Customer Reviews

The Tripods Boxed Set of 4: When the Tripods Came/ the White Mountains/ the City of Gold and Lead/ the Pool of Fire

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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 their 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.

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.=

John Christopher's Tripod series has become a classic in science fiction, a haunting and often grim look at a future where free will is gone and the Earth has stagnated under alien rule. While the books aren't amazing, they are solid and very interesting.

"When the Tripods Came" is a haunting look at an alien invasion that no one could have expected. In the not-too-distant future, strange three-legged machines descend on Earth, only to be destroyed. Then a mysterious TV show mesmerizes many people, followed by a second wave of Tripods -- these welcomed by the eager citizens of Earth. Laurie and his friends must try to escape....

"The White Mountains" takes place long after the prequel. Earth has lost disease, war, hunger, misery... and life. Though people go about their everyday activities, the enormous alien Tripods have effectively stagnated human civilization -- through the mind-controlling Caps. Thirteen-year-old Will is creeped-out by the Caps (which has evolved into a rite of passage) and when he learns of a human stronghold unaffected by the Tripods, he and his friends set out to find them.

"The City of Gold And Lead" is the destination of Will, Henry and Beanpole, in the Games that are held every year for young men. The victor will be taken to the City of the Tripods, and may gain valuable information about these alien invaders. The problem is, when a person enters the City, he doesn't return again. And the information Will finds may be the most dangerous and valuable yet.

"The Pool of Fire" wraps up the series effectively. Will has made his escape and is hurrying back with a terrifying revelation: The invaders are planning to effectively kill off the human race by changing the atmosphere. So, of course, they have to fight back (with booze, of all thins) and defeat the Masters before the human race becomes extinct.

John Christopher tends to excel in writing postapocalyptic fantasy/scifi, with mixed resuls. As that subgenre is very tired by now, the results vary from good to bad. The Tripod series is not actually postapocalyptic in the typical sense; it's a simple alien invasion story. But Christopher manages to study human nature and what is important in these stories. It's a bit like Jack Finney's "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers," in its study of human nature.

His writing and dialogue are rather stiff. Though he does a good job of describing things, there's little sense of you-are-there because even in action scenes, there's a detached quality. Despite this, he shows exceptional skill in mapping out this future Earth, similar yet different. The ideas he presents are extremely original, from the Masters to the Tripods to the sinister invasion of Earth.The battle between humans and aliens is definitely a winner.

While not perfect, the Tripod series is an entertaining, sometimes chilling read that adults and kids will probably both appreciate. Solid scif stories, quite well-done.

I read the trilogy (actually #2, #3, and #4) years ago in school and was overjoyed to find this new boxed set! The first book was great to read - always wondered how the world got to the state it was in at the start of The White Mountains.

Anyway, don't be put off by the YA label - that is hogwash! I enjoyed it more this time around than I did years ago in school, and I understood and appreciated a heck of alot more of it this time.

The books are certainly very thought provoking, exploring the essence of free will and its value. Also explores question of nationalism vs. uniting mankind for the greater good. I just can't say enough, I am so glad I ordered this set! :)

The first time I read these books was when I was in grade school, and for years I could remember the story but not the book titles. Finding them on Amazon and reading them again after all these years was a joy.

The author weaves a tale of adventure that will captivate young people and adults alike. The perspective is that of a young boy who lives in a future Earth in which an alien race has
conquered earth and controls humans through mind control devices that force allegiance to the alien race and the Tripod machines they travel in. Despite the technology of the alien race, humans live as they did in the middle ages. The story is about this young man's journey and how teams of free young people, not under the influence of the mind control, try and destroy the alien cities and free humanity.

The books were written in the late 1960's so some of the symbolism of the decade reveals itself, although subtly. The most powerful aspects of the book series are the depictions of the landscape and the alien city conditions and the coming of age of this young man. The author captures the thoughts and emotions of this central character quite well.

The "newest" book, written as a prequel to the "White Mountains" series, was written well after the other three books and as a result has a different feel and tone. It is a "throw in" for the set, but doesn't add much value.

Overall, a fun and enjoying read for all ages.

Truly one of the best science fiction series ever written. While these stories were written for adolescents, they will make an impact on adults as well. Starting with the original three books, and continued 20 years later with a prequel, these stories are perfect for inspiring young boys to do what they do best - explore the world through adventure, while learning why our culture holds dear to the values that have made free societies so great.

The White Mountains is a fun (and quick) read that follows 3 inquisitive young boys in their quest to live free of the Tripods - towering, three-legged mechanical monsters sent from another world which have enslaved humanity and dominated the planet for over a hundred years, reverting the world back into a medieval lifestyle.

The main character, Will Parker, learns that mankind used to be proud and great - even greater than the Tripods, until the Tripods came and subdued mankind by turning them against each other using sophisticated mind control techniques through the use of surgically implanted "Caps." Will and his friends escape their own capping (done at 15 years) and flee to the last holdout of free humans, somewhere in the Swiss Alps (White Mountains).

The last two books in the original series, "The City of Gold and Lead" and "The Pool of Fire" are just as good as the first, and follow our protagonists in humanity's last stand against their oppressive overlords.

However, as great as these three books are, I have to say that I was affected most by the prequel, "When the Tripods Came." While the story is short, and rather simple, the author does a great job of explaining how the Tripods defeated mankind. You really gain a sense of the utter brilliance of the Tripods and their manipulation of humanity without even firing a shot. You can actually feel the hopelessness as humanity starts to LOSE the war. It's a scary look at humans ceasing to be humans by losing first their wills, then their freedoms and eventually their dominance of the planet Earth.

I wholheartedly recommend these books!

The Tripods books have probably had a more profound influence on my life than any other book or group of books I've ever read. Christopher not only tells a gripping tale, but explains a philosophy in a way that a third-grader can understand. In my opinion, most books for children write as if the children were stupid and uncomprehending, or only devolop stock moral lessons, but Christopher writes in a way that respects the reader's intelligence and allows the reader to ponder morality for himself. Not only do I recommend the Tripods books for inquisitive souls, but also The Lotus Caves and The Guardians by Mr. Christopher. Both are exceptional books of at least the caliber of the Tripods. If for nothing else, get Christopher's books for the great entertainment value they'll provide the children in your life. Yes, grown-ups can read them too, but I don't know if they'll understand them as well as their kids.

I found The White Mountains in the school library when I was 8 years old. I had to write a book report and it was the only thing I found interesting. In the ensuing 24 years I have reread it and the two sequels at least a hundred times each. It is as gripping for me today as it was the first time I read it. And it has instilled me with a lifelong love of all things science fiction. I discovered the prequel a few years ago, and although it explains all the questions the original trilogy left you with (like how exactly the Earth was conquered in the first place) for me it paled in comparison to the originals. My advice? Read When the Tripods Came last if you want to experience the Tripod Trilogy as originally published.

I have nothing but prais to give this book and the entire series, John Christophers books are some of the few intresting books for my age group (13-14), first reading this book just for school I quickly took it home that night and was unable to put it down, I also proceeded to read the other books of the series-- The City of Gold and Lead, later on the Pool of Fire, and just days ago ,When the tripods came. These books are all incredable and I would recomend them to anyone. Just as an example I recomended them to all my friends and they too were unable to put it down Everyone should get these books

I first borrowed these from my local library after seeing them mentioned on a booklist. I have since read each of them more than once. Since they are not always checked in when I want them, I decided to buy them. (I also plan to have my children read them.)

When the Tripods Came was originally written as a prequel, after the other 3 books. Personally, I think it is best read after the other 3 as well, but it is good in any order.

The prequel explains how earth came to be taken over by a group of aliens, and how these aliens managed to control the minds of nearly every person on the planet. It also explains how a small group managed to avoid this mind control, setting up the possibility of a resistance.

The other 3 books take place a century later, in a world that does not remember the time before the Tripods, except by the ruins of ancient cities. Those who have the mind control "caps" surgically implanted on their heads (a rite that takes place at the age of 13) are incapable of questioning their Masters, and accept that everything the Tripods do is completely right and good. A few boys (and a very few girls) manage to escape before the "capping" ceremony, and find their way to the high mountains of Switzerland, where there is a small group of the "Free". After a hundred years of preparation, the Free are preparing to begin the battle for the freedom of Earth.

I loved to read when I was growing up, and much of my reading time was dedicated to these four books. I've reread three of them too many times to count, and the fourth, When the Tripods Came, I've read several times. Although every book in the series is specatcular, the best is easily The White Mountains, with each successive book being a little less entertaining but still a worthwhile reading experience.

The characters in all four books are strong, and readers find themselves rooting for their victory over the Tripods. The plot in each of the books isn't very complex, but the strange setting (an underdeveloped future) and the alien/mechanical enemy make the books seem complex. Unlike many other trilogies, these books flow together very well. The prequel, When the Tripods Came, is a little different from all the others, but it addds a lot to the series and answers several important questions about the conquest of the Earth.

These books are captivating, especially The White Mountains. When I was a kid, I didn't realize that books got this good, and I'm still blown away when I read them.