The War of the Worlds
Mars and Martians

The novel initiated several enduring Martian tropes in science fiction writing. These include Mars being an ancient world; nearing the end of its life; being the home of a superior civilisation capable of advanced feats of science and engineering; and also being a source of invasion forces, keen to conquer the Earth. The first two tropes were prominent in Edgar Rice Burroughs 's " Barsoom " series beginning with A Princess of Mars in 1912.

Physicist Freeman Dyson, a key figure in the search for extraterrestrial life, acknowledged his debt to reading H. G. Wells's fictions as a child.

The publication and reception of The War of the Worlds established the vernacular term of 'martian' as a description for something offworldly or unknown.
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