TempBook

The City of Gold and Lead, third in the John Christopher Tripod series, leads the hero Will deep into alien territory. There he learns about their race and plans by studying them in depth, but at no little danger. A well written and excitingly tense adventure in which characteristics of perception, study, and questioning leads to answers. Scores a ten in the Scientific Method Initiation for Youngsters.

One item of note that came up in discussion was the treatment of women in the story. It can be said perhaps that these are written for young, culturally male ensconced humans. However, it may be that in the current cultural context, at least in those few shining areas of educated urbanite literati, it does provide some thought by making the aliens, an evil force, treat women as the evil cultural forces of history and power have treated them. The question then is how much does Will care about trying to change this?