H. G. Wells was born in England in 1866. After several unsuccessful years working in a shop, he left to study biology in 1883. He later became a teacher, but the profession did not suit him, and in 1893 he decided to become a full‑time writer.

His first novel, The Time Machine (1895), criticizes British society and warns that human progress is not guaranteed. His next novels—The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898)—all explore the relationship between humanity and science and are now considered science‑fiction classics. Wells used his fame to advocate for social improvement.

The War of the Worlds is one of the most influential science‑fiction novels ever written. It tells the story of Martians invading Earth with the intention of destroying humanity and taking the planet for themselves. The narrator—a writer whose name is never given—describes the events as a survivor of the Martian attack.

One summer night in the late nineteenth century, a strange cylinder falls near the town of Woking. At first, few people pay attention. But when the cylinder opens, a grey, tentacled Martian emerges. Within minutes, the Martians attack with a Heat‑Ray that burns everything in its path.

As the Martians move toward London, panic spreads. Millions flee the city, and thousands die each day. The Martians grow stronger, using both the Heat‑Ray and a deadly Black Smoke. Just when all hope seems lost, the narrator discovers that the Martians are dying—not because of human resistance, but because of Earth’s germs, to which they have no immunity. Against all odds, he is reunited with his wife and reflects on how the invasion has changed humanity.

Wells warns against assuming that scientific progress will always benefit humanity. He suggests that technology can be dangerous if used irresponsibly. Wells imagines advanced weapons—giant machines, flying craft, and chemical weapons—long before they existed. Less than twenty years later, World War I introduced tanks, airplanes, and poison gas. The novel shows how society collapses under extreme pressure. Panic, violence, and selfishness spread quickly, yet acts of kindness and bravery also appear. Wells suggests that humans have the potential for both good and evil.