Welcome to Literature.com!

Literature.com is a huge collection of classic books from famous and not-so-famous authors from around the world — collaboratively published by amateur book authors and contributing editors.

Navigate through our books database alphabetically or simply search by keywords. Books can be rated, discussed through community features and even translated to many common and not-so-common languages.

The War of the Worlds (1898)

The War of the Worlds is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells first serialised in 1897 by Pearson's Magazine in the UK and by Cosmopolitan magazine in the US.

Science fiction

Collection Edit PDF Email

Year:: 1898
: 72,305 Views

    								BOOK ONE

THE COMING OF THE MARTIANS

CHAPTER ONE

THE EVE OF THE WAR

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.  With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter.  It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same.  No one gave a thought to the older worlds of space as sources of human danger, or thought of them only to dismiss the idea of life upon them as impossible or improbable.  It is curious to recall some of the mental habits of those departed days.  At most terrestrial men fancied there might be other men upon Mars, perhaps inferior to themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise.  Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.  And early in the twentieth century came the great disillusionment.

    								Rate this book:3.4 / 8 votes

H. G. Wells

Herbert George Wells was an English writer. He was prolific in many genres, writing dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, satire, biography, and autobiography, and even including two books on recreational war games. more…

All H. G. Wells books

5 fans

Discuss everything about Literature.com with the community:

5 Comments

Notify me of new comments via email.

leveshka_t
You need to add short stories especially of 19th and early 20th centuries by giants like Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, A. Kuprin, Maupassant, Jack London, W. W. Jacobs, Dickens, Bret Harte, H. H. Munro (Saki), Robert Barr, Bram Stoker, Joseph Sheridan le Fanu (The great Irish Horror Stories pioneer), Lucy Mod Montgomery, Sarah Anne Jewett, Rex Ellingwood Beach, Saadat Hassan Manto, R. Tagore and numerous other great short story writers of that golden era. more »
LikeReply 21 month ago
imagin
I can't find Francis Bacon here. There are related books but not the author in person. I wish I could read his essay ''Of Studies''. I think Francis bacon is as famous as Shakespeare, but unluckily there is not a work of his. more »
LikeReply3 months ago
- acronimous
  We've added it here: https://www.literature.com/book/the_advancement_of_learning_3165
  LikeReply2 months ago
courtneye
As an avid reader and literature enthusiast, Literature.com has significantly enriched my literary journey. The platform's diverse collection of literary works spans across genres and time periods, offering exceptional content for both classic literature connoisseurs and those interested in contemporary gems. more »
LikeReply 311 months ago
hasmukh.amathalal
I am proud to be a member
LikeReply 72 years ago
davidb
Very nice website!
LikeReply 164 years ago
- acronimous
  Thanks David! Appreciated...
  LikeReply 83 years ago