<Interesting,> Ax observed. <Bearded, white-coated creatures with hooves. And horns. Grazers. I would point out the similarities between the mountain goat and Andalites, except for my extremely disappointing experience with the cow.> (The Experiment)

And so Marco’s mom is back–and after the mess of The Decision, she’s not Visser One anymore. But if anything, that means that she hates Visser Three all the more… and would stop at nothing to get back at him. Even if that means allying herself with the ‘Andalite Bandits’.

Marco of course deals with this in a perfectly reasonable and level headed manner.

“What do you do when you have to make a decision, and each choice is horrible? What would you do, Rachel? If it was your mom or dad or sisters. What would you do, Xena?”

…

Rachel came back and sat beside me on the bed. She didn’t hug me. Rachel’s not a hugger. But she sat there with me.

“One battle at a time, Marco. One battle at a time.”

It’s an intense book and man I feel for Marco. Tobias and Ax are really going through some stuff, but they’re only sort of human any more. Of the remaining Animorphs–well, I think that it’s Marco that’s gone through the most. And this book certainly doesn’t go easy on him.