This book is classic Wellsian science fiction leavened with a generous helping of Wells' socialist beliefs. Set in early 20th century England, the story follows William Leadford, a young Englishman caught up in difficult times. Unemployed and contemplating the murder of his ex-lover and her new upper-class beau, Leadford struggles with this even as Britain and Germany go to war. The world radically changes when a mysterious green comet appears in the sky, blanketing the Earth in gas and rendering everyone asleep for hours. When they awake, it is quite apparent that the comet has ushered in a new era, altering human thought and reshaping the world.
