The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

It is a horror and science fiction novel, published in 1898 and written by H.G. Wells. It is the first literary work that talks about an alien invasion. Here you can download a copy of The War of the Worlds in PDF format.

It is an exciting story from beginning to end, in which the protagonist tells everything he experienced during the arrival of the Martians on Earth (London).

Some have interpreted the book as a strong criticism between the lines of the European society of the time, as well as the past events of conquest and mass migrations.

The truth is that all the events of the plot leave the readers on edge, seeing that the narrator-protagonist is constantly in danger.The epic alien attack scenes have inspired a number of film adaptations, the latest of which was released in 2005.

The War of the Worlds in PDF format

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Summary of The War of the Worlds

In 1904, the narrator tells of his experience during the alien invasion six years ago.

It all began with their visit to the Ottershaw Observatory, at the invitation of Ogilvy, a prominent astronomer. There they perceive an explosion on Mars that looks like a volcanic eruption.

A short time later, what looked like a meteorite impact near London, the protagonist identifies as a cylinder.

In reality, this artificial artifact was intentionally launched from Mars, which explains the “volcanic explosion” they had seen a few days ago.

When the cylinder opens, the Martians appear: they are large beings, with grayish-brown skin and oily texture, large black eyes, drooling mouth in the shape of a “v” without lips, and possessing long tentacles.

Because they do not tolerate the environmental conditions of the Earth, they re-enter the cylinder.

The humans wanted to show that they did not wish to attack or unleash a war, so Ogilvy approached with a white handkerchief as a symbol of peace.

The Martians respond with a heat ray that incinerates him and the people nearby.

The aliens definitely did not come with friendly intentions. They quickly begin to advance towards the center of London. The protagonist manages to get his wife out of the city and they are separated.

The journey of this man and, of course, of the entire population begins. Thousands of deaths can be observed as a result of the alien attacks.

Will the protagonist and his wife manage to survive this colossal invasion?

FAQ about The War of the Worlds

What is the conflict in The War of the Worlds?

An alien invasion arrives on planet Earth. Humans must face it as best they can. Being unprepared, they act defensively for much of the war.

We can witness the protagonist’s experience in his struggle to survive and save his wife.

Where does The War of the Worlds take place?

The cylinder where the Martians landed impacted the Horsell communal field which was very close to London.

From that moment on, the invasion advances towards the center of the city and it is presumed that the plan is to progressively cover as much territory as possible

What is the climax of The War of the Worlds?

The climax comes when the protagonist and the priest who accompanies him are finally trapped by the aliens.

At that moment perhaps it feels that all is lost, but soon the narrator realizes that the Martians have left the camp where they were being held.

Why do the aliens in The War of the Worlds die?

Martians die because they get sick from terrestrial bacteria, for which they have no defenses.

This allows the protagonist to return to an abandoned London where, amazingly, he is reunited with his wife, who also manages to survive the chaos of the invasion.