• The City of Gold and Lead

  • Tripods Series, Book 2
  • By: John Christopher
  • Narrated by: William Gaminara
  • Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (468 ratings)

Prime member exclusive:
pick 2 free titles with trial.
Pick 1 title (2 titles for Prime members) from our collection of bestsellers and new releases.
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
Your Premium Plus plan will continue for $14.95 a month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.
The City of Gold and Lead  By  cover art

The City of Gold and Lead

By: John Christopher
Narrated by: William Gaminara
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $8.52

Buy for $8.52

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

In the second book of John Christopher's classic series, Will Parker and his cohorts have spent a year living among the free men in the White Mountains. The Resistance charges them, now wearing realistic yet harmless caps, to infiltrate a Tripod city by competing in a sporting exhibition called "the Games" (very similar in nature to the Summer Olympics), in which the winners of the events are to be offered to the Tripods for service.

©1968 Samuel Youd (P)2011 Audible Ltd
  • Series: Tripods, Book 2
  • Unabridged Audiobook

What listeners say about The City of Gold and Lead

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    326
  • 4 Stars
    111
  • 3 Stars
    26
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    299
  • 4 Stars
    92
  • 3 Stars
    22
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    291
  • 4 Stars
    92
  • 3 Stars
    29
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Second of a preteen trilogy

Mr. Christopher introduces science fiction to preteens with out trauma, lust or harsh violence. He accomplishes it in a well written style that draws children in and allows them to enjoy reading.

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Second Book in the Series!

I didn't read the Tripod series when I was a boy, but when I was 37. However, this doesn't really matter at all as these books are great no matter what your age. I wish I had come across these books when I was growing up - I would have loved them!

In The City of Gold and Lead, the boys must compete in "the games" and enter one of the cities where "the Masters" live. Here they work as slaves and must find some way to escape with the intelligence they have acquired about the alien overlords.

Personally I liked this one the best out of the trilogy. I enjoyed experiencing the alien city from the boys' eyes and learning more about "the masters". Check this series out, you won't regret it!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Dated preteen almost-science-fiction....

This review will cover the prequel (When the Tripods Came) and the trilogy (The White Mountains, The City of Gold, and The Pool of Fire.) These are all more than slightly dated, quite British, and definitely pre-teen fare. A very young male audience may enjoy this series. I found the story modestly interesting but more than a bit derivative and conventional.

The prequel can be read before the trilogy, but it does not add much that is not described in the trilogy. The characters in the prequel are less developed, the action less compelling, and the story more predictable than the trilogy. The trilogy has decent British boy character development, and an interesting story with some (not very intense) action and a few interesting twists. Perhaps being written in the 60???s is some excuse for weak science (but there is a lot of great pre-60???s science fiction.)

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Greatest book

This book is really really really really really really really really really really really good. It is uniquely amazing

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous Story Perfectly Read

A wonderful intermediary between The White Mountains and the Pool of Fire. Well imagined and executed.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

As good as the first book, "The White Mountains"

Thoroughly enjoyed the reading performance of this book just as much as the first book in this trilogy.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

For kids and adults

The second book is a venture for kids into the world of science fiction. Descriptions just enough to let the mind wander as to what it might be like in the city, or under a mask. Again the narrator has done a great job.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

I creamped in my pants when the book was finished just amazing. I can't wait to read the next one

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

As good as I remember!

I loved each book as it was released decades ago as a kid. I joined the Amazon Audio and thought it would be fun to relive the series and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both "The White Mountains" and "The City of Gold and Lead" as an adult. The books are very well read by a very talented reader who makes identifying each character easy to do and with believable accents. I am very impressed with the quality of the audio and the experience.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hail the tripods

Hail the tripod
Hail the tripods
Hail the tripod
Hail the tripod
Hail the tripod
Long live the masters

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for S Owen
  • S Owen
  • 04-13-13

A whole new world.

The audio books and my kindle have opened up a whole new world to me. Having had reading difficulties throughout my early life I am now able to enter a whole realm of adventure. I have devoured the Tripods series The City of Gold and Lead is the second book and continues the longing to follow Will's challenges and struggles to evade capture; to escape; his life as a slave to discover the Tripods life style. I never ever considered I would become a bookworm but I'm well and truly hooked and can't wait to listen to the next chapters. If you like adventure, science fiction and suspense, the whole series is a must and i'm so glad I purchased them.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for TEE
  • TEE
  • 03-01-23

Great Story

Love the tripods series and the narrator on these. Sometimes the wrong narrator spoils a great book. But the one on this fine.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Brian
  • Brian
  • 11-18-22

Very enjoyable

Good second part. Well read and engaging story line. Will read third part as series is very good

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for hallgrimur
  • hallgrimur
  • 04-12-18

(All of the tripod books)

It's amazing books, great stories and amazing author. i dont read a lot of books but this tripods stories i do read and love Thank you :) your reader :)

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Jon
  • Jon
  • 04-12-13

The best book of the trilogy!

For me, this is the best book in the Trilogy - it's got everything a reader could want - suspense, mystery, revelation, and adventure. Highly recommended.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 10-21-21

Continues to deliver

This series continues to remain a light and digestible yet enthralling story. Far from the modern trend of meganovel 1000 page story arcs, The City of Gold and Lead continues Will's story cleanly for adults and young adults of all ages. Voice acting remains superb.