The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells is a science fiction novel that tells the story of a devastating Martian invasion of Earth. Set in late 19th-century England, the novel follows an unnamed narrator as he witnesses the arrival of mysterious cylindrical objects from Mars, which soon reveal themselves to be highly advanced alien war machines. The Martians, equipped with deadly heat-rays and chemical weapons, quickly overpower human resistance, causing mass panic and destruction across the countryside. As society collapses, the narrator struggles to survive and make sense of humanity’s place in the universe. Ultimately, the Martians are defeated not by human efforts but by Earth’s microbes, to which they have no immunity. The novel explores themes of imperialism, survival, and the vulnerability of civilization.