Cogadh na Reann

"Ní chreidfeadh duine ar bith i mblianta deiridh an naoú céad déag go raibh súil ghéar ghrinn ar imeachtaí an domhain seo ag neacha ar mhó a n intleacht ná intleacht an duine, ach dá ainneoin sin, a bhí chomh básmhar linn féin... Ach, thar dhuibheagán an spáis, bhí ag breathnú anuas orainn go santach créatúir a raibh an oiread difríochta idir a meabhair agus ár meabhairne agus atá idir meabhair an duine agus meabhair an ainmhí, créatúir a raibh intleacht ábhalmhór fhuar chrua acu, agus bhí siad ag beartú seifteanna go mall lenár mbascadh." Foilsíodh "Cogadh na Reann" den chéad uair in 1898 agus meastar gurb é an chéad úrscéal riamh é faoi ionradh eachtrán ar an domhan agus tá sé ar cheann de na húrscéalta ficsean eolaíochta is tábhachtaí dár ceapadh. Athchóiríodh é don raidió, don téatar, agus don chineama, agus is iomaí sin saothar ficsin, de gach saghas, a raibh sé ina inspioráid acu. Mar aon le "The Time Machine", "The Island of Dr Moreau" agus "An Chéad Chuairt ar an nGealaigh", áirítear "Cogadh na Reann" ar mhórshaothair ficsean eolaíochta H.G.Wells (1866-1946). Foilsíodh in 1934 an t-aistriúchán seo Gaeilge a rinne Leon Ó Broin. Is éard atá san eagrán nua seo leagan caighdeánaithe den aistriúchán sin, arna chur in eagar ag Aibhistín Ó Duibh. -- "No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own... Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us." First published in 1898, "The War of the Worlds" is considered to be the first "alien invasion" tales, and has been one of the most influential science fiction novels ever written. It has been adapted for radio, stage, and screen, and has inspired and influenced many works of fiction, including comics and graphic novels. Alongside "The Time Machine", "The Invisible Man", and "The Island of Dr Moreau", Wells' "The War of the Worlds" stands out as perhaps his most popular work. This Irish translation by Leon Ó Broin was first published in 1934. In this new edition, the translation has been brought up to date to the current spelling of Irish, edited by Aibhistín Ó Duibh.