The War of the Worlds

[alobear]

I saw the (pretty bad) Tom Cruise film when it came out, and I've seen (and listened to) the Jeff Wayne musical multiple times, but I had never before read The War of the Worlds by HG Wells. It's a bit dry in places, and in the end the protagonist doesn't really have any agency, but it has a lot to recommend it. The discussion of the difference between men and Martians is very interesting, there is amusement to be had in the presentation of some of the reactions of people to news of an invasion from Mars, and it trips along at quite pace. It seems strange that the narrator, his wife and his brother are not named, and there is certainly a remoteness to the narrative at times. I kept hearing it in the dramatic tones of Richard Burton, though, which was entertaining, and overall it's very well written.