Review: The Classic Sci-Fi Story that is as enjoyable today as it was over 100 years ago when it was first published
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 5, 2013
Most of the time when I return to a book that falls into the "classics" category, I find it necessary to put more effort into the reading of the story than I'm used to. I attribute this to my own natural laziness as well as the fact that most modern novels (not intending any offense to John Grisham, James Patterson, Lee Child, or many many other accomplished current authors) require little heavy lifting on the part of the reader. They also may not endure much beyond our current generations, but who knows? In any event, my point is that H.G. Well's writing is different. His books are as readable and enjoyable today as I expect they were when they were first published (and in the case of War of the Worlds, remarkably, that was 1898).War of the Worlds may be Well's most well-known work today. It has remained in print since its first publication, and for good reason. This is a book that you can pick up and immediately immerse yourself in. It is a compelling read, written in the first person as the narrator - who is not ever identified by name - recounts his experience as flashes on the Martian surface are first detected, followed by "meteor" crashes on the English countryside, which soon disgorge Martian fighting machines that proceed to lay waste to the English countryside, with the English authorities struggling to deal with an attack that was impossible to anticipate.I first read this book along with several of Well's other books many years ago, and it was a pleasure to return to it today and rediscover the story in its original form, because while it is mostly familiar now from the popular film adaptations, there is a purity to the original story that is great to recapture. It is not necessary to employ elaborate special effects on-screen to convey the terror of the martian killing machines - Well's crisp writing brings the story alive in your mind and imagination. As good as modern filmmaking may be, some stories are still better when your own imagination is allowed to develop its own interpretation of the drama and conflict that the author has constructed.Of course, this story has been adapted into movie form at least twice (first in 1953, starring Gene Barry, and most recently in 2005 directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise), but from a historical perspective I think the most notable adaptation was the 1938 CBS radio broadcast that was narrated and directed by Orson Welles. That famous radio show was so convincing - the first two-thirds were delivered as if the story was an actual news bulletin - that many listeners took it to be real, with panic resulting (and later outrage as it was learned that it was in fact a fictional story). If you haven't ever heard that broadcast or portions of it, then it is worth searching out (easily found online, YouTube and elsewhere).The Kindle edition that I have is completely satisfactory and was a pleasure to read (I have the Atria Books version, which is a Simon & Schuster product and omits only the footnotes that are included in their more expensive Kindle edition).A great read and a perfect choice for your beach or vacation relaxation!Some of H.G. Well's other works include:The War of the WorldsThe Time MachineThe Invisible ManThe Island of Dr MoreauThe First Men in the MoonThe Shape of Things to ComeA Modern UtopiaThe War in the AirThe Sleeper AwakesI've linked the Penguin Classics paperback editions of the books above, but each is available in many different editions since they are all now public domain and therefore even available at no cost in various places online (and Kindle editions are frequently available for very low cost as well).Finally, for a quality hardcover edition of Well's three most famous stories, may I suggest investing inThe Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds (Everyman's Library (Cloth)).