The Pool of Fire (The Tripods, Book Three) by John Christopher (1968)
In the final Tripods novel, young Will Parker and his comrades take their final stand against the Masters, who seek to convert Earth into a poisonous wasteland. Among other things, this entails traveling around the world to recruit additional followers into their ranks as well as capturing a Master for study — both of which raise morally thorny questions for Will, who also wrestles with his own anger and bullheadedness. Indeed, the thing I enjoyed the most about John Christopher’s novels — which were ostensibly written for kids — is that they never shy away from harsh realities, be it the sacrifices necessary to overthrow highly advanced alien overlords or the inevitable flaws and foibles of human nature, which may prove a greater threat in the long run. Fittingly, the novel ends on a bittersweet note, with Will and his friends realizing that their struggle will never truly end. What changes is who and what they’re struggling against.
I may earn an affiliate commission on items you buy through Opus. These commissions will go directly to support the site and my blogging.