Other editions of book The War in the Air

H. G. Wells' prophetic The War in the Air foretold the use of airplanes in warfare and the coming of World War I. First serialized in 1907 and published in book form in 1908, the novel tells the story of the forward-thinking tinkerer Bert Smallways. Alfred Butteridge is said to be the only English aviator to know the "secret of the flying machine." When Bert Smallways accidentally falls into Butteridge's hot air balloon, he soon finds himself enmeshed in a German plot to bomb New York city. The setting is the outbreak of war as German forces attempt to dominate the air before the Americans can succeed in building a large aerial navy. On the other side of the United States tensions with the "Confederation of Eastern Asia", an allegiance between China and Japan, compound into full scale war, leaving the U.S. to fight on both eastern and western fronts, on sea and in the air.

The War in the Air, a military science fiction novel by H. G. Wells, written in four months in 1907 and serialised and published in 1908 in The Pall Mall Magazine, is like many of Wells's works notable for its prophetic ideas, images, and concepts—in this case, the use of the aircraft for the purpose of warfare and the coming of World War I. The novel's hero is Bert Smallways, a "forward-thinking young man" and a "kind of bicycle engineer of the let's-'ave-a-look-at-it and enamel-chipping variety."

The War in the Air, a military science fiction novel by H. G. Wells, written in four months in 1907 and serialised and published in 1908 in The Pall Mall Magazine, is like many of Wells's works notable for its prophetic ideas, images, and concepts—in this case, the use of the aircraft for the purpose of warfare and the coming of World War I. The novel's hero is Bert Smallways, a "forward-thinking young man" and a "kind of bicycle engineer of the let's-'ave-a-look-at-it and enamel-chipping variety."

This thrilling tale is H. G. Wells at his modernist, visionary best. In 1907, a naive Londoner named Bert Smallways finds himself an unwitting passenger on a fleet of German airships heading over the Atlantic to attack New York. What unfolds in characteristically Wellsian fashion is a clash of early flying machines that leaves Gotham in shambles and unleashes the terrible age of Total War. Uncannily relevant to our own era, The War in the Air remains a cornerstone of early science fiction.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

The War in the Air, written by legendary author H.G. Wells is widely considered to be one of the greatest books of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, The War in the Air is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by H.G. Wells is highly recommended. Published by Quill Pen Classics and beautifully produced, The War in the Air would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.

(This title belongs to the STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES series. The STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES comprise an illustrated selection of classic Victorian speculative fiction, with each title being chosen for its quality, modern appeal and resonance with the steampunk movement of retro-futurism.)OUR AIRSHIP ESCAPADES into “a Dystopian Retro-Future which never was” continue in the epic Zeppelin war novel by H. G. Wells, THE WAR IN THE AIR. Young Bert Smallways, a brilliant mechanist and accidental aeronaut, finds himself as a reluctant stowaway upon the very same airship which begins the Great War. This is “dieselpunk” at its finest, featuring petrol-powered war machines, ironclads, bombardments, espionage, intrigue and daring adventures in the wild skies of the earliest 1900s. Smallways is swept away aboard the Vaterland, the flagship piloted by a belligerent German Prince, whose mastery of technology shall herald in a new age of war. How long can Smallways keep his identity a secret from the Prince? Will Bert survive THE WAR IN THE AIR?(Astute readers may notice that this novel served as the inspiration for a certain steampunk trilogy with titles such as LEVIATHAN, BEHEMOTH and GOLIATH.)Enriching and supplementing Wonderland Imprints’ well-received series of classic Illustrated Master Editions, the STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES series is devoted to reviving the very finest forgotten rarities which were originally published during the golden age of technology. The series explores the origins of retro-futurist elements, such as airships, mechanical men, goggled gentlemen of war, sophisticated adventuresses, gadgetry and weaponry, and global cataclysm. These are the tales of the Age of Steam, the lore of the ornate technology which reigned in a golden future that never was. Above all, this series is focused on telling great Victorian stories you’ve probably never heard of!Episode 3, THE WAR IN THE AIR (inspired by the George Griffith works featured in Episodes 1 and 2, THE ANGEL OF THE REVOLUTION and THE SYREN OF THE SKIES), is considered to be one of H. G. Wells’s greatest novels. This Wonderland Imprints edition features over 30 illustrations, an active table of contents, 11 chapters, 98,000 words and 310 pages of mayhem, secret agents and aerial adventure. Come aboard, and sail the crimson skies of war once again!