When the Tripods Came: Tripods Series Prequel (Book 4)
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(as of Jun 12, 2025 13:48:35 UTC – Details)
The story of The Tripods was the basis of a popular BBC television series in the 1980s, in which humanity has been conquered and enslaved by “the tripods”, unseen alien entities that travel about in gigantic three-legged walking machines. Humans are controlled from the age of 14 by implants called “caps”, which suppress curiosity and creativity and leave recipients placid and docile, incapable of dissent.
In this first instalment of the classic book that inspired the series, 14-year-old Laurie and his family attempt to flee England when the Tripods descend from outer space.
Customers say
Customers find the book readable and enjoyable. They appreciate the story quality, with one customer noting it serves as an excellent prequel to the Tripods trilogy.
SJB –
Great read.
Arrived safely thank you.SJB
The Keen Reader –
What happened when the Tripods came?
I remember years ago watching the tv series of the Tripods on tv and being totally engrossed – I was horrified when it seemed to disappear off the screen without a resolution to the story. Years later, I now know that the series was discontinued – why, I’ll never understand – it was fantastic viewing and a great story.It’s been great to be able to get hold of the original books that inspired that tv series, and I’m starting with the prequel When The Tripods Came. This story is written from the perspective of Laurie, a teenager in the late twentieth century, who, with his friend Andy, are among the first to see the first Tripod which arrives in England. Simultaneous events occur around the world, and then the Tripods seem to be destroyed – but have they found what they were looking for? And could they come back? (Well, we know they do! But that doesn’t detract from the fun of reading about it.)This is pitched at a level of reading of younger readers, but for those who have fond memories of the Tripods and want to revisit their story, this is still a great fun read. Looking forward to getting on to the trilogy now.
Ms. Elise Hey –
When the Tripods Came
This is an excellent “prequal” to the Tripods trilogy, and gives an explanation for how the tripods were able to conquer the human race and drive them back to a much less technological standard of living. Makes you realise how tenuous our grip on our society really is!
Amazon Customer –
Good
Arrived as expected on time
Marko Ronkainen –
A prequel to The Tripods -trilogy
The book does its best to plug some logical sinkholes in the trilogy’s plot, as the original trilogy was released 20 years earlier (1967-1968) and the prequel in 1988. However, since at the time of writing this review another 30 years have passed and what might have sounded plausible in 1988 is not so anymore. Without spoiling the plot, the means of the tripods achieving the upper hand over humanity in the book sounds nothing if not flat out lame.But still, the book has its moments and the familiar writing style and easy reading which made the original trilogy popular remain. It’s also less of a buzzkill top know how it all ends for human kind than you would think.I really would like to see a new adaptation of the books on film or TV, maybe a movie trilogy like the Hunger Games?I kind of like the BBC version, although it was really cheap looking and had lots of unnecessary additions to the plot (like the Black Guards) and also was cancelled after series two, but with a proper budget and good script it could be great.Anyway, back to this prequel. Do I recommend it? Yes, if you’ve read the original trilogy and liked it. Face it, you just have to know how the Tripods conquered Earth in the first place…
Mr. A. Fletcher –
All hail the Tripods!
The Tripods are my favourite set of books from childhood and probably still are. I read them every other year. I think I may have watched the first BBC series and then got the books before the second series was released. The White Mountains is excellent. The City of Gold and Lead is probably the best of them. The last sentence of The Pool of Fire is my favourite line in literature. The prequel book When the Tripods Came written years later is perhaps not quite of the same standard, but still highly enjoyable.I would also strongly recommend John Christopherâs other works. Most of them are technically childrenâs books, but the adult themes and quality of writing sets them apart. The Death of Grass, A Wrinkle in the Skin, The Guardians, The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy, I could go on. If youâre a fan of dystopian fiction, I would also recommend The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids by John Wyndham and the recent The Age of the Triffids by John Whitbourn (a masterpiece, sadly only available in Canada).
Francis James Franklin –
The Deindustrialisation of Mankind
Although the centring of television in this tale of alien invasion does date it a little, it takes no effort of imagination to translate the technologies used to our modern world of social media. Indeed, the recent weaponisation of media to sway democratic elections and pursue policies that benefit a tiny fraction of the world’s elite at the expense of the rest of humanity is almost more sinister than anything the Tripods do.Having just read The Massacre of Mankind (Stephen Baxter’s sequel to The War of the Worlds), this does come across as a pale imitation of Wells’s Martian tripods, but that aside it’s a worthy addition to the Tripods series and I certainly enjoyed reading it.
ANNE E HARPER –
Tripods the begining
An excellent book, which explains just how the tripods took over our world.You also learn how the resistance movement against the tripods started.I would have been nice to read this book before reading the White Mountains – if it had existed all those years ago.All in all highly recommend.
Marcel Zahm –
Hier handelt es sich um die Vorgeschichte zur Tripods-Trilogie (siehe meine anderen Rezensionen). Das Buch spielt (extrapoliere ich so) Jahrzehnte vor der Trilogie (in der “realen Gegenwart” bzw. in den 1970ern oder 1980ern, wo dann eine andere Zukunft als die heutige beginnt), entsprechend mit anderen Charakteren. Was ungefähr passiert, kann man dem Titel eigentlich entnehmen. Für meinen Geschmack nicht so ganz hundertprozentig plausibel die Story, aber evtl. liegt das auch daran, dass das Buch schon ein paar Tage auf dem Buckel hat.Merke an, dass ich damals die Fernsehserie als Kind geliebt habe und daher positiv voreingestellt war.
LB –
Haunted me for a long timeâ I read it 20 years ago (library copy) and I had to finally buy it so I could read it again, keep it on hand. This is how it would happen, should it really happen.
Dean1 –
Well read
Darren Dwyer –
A great Prequel to the Tripod series. Its a great kid’s read. I have read all of these books to my 10 year old son and he is now reading them again. Highly recommended.
Demosthenes Paris –
I read this series of books about 45 years ago and lately bought them for my son, who loved them. Still a good read after all those years.