First UK Edition, London: William Heinemann, 1898. 8vo, [viii] 304pp Bound in publisher's original grey cloth lettered in black, publishers monograph on rear. No advertisements at rear. Black lettering on the spine. Page edges untrimmd. White endpapers.

Condition: Very Good- Text is clean with occasional marginal foxing. The FEP, half title page and title page have foxing that does not effect the lettering. Spine edges bumped with minor spotting. Binding is strong. Front & rear inner hinge slightly exposed. Front cover is clean with edges bumped and minor edgewear. Previous owners stamp throughout book. W. H. Smith bookplate on rear of front cover. The bookplate has toned the FEP. Page 303 and REP have tears (not missing any of the page) at bottom.

One of the most important works of science fiction, War of The Worlds was the first depiction of a conflict between the human race and an extraterrestrial species. As was common for the period, the book started as a serial published between April and December 1897. The work comments on British Imperialism and general Victorian fears, superstitions and prejudices. In the late 19th Century the British Empire was the largest colonial power in the world, setting the start of the Martians own imperial invasion at the heart of the empire was a response to the catastrophic effect of the British on indigenous Tasmanians. War of the Worlds has been adapted many times for radio, television and cinema. It was most memorably dramatised in a 1938 radio programme directed by and starring Orson Welles that many listeners ran outside in panic as the story was presented as a news bulletin and people belived that Martians started to attack the Earth.

This story was the basis for the famous broadcast of Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre, actually in celebration of Halloween, about the invasion of the Martians. Many radio listeners missed the crucial detail that it was entirely fictitious and a dramatization of the novel, causing a considerable uproar and some people to panic. Basis for the 1953 Byron Haskin movie and the 2005 Steven Spielberg movie as well as a plethora of radio and TV adaptations.

The War of the Worlds is a timeless classic of science ficion and together with The Time Machine and The Invisible Man.