Life is good for Leon in London, 1894. He loved spending time with his friend Anya and helping her friends who ran a children’s orphanage. When Leon
wasn’t writing or drawing, or wondering about worlds beyond the stars, he was helping Anya with the children. He had become quite attached to them all, especially an inquisitive little girl, named Esme.
A falling star was how it began. Anya was a scientist working at a laboratory at Ottershaw, which also had an observatory. Through Anya, Leon had made friends with an astronomer named Ogilvey. Together they watched the star come closer and closer to Earth. This was no star however, and many Londoners swarmed to the huge, strange capsule that imbedded itself in the common at Horsell.
What emerged from it changed Leon’s, and every Londoner’s life forever.
Ogilvy urges Leon to record everything he sees, in words and drawings, as this is an event like no other. As Londoners flee tripod machines higher than houses, Leon struggles to remain hidden as he writes and sketches what’s happening around him. All the while he worries for Anya and the children of the orphanage. Are they still alive?
A retelling of HG Wells science fiction classic, richly illustrated in B&W and full colour. Although a more succinct version for younger readers, it loses none of its punch as Martians invade Earth.
Chris Mould’s illustrations, from the cover to the final chilling image, capture the seemingly innocent falling star and it’s puzzling arrival, to the terrifying emergence of something ‘other’ in our world.
Main character Leon tells the story to the reader after his world is changed forever. Chris Mould captures Leon’s emotions throughout his ordeal and fight to stay alive to record all that he sees and experiences – in words and his distinctive illustration style.
As a fan of War of the Worlds, listening to the album as a child multiple times, and watching the movies, I could ‘hear’ the sound of the machines as they stomped across the ground, and inwardly cringed as they vapourised all in front of them on the page.
Brilliant. I must find an original H G Wells and dive in.
Author / Illustrator – Chris Mould
Age – 9+
(2024, Faber, Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Sci Fi, Action, Classic, HG Wells, Retelling, Martians, Aliens, Fear, Fleeing, Documenting, Recording, Orphanage, Enemy Force, Bacteria, Historical, London, England)