My favorite of the Tripod series. The sci-fi element is just enough for me, not a die-hard sci fi fan. I liked the world building of the tripod city. I liked the development of Will and Fritz's relationship, and I remember being devastated by the ending the first time. Will is such a believable protagonist--he has a sense of duty, pride, and common sense, but he is also a teenage boy who sometimes acts like it. Not too stupid to live, but just moody like a real 14 year old. One of my pet peeves about much of the recent YA stuff is how teenagers are just so much smarter than their adult peers. Here, the adults have the wisdom of more experience, but the teenagers are sent out to do the dirty work for a logical reason.