H. G. Wells classic novel of alien invasion, first published in 1898, is considered by many critics to be the best of all alien invasion novels. In 1938, when Orson Welles broadcast his radio version of The War of the Worlds, it caused panic among listeners who believed Earth had indeed been invaded.

Wells was a pioneer of science fiction and is credited with beginning the genre with his The Time Machine. The prophetic accuracy of his science fiction led to his label as The Man Who Invented Tomorrow. Passionately concerned about social issues, Wells used science fiction to communicate his concerns and ideas. His visions of the future included a war-torn twentieth century leading to eventual world peace in the twenty-first century. Herbert George Wells died in London, England, on August 13, 1946