What do you think?
Rate this book
War of the Worlds: Thunder Child
Not yet published
Expected 30 Jun 26A dramatic tale that runs parallel to the events of H.G. Wells’ classic novel, The War of the Worlds.
The War of the Worlds: Thunder Child follows the exploits of the crew of the eponymous ironclad torpedo ram, the HMS Thunder Child. Sitting alongside the events of Wells’ novel, the story takes place against a backdrop of strange occurrences and creeping terror, all leading up to the Thunder Child's final heroic showdown with the invaders from Mars.
This is a terrifying and thrilling tale soaked in blood, recriminations, sacrifice and loss, the first act in a new take on the well-known science-fiction classic with a unique cast and its own story to tell. A story of the horrors and conflicts of the crew as they experience the first desperate days of the Martian invasion and face the possible collapse of the British Empire and civilisation itself – threatened both from the stars… and from within.”
The War of the Worlds: Thunder Child follows the exploits of the crew of the eponymous ironclad torpedo ram, the HMS Thunder Child. Sitting alongside the events of Wells’ novel, the story takes place against a backdrop of strange occurrences and creeping terror, all leading up to the Thunder Child's final heroic showdown with the invaders from Mars.
This is a terrifying and thrilling tale soaked in blood, recriminations, sacrifice and loss, the first act in a new take on the well-known science-fiction classic with a unique cast and its own story to tell. A story of the horrors and conflicts of the crew as they experience the first desperate days of the Martian invasion and face the possible collapse of the British Empire and civilisation itself – threatened both from the stars… and from within.”
144 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 30, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy
I read all three of the three part release published by Mad Robot Comics. This review only covers what will be in the Titan collected volume.
Having read H G Wells' novel relatively recently I was very familiar with the small part that Thunder Child plays in the original book. Also, having enjoyed Jeff Wayne's musical of the book for decades, I was aware of the prominence given there.
Focused on the ship and the people aboard it, this story could hone in on people not previously written about and elaborate the incidents surrounding it. This allowed for a contemporary feel yet retaining a level of historical accuracy giving the mix of times a sense of authenticity. Most importantly, it is a story about humanity just like the original story.
I totally recommend this read but adults need to be aware that at times there is a sense of realism in the visual depictions and the language used that may be deemed unsuitable for some younger readers.
Having read H G Wells' novel relatively recently I was very familiar with the small part that Thunder Child plays in the original book. Also, having enjoyed Jeff Wayne's musical of the book for decades, I was aware of the prominence given there.
Focused on the ship and the people aboard it, this story could hone in on people not previously written about and elaborate the incidents surrounding it. This allowed for a contemporary feel yet retaining a level of historical accuracy giving the mix of times a sense of authenticity. Most importantly, it is a story about humanity just like the original story.
I totally recommend this read but adults need to be aware that at times there is a sense of realism in the visual depictions and the language used that may be deemed unsuitable for some younger readers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. As a fan of the source material and Jeff Wayne's musical I was really excited to receive the ARC for this one.
This is set on HMS Thunder Child, which is one of my favourite parts from the musical as I always found the song about their sacrifice quite chilling. I enjoyed the plot and how it adds another element to the main story and would love to read more stories set at the time of the invasion. It manages to pack a lot of story into quite a short time frame.
I'm really disappointed I didn't hear about this when it was released in three parts but will definitely be picking up a copy of this collected edition when released.
This is set on HMS Thunder Child, which is one of my favourite parts from the musical as I always found the song about their sacrifice quite chilling. I enjoyed the plot and how it adds another element to the main story and would love to read more stories set at the time of the invasion. It manages to pack a lot of story into quite a short time frame.
I'm really disappointed I didn't hear about this when it was released in three parts but will definitely be picking up a copy of this collected edition when released.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“War of the Worlds” has been around longer than I have been alive. “War of the Worlds: Thunder Child” focuses on a small part of the original history, the ship Thunder Child.
The story is well done, although some of the dialogue gets repetitive at times. The artwork is really cool. Understand, this is not a radio program to scare small children. This is a 21st century graphic novel. Even though it goes back in time, there is language and blood and dismemberment. This is not for kids.
That being said, it is an enjoyable addition to the world of “War of the Worlds”.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
The story is well done, although some of the dialogue gets repetitive at times. The artwork is really cool. Understand, this is not a radio program to scare small children. This is a 21st century graphic novel. Even though it goes back in time, there is language and blood and dismemberment. This is not for kids.
That being said, it is an enjoyable addition to the world of “War of the Worlds”.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews