What techniques does H. G. Wells to make 'War of the Worlds' exciting?

Question

What techniques does he use, and could you give examples if possible?

Answer 1

One the biggest contrasts is between the book and the 1950s movie version.

In the movie the aliens are invunerable and make the battle obviously one sided (this reflected the horror movie element and the fear of the Cold war).

In the book there is hope. The gunner, the iron clad steam ship the thunder child all put up a fight against the Martians, the guy trying to rebuild civilisation underground, even the crazy priest who thinks the martians are devils and his Christian power (like the Boxer revolution in China where the Boxers believed their Kungfu and magic talismans would protect them against the weapons of western powers) will defeat them....all symbolise hope. But each hope is more desperate and more unrealistic, but we hope for a moment only to see that hope crushed.