The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds
H. G. Wells

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.“For a time I believed that mankind had been swept out of existence, and that I stood there alone, the last man left alive.”When a strange, meteor-like object lands in the heart of England, the inhabitants of Earth find themselves victims of a terrible attack. A ruthless race of Martians, armed with heat rays and poisonous smoke, is intent on destroying everything that stands in its way. As the unnamed hero struggles to find his way across decimated wastelands, the fate of the planet hangs in the balance . . .H. G. Wells was a pioneer of modern science fiction. First serialised in the UK in 1897, The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest stories to depict conflict with an extraterrestrial race, and has influenced countless adaptations and sequels.

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS

H. G. Wells

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William Collins

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This eBook edition published by William Collins in 2017

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Source ISBN: 9780008190019

Ebook Edition © January 2017 ISBN: 9780008190026

Version: 2017-01-05

Contents

Cover (#u7b1949e2-397b-5b56-93db-ed3abec0982b)

Title Page (#ua01a4da4-18ba-59c4-91ae-3d0e9404c2a2)

Copyright

History of William Collins

Life & Times

Dedication

Book One—The Coming of the Martians

1. The Eve of the War

2. The Falling Star

3. On Horsell Common

4. The Cylinder Unscrews

5. The Heat Ray

6. The Heat Ray in the Chobham Road

7. How I Reached Home

8. Friday Night

9. The Fighting Begins

10. In the Storm

11. At the Window

12. What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton

13. How I Fell in with the Curate

14. In London

15. What Happened in Surrey

16. The Exodus from London

17. The “Thunder Child”

Book Two—Earth Under the Martians

1. Under Foot

2. What We Saw from the Ruined House