The City of Gold and Lead

I read this book six times last month, it is that good. The story is well written, and has several things going for it, such as the aliens. I am going to let you read the book to find out about them, lets just say they're cool. I could ramble about this book for days, but the morgage dictates so farewell.

I read this book over 20 years ago and still feel the joy I had when going through the pages. At that time the book was in 3 volumes: The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead and the Pool of Fire. This fascinating story line connects to the soul of the reader and takes him/her to the depth of human resistance agaisnt the new masters of Earth. A remarkable story.

i loved this book . it mixed fanstsy with science fiction and aventure. This is a book I think everyone would love.

"The White Mountains" is fine as a stand alone book; but any reader who enjoyed it will want to find out the answers to so many questions left unanswered. What would happen to the main characters: Will, Beanpole, and Henry? Will we ever learn more about the Tripods? And, of course, will the Tripods ever be defeated?"The City of Gold and Lead" answers some of these questions. It explains the Tripods and how they came to dominate the world and enslave mankind. It informs us of the new lives that Will, Beanpole, and Henry have in the White Mountains. It introduces us to the characters of Fritz and Julius who become major figures in the struggle against the Tripods.It also answers the question of the fate of Eloise, the beautiful girl who Will befriended in "The White Mountains." (It is disappointing that the ONLY female characters of any importance in the entire trilogy are Eloise and her mother, the Comtesse.) Personally, my favorite part of the series was Will's temptation by the good life at the Castle of the Red Tower where he met Eloise. In "The White Mountains" Eloise said goodbye to Will forever because she had been chosen to serve the Tripods in their city and would remain there as a slave for the rest of her life. One of main reasons I felt compelled to read "The City of Gold and Lead" was to find out what happened to Eloise and would she ever be freed from that slavery. The reader will discover the answer to that question at the Pyramid of Beauty in "The City of Gold and Lead."Although "The City of Gold and Lead" answers many questions left from "The White Mountains," it also leaves the reader with new questions about the fate of a major character, the conflict with the Tripods, and the future of mankind. There are so many unanswered questions that most readers will have to read "The Pool of Fire," which is the last book of the series, to fully enjoy "The City of Gold and Lead."

I couldn't let a negative review be the only review of this book. This is an excellent companion to the White Mountains, and builds upon the surreal sense of horror that is outlined in the first book. This series of books is a materpievce in youth fiction, and underlying all the action, suspense, and great plot is a complex philosophy of self-determination and individualism, concepts missing in today's youth fiction.