"The War of the Worlds" must have seriously freaked people out in 1898. Imagine squeamish readers buckling at any unusual celestial event; the skies seemed impenetrable then. A falling star? No! It must be Martians! Augh! Run! The story retains a certain spine-tingling creepiness even today via historical imagination or present day extrapolation. It will evoke, for some, the I'd-better-look-over-my-shoulder-every-few-minutes syndrome. And though its quaint science may inspire derisive snorts today, then little was known about "the Red Planet," especially whether it supported life. Add to that, the scientific theories of the day posited a Mars that, much like Earth, would cycle through geological and biological phases that culminated in life. So, to the general reader of the time, the notion of "life on Mars" remained not only a distinct possibility, but an almost certain inevitability. Plus, the people of late 19th century England had no early warning system for astronomical events. So when, early in the book, the first Martian "cylinder" plunges into the earth outside of London, only those nearby really know it happened. To top it off, news then traveled at the speed of print and human speech, the equivalent of frustratingly viscous molasses today. So, strange as it seems to our instantaneously informed modern world, news of the Martian invasion doesn't reach into London for some time. And when it does, many don't take it seriously as they see no direct threat. That changes fast as Martian death machines and black smoke smother everything in their path. Appreciating the book's true horror today involves conceiving our immediate solar system as an utter mystery. A sort of historical empathy. Sure, observations were made and scientists had rudimentary knowledge in the late 19th century, but no one really knew anything substantial about our neighboring planets. As such, "The War of The Worlds," though obviously fiction, and serialized as such, probably didn't ring hollow for many readers of its time. With this perspective H.G. Wells' incredible storytelling powers begin to appear. They remain on full display throughout this page turner (or, for those using e-readers, this "button pusher"). The story's implications and subtexts also seem to provide a model for science fiction up to our strange present where science, morality and self-referential anthropology mingle.
The story may or may not seem familiar to today's readers, depending upon which versions of the story one has come across. Orson Wells' famous, or infamous, 1938 radio adaptation, set in America, still resonates the power of mass media through rebroadcasts. And various film versions have appeared in the interim (some more memorable than others). But Wells' original story takes place in England through the perspective and words of a man of letters, or a "philosophical writer." The Martian invasion begins near his town of Woking. He subsequently witnesses the instant death of the "heat-ray" and the Martian tripod war machines. The indistinctness of his descriptions make these invaders and their weapons radiate with the horror of the unknown. Many passages genuinely read in the manner of a man delineating technology 100 years ahead of his own time. This heightens the helplessness of humanity, who flee all human-like in abject terror and chaos from the ensuing carnage, ignorant of the very nature of the powers they face (told mostly through the narrator's brother). The Martians proceed with brutality. Their "rays" and poison gas "tubes" reduce entire cities to piles of burnt corpses and edifices. If Wells' intentions involved reducing humanity to a helpless blabbering mass, he succeeded. Once the Martians have dominated, regardless of a few small human victories, humanity faces the prospect of living in a "lowly animal state." The character of the artilleryman manifests this idea, though he eventually shows his true colors. The character of the curate, who the narrator finds himself holed up with for days, paints a less than charitable picture of the religious response to the invasion. The man basically goes crazy after witnessing what the Martian's do with human prisoners. Whether God fails him, or whether he merely perceives that God has failed him, or that humans have ultimately failed God, remains a subject for speculation and discussion. In any case, things seem absolutely hopeless for humanity until the end. And, to keep from giving anything away, the ending implies something about humanity's relationship with the planet it inhabits. As the invasive, and very destructive, Martian "red weed" smothers the countryside, humans themselves don't ultimately prevail. But certain "partners," both friend and enemy, come to the inadvertent rescue. In a sense, nature saves the day. No human weaponry of the time musters the firepower to bring down the invading army. "War of the Worlds" thus paints a picture not of human power, but of human impotency in the face of superior technology. In the end, humans don't play the role of triumphant heroes.
So what does this imply? That technology gets us only so far? That our sometimes arrogant perceptions of our power and might simply dissolve in the face of even more superior might? Maybe. At the very least it gives readers an idea of the potential limits of human power. Maybe horrors we could never prepare for, despite our advances, exist "out there?" Essentially, "War of the Worlds" presents a very humbling view of humanity, not a glorified one. It also presents a great fictional example of Nassim Taleb's "Black Swan." A Martian invasion, or any extraterrestrial invasion of superior power, would carry extreme consequences for humanity, but we may never see it coming. In modern terms, what if an alien force infiltrated us underneath our radars despite our perceived technological level? What we don't know might hurt us. Uncertainty usually wins the day. We may not know the extent of our own vulnerabilities.
"War of the Worlds" stands as a justifiably hailed classic of literature and science fiction. Though in the end, despite the supermarket label, it's simply a great story. Potential interpretations at philosophical, social and technological levels provide enough mind food for weeks of munching. Plus, it provides a stunning read filled with horror, suspense and human drama. And though it's definitely not 1898 anymore, "War of the Worlds" may still hold enough power to freak people out.
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Reviews with images
Eye catching book with some damage
I just opened this box to reveal a very beautiful book. I can look past the minor damage on the corner and the sticky mess from sticker removal on the back. There was also a shiny mark on the front from I don’t know where. I really look forward to reading this book!
