Animorphs

I hate to say this...but I don't quite get why killing the Yeerks makes Jake some kind of monster.

There were seventeen thousand of them. Jake's fighting a war for, basically, the survival of Earth and of humanity. The Allied forces killed hundreds of thousands of civilians in the bombing campaigns of World War II. The US killed a million Vietnamese civilians in the Vietnam War, and that one didn't even accomplish anything or have any purpose of value.

I can understand why Jake would feel horrible for doing so; it's a horrible decision to make. But I don't understand why anyone else on Earth, aside from the Animorphs themselves, would feel the same. We've accepted a lot worse from wars with a lot lower of stakes.

I rather like the idea of the Drode being brainwashed to believe he is Jake, and being put in his position for a while, and vice versa.

It depends on whether killing 17000 Yeerks gets you anywhere, tactically or strategically. Or if you are just rubbing it in their face that they lost. If this isn't rubbing it in their face, then it is very close to it.

On a semi-related note, remember how there was a faction of Chee who weren't even willing to work with the protagonists, and then the faction represented by Erek, which would collaborate with violence as long as they didn't need to engage in violence themselves? I wonder if the actual pacifists are taking these final events and running with them for rhetorical purposes in internal Chee politics?

In fact, I wonder what internal Chee politics is like.

edited 27th Oct '12 1:52:33 PM by Hatshepsut

I don't think you've got the book's portrayal of Jake pegged right, Adam. Look at some of the sections that you quoted, or at Esplin's accusation of Jake at the kangaroo trial in the last book. It's obvious that Jake becoming unhinged is something intentional, and it's not supposed to be heroic (especially with the Yeerks getting flushed).

I think the anti-war message of Animorphs is not just "war kills innocent people, which is bad" but also "war changes us, often into worse people". And that's exactly why the last two books show Jake go off the deep end. It's part of why Rachel takes the suicide mission, since she (Unlike Jake) realizes what's happening.

On a separate note, they got some crap past the radar there with Tobias. "You son of a..."

edited 27th Oct '12 2:21:34 PM by Scardoll

Regarding the taxxons going extinct because they all morphed pythons: Remember that weird hive thing on their homeworld? Maybe that's what makes baby taxxons. Makes more sense than expecting two uncontrollable eating machines to successfully mate with each other. So from now on, once a taxxon is old enough, it just permanently morphs a python. Simple enough.

Looks like the rerelease of the series has been officially cancelled.

It's a shame. They're great books, but I think Scholastic could have marketed the rerelease much better. I actually wasn't aware of the new covers until somewhat recently and also only recently started reading the series. I'm also kicking myself for never having read these books when I was younger.

You should quote the entirety of Rachel's death scene in your review. Because nothing soothes emotional pain like inflicting it on others.

The rerelease canceled? What a shame. I've recently been re-reading these.

Well the new review is up/reading it on my phone/posting from phone.

Goddam I am NOT crying!! No...no I am not.

Sorry for such a delay, but here it is.

(drumroll)

Book 54: The Beginning: [1]

I saw an Animorphs parody called "Vegemorphs" at a thrift store today.

I'm going to have to track down a copy of that sometime. Is it as terrible as I've heard?

I remember reading it in....fourth grade I believe, which was right at the height of the Animorphs craze. From what I recall it was a decent enough parody. Then again that was ten years ago no more..11...12.

Damn now I feel old.

I've um, still not read any Animorphs books, so I can't judge how well or affectionately they spoofed it. But I did giggle at the author's pen name, "Leif E. Green."

edited 18th Nov '12 6:30:11 PM by Twentington

Adam and Ifi, I'm going to miss your reviews.

Arthur used the same name for a spoof, though they didn't take any further than simply the kids shown reading a book with Vegemorphs on the cover and the character morphing a plant.

Hey everyone! I found out what Jesus Whale was doing before Animorphs

And lastly, here's an End-of-Series Retrospective: [1]

I am tearing up, just a little. Not gonna lie.

Yeah it is sort of depressing. This was an awesome way to relive one of my favorite Childhood series...so to have it end again when I am a few months away from graduating college feels weird.

MY CHILDHOOD ITS DYING!!!!

On another note I have begun drafting ideas for a bad future Animorphs fic. Yeerks won etc etc. The team? Two members of the human resistance, an Andalite, a Yeerk who inhabits a genetically engineered human who is brain dead/designed to have low motor functions, and a Taxxon, who morphs into a human and identifies as female.

Its going to be fun.

Hey guys, just dropping in to point out this.

Here

Don't know if you talked about this already but...

You may react now.

!

Where does 'buying domains' fall on the scale of 'we're thinking about it' to 'full steam ahead, we are making this thing'?

edited 4th Feb '13 4:30:31 PM by LoniJay

What was said in the comments, I think, maybe about 25%? It likely means that they've purchased the rights to a film version and giving it consideration, but don't bet the farm on it yet. That would be sweet, though, if it were true. If it happened, maybe those re-releases could go back into production and who knows what else it could lead to?

Hmm. I was looking up a bit more about it, and according to the fansite Hirac delest, they would have bought the domains before the relaunch.

I hope the way they cancelled the relaunch doesn't mean they're going to forget about a movie now.

Unfortunately, that's most likely what has happened. Still hopeful, but I definitely wouldn't bet money on it.

Okay, no idea if if this might generate any buzz as far as bringing her other books into the spotlight, but Katherine (K.A.) Applegate has won the Newbery Medal for her The One and Only Ivan. I just picked up from the library earlier today, and started reading it. As you would expect, it's quite good. Her reaction is said to be stunned disbelief, that it wasn't even on her radar.

BTW, for those that don't know, this award is it, the biggest honor that a writer of a children's fiction chapter book can receive.

edited 6th Feb '13 4:01:30 PM by JMQwilleran

Cool! Glad to hear she's getting recognition.

So... who dies? Ivan or someone else?