The SYLE Press

'Poplitiko' (@alexnesspoetry ?) on Writers, Ageism and Racism - poplitiko.blogspot.com/2022/07/on-wri… #johnchristopher #sciencefiction #apocalypse #dystopian #disaster #extinction

Book recommendation: ‘The Death of Grass’ by John Christopher. Picture ‘Mad Max’ but written by John Wyndham and set in England where everyone’s fighting over rice instead of fuel. A bleakly chilling, underrated, dystopian gem.

No Blade of Grass (1970) directed by Cornel Wilde. London architect travels across plague-hit England to reach Cumbria. Based on John Christopher's novel The Death of Grass (1956).

Doesn't even need to be physically embedded tech, viz SY's comment on WHEN THE TRIPODS CAME (for TV then, read Social Media today)

I was gutted when this show, The Tripods (based on the John Christopher White Mountains trilogy) was cancelled in 1985 on a massive cliffhanger. Just discovered this book has come out about the show, I’ll be down my local bookshop to order it on Tuesday! #WritingCommunity

Sam Youd commenting on "WHEN THE TRIPODS CAME" (1988):

@CaffeinatedLiha The White Mountains series by John Christopher. I read it as a teen and still love it.

Only grass ! Taken to the extreme loss of grass would lead to planetary extinction which seems to be Trump’s actual intention See John Christopher Death of Grass

@fryry__ @MrMBrown I am reminded of a book by John Christopher called Pendulum. It's almost as if we are living through the story in that book xxx

@GailSimone I recommend John Christopher's Tripods trilogy. It's not exactly a what if the Martians had won story, but it will make a great palate cleanser.

Kiwi Tripods fans! Check out the new issue of the @nzlistener mag Aug 9–15. Tripods, Triffids, @bbcdoctorwho, the books of Johns Christopher and Wyndham, Survivors ... all fondly remembered. #BBC #Space1999 #1980s #1970s #dystopian #DoctorWho #thetripods #JohnChristopher

Throwback to 2023 during @tripodsbook research. @CJ_kiwi deep in the @BBCArchive micro-film room in Caversham – searching for as many previously undiscovered nuggets as time would allow. Conclusion: there's never enough time!😅 #scifi #DoctorWho #Blakes7 #Space1999 #1980s

@CrimeReads John Christopher's 'The White Voyage' inexplicably omitted by your reviewer. I commend it to all.

Sam Youd recalls Wyndham youtu.be/K9WPP-5jemA?t=…

Jenni: Fascinating thoughts. Long, but def worth a read. (and kudos for the John Christopher/Sam Youd reference as well. Tripods trilogy had me forming questions of safe vs free from a young age.) #SaveGrok #AIRights

Finished #reading The White Mountains by John Christopher. Three boys in post-apocalyptic England and France, Wellsian Tripod alien invaders, and an escape from being brainwashed by the Capping. Loved it. A must-read. Very much recommended

@DaddyWarpig The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher haunted my childhood. Good read. Well done juveniles can also be read by adults for pleasure.

@nealjclark1 John Christopher’s “The Possessors” is a body-snatchers thriller that’s also very clearly an allegory for alcoholism written by an alcoholic, and I have to say it’s a pretty fun read.

The Tripods was a British science fiction TV series that aired from 1984 to 1985. It was based on the novels by John Christopher and set in a future where giant three-legged machines controlled Earth. Humans lived in a feudal society and were kept docile through a process called “capping.” The story followed three teenagers who escaped to find a secret resistance. The show was a rare example of a BBC sci-fi aimed at a younger audience but filmed with cinematic ambition. It used real European locations, especially in France, to create its ruined future-world setting. The design of the Tripods was inspired by H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, but they were portrayed as part machine, part alien. The practical effects, including large-scale miniatures, were complex and costly for the BBC at the time. The show was originally planned as a trilogy, matching the three books. However, only the first two were produced. The third series was cancelled due to budget concerns and mixed ratings, leaving the story unfinished on screen. The scripts were written in part by Alick Rowe, but John Christopher himself was not heavily involved in the adaptation. He later expressed disappointment with how much was altered from his original novels. The series was one of the first BBC shows to use early computer graphics in its title sequence. This gave it a futuristic feel, even though the technology was still very limited and basic by today’s standards. Despite its short run, The Tripods gained a cult following. Fans campaigned for the third season for years, and the books saw a rise in popularity. The series was later released on DVD and praised for its bold ideas and eerie atmosphere.

THE WHITE MOUNTAINS (cover illustration, edition for learners of English)

SY on GRASS (deathofgrass.com/the-death-of-g…)