T he W ar o f t he Wor lds b y H.G. We lls i s a sem inal sci ence fic tion no vel th at reco unts t he harr owing ta le o f a n al ien inva sion o n Ea rth. S et i n Vict orian Eng land, t he st ory beg ins wi th myste rious explo sions o n t he sur face o f Ma rs, wh ich a re la ter reve aled t o b e t he lau nch o f Mar tian cyli nders tow ard Ea rth. T he no vel fol lows a n unn amed narr ator a nd h is bro ther a s th ey navi gate t he ch aos a nd devas tation wro ught b y t he inva sion. T he narr ator witn esses t he Mart ians' bru tal effic iency a nd t he coll apse o f hu man soc iety a s peo ple fl ee i n pa nic a nd des pair. H is jou rney i s a desp erate stru ggle f or surv ival, fil led wi th encou nters wi th ot her surv ivors, incl uding a traum atized artill eryman a nd a cler gyman dri ven m ad b y t he eve nts.