The War of the Worlds was first released in serial form in 1897 and then in book form the following year. It was embraced by critics and audiences alike and has become one of the classics of the science fiction genre, which H.G. Wells helped to create.
The War of The Worlds was heavily influenced by the scientific discoveries of the day. In 1894, an astronomer thought that he had seen lights on the surface of Mars that indicated life on the planet, and this discovery inspired Wells to publish an essay about life on Mars in 1896. Another inspiration for the novel was the unification of Germany. This led to great anxiety about an invasion of Britain by a foreign power.
The War of the...
