War of the Worlds by Herbert George Wells (H.G. Wells) was published in 1898 at a time when he wrote a series of novels related to a number of historical events of the time. The most important of these was the unification and militarization of Germany. The story, written in a semi-documentary style, is told in the first person by an unnamed observer. It tells of the events which happen mostly in London and the county of Surrey, England, when a number of vessels manned by aliens are fired from Mars and land on Earth.
This is a classic story of the Martian attack on the Earth. HG has included a good deal of geographic detail in the telling of the story. Although you don't a map of England or London to enjoy it, an understanding of the area lends a better feel to the story. This is a wonderful story, well worth the time.
