It is set in 1920, 13 years after the events of the original novel, as a second Martian invasion is chronicled by Miss Elphinstone, the ex-sister-in-law of the narrator of War of the Worlds.

[1] From New York City in 1920, four people sail to England to meet with Walter Jenkins, the original author of the War of the Worlds story.

The Martians emerge immediately, in contrast to the 19 hours required in their 1907 landings, and engage the British military with their heat rays.

Over the next few days, the Martians cripple London, carefully selecting targets of infrastructural importance, such as bridges, factories and railway stations.

Eden transports Julie inside the cordon with his "landship", a massive tank-like vehicle the size of a battleship.

Julie contacts the saboteur Marriott, who agrees to detonate numerous explosives to change the Martian sigils into the circular Jovian symbols.

In addition to the main storyline, the novel contains various standalone vignettes depicting Martian attacks in New York City, Berlin and Los Angeles.