This is generally considered the very first work of science fiction. It was written before the Wright Brothers ever flew an airplane - at the time of writing, hot air balloons were the only way to get airborne. Yet, the author not only writes about life on Mars travelling to Earth on rocket ships, but also that the Martians had the ability to build giant mechanical robots and aircraft. It's an absolutely amazing work of future prediction when you think about when it was written - and still an entertaining read today.

Although the famous Orson Welles radio production relocated the story to the United States, the original story takes place just outside London, England. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the origins of science fiction and speculative literature.