I feel like Unexpected could really be the title to about half of these books. Maybe more.
One thing leads to another, everything goes wrong, and Cassie is off to SYD-South Something Dakota. Right? Right…?
But hey, kangaroo morph!
There’s basically no impact on the greater Animorph’s story, but sometimes that’s all right. And it’s interesting to get a fairly straight forward Cassie story with the existential dread.
No worries.
Man, Tobias doesn’t get a break.
“Civil war is coming, Andalite,” she began. “Yeerk versus Yeerk. We’ve had enough of the petty Visser fights, the favoritism, the punishments . . . the Council makes us sick.”
And all that from a rather unexpected source.
“No,” she said. “It’s wrong. I won’t. I don’t want to judge you guys, but you’re talking about strategy and risk like this is some computer game. Like there aren’t others involved. Have you forgotten that we’re supposed to be in this to save lives?”
Now it makes sense. Totally a trick. But how? When? Why?
And… Helmacrons. Again. We just saw them in The Hidden.
Still not nearly my favorite alien species in these books. At least this time, they get to go all Magic School Bus!
So it goes.
Swallowed by a sperm whale.
That’s quite the introductory seen. Starts with whaling, full on Moby Dick (I should read that at some point). It’s an interesting story, with just enough weird science to see where it’s going in the ‘present day’.
A Corona Virus.
This… felt all the more real in this post Covid world. And a sign of how it could have been so much worse–if only we didn’t have weird ocean life and a super well funded, run, and liked NUMA to save the world. 😄
A Hermaphrodite third triplet as a big bad.
That’s… just lazy. The Chinese Triad / mafia stuff, pretty cool. This reveal? Meh.
So, at this point? It’s Clive Cussler. The books are enjoyable enough, but I want to listen to something else for a while. So I’m moving on to something else. Perhaps one day I’ll return.
Onward!
“Janie, we need to get this guy out of the cage. Suggestions?”
Am Beast. Not Jane.
What am I? Chopped liver?
Do not need liver chopped. Have fangs and claws to chop liver.
I do so enjoy the Jane/Beast dynamic. By far the best part of these books.
Otherwise, we have vampires coming back from the dead again that never should have, the Euro Vamps actually showing up after how many books, a crazy supernatural storm, and oh some many more timey whimey shenanigans. I’m still not entirely sure what to think about it. It’s unique, for sure. But oh, it’s major power creep on Jane’s part. I suppose we’re getting on towards the end of the series and that’s to be expected.
Other than that, my other favorite part of these books is the every growing Yellowrock clan. I never would have guessed it when I started this series, but the found family dynamic is so wonderful to read. They’re all interesting and I’ve grown to care for them all at least some fraction as much as Jane does. I’m … not looking forward to some inevitable betrayals/deaths. :(
Other other than that, there is one problem I think I’ve been having with this series:
Gee was a bird, an Anzu, a creature once worshiped as a storm god. We had recently hunted together, both of us in Anzu form. I’d had a good long look at Anzu DNA when I shifted into the form, and that DNA was not from Earth, but it did look a lot like arcenciel DNA.
When… did this happen? I don’t think I remember it. There are about a billion short stories, so perhaps in one of those, but it feels kind of weird to have the mainline novels not more stand alone than that. Is it just me? (Or did I just forget something?)
But really, it’s a wonderful series and I’m looking forward to where it goes from here!
I fingered the suit, and then it hit me.
Of course!
I knew what was going on here. It had finally happened.
I knew it was only a matter of time, what with the pressures of leadership, the violent battle, the endless fights against a strengthening enemy.
I’d finally been driven to a complete psychotic breakdown.
I’d gone crazy.
And this was my padded cell.
Not … exactly?
That’s a very weird book. A what if sort of future and even at the end, it’s not entirely clear what’s happening.
Especially back to back with Back to Before.
We’ve done this sort of thing before, but usually with at least some small amount of closure.
Not my favorite.
What if–instead of walking through that fateful construction site…
The Ellimist and Crayak/the Drode are at it again. Giving Jake a chance at a normal life.
But all is not as it seems…
“Oh, I see it now, I see it now,” the Drode said, ignoring Marco, ignoring all of us. “Subtle as always, Ellimist. Your meddling came before, didn’t it? How could we not have seen it? Elfangor’s brother? His time-shifted son? This anomalous girl here? And the son of Visser One’s host body? A group of six supposedly random humans that contains those four! You stacked the deck!”
“Did I?” The Ellimist laughed. “That would have been very clever of me.”
You know? So far as justifications for the coincidences that make stories just work–that’s actually a sneakily good one. The Animorphs are talented and more than a little lucky. But all along, someone (something?) has been stacking the deck to help them.
I like it. More than I expected.
Onward!
An Andalite on TV! Almost right on the heels of The Arrival. Bit weird that.
It’s an interesting look into Andalite preconceptions though:
<No. The Yeerks would have no use for his body. He is completely useless as a host.> Ax waved his frail hand in a dismissing motion.
And… is directly contrary to the idea that your original body doesn’t heal (mostly recently in The Hidden.
So… how does the DNA know your age? Or current haircut? Or if you got a tattoo? Or the progress of a genetic disease–even if the disease is in your DNA, why is the damage has already caused.
In any case, it’s an interesting look into another portion of Andalite society.
Also, we get:
Tobias glared. <Okay, I’m getting a complex over here. I’m a nothlit. A freak. Whatever. My best friend is an alien with blue fur. My girlfriend is human - when she isn’t in morph. How about we don’t talk about “normal” anymore. Or “average” or “natural.” Please.>
It’s an interesting book.
Helmacrons. Not my favorite when they showed up in The Suspicion, not much better now. At least it’s only their tech though–the ability to track morphing energy… and the blue box.
An interesting enough plot, but there’s a spoilery twist (see below) that … I just didn’t think worked. it didn’t quite work with the established world building and I doubt will be used again.
So it goes. Onward!
The Andalites have arrived!
Sort of.
Things go well.
Rachel whirled around. Her face red with anger. “I’m through taking orders from you,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m through with Marco and his stupid jokes. I’m through with Cassie’s hypocrisy.”
Cassie took a broom from the corner and began to sweep up the glass. “Count me out, too,” she said softly. “If this war is unwinnable, how do we justify killing Hork-Bajir? Basically, they’re prisoners of war. Innocent victims.”
Marco thrusts his hands into his pockets. “Guess I’m out, too. I’m going to enjoy what time I’ve got left. Acquire a surfer dude chick magnet. Hang out.”
It would be nice to meet some fine upstanding examples of Andalite society.
Today… is not that day.
It’s a solid story. It’s a nice contrast to Ax’s earlier conflict between his people… and his people.