H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds is a foundational work of science fiction, that makes the fantastic seem real as it depicts the invasion of Earth (specifically, England) by an alien species from the planet Mars. The Martians come to Earth via ‘cylinders’ launched explosively from the planet’s surface, and proceed to conquer London with trivial ease using their superior technology, before (conveniently) succumbing to an terrestrial illness that their immune systems are unable to resist.

The novel describes these events from the perspective of an unnamed Narrator, whose house in Woking is close to the landing site of the first Martian cylinder. The unfolding of the invasion is depicted in great detail, with the text’s frequent topographic references and detailed depictions of places and everyday activities grounding the fantastic events of the novel in the realist setting of the Thames valley.