The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds, published in 1898, is H.G. Wells's masterpiece of science fiction and one of the most influential novels ever written. When a series of mysterious cylinders land near London, the people of Victorian England discover they are not alone in the universe. The Martians — vast, cold intelligences that regard humanity as we regard insects — unleash their devastating war machines, and the greatest empire on earth is helpless before them.

Wells wrote the novel as a deliberate provocation. Victorian Britain was the world's greatest colonial power, imposing its civilisation on peoples who had no say in the matter. The War of the Worlds forced its readers to imagine what it felt like to be on the other side. The book is in the public domain and streams free here — no signup, no subscription, no ads.