The War of the Worlds is a science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells and published in 1898.

Depicting an invasion of the earth by extraterrestrials (Martians, specifically), the novel is commonly regarded as being the first to depict such a disaster. Since then, The War of the Worlds has entered popular culture, with a vast number of books, films, TV series and comic books using themes from this book, whether acknowledged or not. Adaptations have tended to move the date of the invasion but the basic theme has remained the same. 2005 witnessed a noticeable rise of interest in the story with the release of three different film adaptations, several DVDs, and re-release of the popular musical interpretation, as well as a number of comics and books related to the original story.