells' Victorian perspective adds another fascinating layer to that. It's fun to dream of a time where we still had no idea what the Martian surface could look like. Of course, if that's not your boat, then the progressive social commentary that Wells - writing at the height of empire - provides on British (settler-)colonialism through the lens of the Martian invaders is enough to make it worth reading.

The style of writing really sells the authenticity. The book is presented as one man's account of his experience during the invasion. Events are written largely as matter of fact, presented to inform the reader rather than sensationalise. Geographical locations are name dropped as though with the assumption that the reader should be familiar with them - and of course, if you happen to be, this makes the whole affair vividly imaginable. Particularly the many references to areas of west London I can imagine myself being witness to the Martians myself.

Edit (Second reading): The opening page of this book is one of the best ever written, so chilling...you can see how people could have got confused by the radio version. The copy I read this time was one of the beautiful Penguin Clothbound books, it doesn't matter how many times I pick up one of these books and feel it in my hands my first thought is always "Why use a kindle when there is always this option?" This copy has a brilliant introduction, explaining the scientific discoveries of the time the book was written and how they influenced the outcome of the story, the science in the book was less made up that I first thought. Finally, this copy has maps! :-) an added little bonus to allow you to follow the route the narrator takes when fleeing the Martians.

Still a blooming brilliant read.

(First reading): Top book this one. There so much tension in this book when hiding from Aliens, almost on the edge of my seat stuff.

I like how the narrator had no knowledge of the devices the aliens used and he tried to describe them the best he could, and when things happened that he had knowledge of he explained it in detail.

Was also impressed by how much Spielberg stuck to the original story when making the movie.