Thought provoking Science Fiction
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John Christopher's young adult trilogy on the domination of earth by The Tripods is tightly written and thought provoking. I was first introduced to this work back in the mid 80's when I watched the TV series. The books are much better although you can still find copies of episodes 1 -13 in quality video stores. Episodes 14-26 were not released on video. What impresses me with Christopher is how he has managed to convey some crucial concepts about freedom of thought and association, about fitting into society and that metamorphosis from young adulthood into adult life. Without giving away the plot this second book is in my opinion the best of the three. Christopher transports us to the world of the Tripods and the Masters. He manages to convey the innate difference between these aliens and humans without falling into the bug eyed monsters/ klingon trap. The Masters are not evil - their value sytem is, understandibly, quite alien to our own but in their minds there is a logic behind their actions. I read this to my 11 and 14 year old. It really held their attention as a sci fi book on one level but led to a series of wide ranging discussions about the concepts Christopher introduces. And it not just a young adults book - this parent thoroughly enjoyed re-reading the trilogy. The scary thought is that Christopher wrote these books well before the Pokemon craze and the 30 second sound-bite hit our TV screens. I recommend this book.
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