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The Last Days of Thunder Child
Alien invaders lay waste to Victorian Britain! One ship defies the pitiless assault. H.M.S. Thunder Child steams towards her glorious destiny in this 'War of the Worlds' pastiche! The War of the Worlds contains small section on the Thunder Child battleship that attacks three tripods to save a paddle steamer. This story takes place a few days before the event and leads up to the final dramatic moment. The clever build up leads to this final battle of ironclad v three Martian tripods. The story moves between the crew of Thunder Child, at sea, and Mister Stanley, the ministry of defence man, moving across the land to various semaphore stations. His character becomes more solid as the crisis becomes more desperate. He is linked to the ship because he delivered the mission orders before the story starts and is upon the paddle steamer that must be defended by Thunder Child at the end. If you have read War of the Worlds and enjoyed it, you will love this story too.
196 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
27 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
C.A. Powell
15 books49 followersC.A. Powell (Colin Alan Powell)
Born 1961 in Bow district of London. Now lives in Fenland of Cambridgeshire. Loves reading and writing.
When I read and do reviews, I always categorise the type of book in my own mind and think of the particular audience that might enjoy. It does not matter if it is classic, pulp, indie, sci-fi etc. It is all a personal reflection from my own bubble of thought. I always seem to take something from every book I read.
Born 1961 in Bow district of London. Now lives in Fenland of Cambridgeshire. Loves reading and writing.
When I read and do reviews, I always categorise the type of book in my own mind and think of the particular audience that might enjoy. It does not matter if it is classic, pulp, indie, sci-fi etc. It is all a personal reflection from my own bubble of thought. I always seem to take something from every book I read.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 21, 2019
The author via Booktasters provided a copy of the PDF in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Day of Thunder Child by C. A. Powell is a brilliant pastiche of War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. The author's attention to detail is exemplary and he clearly understands the genre. The sea battle is magnificently written and visually comes to life. The primary and secondary characters have clear and distinct voices. The author's respect for the original story is evident. This page-turner does not disappoint.
The Last Day of Thunder Child by C. A. Powell is a brilliant pastiche of War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. The author's attention to detail is exemplary and he clearly understands the genre. The sea battle is magnificently written and visually comes to life. The primary and secondary characters have clear and distinct voices. The author's respect for the original story is evident. This page-turner does not disappoint.
January 7, 2015
I don’t how many times I’ve read “The War of the Worlds” over the years. Certainly more than a dozen, and that does not include the various editions abridged for younger readers, the Classics Illustrated comic (a reproduction cover of which I have framed in my office), or the various derivative works, both literary and illustrated. And I’ve seen all the various film adaptations of the novel—the updated George Pal 1953 opus, the ridiculous and intellectually insulting Steven Spielberg epic, the SyFy Channel’s efforts (yes, all of them), and the exquisitely faithful and horribly under funded Pendragon production (the director later redeemed himself with a wonderful mockumentary). And we should not forget Jeff Wayne’s musical version, which has formed the foundation of his career. In all of those works, only four—the original novel, the Classics Illustrated comic, the Pendragon film, and the Wayne musical version—included what I consider the pivotal scene within the tableau of the War of the Worlds, the conflict between three Martian war machines and the HMS Thunder Child, an old coastal defense vessel, a torpedo ram. Why do I think it so important? Because it shows the difference between us and the Martians, our innate human decency and the Martian rapaciousness, our ability to counter alien ruthlessness with self-sacrifice. The incident is briefly addressed in Wells’ novel, necessarily limited because of the narrative form Wells chose to tell his tale and to keep the story moving, but I’ve always wished we could know more about brave men of HMS Thunder Child, who knew they were going to their deaths in an effort to save a boatload of refugees, but went anyway. Evidently I was not the only one who wanted to know about those stalwart British tars, for C.A. Powell has given us a splendidly well-written book in “The Last Days of Thunder Child,” one which not only tells us the story behind the story, but also peoples that doomed ship with characters we can care about and affords insights into the British navy at the close of the Nineteenth Century. If you are a fan of Wells’ novel, Powell’s book is required reading. Unlike other works derived from the original, it takes nothing from Wells’ story and adds so much more. You will enjoy it immensely, and might even shed a tear at the fates of those who sailed into hell, not because they were following orders but because their humanity demanded it.
September 30, 2019
The Last Days of Thunder Child recounts the story the warship Thunder Child mentioned in the H G Wells Classic "War of The Worlds"
The buildup from the news of strange events happening all round to the epic moment of the actual battle and how it played a part later in their eventual destruction makes for a enjoyable read.
big part in the battle. The warship is just a small but pivotal part in the original story .
Expanding on its role and crew makes a very good premise for a story and it is enjoyable to read.
The only shortcoming s the slow pace in the start and story never picks up a fast pace which I think could have made the story very exciting and thrilling.
I got this book from the author on recommendations of @BookTasters
The buildup from the news of strange events happening all round to the epic moment of the actual battle and how it played a part later in their eventual destruction makes for a enjoyable read.
big part in the battle. The warship is just a small but pivotal part in the original story .
Expanding on its role and crew makes a very good premise for a story and it is enjoyable to read.
The only shortcoming s the slow pace in the start and story never picks up a fast pace which I think could have made the story very exciting and thrilling.
I got this book from the author on recommendations of @BookTasters
February 6, 2013
Novels like this are like a painting inside of a painting, or a painting inside someone else's painting. C A Powell does a great job in both stepping into Well's world and handling the sea battle, which is probably the most challenging kind of battle to right. For a buck this book is definitely worth it. I got at seven out of it.
January 31, 2016
An excellent novel that's as much nautical fiction as science fiction. I have to say that author has a real grasp of how to write in both genres. I'd strongly encourage him/her to write more nautical fiction -- sci-fi or not.
December 6, 2015
My favorite part of the Original Novel was the encounter between Thunder Child and the three Tripods. This novel expands that...thank you.
December 21, 2019
Thank you Booktasters for the opportunity to review this work. I was provided with a copy of the book in PDF format by the author via Booktatsters in exchange for an honest review.
At the outset let me put it out there that I am a huge fan of the original work "War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells which the author Powell draws inspiration from and has based this current work on. Powell masterfully takes off on the literary classic and does justice to the genre, structure and form of the original work. Taking on the small but significant part of the original story, that is the warship 'Thunder Child' of Wells' classic work, Powell weaves an exciting tale of drama and thrill around the warship from its inception to its ultimate action on the seas. It must be mentioned here that the naval battle scenes were well visualized. The underlying elements of race, prejudice, fear added layers to the work. The work has an echo of frame narrative especially for readers familiar with the original work of Wells'. The crew of the warship gives in a deeper insight into the human motivations for various actions and of being on that warship and makes them come alive as multidimensional characters. The pace of the story is steady with minor exceptions.
At the outset let me put it out there that I am a huge fan of the original work "War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells which the author Powell draws inspiration from and has based this current work on. Powell masterfully takes off on the literary classic and does justice to the genre, structure and form of the original work. Taking on the small but significant part of the original story, that is the warship 'Thunder Child' of Wells' classic work, Powell weaves an exciting tale of drama and thrill around the warship from its inception to its ultimate action on the seas. It must be mentioned here that the naval battle scenes were well visualized. The underlying elements of race, prejudice, fear added layers to the work. The work has an echo of frame narrative especially for readers familiar with the original work of Wells'. The crew of the warship gives in a deeper insight into the human motivations for various actions and of being on that warship and makes them come alive as multidimensional characters. The pace of the story is steady with minor exceptions.
October 16, 2019
Take into account that this review is coming from someone who's not the biggest scifi fan, and doesn't really know "War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells... but I was honestly curious about this book, which I got via Booktasters in exchange of an honest review.
The action was really well told, and the story kept you intrigued, and looking forward to see how things wrapped up, but then really like the story telling method, with jumping away from the ship to other stories.
On the other hand, my big problem with the book is that I didn't really connect with any characters individually, which made it hard to stay connected with what was happening, because I normally need a personal enjoyment of the characters to enjoy a book overall.
So while I wasn't a big fan, I'm sure it would probably be very interesting for fans of "War of the Worlds" :D
The action was really well told, and the story kept you intrigued, and looking forward to see how things wrapped up, but then really like the story telling method, with jumping away from the ship to other stories.
On the other hand, my big problem with the book is that I didn't really connect with any characters individually, which made it hard to stay connected with what was happening, because I normally need a personal enjoyment of the characters to enjoy a book overall.
So while I wasn't a big fan, I'm sure it would probably be very interesting for fans of "War of the Worlds" :D
December 5, 2018
As a fan of the original War of the Worlds, I was surprised that I enjoyed this story even more than the original, superb descriptions of the Ironclad, beautifully written. Great characters, Percy, Mr. Palmer, were two of my favorites. The story grips you from start to finish. This book would make a great movie, one that I would be queueing up to see.
May 20, 2018
Author Colin Alan Powell’s War of the Worlds adaptation of H. G. Wells follows, The Last Days of Thunder Child. I enjoyed reading this short novel by Colin. Albeit the threat of the Martians are the same as H. G. Wells' novel. Colin displays the British imperialism, fears and prejudices through a different storyline. Interestingly, the book focuses on more than one protagonist. Colin manifests out of chaos the transformation of ordinary people comes extraordinary people. Notwithstanding the book is well written, it did impeded the incomprehension of certain words because of the Queen’s English. I had to look up a word or two. However, it was passable since it gave me the opportunity to learn something new. Good read!
October 2, 2019
[English review + Reseña en español]
The Last Days of Thunder Child: Victorian Britain in Chaos!, by Colin Alan Powell.
Published by Retro Brit Publishing. 2013
275 pages
Genres: Retro Science Fiction
As the author announces, The Last Days of Thunder Child is an alternative story, a pastiche and also a tribute to the ironclad that appears in that episode of the science fiction classic by H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds.
1898: A "meteorite" has fallen near London, Great Britain. Tripods over 30 meters high, manned by hostile and armed aliens, attack the civilian population and the British army from different points with powerful heat rays and a highly toxic vapor. Her Majesty's Ship "Thunder Child", an obsolete ironclad battleship about to be dismantled, is sent to the east of England, where she has to meet with the French ship FS Courbet and the German ship König Wilhelm. On land, Albert Stanley from the War Office carries the latest news from Woking, the site of the first encounter with the Martian troops. On his way, Albert finds Daisy Wade and little Jojo, with whom he will head aboard Southend Belle towards River Blackwater, the same point at which Thunder Child will face her last battle.
Powell has written so well the story of the Thunder Child ironclad, that it could easily happen as a super-extended episode of Wells' acclaimed work. The detail, the style, the characters and the whole atmosphere are developed with great care and the results are simply amazing.
In reality, this novel claims with a powerful voice its own right as a great science fiction story, and even if it is read as a work separate from its mother it becomes a true jewel of the genre.
--------
The Last Days of Thunder Child: Victorian Britain in Chaos!, por Colin Alan Powell.
Publicado por Retro Brit Publishing. 2013.
275 páginas.
Géneros: Ciencia Ficción Retro
Como bien lo anuncia su autor, The Last Days of Thunder Child es una historia alternativa, un pastiche y también un tributo al acorazado que aparece en aquel episodio del clásico de ciencia-ficción de H.G. Wells, La guerra de los mundos.
1898: Un “meteorito” ha caído cerca de Londres, Gran Bretaña. Trípodes de más de 30 metros de altura, tripulados por alienígenas hostiles y armados, atacan a la población civil y al ejército británico desde distintos puntos con potentes rayos de calor y un vapor altamente tóxico. El Navío de Su Majestad “Thunder Child”, un acorazado obsoleto a punto de ser desmantelado, es enviado al este de Inglaterra, donde ha de reunirse con el barco francés FS Courbet y el navío alemán König Wilhelm. En tierra, Albert Stanley, de la Oficina de Guerra, lleva las últimas noticias desde Woking, el sitio del primer encuentro con las tropas marcianas. En su camino, Albert encuentra a Daisy Wade y a la pequeña Jojo, con quienes se dirigirá a bordo del Southend Belle hacia River Blackwater, el mismo punto en que el Thunder Child enfrentará su última batalla.
Powell ha escrito tan bien la historia del acorazado Thunder Child, que podría con facilidad pasar como un episodio súper-extendido de la aclamada obra de Wells. El detalle, el estilo, los personajes y la ambientación entera están desarrollados con gran esmero y sus resultados son simplemente asombrosos.
En realidad, esta novela clama con voz potente su derecho propio como una gran historia de ciencia ficción, e incluso si se lee como una obra separada de su madre se convierte en una verdadera joyita del género.
The Last Days of Thunder Child: Victorian Britain in Chaos!, by Colin Alan Powell.
Published by Retro Brit Publishing. 2013
275 pages
Genres: Retro Science Fiction
As the author announces, The Last Days of Thunder Child is an alternative story, a pastiche and also a tribute to the ironclad that appears in that episode of the science fiction classic by H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds.
1898: A "meteorite" has fallen near London, Great Britain. Tripods over 30 meters high, manned by hostile and armed aliens, attack the civilian population and the British army from different points with powerful heat rays and a highly toxic vapor. Her Majesty's Ship "Thunder Child", an obsolete ironclad battleship about to be dismantled, is sent to the east of England, where she has to meet with the French ship FS Courbet and the German ship König Wilhelm. On land, Albert Stanley from the War Office carries the latest news from Woking, the site of the first encounter with the Martian troops. On his way, Albert finds Daisy Wade and little Jojo, with whom he will head aboard Southend Belle towards River Blackwater, the same point at which Thunder Child will face her last battle.
Powell has written so well the story of the Thunder Child ironclad, that it could easily happen as a super-extended episode of Wells' acclaimed work. The detail, the style, the characters and the whole atmosphere are developed with great care and the results are simply amazing.
In reality, this novel claims with a powerful voice its own right as a great science fiction story, and even if it is read as a work separate from its mother it becomes a true jewel of the genre.
--------
The Last Days of Thunder Child: Victorian Britain in Chaos!, por Colin Alan Powell.
Publicado por Retro Brit Publishing. 2013.
275 páginas.
Géneros: Ciencia Ficción Retro
Como bien lo anuncia su autor, The Last Days of Thunder Child es una historia alternativa, un pastiche y también un tributo al acorazado que aparece en aquel episodio del clásico de ciencia-ficción de H.G. Wells, La guerra de los mundos.
1898: Un “meteorito” ha caído cerca de Londres, Gran Bretaña. Trípodes de más de 30 metros de altura, tripulados por alienígenas hostiles y armados, atacan a la población civil y al ejército británico desde distintos puntos con potentes rayos de calor y un vapor altamente tóxico. El Navío de Su Majestad “Thunder Child”, un acorazado obsoleto a punto de ser desmantelado, es enviado al este de Inglaterra, donde ha de reunirse con el barco francés FS Courbet y el navío alemán König Wilhelm. En tierra, Albert Stanley, de la Oficina de Guerra, lleva las últimas noticias desde Woking, el sitio del primer encuentro con las tropas marcianas. En su camino, Albert encuentra a Daisy Wade y a la pequeña Jojo, con quienes se dirigirá a bordo del Southend Belle hacia River Blackwater, el mismo punto en que el Thunder Child enfrentará su última batalla.
Powell ha escrito tan bien la historia del acorazado Thunder Child, que podría con facilidad pasar como un episodio súper-extendido de la aclamada obra de Wells. El detalle, el estilo, los personajes y la ambientación entera están desarrollados con gran esmero y sus resultados son simplemente asombrosos.
En realidad, esta novela clama con voz potente su derecho propio como una gran historia de ciencia ficción, e incluso si se lee como una obra separada de su madre se convierte en una verdadera joyita del género.
May 26, 2018
I found it a little slow in parts and found it hard to get in to. Good storyline though.
April 27, 2019
I had a great time reading this book! It's such a different way of viewing this story line, but so well done that I would recommend it (and have) to anyone who enjoys steampunk genre.
I had forgotten the link between the older (newer?) story, but placing it in this time frame totally changes things, and I enjoyed it immensely.
If you are looking for a book that is humorous, steampunk, and adventurous, this is it! C.A. Powell is a master at the art of turning one story into something completely new, fresh and fun. Summer is coming, and this should be on your reading list.
I had forgotten the link between the older (newer?) story, but placing it in this time frame totally changes things, and I enjoyed it immensely.
If you are looking for a book that is humorous, steampunk, and adventurous, this is it! C.A. Powell is a master at the art of turning one story into something completely new, fresh and fun. Summer is coming, and this should be on your reading list.
March 27, 2020
Loved this, of course I've read War of the Worlds, seen the many dreadful offerings on TV and love Jeff Wayne's musical version. Had to read this on the recommendation of my husband and wow he was right, I loved it. Of course I knew how it would end and was emotional when the inevitable happened but thank you for letting me know what happened to the survivors. A 5* book indeed.
August 30, 2020
The HMS "Thunder Child" chapter is my absolute favorite part of H.G. Wells' original work, and so when I learned about this book I instantly bought a copy. This book is a wonderful tribute, and a gripping page turner as well. I simply couldn't put it down and was happy to see this noble little ironclad get her own story. Very highly recommended!
April 13, 2021
Crickey! Did you read the latest newspaper? Great Britain is under the invasion of the Martians! Stories of chaos and horror abound, but also tales of a few courageous sailors who are risking their lives fighting the aliens! Jump aboard the Thunder Child and experience the journey of a lifetime (it may well be your last!). Ladies, don’t forget your gloves and gentlemen, bring your umbrellas!
October 11, 2020
This was a hard one to rate, it kinda felt like watching an amateur production. Even though it's slow to start with it slowly draws you in and you find yourself enjoying it! Plus anything war of the worlds related will always be intriguing.
June 21, 2021
Isn't Welles good!
The stories his "War of the Worlds" has inspired!
In this easy to read, true to its origins, adventure we get a glimpse, through another set of eyes, of the build-up and outcome of just one small moment in Welles' book...
and it's done well.
Good read!
The stories his "War of the Worlds" has inspired!
In this easy to read, true to its origins, adventure we get a glimpse, through another set of eyes, of the build-up and outcome of just one small moment in Welles' book...
and it's done well.
Good read!
August 18, 2021
This is no literary masterpiece, for sure. But, it is quite charming and written in a style that fits the period. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the end was a little anti-climactic. The whole thing made a pleasant change from so much written these days. Recommend.
January 2, 2018
I won this book through Goodreads. Really enjoyed this book. Exciting and original. Fast paced and fun
February 9, 2021
Interesting take on the fate of the Thunder Child from H.G Wells War of the Worlds. It's fast paced and gives new insights to the Martian invasion.
February 12, 2021
Very enjoyable
I love War of the Worlds, in any form. This is a great read alongside the original.
Looking forward to reading the other books by the author
I love War of the Worlds, in any form. This is a great read alongside the original.
Looking forward to reading the other books by the author
September 23, 2018
One of the greatest moments in HG Wells' The War of the Worlds is the battle between the Martian invaders and the HMS Thunder Child. It's a heroic moment, the outgunned and outclassed naval vessel surging to the rescue of ships loaded down with civilian refugees fleeing the conflict - as tripods bear down, seeking to send them to a watery grave.
C A Powell expands that moment in the book to a fuller story of how the military side of the conflict came to be - and the story is divided largely into two parts. The first part is life on board the Thunder Child as the first reports begin to filter through of strange events after the arrival of a meteorite; the second part follows a low-level official from the Ministry of Defence as he encounters the Martian menace - and discovers a crucial piece of information that might help the fight. The second part largely carries the action in the opening half of the book, as the crew of the Thunder Child have little to do except wait for their part in the oncoming storm.
That does make for a little bit of a slow start, as we follow a couple of young sailors on punishment duty on board the Thunder Child, which puts them within earshot of the first reports of things going wrong. It soon picks up, though, as the MOD man picks his way through the devastation wrought by the tripods, gathering a handful of survivors with him and heading to join other refugees as they make for the coast.
In the end, it left me wanting a little more - the engagement itself I felt could still have had more added to it, but being left wanting more is no bad thing. It adds a little more to the incident from the novel, not least of all in the naval background material, which feels like it is soundly researched, and there is a real sadness at some of the moments in the conflict. I swear, I still think there hasn't been a solid movie adaptation of Wells' novel - and a successful adaptation could do far worse than to borrow some of the ideas here.
C A Powell expands that moment in the book to a fuller story of how the military side of the conflict came to be - and the story is divided largely into two parts. The first part is life on board the Thunder Child as the first reports begin to filter through of strange events after the arrival of a meteorite; the second part follows a low-level official from the Ministry of Defence as he encounters the Martian menace - and discovers a crucial piece of information that might help the fight. The second part largely carries the action in the opening half of the book, as the crew of the Thunder Child have little to do except wait for their part in the oncoming storm.
That does make for a little bit of a slow start, as we follow a couple of young sailors on punishment duty on board the Thunder Child, which puts them within earshot of the first reports of things going wrong. It soon picks up, though, as the MOD man picks his way through the devastation wrought by the tripods, gathering a handful of survivors with him and heading to join other refugees as they make for the coast.
In the end, it left me wanting a little more - the engagement itself I felt could still have had more added to it, but being left wanting more is no bad thing. It adds a little more to the incident from the novel, not least of all in the naval background material, which feels like it is soundly researched, and there is a real sadness at some of the moments in the conflict. I swear, I still think there hasn't been a solid movie adaptation of Wells' novel - and a successful adaptation could do far worse than to borrow some of the ideas here.
September 27, 2019
CA Powell’s “The Last Days of Thunder Child” begins with a scene that is perfectly normal: ‘Above the quay where the ironclad was moored, seagulls swooped and squealed in the June afternoon sky’. By the end of the novel, the patriotic crew would have been sorely tested and given everything, including their lives, in the battle against the invading aliens.
This is a pastiche story from H.G. Wells’ WAR OF THE WORLDS, told from the perspective of H.M.S. Thunder Child’s Royal Navy crew. The story unfolds through the eyes of the ironclad crew (particularly young Perry) and a land-based War Office clerk; Mister Albert Stanley. It is Victorian England and the world appears to have gone mad. The author moves between the viewpoints until the characters intersect at the battle climax.
Daisy Wade says, towards the end of the novel, that “People pull together and do the most astounding things in a crisis.” That is a pretty accurate summation - Powell’s characters rise to the needs of the moment, they survive, and they grow. Seven years later, the resilience of humanity to pick up the pieces is evident in the celebratory banquet where people are gossiping and reliving old memories.
I found this a great read and ideal for pre-teens to adults, all of whom will see it from their particular perspective. Thanks, Booktasters, for facilitating a complimentary copy for a fair review.
This is a pastiche story from H.G. Wells’ WAR OF THE WORLDS, told from the perspective of H.M.S. Thunder Child’s Royal Navy crew. The story unfolds through the eyes of the ironclad crew (particularly young Perry) and a land-based War Office clerk; Mister Albert Stanley. It is Victorian England and the world appears to have gone mad. The author moves between the viewpoints until the characters intersect at the battle climax.
Daisy Wade says, towards the end of the novel, that “People pull together and do the most astounding things in a crisis.” That is a pretty accurate summation - Powell’s characters rise to the needs of the moment, they survive, and they grow. Seven years later, the resilience of humanity to pick up the pieces is evident in the celebratory banquet where people are gossiping and reliving old memories.
I found this a great read and ideal for pre-teens to adults, all of whom will see it from their particular perspective. Thanks, Booktasters, for facilitating a complimentary copy for a fair review.
June 20, 2018
This is described on the cover as a pastiche of War of the Worlds. I feel that it is more of a companion. The writing style is not an imitation or comparable and it tells its own story.
I was surprised reading The War of the Worlds in how little text the Thunder Child actually had. Other media made me think that it must have had more. This fills in that gap nicely. It also tells the story of someone witnessing the invasion on land and living through the horrors separate from the events in H.G. Wells's novel.
I have given both books 4 stars. This doesn't mean they are equal. They are both worthy of a high rating for different reasons. There is less detachment in this than in the original and it feels more human. This is probably due to how writing has changed in the past hundred years and is not a criticism of H.G. Wells.
The book is easy to pick up and it tells the story well. It is actually less graphic about death than the original which will suit certain readers. I enjoyed it and it is something that I would recommend to fans of the original. There are one or two typos and mistakes in the text but not enough for it to get distracting.
Overall I enjoyed it as a companion piece. I feel that other parts of the original could be expanded upon in the same way too.
I was surprised reading The War of the Worlds in how little text the Thunder Child actually had. Other media made me think that it must have had more. This fills in that gap nicely. It also tells the story of someone witnessing the invasion on land and living through the horrors separate from the events in H.G. Wells's novel.
I have given both books 4 stars. This doesn't mean they are equal. They are both worthy of a high rating for different reasons. There is less detachment in this than in the original and it feels more human. This is probably due to how writing has changed in the past hundred years and is not a criticism of H.G. Wells.
The book is easy to pick up and it tells the story well. It is actually less graphic about death than the original which will suit certain readers. I enjoyed it and it is something that I would recommend to fans of the original. There are one or two typos and mistakes in the text but not enough for it to get distracting.
Overall I enjoyed it as a companion piece. I feel that other parts of the original could be expanded upon in the same way too.
September 23, 2019
While I've never read War of the Worlds, and I've actually never really read a sci-fi book, this was a great choice to be my first. The writing was straightforward and clear, although there is a lot of information about ships. I doubt I'll ever be a sailor!
This takes the story of War of the Worlds and tells it from the perspective of the crew of HMS Thunder Child, which plays a small role in the original book. The story alternates between the crew, and Mister Stanley, who works for the ministry of defense, and goes around to all the semaphore locations that relay messages to the naval ships (keep in mind this takes place in the 1890s).
While there are some gory parts, I loved that the story focused mainly on the humanity and how they worked to triumph over insurmountable odds against an invasion of Martians intent on killing as many humans as possible. This is definitely a great book, and as long as you can handle the gory bits, it's worth the time.
For my full review, check out:
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/po...
This takes the story of War of the Worlds and tells it from the perspective of the crew of HMS Thunder Child, which plays a small role in the original book. The story alternates between the crew, and Mister Stanley, who works for the ministry of defense, and goes around to all the semaphore locations that relay messages to the naval ships (keep in mind this takes place in the 1890s).
While there are some gory parts, I loved that the story focused mainly on the humanity and how they worked to triumph over insurmountable odds against an invasion of Martians intent on killing as many humans as possible. This is definitely a great book, and as long as you can handle the gory bits, it's worth the time.
For my full review, check out:
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/po...
October 10, 2019
The last days of Thunder Child is a pastiche novel taken from an episode on H.G. Wells science fiction classic, The War of the Worlds. The fact that it's kind of a prequel to the other book makes it an interesting read for those who have not read it.
The narration and the dialogue are written in the format to transport you to that era. It's as if the book was written back then. The writing definitely goes well with the setting in which the story takes place.
The story allows us to delve deeper in the background of main characters and few secondary (not necessarily needed) characters.
It starts off slow but slowly gets on the track. The description of the workings of a ship is so good that it makes it sound more authentic and intrigues you a bit more.
I love how simply purification with using carbon is depicted.
I do liked the parts with Mr. Stanley and the Captain. Those parts made the story go fast. While rest was just blah to me with respect to the story.
It’s interesting how everything is tied up with the epilogue and yet leaving us a bit wondering.
A good read.
The narration and the dialogue are written in the format to transport you to that era. It's as if the book was written back then. The writing definitely goes well with the setting in which the story takes place.
The story allows us to delve deeper in the background of main characters and few secondary (not necessarily needed) characters.
It starts off slow but slowly gets on the track. The description of the workings of a ship is so good that it makes it sound more authentic and intrigues you a bit more.
I love how simply purification with using carbon is depicted.
I do liked the parts with Mr. Stanley and the Captain. Those parts made the story go fast. While rest was just blah to me with respect to the story.
It’s interesting how everything is tied up with the epilogue and yet leaving us a bit wondering.
A good read.
May 5, 2018
As Alien Invaders land in Britain and destroy everything and everyone they encounter, one ship of the British Navy that has always been treated as out of date, the H.M.S. Thunder Child had tiger mission to confront and stop the destruction. Will she be able to do so?
This story makes for a long read as it had many slow parts and narrates the destructive events executed by the Martian invaders, but in the second half of the story it gets a little more interesting. The characters mentioned, as well as those of the crew members we get to know, as those of some of the survivors, among which we find an executive of the Ministry of Defense, are described in a way that the reader can associate their fiction in the story,without too much details. It has been a long but good enough read to get to the end of the book.
This story makes for a long read as it had many slow parts and narrates the destructive events executed by the Martian invaders, but in the second half of the story it gets a little more interesting. The characters mentioned, as well as those of the crew members we get to know, as those of some of the survivors, among which we find an executive of the Ministry of Defense, are described in a way that the reader can associate their fiction in the story,without too much details. It has been a long but good enough read to get to the end of the book.
September 22, 2018
Such a descriptive storyline transported you back in time to the Martian invasion as seen through the eyes of young Seaman Perry, facing his first major mission aboard the HMS Thunder Child, and Mr. Stanley, meek MOD clerk who becomes a leader in a time of chaos and destruction, finding love and a family in the process. Author C. A. Powell weaves a detailed narrative as Martians descend upon the British countryside, destroying cities and towns with deadly gas and heat-rays. You are swept out to sea for the final battle, the two men's stories intertwining, leaving you guessing until the very end who will prevail. Very entertaining read, highly recommended!
January 31, 2019
To take a classic tale like War of the Worlds and add another dimension to it is quite a feat. C.A. Powell has achieved this with aplomb. The characters are well rounded and likeable. The plot is true to H. G. Well’s original theme but a great story in it’s own right. You know where the story is headed, but to experience the adventure from the point of view of Thunderchild’s crew gives new life to this timeless story. Well written, exciting and beautifully crafted, this book is a joy to read. I look forward to seeing more from this author.
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