Customer Reviews

The Pool of Fire (Tripods)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Pool of Fire is the last of The Tripods Trilogy. In this novel the reader enters the fascinating world where humans no longer are in control of the planet, but are enslaved by the ruling cast referred to as the masters. Will, Jean-Paul, Henry, and fritz are left with the challenge of aiding the rebellion in hope of destroying the Masters before it was too late. John Christopher has a wonderful style of capturing the readers and especially my attention in this novel. Of course there are some very important details that John Christopher could have done to improve the novel and to reach its full potential, such as the descriptions of many of the events and actions that were undertaken by Will and his companions. This left me with some sense of yearning and disappointment for more descriptions of the events that took place. Also it left me astonished that John Christopher did not attempt to mold the character of Will by the end of the story or even all three of the books that this character has been in. The ending was also vague and skipped many years in a short amount of pages. This left me wondering what happened between the time of the defeat of the Masters and the development of a space ship. This was disappointing considering that I was looking forward to reading this book and finding out that the ending was in all not that exciting or interesting. Considering that this is the last book of the Trilogy John Christopher should have taken more measures to see to it that the ending was more informative of the aftermath of the events. After the climax it just completely died and just left me. John Christopher also did not manage to say how the world recovered from the grip of the officious Masters. Yet despite these faults, there were many qualities that Christopher John managed to succeed. I was bonded into the world created which was filled with adventures and dangers, with John Christopher's style of writing. Another quality that makes this book worth reading is that John Christopher involved all four of the main characters to fit important roles that make the reader highly interested. Though the novel had some weak descriptions the overall flow of events were incredible and left me wanting more. Most of the book was upfront about the events, even though John Christopher could have elaborated more. The good thing about the ending was the situation that took place, which left me and probably many readers in complete awe. John Christopher also has the gift of surprising his readers by leading them onto a certain path and then completely turning the tables on them and knocking them off their feet. At least that's what happened to me. Not only did John Christopher entertain the reader but he also had some messages that could be interpreted there. This novel also teaches the importance of unity and the things that could be accomplished if man could work together in peace.

The novel The Pool of fire is a very enjoyable book to read. It held my interest because of it's thrilling rush of action, which John Christopher has a great style of this technique.

In the novel a few favorite passages were made. As a tripod destroys Will's boat while they are traveling in the war. This interested me because it put a true meaning to true meaning "up a creek without a paddle" and all the gear that was saved had to be carried. Another part of the book that interested me was when Will had to escape slavery by going down a sewage pipe. The reason this drew my attention was because of the humor.

In The Pool of Fire John Christopher has a great way of keeping my interest. He managed this by always has something big or major going on.

As I read this novel I learned some great vocabulary. I would also recommend this book to any body because it's so action packed.

Ryan
Creston Ca.

This is the fourth and final book in the Tripod series. In order, they are: "When the Tripods Came", "The White Mountains", "The City of Gold and Lead", and "The Pool of Fire". This entire set is an excellent read that both young teenagers and adults will enjoy. My daughter and I really enjoyed these books!

This is a great series for kids of all ages. We are reading it to our 6 year old who is inthrolled and cannot wait for the next night and the next chapter! My mother in law read it to my husband and he is thrilled to be reading it to his child!

I do not think there are three juvenile novels that I enjoy nearly as much as these three. The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead and The Pool of Fire are absolutely perfect examples of Juvenile fiction. The books teach moral lessons as well as tell a rip roaring good tale.

Without giving to much plot away this tale is covers a not too distant future when Aliens who roam the Earth in giant Tripods rule the land. Every person who reaches puberty is capped and there mind is controlled or at least molded by the Tripods.

These three books follow a group of runaways and rebels who have never been capped and who desperately want to free Earth and its inhabitants. This band of rebels must find a way to defeat the Aliens without knowing who they are, what there weaknesses are or any worthwhile knowledge. On top of this the `rebels' have to defeat these space age aliens with technology at roughly 19th century levels.

The first book was a mystery unfolding and the second was the most emotional. This book is really the were you feel the most tension and triumph

These books are even more remarkable as they were written in the late 60's. I first read these books as a cartoon serial in `Boys Life' in the early 80's. I enjoyed the tale back then and still enjoy the stories now. I highly recommend all these books for kids and or there parents. Read and enjoy.

This is a very engaging set of books for any middle-school reader. Boys especially might enjoy it. I have loved it ever since I first read it about 16 years ago!

This was and excellent book. If you are online trying to find a fast-paced action-adventure thriller, look no further. The book is amazing. I thought it was a great end to a marvelous series.

Will Parker and his friends have finally found the information that will free mankind from the ruthless ruling of the Masters. He starts off by going around the world earning new recruits to help fight the Masters. Then Will and Fritz and some other boys penetrate into the Master's City. The way to stop the Masters is found and excuted. But will it be enough? (Remember, they had a ship on the way with more materials so the Masters could turn the atmosphere into the kind that was on their planet!)

Through this great adventure, many moral lessons speak out. Impatience nearly keeps Will from being part of the squad to penetrate the city. Friendship is held in high regards. We see how bad humans can be, and the petty things we squabble over. Will has to learn to keep his impatience and head-strong qualities in check to be a help, rather than a hinderance, to the cause.

Very well written. John Christopher has an amazing way of adding details to paint the pictures in your head. Reading this book is fast and easy. But if you are like me, you will not be satisfied by the ending. I hope Mr. Christopher comes out with another book, that will let the end be the end.

I have read the trilogy about 5 times. The pool of fire is a thrilling story. The tv series (available on video) is worth watching as well.

In the exciting conclusion of the Tripods series, the resistance movement has finally reached the point where they are prepared to take decisive action to foil the alien Masters' final plan to claim the Earth. Will, Beanpole, Henry and Fritz, the boys who have figured prominently in the previous two novels, are destined to have pivotal roles in this final struggle as well. The strengths and weaknesses of the other books are evident here, too. John Christopher has devised a great story with a satisfying ending, as our central characters rededicate themselves to the challenges confronting a post-Masters Earth. However, Christopher's story is really too big for the minimalist style he has adopted. Years pass in the course of a few pages and I was left with the feeling that I was being allowed only a glimpse of what could have been a richly detailed, fascinating world. Of course, this book was written with young readers in mind, so brevity was a natural concern. Christopher's Tripod books follow the primary adage of show business: always leave them wanting more.

_Pool of Fire_ is the fast-paced conclusion to John Christopher's Tripods Trilogy. Will returns to the White Mountains with his insider information after escaping the Tripod City. This information is then used as the basis for a final war to drive out the Tripods and free the people of earth.

This conclusion is very believable, with lots of triumphs and set-backs to make a roller-coaster ride of a book. It is action-packed and thrilling, with some of the wonderful characters from the previous books back after being mostly absent in the second book of the trilogy.

That aside, I had a few problems with the book:
1) Book 2 explains clearly why there are no girls or women around. This is not the case in Book 3. There is not a single female character, not just in the Tripod Cities, but not on the White Mountain or in villages passed through either. There are no female farmers, politicians, trainers, or freedom fighters. Women are hardly mentioned in the book AT ALL. How do they expect the human race to survive? Are women considered so weak, stupid or invalid to help out, or are they segregated so much that they don't even share a society with their male counterparts? Also, the non-European characters are all described in a vague and unflattering light.
2) This book has far inferior dialogue to the previous book. Particularly stilted are the words coming out of Julius's mouth.
3) I think that the end of the book---about the political aftermath---showed the protagonist, Will, far too inactive. He should have stood up and told Henry's story. If they were going to have him silent at the meeting, the author should have drawn out the ending with more development of how he and his comrades planned to improve the world. This part of the book was rushed and poorly developed, which is sad because in a way, it was the entire point of the book.

Despite these quibbles, I enjoyed _The Pool of Fire_ very much, as did my son. It's nice when we can both enjoy a book, and says a lot about its overall quality.