THE WAR THAT WILL END WAR

By H. G. Wells

This is a 1914 pamphlet addressing the anti-war and pacifist elements in Britain entitled "The War That Will End War." Its title became proverbial almost instantly and is used to refer to the First World War even today.
Contents:
Chapter I. Why Britain Went to War
Chapter II. The Sword of Peace
Chapter III. Hands Off the People's Food
Chapter IV. Concerning Mr. Maximilian Craft
Chapter V. The Most Necessary Measures in the World
Chapter VI. The Need of a New Map of Europe
Chapter VII. The Opportunity of Liberalism
Chapter VIII. The Liberal Fear of Russia
Chapter IX. An Appeal to the American People
Chapter X. Common Sense and the Balkan States
Chapter XI. The War of the Mind
Herbert George "H. G." Wells (1866 – 1946) was an English writer, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing textbooks and rules for war games. Wells was now considered to be one of the world's most important political thinkers and during the 1920s and 30s he was in great demand as a contributor to newspapers and journals.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Musaicum Books
• Release date: Dec 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9788027235629

H. G. Wells

H.G. Wells is considered by many to be the father of science fiction. He was the author of numerous classics such as The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The War of the Worlds, and many more. 

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Reviews for THE WAR THAT WILL END WAR

[judygibson-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story!

[duck2ducks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Most interesting thing about this book is the style: It doesn't read very much as a normal novel would - the famous ending is not one of exciting climax, but just eventual resolution - yet this rather works in its favor, as one gets the sense of the reportage of an actual war. It does get a little dry at times, but in other cases - such as the main character being trapped in a ruined house for two weeks, starving, with the Martians stationed right outside - it effectively conveys a real sense of suspense and dread.

[theelliemo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

H G Wells' War of The World - the book that spawned a thousand alien invasion movies, frequently featuring Will Smith wise-cracking his way through a bit of world-saving. From Independence Day to Mars Attacks!, the influence of the novel on the science fiction genre can not be underestimated.

To call this a science fiction novel, though, is to miss a significant part of the subtext, the commentary on events in late 19th century Britain.

Narrated by an unnamed protagonist, we see through his eyes the unfolding of events when Martians land on Earth, in southern England, from the initial curiosity of the indigenous population, to the fear and panic when they realise these alien creatures are intent on destruction, to the beginning of rebuilding when nature defeats the Martians. So far, so science fiction.

But there are various themes that, for me, are far more important than the science fiction element. The book was written at a time when the British Empire was at its height; European countries had a habit of colonising overseas territories, imposing their laws and moral codes upon the indigenous populations. In War of the Worlds, an Imperial power itself becomes the victim of imperial aggression, allowing Wells, through the protagonist's thoughts, to dwell on this: 'I felt....a sense of dethronement, a persuasion that I was no longer a master, but an animal among animals. With us it would be as with them, to lurk an watch, to run and hide; the fear and empire of man had passed.'

Then there is much on Darwinism, survival of the fittest and the process of evolution; the Martians are described as having large brains, being of very high intelligence, but lacking the ability to move any great distance without the aid of machinery. Written at a time when new technology was making travel easier, this could be a warning; are the Martians what, ultimately, humans could become?

And there is some debate on Religion versus science. The protagonist is temporarily imprisoned with a curate, who's behaviour and views the protagonist has no time for. And yet, towards the end of the book, the protagonist thanks God for the turn of events: that the Martians were 'slain, after all man's devices had failed, by the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon this earth'

War of the Worlds, read properly, is a thought-provoking novel, even now, more than 100 years after it was written - the themes it raises are still matters of much debate.

[pdcread · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the first time that I have ever read the War of the Worlds. I have been meaning to for a while now, but just never quite got around to it.

It is written as a narrative, from the perspective of one gentleman who lives very close to the landing site of the first Martian invader. He goes to see the landing site at Horsell sandpits, and is there when the first Martian attacks. Following more aggressive attacks from the invaders, he sends his wife of to Leatherhead to be with family, and he heads into London. He meets with various individuals, some of which he gets on with, and has to hide with a curate who he doesn't like much, as the Martians rampage across the south east.

It is quite forward looking for a Victorian / Edwardian science fiction book. He is trying to describe lasers and other devices, but he does not have the technological vocabulary to describe them as we would now. The dialogue is quite stilted, but given the time this was written and set, I would not expect anything different. What Wells does manage to convey is the terror that the population, and himself and his companions experience, and the despair and helplessness that he feels.

[joles_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There is a reason this is a classic. It is evocative and thought provoking. Read the book and then listen to the radio broadcast. You'll never be quite the same.

[chilperic1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favourite books, and therefore, I thought, worthy of my first review on LibraryThing. Written at a time when books dealing with an invasion of Britain were popular, whether by Germans (such as in the BATTLE OF DORKING), French or aliens, War of the Worlds tells the story of an alien invasion with brilliant detail and vivid descriptions. When strange gases are spotted appearing from Mars, few suspect that these are the launches of alien orbs, heading for Earth. A year later, they impact near Horsell, England and the creatures emerge from their shells. A truly fantastical read, truly unputdownable.

[marc_beherec · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wells does an amazing job of making the alien invasion sound so very realistic, using a precise semiscientific tone which reminds one of the later work of H. P. Lovecraft. His reference to imaginary texts is particularly apt for the process. I thought I knew all about the book since I knew the basic plotline, but it was still a very interesting read -- and a good example of Lovecraft's "literature of cosmic fear," that fear which comes about when humanity realizes its insignificance in the universe. This only falls apart at the very end. Wells seems to have been particularly prophetic in his descriptions of poison gas, more than a decade before chlorine was used in World War I. The social commentary was also very interesting -- it is clear that his Martians are exactly what he can see men becoming. I can see parallels with The Time Traveller.

[smithsj01_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very easy to read and exceptionally well written. This is a novel that each generation can take something different from. I liked the descriptions of many of the Victorians as the spaceships came from the sky – such a solid British image of “they won’t make me leave home”. An image I could vividly imagine. It’s a short read that has packed a lot into it. Words aren’t wasted, which is why it is the length it is. I’m sure HG Wells could easily have added more description but it wasn’t necessary. A fabulous story.

[kronos999_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I have had many exposures to this sort of story, this is the first time I've gotten around to reading the original alien invasion novel. Greatly enjoyed it. The contrast over time between this Victorian novel and later stories in the details (rather than the overarching aspects) made it even more interesting. I preferred it to the 1930's broadcast. One flaw that did annoy me was the way the narrator's brother appeared and vanished with no explanation from the narrative.

[blenny_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These days it's very easy to be blasé about stories of aliens from Mars invading Earth, as we've seen so many films and heard countless tales such as this throughout the 20th century. However for a book that was written at the end of the 19th century, surely Wells deserves awe and respect for his work rather than complaints of it being 'dated for the modern reader'.It has a fantastic opening to the story that really makes you want to read on. There are so many ideas that the author tackles in such a short story such as war, destruction, survival, chaos, evolution, companionship (or lack of it). Wells also offers a little cautionary tale in not only the prospect that we could actually be destroyed by an intelligence from another planet, but the fact that we are destroying our own world and it's inhabitants.... "And before we judge them [the Martians] too harshly, we must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals, such as the vanished Bison and the Dodo, but upon its own inferior races. The Tasmanians, in spite of their human likeness, were entirely swept out of existence in a war of extermination waged by European immigrants, in the space of fifty years. Are we such apostles of mercy as to complain if the Martians warred in the same spirit?"The only downside is that Wells leaves a few unanswered threads to the story.It's exciting, fun and it raises questions about the human race. As usual, H.G Wells is very much ahead of his time. - That's why we are still making films and adaptations of his stories!

[gbev2008 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The inspiration for just about any alien invasion story since (Think the mini-series "V"); There are a lot of holes; character development is pretty thin, there aren't a lot of human relationship threads, and some plotlines simply disappear without resolution or explanation. The book is mostly a description of what the narrator sees and not necessarily what he thinks or feels.Like most fiction it's simply O.K.

[snapplechick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this book, H.G. Wells takes on the life of a well-educated British man living in the suburbs of London during the 1800's. His world, as well as his morals and ideas, are turned suddenly up-side down as Martians come to take over the Earth.This book was very interesting and raised the moral question of Are Humans the Superior Beings? Would we kill another "inferior species" to save our own? I would definetly put this on your list of books to read.

[jigwagigiggs · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like Im sure many others have probably read this book on the back of owning or at least listening to Jeff Waynes musical version. Much to my dissappoinment there is no audio book narrated by Richard Burton, which if Im honest I would have bought insead of the book its self if such a thing exsisted. The whole book was read in Richard Burtons voice in my head as a result!. Certainly food for thought, and reading the book reminds you when it was actually set. I always had the mental image if it being much more modern thanks to Waynes creativity. Nevertheless a rare and enjoyable dabble with fiction for me

[justagirl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One of the great classic science fiction novels it's still a great read although to modern eyes it is often unintentionally humourous, partly because of the bucolic setting and partly because every so often you tread a phrase that is quoted word for word in Jeff Waynes' musical and it throws you a bit. But the science fiction hasn't dated at all and this remains a classic story of an alien invasion and the description of the post-apocalyptic world is still chilling.

[niecierpek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A non-commonplace and well-written classic story of an invasion of Martians. I didn’t like it as much as I liked The Time Machine and The Island of Dr. Moreau, but it was good nevertheless.

[oxfordtown61 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A riveting tale, far more interesting and compelling than any of the film adaptations, and at 177 pages a real quick read too. Wells' masterful narrative is all the more terrifying because of the tone of the protagonist, which remains calm in the face of the rapid disintegration of his society and culture in the face of the seemingly unstoppable Martian onslaught.Along the way Wells takes up several themes that provide insights into the world of Late Victorian Britain (and - by extension - of Euro-American imperial civilization). In due course he condemns imperialism, the poverty of religion (through his extremely unflattering portrait of the curate), and the absurd persistence of vulgar Social Darwinism even in the face of potential extermination.War of the Worlds still has much to offer over a century after it was originally published, and I think this will continue to be the case in another century ... too bad I don't have a time machine to find out if I'm right!

[cvc7278 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book is quite dated, and because of this I had a hard time sticking with it. H.G. Wells was a true visionary, but given more modern times where much of the science behind this book has been expanded, it appears more ridiculous with age. Concept is great, but his style of writing has lost its touch over time.

[paolasp_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The funny thing is that the first time I ever read this classic was in Spanish. It made it a harder read but I really enjoyed it. The movie with Tom Cruise came after I read it and it was pretty freaky & scary. But anyway back to the book I would recommend the spanish version to any spanish readers who want to practice their vocabulary. It's not that hard and an interesting way to practice. I wish I knew of more scifi books in Spanish!

[slansell_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very scary book for me and i've been de-sensitised by a childhood full of freddie kruger so how people felt at the turn of the century reading this i can't imagine. Well written apart from the fast ending, a must read before watching that travesty of a film.

[geraldlange · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Wells. The fact that most (if not all) of his writing has his own sociological views incorporated within should be news to nobody; at least not to any of his fans. This book is no exception. I believe the opinion that he is getting at here focuses on the argument of imperialism; the process and the pitfalls. This edition in particular, in addition to providing the excellent text, has also within it two essays that appear at the end of the book. The first is one of the first reviews of this story, in which the critic states that, though the story is exceptional, it is unfortunately of such a nature that it will never catch on; more likely fading into obscurity (Science Fiction). The second is by Jules Verne, in response to many flattering comparrisons that had been made between his and Wells' work. Verne goes on to state that he is a man of science, whereas Wells is a man of fantasy, and they should really not dirty Verne's name by comparing the two. Wells gives him his cumuppance early into another story, "The First Men in the Moon".

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not America, as in the films, but Aldershot and Woking - these are the places the aliens come to land and to rule humanity. Wells' work is breathlessly exciting, but it is worth considering Lindqvist's suggestions in "Exterminate all the Brutes" - is it possible that the war is a metaphor for empire in Africa? Would that then make us the alien horde, spreading death and destruction with every step taken?

[andyray_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story by Wells is the first science fiction alien invasion story, if one discount Homer's Trojan horse invasion and coiunts the Greeks as aliens. Some do, you know?)). It's caused national painic on a radio show in 1929, and filmed twice (the first one being more scary, I think). The man was way ahead of his time.

[jlsimon7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love H.G. Wells. I read his works when I was young, but I was to young to appreciate it. It was hard for me to conceive then of the panic that would have occurred in 1938.

This is a brief little book that begins with a radio broadcast of Earth being invaded by Martians. The survivors are few and far between. It is an entertaining read that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys short stories and sci-fi suspension of reality for a short time.

[santhony_35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For Christmas, I ordered an mp3 player (Library of Classics) that was pre-loaded with 100 works of classic literature in an audio format. Each work is in the public domain and is read by amateurs, so the quality of the presentation is hit or miss.War of the Worlds is H.G. Wells’s classic story of a Martian invasion, centered in the London area. When viewed with an eye from the period in which it was written, the story is magnificent. More impressively, in this day of blockbuster science fiction thrillers with CGI graphics and virtually unlimited budgets, it has aged surprisingly well.Having seen the recent adaptation starring Tom Cruise, and having read stories of the panic it caused when aired on radio in the mid-20th century (read by Orson Welles in the first person, causing many to believe it was actual, live news), I was not unfamiliar with its history and basic story outline. All in all, still quite a good story.

[convictscorpion · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books of all time. The original invasion story, the opening paragraph still sends a chill down my spine.

[meredithyvonne · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Skip the movie read the book. Set in London (not NY) at the turn of the century (not modern day), it's a story of one man's quest to survive and find his wife after aliens invade and start wiping out the human race. It's a quick read that makes you think a little about the "what about aliens" question.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting, but I prefer character-driven pieces.

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the earliest stories of conflict between man and extraterrestrial beings, written in 1898, this is a pretty extraordinary book. The narrator is unnamed, a writer of philosophy and in this story he expresses various points of philosophy. This book has never gone out of print and has remained popular. That is pretty extraordinary, too. This story is not big on characters and none of them have names. It is written as a factual telling of invasion and rule by Martians. This book presents science facts, technology and ecological points in its telling. Another theme is apocalypse. People feared the end of the age as 1899 drew closer. There is a mix of Christianity and such constructs as natural selection/Darwinism. At one point, it felt the narrator’s experience was like the experience of Noah disembarking the Ark to a world of destruction and carian with carian birds eating the dead. While there seems to be Christian themes in the book there is the characterization of the curate’s emotional weakness and self centeredness that resulted in the need to kill him (natural selection).

[bridgey_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells ***I left it a few weeks before I reviewed WOTW to see if I would change my mind about this book. I haven't.I think most people by now know the story of Martian's landing in London and creating havoc and death. The novel is written in the first person by an unnamed narrator (something I usually enjoy). We follow his journey from when the aliens first land all the way through to their eventual demise.The book is approaching 120 years old, so I anticipated that it may be more than a little dated, but this hasn't bothered me with other classics from the same era. For some reason, and I can't put my finger on it, War of the Worlds just really failed to engage with me. Very rare do I find reading a book a chore but this was one of those occasions. I fully understand the foresight shown by Wells and the way he used and described scientific information must have been really revolutionary for the time, and because of this I can see why it is still revered today. But for me it didn't work. I found the plot extremely monotonous and at times just wishing the narrator would get zapped by the heat ray. On more than one occasion I felt like I was reading an AA route planner as we constantly get told the place names he is travelling through (which would probably help if I knew my way around London, but I don't). The house scenario really detracted from the flow of the plot and just seemed a slog through, that twist for me was a little unbelievable (even more so than being invaded by Martians) and although it allowed Wells a chance to include a little segment of horror, the whole concept of the curate and narrator being imprisoned for 2 weeks was a step too far for me.I know many people are screaming at me right now, telling me to look deeper into the novel, examine how the appearance of the Martians has the potential to reflect humanities own future or how Britain at the time was an empire crushing many parts of the globe and War of the worlds could be seen as a vision or warning of our own fate. I have to agree that all these themes (and many more) are there for the reader, but I have to be fully absorbed in the plot to want to dig that little bit deeper. In reality my enjoyment would only warrant a one star rating, but that wouldn't be fair. The book did have it's moments of brilliance and I would be the first one to put my hand in the air and admit that it is more down to my personal taste rather than the novel, you only have to see the hundreds of 5 star reviews for this. I wish I had liked it, I really do, I tried my best, but 3 stars is the most I can offer.Has it put me off reading further H G Wells novel? Not really, possibly just lowered my expectations. Maybe the next one I choose will be one where I haven't heard the story before so hopefully the writing and events will be totally fresh.

[csweder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Perhaps one of the most interesting things about this book was the fact that Wells did not describe what an alien looked like until page 99.

I was attracted to this book because I knew what a stir Orson Well's adaptation made: this book is well known, but I'd never read it. I found myself almost all the way through and realizing I didn't know how it ended. Do the humans live, or do Martians win?

It took me longer than I would have liked to read it, but once I devoted myself to it, it didn't take long. This was much better than The Island of Dr. Moreau , and I am interested in reading more [author: H. G. Wells].

I'm ready to hear/read the Orson Wells version now...then maybe watch the movie.