THE WAR OF THE WORLDS

Alexander Spencer performs H.G. Wells's nineteenth-century science-fiction classic with precise, well-calculated pacing. At first, when the sighting of a meteor shower over London is reported, Spencer's delivery is deliberate, matter-of-fact, and measured, but as the story progresses and the terror of the alien invasion grows, his account becomes appropriately intense. Spencer narrates descriptions of the Martians, their destructive, deadly weapons, and their unspeakable acts with growing horror. As the truth of what the invaders have in mind dawns on the speaker, Spencer becomes breathless, his voice rising in pitch and volume. Spencer's spot-on storytelling skills enhance Wells's tale of intergalactic devastation and chaos. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2014]