War of the worlds
Imagine if history was different. Few people could imagine the early years of the 20th century being
famous for the Martian invasion of England but in H.G Wells’s world recognised masterpiece this is exactly what happens.
Set in London the capital of the world at the time, astronomers begin to see strange
objects appearing on the surface of the red planet Mars. As time passes wonder and speculation grow as the objects turn to green comet like objects and begin heading towards Earth. Scientists announce that the chances of anything coming from mars are a million to one but yet evidently something is coming.
Several days later the first rocket crashes down to earth, in the middle of Horsell common in London to be precise and a young
journalist along with many other local bystanders gather around the crash site to investigate. With a vividly described cylindrical rocket and possibly the first conceptual description of a science fiction extra terrestrial, the Martians begin their invasion.
With imagination that eerily reflects modern technological achievements the Martians begin they is assault upon humanity using terrible Heat Rays or lasers. Sweeping aside all resistance the tripod mounted invaders begin ravaging London, All attempts to fight them are hopeless as the army find they’re guns and artillery useless against the metal monstrosity. More and more rockets rain down on London as Martian invasion builds up momentum.
With London reduced to ruins and crawling with the Alien invaders refugees flood the outlying lands around London looking for an escape from the carnage. The journalist arrives at the Essex coast where people are fighting for places on a ferry. As the ferry begins to cast off, tripods appear on the horizon wading out into the sea to cut off and stop the ferry from escaping. Escape appears impossible until A British warship named the Thunder Child charges to confront the tripod. Managing to get close enough the Thunder Child Opens up on the Tripod at Point Blank Range Cutting it down. Hope is renewed as cheers erupt amongst the crew and passengers of the ferry but it is short lived when the remaining tripods turn their heat rays on the Thunder Child melting it instantly.
Taking cover in a burnt out hovel with a curator the journalist lays low but as the Martian rampage continues insanity takes its toll and he is forced to murder the curator to stop him creaming alerting the Martians to they’re prescience. The parts of the book that affect the reader most are ongoing debates on whether we deserved our fate. Whether we in turn have subdued all other life on the planet for personal use just as the Martians did to us. But also when the Martians start to die of decease, It gives a strong feeling of belonging, of how through the sacrifice of billions of men and women we have developed immunities to bacterial disease and illnesses and earned our right to live on this planet, a right we hold against all comers.