A quiet 1890’s English rural town gets invaded by visitors from the planet Mars.

Giants in armor, sir. Hundred feet high.Three legs and a body like aluminum, with a mighty great head in a hood, sir!

Soldiers on foot, and on horseback using lances, cannons and rifles try to repel the space travelers that brought heat rays, black killing smoke and highly advanced machinery to the planet Earth.

As the main character desperately tries to be reunited with his wife, the trials he faces shows the reader what may happen during a national emergency. The normally organized, strong social fabric of the British Empire is in ruin as the people slowly come to realize the dangers that they face.

As more of the country’s towns and people are destroyed, the protagonist begins to question if this is the end of mankind, God’s punishment or a dream. Although he understands that his wife is probably dead, but he must take the chance she survived as there may be nothing else to live for.

Why is this on our bookshelf?

Heat rays, deadly black Martian smoke, and outer space flying machines versus horses. Need I say more?

Rating (4 stars)

It had been a long time since I first read this book. The writing is turn-of -the-century English so it can be hard to read a times. The narration is told in diary form and can sometimes be boring. Seriously– how many ditches and field can one crawl though so as not to be noticed by the Martians?

Despite the different literary style, it is still a fun read.