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The War of the Worlds
- Penguin Classics
- Narrated by: David Harewood
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
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When H. G. Wells first published The War of The Worlds in 1898, the novel quickly became a sci-fi classic. The story of extraterrestrials from Mars invading Earth captured the public’s imagination, inspiring a famed 1938 radio broadcast with Orson Welles, several feature films, countless video games, and a best-selling musical concept album by Jeff Wayne in 1978, among others.
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The second Spoken Ink collection of superb short stories by H. G. Wells, who was a master of the form. Humour and wit abound in his writing, as does sharp social observation. Among the 17 stories in this collection, The Plattner Story tells of a chemistry teacher who analyses a most unusual powder one of the boys brings to class, in The Cone a woman married to a bullying industrialist is having an affair with his young friend.
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great
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The War of the Worlds (1898), by H.G. Wells, is an early science fiction novel which describes an invasion of England by aliens from Mars. It is one of the earliest and best-known depictions of an alien invasion of Earth, and has influenced many others, as well as spawning several films, radio dramas, comic book adaptations, and a television series based on the story. The 1938 radio broadcast caused public outcry against the episode, as many listeners believed that an actual Martian invasion was in progress, a notable example of mass hysteria.
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Shortlisted for the Best Solo Narration Award at the New York Festival Radio Awards 2020.
This Penguin Classic is performed by the critically acclaimed actor David Harewood, one of the stars of the television series Homeland. Harewood is also known for his roles in award-winning productions The Night Manager and Blood Diamond. This definitive recording includes an Introduction by Brian Aldiss read by Roy McMillan.
The night after a shooting star is seen streaking through the sky from Mars, a cylinder is discovered on Horsell Common in London. At first, naïve locals approach the cylinder armed just with a white flag - only to be quickly killed by an all-destroying heat-ray, as terrifying tentacled invaders emerge. Soon the whole of human civilisation is under threat, as powerful Martians build gigantic killing machines, destroy all in their path with black gas and burning rays, and feast on the warm blood of trapped, still-living human prey. The forces of the Earth, however, may prove harder to beat than they at first appear.
The War of the Worlds has been the subject of countless adaptations, including an Orson Welles radio drama which caused mass panic when it was broadcast, with listeners confusing it for a news broadcast heralding alien invasion; a musical version by Jeff Wayne; and, most recently, Steven Spielberg's 2005 film version, starring Tom Cruise. This Penguin Classics edition includes a full biographical essay on Wells, a further reading list and detailed notes. The introduction, by Brian Aldiss, considers the novel's view of religion and society.
H.G. Wells (1866-1946) was a professional writer and journalist. Among his most popular works are The Time Machine (1895); The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), filmed with Bela Lugosi in 1932, and again in 1996 with Marlon Brando; The Invisible Man (1897); The War of the Worlds (1898); and The First Men in the Moon (1901), which predicted the first lunar landings.
What listeners say about The War of the Worlds
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Nicus
- 29-12-19
Monotonous reading of a classic masterpiece
The novel is a classic, we all know the story... more or less. The original is interestingly different from the many adaptations as movies, radio drama etc. Too bad the narrator is awfully monotonous in his reading.
2 people found this helpful
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- Jane S.
- 07-06-21
A breathless monotone
Such a shame this was not better narrated. It is too quiet (except in a few places where the narrator bellows) and it is delivered throughout in a breathless monotone. And place names mis-pronounced - very irritating...Really wished I'd read it in hard copy instead!
1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 20-05-21
Struggled to finish
Found second half more interesting than first. Audio Recording volume was low and even in maximum volume in car, struggled to hear it. Think Amazon version of this audio recording is better.
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- Paul Warren
- 30-04-21
Great book.
Great book, never read the original, so only had the musical version to go by. Even had the music playing in my head when listening. Would listen again. I think a trip through Time is next on the list.