The White Mountains

In the first installment of John Christopher's classic series set in the year 2100, humanity lives under the dominion of machines known as Tripods, which enforce mental controls to maintain order. Thirteen-year-old Will from the village of Wherton eagerly anticipates his upcoming "Capping Day," a rite of passage into adulthood, until an unexpected encounter with a mysterious Vagrant named Ozymandias inspires him to seek a life beyond the Tripods' grip.