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The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
Mar 3, 2026 7:14 AM

Author:H.G. Wells

The War of the Worlds

Read this stunning Vintage Classics edition of the original story of alien invasion from the father of science fiction, H.G. Wells.

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.

Then, late one night, in the middle of the English countryside, they landed.

Reviews

Variously interpreted as a commentary on evolutionary theory, British imperialism and Victorian fears and prejudices, War of the Worlds tells the nail-biting tale of one man's struggle to track down his wife during an alien invasion. Included are some of the most vivid scenes of London in literature

—— Independent

Sharply satirises the human refusal to look beyond men's petty concerns...wonderfully suggestive

—— Daily Telegraph

The cosily familiar settings emphasise the horror of the invasion...spookily prescient of the World Wars. Science fiction often dates badly; not so here: hard to believe this was written in 1898

—— Observer

An astonishing mind and a visionary imagination

—— Daily Mail

The classic tale of alien invasion, and still the best

—— The Times

A fresh Little Miss Sunshine.

—— Sloane Crosley in Vanity Fair

A heartbreaking, hilarious, and honest American epic

—— J. Ryan Stradal, author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest

There's no way to recommend The Tower enough

—— The Gryphon

Chosen by Boyd Tonkin

—— Independent – Best Fiction in Translation

Marvellous

—— Observer

[Adam Johnson] serves up six sinewy stories that shock and surprise in his edgy, inviting Fortune Smiles . . . compulsively readable.

—— Elle

[A] bold and deeply wise collection

—— BuzzFeed

Startlingly, blazingly original.

—— BookPage

[A] riveting collection of short stories ... darkly imagined, slightly surreal

—— San Jose Mercury News

Exhilarating ... His mastery of setting simply wowed me.

—— THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Marked by the conflicts of heart and mind, and the exuberant quality of its compassionate prose.

—— THE HUFFINGTON POST

Compulsively readable ... Johnson serves up six sinewy stories that shock and surprise.

—— Elle Magazine

A rare combination of inventiveness, intellectual pyrotechnics and emotional sophistication ... these stories are treasures.

—— BBC.Com

Bittersweet, elegant, full of ward-won wisdom: this is no ordinary book either.

—— Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review)

Hefty and memorable ...the stories provide one of the truest satisfactions of reading: the opportunity to sing into worlds we otherwise know little or nothing about.

—— Starred Kirkus Review

Terrific. Shows exactly why Johnson is rated as one of the hottest writers of his generation.

—— Mail on Sunday

The perfect antidote to Trump.

—— Sarah Churchwell , Guardian

This book is a compelling study of the relationship between artist and spectator, and how suffering feeds into art, and he’s made of it a bravura performance… Extraordinary.

—— Alastair Mabbott , Herald

A haunting, intense and Man Booker International prize-winning novel from a great writer.

—— Mail on Sunday

Incredibly fast paced, and the dialogue comes at you like a machine gun… It is powerful in its own right.

—— Sara Garland , Nudge

Abrasive, unexpected and eventually heartbreaking, it is a masterclass in characterisation and structure, and it beat off some exceptionally strong competition to win the prize… A Horse Walks into a Bar is quite unlike any other Grossman book except in one important respect: it’s another masterpiece.

—— Nick Barley , New Statesman

Excellent.

—— Dara Ó Briain , Observer

Pitch-perfect black comedy

—— Salman Rushdie , Guardian
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