When a strange cylinder falls to Earth from Mars, the inhabitants of Victorian England dismiss it as a curiosity—until the Martians emerge, armed with heat-rays and poison gas, and begin their relentless conquest of the planet. H. G. Wells’s *The War of the Worlds* is a masterwork of suspense and imagination, the novel that launched the alien-invasion genre. This edition presents the complete, unabridged 1898 text exactly as Wells wrote it, accompanied by a fresh introduction that places the novel in its historical and scientific context. Detailed reader’s notes illuminate the period details, scientific ideas, and literary allusions woven throughout the narrative. Whether you are discovering this classic for the first time or returning to it, this annotated reading edition offers a richer, more rewarding experience. Part of Timeless Classics.