Tome Time - When the Tripods Came by John Christopher

Started September 26th, finished October 4th.

Now, I have made little secret how The Tripods trilogy is my favourite reading material from when I was but a child.  I still love it.  This is the prequel, written a while after the original trilogy.

I am always dubious when encountering something, added to something great, at a much later date.  However, true to form the author doesn't disappoint.  The story of how the Tripods came to Earth is told through the eyes of a young teen, Laurie and his friend, Andy.  Once again the characters are well written and believable rather than being heroes.  Laurie is reminiscent of Will in some ways and Andy has some similarities to Henry but that is where the links end really.  There is no tedious links to teh original trilogy which would make the story unbelievable.  The story of how The Tripods conquer Earth is well told and logical.  I was originally feared that this book could spoil the experience of the story.  It doesn't, it enhances it.

It leaves you at just the right point.  You know where they are and what will come but it's not all tied up in a patronising fashion.

Whenever I re-read the books I always read the prequel last.  It feels much better that way.  I suppose I should try reading it first and see what that does to the reading experience...

4 out of 5 pawprints

Next - Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly.

Book 42 of the 50 Book Challenge

The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher, 151 pages

Started June 16th, finished June 17th.

This is the second in The Tripods Trilogy.  I love it as much as I do the first book.  It manages to continue the voyage of discovery started in the first book.

This book is almost all about Will.  Henry and Beanpole are lost from the narrative early on.  Will has the weight of the Free Men's hopes on his shoulders.  His character is very well written.  He is doing a brave and wonderful thing but still has his sulky, impetuous side that he's struggling to keep in check.

I'm enjoying these book as much as I have done before :-)

5 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 42, Pages -12, 554

Next - The Wicked Wit of Winston Churchill to Dominique Enright

Book 38 of the 50 Book Challenge

The White Mountains by John Christopher, 147 pages

Started June 4th, finished June 5th.

This is the first of my favourite set of books from when I was a child.  The books and the TV serials are wonderful memories for me that I like to relive from time to time.

The reason for the current re-read was that they were discussed on Twitter.  Myself and Kiraniumbra convinced Jacob and Karode to read the books and watch the tv series.  With strict advice to read the books first.  It tweaked me into re-reading them myself.  So off I went to pick the trilogy and the prequel from my parents' house.  My mother and I cannot fully agree on who has custody of these books ;-)

It's a really easy book to fly through.  They are childrens'  Sci-Fi fiction so they were never going to be tough.  However they don't belittle the reader's intelligence in any way.  Which is always going to be a turn off for a young reader anyway.

The book is told from the point of view of Will.  A petulant 13 year old.  He doesn't hide from his faults as he tells the story.  The tale is set in the not too distant future.  Where Earth has been over taken by Tripods, massive machines.  Technology has gone back a couple of centuries and is back to horse and cart and flour mills.  When a person reaches the age of 14 a Tripod comes for them and they are 'capped'.  When Will's cousin is capped he becomes much more distant from Will.  This and the arrival of a strange man in the village give Will doubts about his willingness to be capped... 

 To learn more of Will and his adventures pick up the book.  Go on, it's brilliant!

5 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 38, Pages -11,620 

Next - The White Mountains by John Christopher