When the Tripos Came

The initial Tripod invasion of Earth seems laughable: armed forces overwhelm two of the giant attackers, and the third simply self-destructs. But when TV stations all over the world begin to broadcast the Trippy Show, the fanscalled Trippiesare hypnotized and flock to Trippy communes. By the time the second Tripod invasion begins, the Trippies greet the aliens as saviors and eagerly don the brainwashing caps provided them. Realizing that they can no longer stay in England and remain uncapped, Laurie and his family journey to Switzerland. When Switzerland falls under the Tripods' spell, Laurie, accompanied by two other boys, flees with his family to a remote spot in the Alps. The small band resolves to devote their lives to fighting the Tripods and thus form the core of the resistance movement that figures in the author's Tripods trilogy. Like those books, this fast-paced adventure explores serious issues of freedom and morality, creating a welcome prequel to the series. Ages 9-14. (April)