The War in the Air

H. G. Wells

Language: English

Published: Aug 25, 2017

Description:

At the beginning of the twentieth century the invention of the airplane revolutionizes warfare and precipitates a devastating world war. Nations race to build armadas of airships; cities across the globe are bombed; flying navies clash above the Alps and India. The United States is invaded from the east and the west. German and American airships dual over the Atlantic, and New York is bombarded by German flying machines. Confederation of Eastern Asia airships soar above the Rockies, soon engaging in deadly dogfights with the German air fleet above Niagara Falls.

In The War in the Air, the astonishingly prophetic vision of H. G. Wells reveals how one invention can change the world. Before the World Wars, Wells predicted that airplanes would be used for bombing, that urban areas would become especially vulnerable to aerial attacks, that dogfights and stealth attacks by air fleets would become a normal part of warfare, and that distance and the expanse of oceans no longer would be guarantors of safety for America or other countries. Visionary in its time and chillingly relevant a century later, The War in the Air continues to remind us that humankind's greatest evil lies in devices of its own making.

"The War in the Air" is a science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells, first published in 1908. As with many of Wells' works, it contains prophetic ideas about the future, in this case the profuse use of aircraft on the battlefield and the imminent world war. An entertaining and thought-provoking tale, "The War in the Air" is not to be missed by lovers of classic science fiction. Contents include: "The Dream", "The Wear And Tear Of Episcopacy", "Insomnia", "The Sympathy Of Lady Sunderbund", "Chapter The Fifth", "Chapter The Sixth", "Exegetical", "The Second Vision", "The New World", and "The Third Vision". Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of genres, including the novel, politics, history, and social commentary. Today, he is perhaps best remembered for his contributions to the science fiction genre thanks to such novels as "The Time Machine" (1895), "The Invisible Man" (1897), and "The War of the Worlds" (1898). "The Father of Science Fiction" was also a staunch socialist, and his later works are increasingly political and didactic. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.