Long ago the tripods, gigantic three-legged machines, descended upon earth and took control. They used "Caps," Administered ceremoniously near each child's 14th birthday, to control humans' brains and keep them docile. N...Long ago the tripods, gigantic three-legged machines, descended upon earth and took control. They used "Caps," Administered ceremoniously near each child's 14th birthday, to control humans' brains and keep them docile. Now there is pleasant life in villages, little technology, and no war--but there is no freedom either.