The City of Gold and Lead
by John Christopher (Macmillan, 1967)
The second instalment of John Christopher’s Tripods trilogy moves from quest narrative to absorbing, fully fledged science fiction as youngsters Will and Fritz infiltrate one of the aliens’ cities and learn the awful truth of the Masters whose tripods roam the Earth.
The White Mountains
by John Christopher (Simon & Schuster, 1967)
Almost half a century on, John Christopher’s Tripods trilogy remains a page-turning standout in young adult SF. The White Mountains depicts a society kept in post-invasion, pre-industrial subjugation, and embarks us on Christopher’s action-light yet well-paced, never less than compelling quest narrative.