The War of the Worlds.

[Matthew]

Found myself recently revisiting this book and it never ceases to amaze me how fresh it still seems after all this time.

I know its not the earliest example of British post-apoc fiction but the ideas that it puts forward in terms of what an 'Alien' invasion might be like and the whole thing about the tripods and the 'heat-rays' shows a mind that was obviously razor sharpe.

And it still makes its mark today in terms of its influence on popular culture. If ever there was an award for the most important work of British post-apoc fiction then I think this would be it. Yes, the Aliens lose but for a while it the centre does not hold.

Which still leaves 'The shape of things to come', which surely must be one of the earliest, if not the first, post-apoc films.

Perhaps we should instigate our own awards system dedicated to Mr Wells

[edwin]

Oh yes indeed. That description of the panic flight with carriages jostling etc was inspired.

Shape of things I find less so as a book. However except for the silly end bits after the introduction of the League of Airmen the film was terrific, the storming of the coalfields particularly. I have always had a soft spot for the boss in that and his gallant little biplanes going up against those nasty Leaqueish bullies.

[keiron1]

I though the heros preoccupation with finding clean collars for his shirt to be quintessentially English!!