Atlas Shrugged vs The War of the Worlds: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Open_syllabus_project, Classic Literature, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fiction
Atlas Shrugged
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The year 2005 marks Ayn Rand's Centennial Year.The astounding story of a man that said that he would stop the motor of the world-and did. Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged is unlike any…
The War of the Worlds
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The ultimate science fiction classic: for more than one hundred years, this compelling tale of the Martian invasion of Earth has enthralled readers with a combination of imagination and incisive commentary on the…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The War of the Worlds is the quickest read — about 4 hours vs 21 for Atlas Shrugged.
- Atlas Shrugged has the widest readership — 411606 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Atlas Shrugged | The War of the Worlds | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.7 (411606) | 3.8 (360569) |
| Hardcover | 3.2 (677) | 3.7 (987) |
| Google Books | 4.0 (6) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (2446) | 4.5 (502) |
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Reception
| Atlas Shrugged | The War of the Worlds | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 411606 | 360569 |
| Editions | 84 | 457 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 395689 | 285018 |
| Reading it now | 29480 | 19184 |
| Written reviews | 22072 | 16588 |
| Wikipedia attention | 55893 | 41845 |
| Pages | 1182 | 239 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Atlas Shrugged or The War of the Worlds?
The War of the Worlds has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The War of the Worlds 3.8/5, Atlas Shrugged 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: Atlas Shrugged or The War of the Worlds?
The War of the Worlds is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The War of the Worlds (239 pages, ≈ 4 h 26 m); Atlas Shrugged (1182 pages, ≈ 21 h 53 m).
Which is harder to read: Atlas Shrugged or The War of the Worlds?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Atlas Shrugged: Demanding; The War of the Worlds: Moderate.
Have both books been made into films?
Atlas Shrugged: 3 film adaptations; The War of the Worlds: 5 film adaptations.