Science Fiction for All Ages - The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher

[@Blue_Tanuki]

These books started my love for written SF when my father read them to me back in the 80s when I was a child, and now I have read them to my children. The Roger Hane cover art is very nostalgic for me, and that minimalist tripod design is how I pictured them when reading. John Christopher also wrote a prequel to the series, published in 1988 "When The Tripods Came". It's OK, but not required reading in my opinion. I also enjoyed the BBC miniseries (which appears as one of the book covers in the slideshow), when it appeared on the TV in the US, but was very annoyed when it abruptly ended after the events of the second book with a horrible cliff hanger. I'm still miffed about it! The other adaptation shown in the video is the comic version which was serialized in Boy's Life magazine, drawn by Frank Bolle. (And to answer the question I see you are asking of other commenters, the only SF/Fantasy story I was every assigned to read in school was Flowers for Algernon, which was I think in middle school.)

[@vintagesf]

Thank you for identifying Boy's Life magazine and the art of Frank Bolle. That was a larger oversight of mine in the video. I'm going to pin your comment for that reason. I don't remember reading 'Flowers for Algernon' in school but I do remember stacks of the novels in a teacher's room. I've read it since.

[@PatGilliland]

Read those as a kid and loved them.

[@vintagesf]

@@PatGilliland They are so good. I’m working on a list of books used in schools. Were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school?

[@PatGilliland]

@@vintagesf Not really no. The Tripods were recommended to me in early middle school by the school librarian. My parents were voracious readers, my dad especially was into SF. Wyndham, Pohl, and the rest and especially Vance. He'd buy a book, read it, hand it to me and I'd read it.

[@SciFiFinds]

That was an informative watch, cheers Richard

[@vintagesf]

@@SciFiFinds Cheers Jack. BTW, were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school? Working on a list of books used in schools.

[@SciFiFinds]

@@vintagesf I vaguely remember the teachers reading the Harry Potter books to us in primary school (elementary). Animal Farm is probably the closest thing in secondary school (high school) that I remember. I will have a think

[@jossaha]

My first SF. Thanks!

[@vintagesf]

@@jossaha Awesome! I’m working on a list of books used in schools. Were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school?

[@fairyfairy6090]

❤ I just adore John Christopher, aka Sam Yould

[@vintagesf]

@@fairyfairy6090 Great books! I was wondering, were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school? Working on a list of books used in schools.

[@ThePoeticWalrus]

I read the first book what must've been 15 years ago now in a US elementary school. Beyond foundational to the kind of stories I like to hear/see and also write!

[@StevenEverett7]

They do sound interesting. It seems like my type of story since I'm constantly re-reading stories from my childhood. I guess I missed these.

[@joeynelson4216]

He also wrote a prequel called When The Tripods Came, that covers the invasion, which is quite good. I read these at probably 10 or 11, and probably read through them two or three more times after. Fantastic series, and there is nothing I would have concerns about my own kids reading.

[@vintagesf]

@@joeynelson4216 Thank you for endorsing the books as ones you would have no concerns for your children to read. I think this is something I want to explore more on the channel.

[@joeynelson4216]

@@vintagesf No problem! I appreciate attention being called to a series I loved, but it seemed like few others had heard of.

[@adrianmcmahon5731]

First came across The Tripods when I was in my early teens when the BBC adapted the books into a series. I was absolutely gutted when it got cancelled after one season., but it did get me to read the 3 books. They're well written and perfect books for teens. I rewatched the series a few years ago and it held up remarkably well although the pacing seemed so much slower than I remembered, or probably more likely modern shows move faster along by comparison.

[@picturepainter]

I was obsessed with the "Tripods Trilogy" as a teenager and read every John Christopher book I could find. It's worth noting that the "My name is Ozymandias" verse also appears in chapter 9 of "The Day of the Triffids", when Coker recites it. A few years after the "Tripods Trilogy" John Christopher wrote "The Prince In Waiting Trilogy". (Also known as the "Sword of the Spirits Trilogy".) Like "Tripods", the setting for the "Prince In Waiting" is a post-apocalyptic, quasi medieval England where machines are forbidden under pain of death. I suspect the story was influenced by "A Canticle For Leibowitz". It's written for teenage readers, but is a bit more violent than the "Tripods Trilogy". John Christopher also wrote a singleton in 1977 called "Empty World", where nearly everyone is killed by a global pandemic. A teenager goes looking for other survivors. "Empty World" could be thought of as "Earth Abides" for adolescents, but it's much more grim in my opinion.

[@vintagesf]

@@picturepainter Thank you for painting a picture of Christopher’s work in the 1970s. I will be looking for these books.

[@paulcooper3611]

The Tripods trilogy was first published when I was in high school, ironically about the time I first encountered 'Ozymandias' by Percy Bysshe Shelly. They never appeared on the book rack at the drugstore where I purchased most of my reading material, at the time. Later, when I saw them, I thought they were children's books and wasn't interested. Time to go back and give them a try, I guess.

[@vintagesf]

@@paulcooper3611 I enjoy reading YA novels every once in a while. These definitely fit that category. I’m working on a list of books used in schools. Were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school?

[@paulcooper3611]

@@vintagesf Never got assigned any SF in school. I was about a decade too early, before SF got respectable. Even in short stories, about the only SF I can remember was in Jr. High literature: "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benét and "The Green Hills of Earth" by Robert A. Heinlein.

[@vintagesf]

@@paulcooper3611 Yes. Short stories. I remember reading "Leiningen Versus the Ants" by Carl Stephenson. Also Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery". I'd classify those as speculative fiction.

[@davidaldinger3666]

Partial to the Roger Hane covers because that's what I came up with. The spare white made them appear ominous

[@disconnected22]

Came across an audio version of this the other day (AudioVerse), and it was in my mind.

[@vintagesf]

@@disconnected22 Jacked in as it were. I’m working on a list of books used in schools. Were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school?

[@disconnected22]

@@vintagesf in 6th grade, a teacher read us Z For Zachariah (post apocalyptic). 8th grade was Flowers For Algernon. In high school, we had to read Lathe of Heaven. Nobody had us read Verne or Wells, but coming across a transcript of the War Of the Worlds broadcast in a Reading book in 7th grade blew my mind, and I read the book that year

[@vintagesf]

@@disconnected22 'Z for Zachariah' and 'Flowers for Algernon' were both taught in Canadian Schools. Never heard of 'Lathe of Heaven' being used but I know 'A Wizard of Earthsea' has been.

[@disconnected22]

@ hey Richard, since we’re in dialogue right now, I wanted to tell you about a cool channel - Quasar Spectra. The guy that runs it does reads of interesting, obscure SF stories, and he’s got a great voice! His intro is also really cool

[@vintagesf]

@ Going to check it out right now.

[@User_Un_Friendly]

For those of you interested in these books, I'm going to recommend Barlow's Guide to Extraterrestrials. There's a ominous looking picture of the (spoiler) who built the Tripods, according to Christopher's own description. Tim Hildebrandt was one of the Hildebrandt brothers who did the wonderful illustrations on the first edition of the Sword of Shannara. A book I enjoyed at the time, when I was seriously into my LotR and Hobbit phase, despite being decried as a "ripoff". Eh. I liked the artwork very much, and while I can see the similarities, looking back, it really was a unique novel, with a twist ending I found inventive and well executed. 😉 Recommended, unless you're a Tolkien fanatic. 🙄🐶😛

[@vintagesf]

@@User_Un_Friendly Tim is definitely one of the Brothers Hildebrandt of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ calendar fame.

[@LiminalSpaces03]

SF Red Dawn!

[@vintagesf]

If you’re talking about the 1984 movie with Patrick Swayze, I see the resistance parallel but very, very different otherwise. The alien reveal and their environment is integral to the second novel. It’s actually quite fascinating.

[@CptSamelsSigils]

Gee, sounds kinda grim for children, but then again, my kids love Diary of A Wimpy Kid. Have you ever read those wimpy kid books? They are the most dystopian hellscape works I have ever encountered.

[@vintagesf]

@@CptSamelsSigils Never read them. I know both ‘The Day of the Triffids’ by John Wyndham and ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins have been assigned in Canadian middle schools over the years. I’m working on a list of books used in schools. Were you ever assigned any SF or fantasy books in middle school or high school?

[@CptSamelsSigils]

@@vintagesf Yes indeed, here in the US we read 1984, Animal Farm, and I think Fahrenheit 451 and some other Ray Bradbury (I don't remember what). I also did a lot of book reports on The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Prydain because I read a lot of fantasy, too.

[@vintagesf]

@@CptSamelsSigils Thank you! I think some schools have used Bradbury's 'Martian Chronicles' and 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'.