The Tripods
The Tripods is a science fiction book series written by John Christopher, consisting primarily of four novels: The White Mountains (1967), The City of Gold and Lead (1967), The Pool of Fire (1968), and When the Tripods Came (1988). The first three novels form the core trilogy, while the fourth serves as a prequel.
The series is set in a post-apocalyptic Europe, centuries after alien invaders known as the Tripods have conquered the world. The Tripods are gigantic, three-legged machines that control humanity by "Capping" adolescents at the age of fourteen. This process involves surgically attaching metal caps to their heads, suppressing individuality and independent thought, and ensuring obedience to the Tripods.
The story follows the journey of Will Parker, a young boy who flees his village to avoid Capping. He, along with his cousin Henry Parker and later Beanpole (Jean-Paul Deliet), seek refuge and resistance fighters in the White Mountains of Switzerland. Their travels lead them through a rural landscape, contrasting sharply with the technologically advanced civilization of the Tripods.
Throughout the trilogy, the protagonists encounter various dangers, including other humans who have succumbed to the Tripods' control, rogue Tripods, and strange, mutated creatures. They eventually discover a free men's settlement in the White Mountains and join the resistance movement, dedicated to overthrowing the Tripods and restoring humanity's freedom.
The prequel, When the Tripods Came, details the initial invasion of Earth by the Tripods and the early days of the resistance, providing context for the events in the main trilogy. It showcases the scientific and military capabilities of humanity before their subjugation.
The Tripods series explores themes of freedom, conformity, rebellion, and the loss of innocence. It is often considered a classic of young adult science fiction. A television adaptation of The White Mountains and The City of Gold and Lead was produced by the BBC in the 1980s, but it was canceled before completing the third novel.