Spooky Reads Day 28: The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

Title: The War of the Worlds
Author: H.G. Wells
Page Count: 192
Rating: A
Keywords: Aliens, Mars, War
Genre: Science Fiction
Narrator: Simon Vance
Duration: 5 hours and 43 minutes
Younger Readers: This is a horror tale but does not have any sexual content or language.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

With H.G. Wells’ other novels, The War of the Worlds was one of the first and greatest works of science fiction ever to be written. Even long before man had learned to fly, H.G. Wells wrote this story of the Martian attack on England. These unearthly creatures arrive in huge cylinders, from which they escape as soon as the metal is cool. The first falls near Woking and is regarded as a curiosity rather than a danger until the Martians climb out of it and kill many of the gaping crowd with a Heat-Ray. These unearthly creatures have heads four feet in diameter and colossal round bodies, and by manipulating two terrifying machines – the Handling Machine and the Fighting Machine – they are as versatile as humans and at the same time insuperable. They cause boundless destruction. The inhabitants of the Earth are powerless against them, and it looks as if the end of the World has come. But there is one factor which the Martians, in spite of their superior intelligence, have not reckoned on. It is this which brings about a miraculous conclusion to this famous work of the imagination.

My Review:

In an effort to read more classics this year I decided to give this audiobook a chance. IT IS NOTHING LIKE THE 2005 TOM CRUISE AND DAKOTA FANNING MOVIE. I absolutely could not stand that movie and was worried I would have similar feelings for this book. Luckily, my worries were proven ridiculous.

This was far more entertaining than I had ever expected. It is a fun recount of Martians attacking England, these insane mechanical creatures and their creeping red vines are straight out of a nightmare. Our main character's attempts to survive as he roams across England provide peril, exciting events, and peculiar characters that keep the reader wondering.

The language is older sounding, like many classic novels I have read for school, but not so much so that it was difficult to follow or felt unnatural. It reads a bit like Dr. John Watson's recounts of his and Sherlock Holmes' adventures. This was clearly a point in favor of this book. I look forward to reading more from H.G. Wells in the future.

Simon Vance is a great narrator. His voice is surprisingly calming and clear, carrying the reader along in this tale of invasion without distracting from the events unfolding. There is a dramatic and classic quality to his voice that increase the epic feeling. I have already downloaded another audiobook he has read. Hopefully it is just as wonderful.

If you are looking for a fun classic or enjoy science fiction this is a great read. Older grade school students would definitely enjoy this book, whether listening or reading it.