Marked as one of the earliest novels to contain an alien invasion or human interaction with extraterrestrials, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells has long been thought to be a commentary on Darwin’s evolutionary theory.
First published in 1898, the novel opens with scientists observing large explosions on Mars from an observatory in Ottershaw, Surrey, England. Moments later, an object lands near the narrator’s home in Woking, Surrey. As the fallen cylinder opens, Martians emerge.
The narrator learns that the country is now invaded by the aliens and takes shelter with his family. Meanwhile, the English Navy and other military branches attempt to defeat the Martians, to no avail. In a famous scene, a large Martian fighting machine defeats the HMS Thunder Child.
After a short time, the resistance ceases, and red weed, a Martian vegetation source, spreads through the countryside of England. Seeking other hiding places, the narrator discovers that the Martians also feed on human blood. After running and hiding for many months, the narrator finally turns himself in to the invaders, only to find that they have been destroyed by microbial diseases found only on Earth.
Today, the novel continues to be printed and sold around the world. Inspiring feature films, radio dramas, comic books, graphic novels, television series, unofficial sequels and prequels, and animated shows, it remains the baseline for alien-invasion literature.