Yes — The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells is free to listen to. It's a public-domain classic, so the full unabridged audiobook streams free in your browser — no account, no subscription, no sign-up. The full unabridged recording runs 5 hours 13 minutes. For word-by-word read-along, RSVP speed-reading, offline listening, and 30+ natural voices, get the free Éist app.
The war of the worlds
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George) · ~314 min total
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Chapters (52)
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About The War of the Worlds
Martians invade Surrey in tripod war machines. The original alien-invasion novel, written when "Martians" was a fresh scientific speculation. Orson Welles’s 1938 radio adaptation panicked America for a reason — this story works in audio.
Why it works as an audiobook
Wells wrote in vivid, journalistic first-person — exactly the format that made the 1938 radio dramatization so terrifying. Pure cinema for the ears.
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Themes: alien invasion, apocalyptic, Victorian SF, first-person disaster
- Approximate length: 6 hours
- Source: Project Gutenberg #36 (public domain)
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about listening to The War of the Worlds free on Éist.
Is The War of the Worlds audiobook free?
Yes. The War of the Worlds is in the public domain, so you can stream the complete audiobook free in your browser with no account or subscription. Download the free Éist app (iOS and Android) to listen offline, read along word-by-word, and speed-read with RSVP.
Who wrote The War of the Worlds?
The War of the Worlds was written by H. G. Wells. It was first published in 1898.
How long is The War of the Worlds audiobook?
The War of the Worlds is 5 hours 13 minutes long at normal speed, spread across 52 chapters. Adjust the speed, or read even faster with RSVP speed-reading, in the free Éist app.
Can I read along while listening to The War of the Worlds?
In your browser you can read the full text while the audio plays. The free Éist app goes further — it highlights each word in sync as it is spoken (word-by-word read-along), on The War of the Worlds and any EPUB or PDF you import.
Can I speed-read The War of the Worlds?
Yes. The free Éist app includes RSVP speed-reading, which shows one word at a time at a pace you control, so you can get through The War of the Worlds much faster than scrolling. It works on this book and any EPUB or PDF you import.
Do I need an account or subscription to listen to The War of the Worlds?
No. The War of the Worlds streams in your browser for free with no sign-up required. The Éist app (iOS and Android) is also free, with no subscription for public-domain titles.
Can I listen to The War of the Worlds offline?
Yes. Download the free Éist app on iOS or Android to listen to The War of the Worlds — and hundreds of other public-domain audiobooks — without an internet connection.
