Let's Read Animorphs! The Whole Series! Ch-ch-ch-chaaanges

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freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Really following the letter of the law rather than the spirit, too. Nobody gave humans morphing technology; five individuals humans have been given the ability to morph. They can't actually reproduce the technology or pass it on to anyone else.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 01:19

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# ? May 25, 2024 16:08

Soup du Jour: Sep 8, 2011; I always knew I'd die with a headache.

And we get our first glimpse of how the Andalite high command are just the biggest dicks. Interesting conversation about guilt I hadn�t noticed too, considering the real guilt Andalites should feel is the genocide of the Hork-Bajir

# ? Sep 4, 2020 01:28

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

Wasn't that a Colonel Kurtz scenario? I don't think Ax even know about it.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 02:07

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

OctaviusBeaver posted:

Wasn't that a Colonel Kurtz scenario? I don't think Ax even know about it.

It's not public knowledge, no. Lirem almost certainly knows about it, though.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 02:32

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

Soup du Jour posted:

And we get our first glimpse of how the Andalite high command are just the biggest dicks. Interesting conversation about guilt I hadn’t noticed too, considering the real guilt Andalites should feel is the genocide of the Hork-Bajir

Alloran did nothing wrong

# ? Sep 4, 2020 02:45

Terror Sweat: Mar 15, 2009

Comrade Blyatlov posted:

Alloran did nothing wrong

He turned his back on a Chapman

# ? Sep 4, 2020 03:05

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

Terror Sweat posted:

He turned his back on a Chapman

gently caress, you're right

# ? Sep 4, 2020 03:54

ANOTHER SCORCHER: Aug 12, 2018

Epicurius posted:

The Alien-Chapter 11
That's kind of interesting...the Yeerk's first instinct when asked his name is to give his host's name. I don't know what that means, but it probably means something... Also, this is an interesting sort of teamup, and sort of goes against what Jake said in The Capture about how Yeerks don't have friendships or care for each other. But it's possible that Tom's Yeerk was just particularly sociopathic.

It isn�t explored much in the text except for Visser and even there not at length but I�m of the opinion that prolonged contact with complex Human (or Andalite) minds causes a shift in Yeerk psychology to either make them cartoonish psychopaths (Visser 3, Tom�s Yeerk) or start to identify with their host and its needs and wants. Both make sense as a mastery strategy over an ever-present slave in your conscious mind: either crush them constantly or accommodate them so as to blur the lines of who is who. Additionally, the experience of romantic love among humans is so clearly preferable to what exists among Yeerks that it is probably intoxicating in its own right. The only Yeerks who seems to have competently managed this while retaining their sanity and sense of personality have both great intelligence and willpower, namely Visser One.

It would also explain why some of the Council of Thirteen are in Taxxon hosts, given the clear inferiority of those to Human or Hork-Bajir. The Taxxon host mind is probably just much more comfortable, as long as it�s well-fed.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 17:43

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

ANOTHER SCORCHER posted:

It would also explain why some of the Council of Thirteen are in Taxxon hosts, given the clear inferiority of those to Human or Hork-Bajir. The Taxxon host mind is probably just much more comfortable, as long as it�s well-fed.

Taxxons are all also voluntary hosts, so I'd imagine that it would have to be a lot easier to have one as a host.

My general take on Yeerk relationships is that while they don't have romantic or familial relationships naturally, they can develop friendships and professional relationships.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 18:25

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

The Alien-Chapter 13

"You can't always get what you want. But If you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need." A famous human named Rolling Stones said that. I thought it was very wise, for a human. - From the Earth Diary of Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill

quote:

The morning ritual is for normal times. The next morning was not a normal time.

This was the day I would die.

 I said, and bowed my head low.

The people! The people were billions of miles away.

 I said, and raised my stalk eyes to the sky.

My prince? Elfangor had been my prince. He was dead. Now a human, Jake, was my prince, and he had discharged me. I wasn't even telling him what I was doing.

The ritual was a lie.

 I said, and raised my face to look at the rising sun.

Honor. To die avenging my brother. I felt my insides quiver. It was fear. I know fear. I've felt it often enough in battle. But I'd never gone into a fight I knew would lose.

This wasn't honor. It was running into the hands of death.

<My life is not my own, when the people have need of it.>

Couldn't I ask the others for help? Couldn't I go to Prince Jake and tell him?

No. Not without telling them that I had called my home world. Not without agreeing to tell them everything.

It was time for the last words of the ritual.

<My life ... is given for the people, for my prince, and for my honor.>

I drew up my tail blade and pressed it against my throat in the symbol of self-sacrifice. I was breathing hard, as if I'd just been running. My hearts were beating fast.

He's willing to die for this and he doesn't even know if he believes it anymore.

quote:

<That's different,> Tobias's voice said. <That's not the ritual you were doing the other day. You didn't step into the water this time.>

<Yes. Different,> I muttered. I was angry that Tobias was there.

<You're going to do this, aren't you?>

I didn't answer. The truth was, I couldn't stand to talk about it. I was afraid. Sickly afraid. If I could achieve surprise, maybe I could kill the Visser. But he had the body of an Andalite adult. A full-grown male. The Visser was also more experienced than I was. And he would have guards. There would be Hork-Bajir nearby.

<Kind of cold-blooded, isn't it?> Tobias asked. 

<Assassinate?!> I yelled. <He killed my brother! He has humans infested by the handful. He will destroy you all if he can. He will enslave your entire race.>





<Wait a minute. You mean Jake could just tell you no, and you wouldn't do it? What if he ordered you to answer all our questions? Then what?>

<Everyone must have someone over him. That is Andalite custom. Each warrior has a prince. Each prince a war-prince. Each war-prince has a great leader. And each great leader must be elected by the people as a whole. And everyone, no matter how great or small, obeys the law. He could not order me to break our laws.>

<And Jake is your prince. I guess he's mine, too, in a way. You know, he doesn't think of himself that way.>

<No he doesn't. I realize this.>

<Don't you have a duty to tell your prince what you're doing?>

<Yes. So I guess I'm not very good at being a true warrior,> I said bitterly. <I'm not much good at anything.>

 Tobias said.

<Tobias? I have to do this. You promised to keep my secret. Will you break your promise?>

Tobias said nothing for a while. he said at last.

<And you won't follow me?>

 Tobias said.

<After ... I mean, if I don't return. Just in case. Tell the others that. . . that I'm sorry I could never tell them everything. There is a reason.>

<Yeah, no doubt,> Tobias said bitterly. <Well, good luck, Ax-man.>[quote]

Tobias has more faith in Ax than Ax does in himself.

[quote]I ran then. I ran and ran and ran.

It was miles to the secret place-where I would find Visser Three. I wanted to run the whole way, to run away from my own fear by heading straight toward it.

It's what Elfangor would have done. Elfangor, the great hero.

Elfangor would live on in everyone's memory as the perfect warrior. The shining prince. If I was lucky, someday people would say, <Ah, yes, Aximili broke the law, but he finished off the Abomination.>

I would get points for that. People would say I had done well in the end. Others would say, <What other choice did he have? He was dishonored. It wasn't courage that sent him against Visser Three, it was merely despair.>

And still others would say, <He was just a young fool trying to live up to his great brother's legacy, poor thing .>

I ran and ran till my chest ached from breathing the heavy air of Earth. I ran through dried leaves and rustling pine needles. I jumped fallen, rotting logs, and skirted patches of brambles. I ran past trees that did not speak, like the trees of my own world.

Each time I pictured being face-to-face with Visser Three, I went even faster, trying to outrun the fear.

I was far from any human homes now. Far from human roads. Deep within the forest. Old forest full of shadows and gloom.

But at last I saw the sun shining on green grass, just ahead. A meadow. Right where Eslin's note had said it would be.

I stopped running and gasped for breath. I leaned against a tree and tried to recover my wind.

My legs were shaking from a mixture of exhaustion and fear.

The meadow was beautiful. Green grass and tiny flowers in yellow and purple. I would have liked to feed there myself.

I crept toward the meadow's edge, always keeping within the shadow of the trees. I saw nothing unusual. No Bug fighters. No Hork-Bajir. No Visser Three.

Just the wildlife of Earth: two deer grazing. Squirrels racing up and down the trunks of trees.

A skunk waddling boldly past.

It would be an hour before the time the Yeerk Eslin had given me. I had an hour to plan and prepare, now that I saw the ground we were on.

I looked at the meadow. A stream, perhaps three feet across, cut the meadow in half. The grass grew tall by the stream bed.

I tried to guess where the Visser would run. Would he go to the left or the right? I would only get one chance, so I had to guess right.

I imagined where I would go, if it were me. Visser Three was in an Andalite body. Maybe he ,would move like an Andalite.

I stepped out into the blazing sunlight and walked to a place I thought would do. It was beside the small stream. A place where the grass was a bit shorter, and where it would be easy for Visser Three to step into the stream. ,

Then, I saw them: the hoofprints. Andalite hoof prints. -

Visser Three. Yes, he had been there, perhaps a few days earlier. Eslin was right. This was the place.

I had to wait, concealed. Ready to attack at the right time. I could never hide in my Andalite body. But there were other options.

The rattlesnake. That would be the morph to use. What better way to strike suddenly than with the body of a snake?

I focused my mind on the snake. I concentrated on the change. I felt it begin almost immediately.

It was unlike any morph I had done before. Usually my legs would become some other type of leg. My arms would become some other type of arm, even if they were only fins. But this time there were no arms, no legs. Nothing of my own body would find an echo in this new shape, except for my eyes and tail.

My legs simply melted away. Withered. Disappeared. I fell to the ground, a legless stump.

My arms shriveled and evaporated.

I heard the sounds of grinding inside my body, as all my bones melted together into my spine. I was shrinking, but since I was already lying on the grass, it didn't seem as extreme as it sometimes did. The stalks of grass grew higher around my head, and the purple flowers grew larger, but there wasn't the usual feeling of falling as I shrank.

What I did feel was a terrible sense of utter weakness. I had no arms! I had no legs!

But my tail ... ah, that I kept, although in a very different form. The blade of my tail suddenly broke up into a sort of chain. There were dozens of raspy blisters, all connected. The rattler's tail.

My fur disappeared very swiftly, and over my bare skin scales grew. Like tiny, interlocked armor- plates that formed a pattern in brown and black and tan.
I grew a mouth. A huge mouth for the size of my body. I was a tube, and the open end was my mouth. It was a shocking body. A bizarre body. Stranger even than morphing an ant or a fish. I was a creature with no separate parts.

My Andalite stalk eyes went dark. A large, amazingly long, fast-moving, forked tongue grew in my mouth. But it wasn't like a human tongue.

This tongue's sense of taste was beyond anything a human tongue could ever achieve. This tongue tasted the very air.

And then, I felt the feature I had waited for. Huge, long, curved fangs. Fangs that were each a tiny, hollow needle. Above them poison glands grew and filled with toxin.

Because it wouldn't be an Animorphs book without body horror....

quote:

I felt the snake's mind emerge beneath my own awareness.

It was not a hot, driven mind like some animals. It did not overwhelm me with fear and hunger. It was a slow, calm, deliberate mind. The mind of a predator. A hunter. A calm, deliberate killer.

And the senses!

The lidless eyes saw strange colors, but they gave me a good range of vision.

The tongue, which shot out from a slit on the bottom of my mouth, taste-smelled the air. It brought me an incredible array of sensations: the scent of grass and earth, the scent of insects, and the scent of living, warm-blooded creatures.

Just below and behind my snake nostrils were two pits that sensed heat, especially the levels of heat put off by prey.

Yes, this was a good morph to use. The Visser would not expect me. The Visser's Andalite body was fast, but it was not faster than the snake. I knew that from my own experience.

I began to move, slithering through the grass. I moved with sinuous grace, easily, silently. I followed my tongue. It shot out and back, again and again, sensing, smelling, tasting.

I felt the rattler's mind with my own. It was unafraid. It had no honor. It had no friends to worry about, no family to disappoint, no laws to break. It-felt no loneliness. The snake had always been alone.

I settled into the grass and waited, patient, motionless, counting off the minutes in my head.

And then I felt the vibration of the earth be neath me. The vibration that was the sound of a Bug fighter landing. Then another. Just two. Not far away.
It was time.

The Yeerks were coming. Visser Three was coming.

And as I drowned my fear in the calm lake of the snake's predator brain, I prepared to kill.

And to die.

Obviously, we're meant to counter the snake's consciousness with Ax's here. The snake has no friends, or family, or laws, and is eager to kill without concern.

Chapter 14

quote:

I smelled him long before I saw him. I smelled Andalite flesh. The Yeerk that was the real Visser Three - the Yeerk inside the Andalite body - I could not smell.

<Spread out,> Visser Three ordered. His thought-speech was loud, open, to reach his soldiers. <You! Watch the tree line. You two to the far side of the meadow. Shoot anything that moves.>

His voice was in my head. I felt churning in a stomach I no longer really had. I tried to squash my own fear beneath the snake's calm, but it rose suddenly.

I went over the plan: strike, escape, demorph, go back for the kill.

I would have to demorph before the Visser's guards could come to his side. And I would have to hope that the snake venom would slow him down.

Then . . . galloping!

Four sharp hooves beating across the meadow. My tongue flicked and smelled him on the wind.

Yes. He was coming closer.

Yes, he would come to the stream.

A shadow. He was there! Overhead. He blotted out the sun.

My snake tongue smell-tasted him. My lidless, always-open eyes saw his belly overhead like a curved roof. I felt his warmth.

He stuck one hoof into the cool water to drink.

No time to think. He could move at any moment.

T-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S!

A sound! What was it?

Me! It was coming from me! My tail!

A rattlesnake's tail! It had sounded its grim warning without conscious thought.

So, trivia here. There are people who believe that a rattlesnake can't strike without first rattling. That's not true. They tend to rattle to frighten predators and alert other animals they see as threats who are getting too close. But they also can strike without warning, and often do.

quote:

I saw the Visser's head lowered. I saw his two main eyes focus. I could read the dawning fear in his eyes.

SSSSSS-ZAAPP!

I struck! My coiled muscles fired all at once.

My head rocketed through the air. My mouth opened wide. My fangs came down.

STRIKE!

Fangs sank deep into Andalite flesh. I could feel the venom pumping! I could feel the poison shooting into Visser Three's leg.

He jerked.

I released.

He tried to back away. He was very fast. But I was so much faster,

STRIKE!

Pump the venom into him. Poison the monster. Poison the Abomination. Poison Elfangor's murderer.

I drew back. I could taste my own venom dripping from my fangs.

His tail swept over his head, lancing down at me.

But I was already gone. The blade sliced deep into the ground. I felt the wind of it as I slithered swiftly away.

<DEMORPH!> I ordered myself.

Still the Visser had not called his guards. He would be wondering. He wouldn't know how dangerous the snake was. He wouldn't realize at first that it was not a true snake. Then slowly he would begin to suspect.

I was racing at breakneck speed through the grass. Behind me my rope body twisted and coiled and released and slithered. But my head stayed level and straight, flying at ground level through the grass.

I was twenty yards away when my snake body grew slow and sluggish from the changes.

Tiny legs appeared, just stubs at first. Tiny stalk eyes grew from the broad top of my diamond-shaped head.

<There is a snake!> Visser Three roared. <Find it! Kill it!>

I struggled on, heading for the edge of the forest.

Then . . . body warmth! A warm-blooded animal. Just ahead of me.

My tongue flicked and smelled an aroma I knew. Hork-Bajir!

Hork-Bajir, the shock troops of the Yeerk empire. A peaceful, decent race that happened, as Marco often said, to be built like lawn mowers. Bladed arms. Bladed legs. Tearing, clawed feet. A slow but deadly tail. They were all Controllers. All slaves of the Yeerks in their heads.

I could move no further. I was no longer a snake. Not yet an Andalite. And the Hork-Bajir was just a few feet away.

Too close!

<So,> I thought,<this is how it all ends.>

My Andalite stalk eyes had emerged. I was rising slowly from the grass on my spindly Andalite legs. My tail was forming again.

This is really a pretty inconvenient time to demorph.

quote:

I saw the Hork-Bajir. And I saw that he saw me.

There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could do but die.

The Hork-Bajir swung his bladed right arm like a scythe. It would hit me in the neck.

WHUMPH! The Hork-Bajir staggered. His blade arm sliced the air above me.

"HhhhhuuuurrrrrOOOOWWWWRRR!" A roar! But not the roar of a Hork-Bajir.

The Hork-Bajir went flying! Seven feet of deadly, dangerous Hork-Bajir warrior just cartwheeled through the air.

And where he had been now stood Rachel.

Of course, not the human Rachel with long blond hair and cool blue eyes. This was another Rachel. Rachel in the morph of a grizzly bear.

The bear was on its hind legs, standing even taller than the Hork-Bajir had stood. With claws that almost rivaled the Hork-Bajir's blades. And muscles powerful enough to simply throw a Hork-Bajir ten feet.

"HHHHuurrhhoooorrwww!" the bear growled wildly. <Oh, man, I love doing that!>

<Rachel?> I asked wonderingly.

<No,> she said, in that human tone that means sarcasm. <It's Smokey the Bear. Finish morphing, you Andalite idiot. Then let's go kick some Yeerk butt.>

I was almost fully Andalite again. I swept the meadow quickly with my stalk eyes. Visser

Three was in the middle of the field. Two Hork-Bajir were rushing to his side, bounding through the grass.

Across the meadow at the far end, a third Hork-Bajir looked around wildly, with his Dracon beam at the ready. He looked in every direction but up.

From the tree above him something that seemed almost liquid, something orange and black, dropped, claws outstretched.

Prince Jake!

And in the sky overhead, a hawk wheeled in low circles above the field.

<Two Hork-Bajir guarding the Bug fighters,> Tobias announced. <One Hork-Bajir in the ... Oh, never mind, Cassie and Marco just took him down. Visser Three and two Hork-Bajir in the center of the meadow.>

<Come on,> Rachel said to me. <Let's go have a nice talk with Visser Three.>

<He's my responsibility,> I said to Rachel. 

<Uh-huh. He's all yours.>

Tobias swooped past, skimming just above the grass, rocketing toward Visser Three.

<You told them, Tobias,> I accused him.

<Yeah, I sure did. I got the idea from you. You're the one who said you had to obey your prince. Well, I guess Jake is my prince, too. He ordered me to tell him.>

<How did you know where I was going?> I asked. 

<Puh-leeze. That Controller, Eslin Whatever? He wrote it down, Ax-man. You forget: I have hawk's eyes. I can see a flea on a cat from a hundred feet away. You think I couldn't read that note?>

<You make me very angry, Tobias,> I said.

<Yeah, and you get on my nerves, too, Ax. But we still have a fight on our hands. Let's go deal with Visser Three.>

quote:

We raced toward the Visser and his guards. Rachel, a huge, rolling brown tidal wave, and me. Above us Tobias flew.

Just as we drew close, I saw Visser Three stagger.

The poison! The venom! It was working.

Visser Three buckled and fell to the ground.

The two Hork-Bajir quailed. They saw Rachel barreling through the tall grass. They saw Prince Jake, a striped demon coming from the other side. They saw Marco in gorilla morph and Cassie, an eager wolf, teeth bared.

Tobias had reached the Visser. He soared past him and up, up, up into the air, beating frantically.

Worst of all, they saw an Andalite. The enemy they feared most.

<Your Visser is finished,> I called to them. <You can die with him, or you can run.>

The Hork-Bajir Controllers made their decision quickly. Hork-Bajir can be very fast, once they decide to run.

It's because he's such a good leader. That's why he inspires such loyalty in his subordinates.

quote:

The Visser was down. Alone. Helpless, as we came to a stop in a circle around him. He was as helpless as Elfangor had been at the end.

I looked up. Why was Tobias . . . ?

<No way!> Tobias cried.

He drew back his wings and dived at full speed. He plummeted toward the earth at racing speed, killing speed! His talons came forward. It looked as if he would hit the ground. Then . . .

<NO! NO! NO!> Tobias cried. He swooped up and away, back up into the sky.

<Tobias, what is it?> I heard Prince Jake yell in thought-speak.

<He bailed! He bailed! The Yeerk bailed out! He got to the water. I can't see him. He got away!>

<What?> I cried. <What happened?>

<He's out! Visser Three! He's out. I saw him worming his way through the grass.>

It took several seconds for my brain to comprehend. I couldn't make sense of it. It was impossible to believe.

<He left his body?> I asked. <Visser Three left his host?>

<He crawled right out of the Andalite head and slithered into the water,> Tobias confirmed.

<There's a fast current. I can't see beneath the surface of the water that well. I can't see him!>

I looked down at the creature I thought of as Visser Three. But of course the real Visser was a gray slug, a Yeerk. This body was the body of an Andalite.
The Visser was gone. Escaped.

The Andalite was breathing, but seemed unable to move. He looked up at me with his main eyes.

I had faced Visser Three before. I had felt the evil force that flows from him. That evil was gone now. This was only an Andalite. The Yeerk was gone.

<Kill me,> the Andalite managed to gasp. <Kill me before he takes me over again. Please. Please kill me.>

I felt my hearts stop. It was more than I could stand. After years of being controlled by Visser Three, the mind of the Andalite host was still alive. Still aware. I said. <The snake . . .>

<No. You don't understand. Visser Three . . . he has backup forces ready. They'll be here in minutes. Half a dozen Bug fighters. They'll keep this body alive, your poison is too slow.>

 I said desperately. 

<He'll take me again,> the Andalite said, begging. <The Yeerks will find him and bring me to him again. Please. I can't live that way . . . please. The things I've seen . . . you don't understand. It's horrible.>

He tried to raise his own Andalite tail. He tried to bring the blade to his throat. But the venom had weakened him. His tail fell limp.

 he said at last, with sadness so deep it burned me to hear. <Listen ... my name is ... what is my name? It's been so long. And the poison . . . yes, that's it. My name is Alloran-Semitur-Corrass. I was once a war-prince. Someday . . . someday, if you survive ... I have a wife. I have two children . . . someday . . . tell them I still hope . . . tell them I still have love for them . . .>

<Yes, War-Prince Alloran. I will tell them. Do you have any other orders for me?>

He reached up with one weakened hand. I took his hand in mine. <Fight them. They are stronger than you think. They have . . . they have infiltrated . . .they are on the home world . . . fight. . .>

His fingers were limp. He fell silent, unconscious.

I set his hand down by his side. I knew that the next time I saw this face, it would once more be the face of my enemy. The Abomination. Visser Three.

<We should get out of here,> Prince Jake said.

<Come on, Ax,> Tobias said. <There will be another time.>

Poor Alloran. And poor Ax, who was ready to kill Visser Three, but can't bring himself to kill another Andalite. So what's everyone's take on these two chapters?

# ? Sep 4, 2020 23:30

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

Random thoughts:
- We find out that the Yeerks have infiltrated the Andalite home world in the same book where a Yeerk betrays Visser 3
- Is this the first time we see Visser 3 off the job? I got the impression that he kind of admired the snake, he's definitely and animal lover
- Those 2 Hork Bajir who ran away are going to be in a world of hurt since Visser 3 lived
- Alloran is one of the best characters in the series
- Ax and Tobias have a lot in common, makes sense that's who Ax confides in

# ? Sep 4, 2020 23:51

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

Epicurius posted:

So what's everyone's take on these two chapters?

They fuckin' rock.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 00:40

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Kinda hosed up that Ax is ok with letting a bunch of humans get murdered when the Yeerk hosts die because of their actions but can't bring himself to kill Alloran despite him literally begging for it (or trying to get him out of there).

That said this book was great.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 00:48

Tree Bucket: Apr 1, 2016; R.I.P.idura leucophrys

Ravenfood posted:

Kinda hosed up that Ax is ok with letting a bunch of humans get murdered when the Yeerk hosts die because of their actions but can't bring himself to kill Alloran despite him literally begging for it (or trying to get him out of there).

That said this book was great.

Yeah, it's a really weak part of an otherwise excellent book.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:12

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

The only reason Ax isn't the best is that Alloran fuckimg rules

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:19

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

I think Ax would have killed him when he was infested, his species wasn't the main reason imo.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:24

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

Also haha holy gently caress I didn't realise it but those two Hork-Bajir are turbodead

Once the Visser is back, he'll realise they ran. Two less Yeerks to feed!

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:25

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

And - seriously - although it wasn't planned, this is an A+ hit and run raid.

Visser Three must be beyond scared at this point.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:27

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

Tree Bucket posted:

Yeah, it's a really weak part of an otherwise excellent book.

I don't think it's weak, I think it's contrasting with his "of course the Yeerks are going to kill hosts rather than let them go free, but it's necessary for the cause" attitude from earlier in the book, pointing out that Ax's convictions are not what he thinks they are. In the abstract, when they're nameless, faceless (human and Hork-Bajir) hosts, he acknowledges the military need to let them be killed, because what's important is that breaking the Kandrona weakened the Yeerk cause, and after all, they all think involuntary Controllers would rather die than continue life infested anyway. So it's easy for him to justify it to himself.

His excuse for not telling the others that Controllers would die was that Tom is important to them, and he is not convinced that the others would do What's Necessary For The War (like he, an Andalite aristh, would do) if it meant Tom might die. Yet, here, he's faced with the exact same choice: he can kill the host, depriving Visser Three of an Andalite body and morphing ability, and meaningfully affecting the war (and certainly making it easier for the Animorphs, with Visser Three no longer able to either disguise himself or to morph a giant alien with which to kill them). On top of that, the host is, in fact, begging Ax to kill him rather than allow him to be reinfested.

But, confronted with the prospect of killing a helpless War-Prince Alloran-Semitur-Corrass instead of letting some nameless humans and Hork-Bajir die... Ax discovers it really isn't that easy to do.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:27

Tree Bucket: Apr 1, 2016; R.I.P.idura leucophrys

Oh, not killing Alloran makes a lot of sense! But I feel like gorilla-Marco could've attempted to carry him away, at least.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:42

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

Tree Bucket posted:

Oh, not killing Alloran makes a lot of sense! But I feel like gorilla-Marco could've attempted to carry him away, at least.

I hadn't considered that, but isn't that just killing him more slowly and painfully? He's too weak to use his tail blade, let alone morph, so the only way he can survive is Yeerk medical treatment for the snake venom.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 01:49

QuickbreathFinisher: Sep 28, 2008; by reading this post you have agreed to form a gay socialist micronation.
`

disaster pastor posted:

I hadn't considered that, but isn't that just killing him more slowly and painfully? He's too weak to use his tail blade, let alone morph, so the only way he can survive is Yeerk medical treatment for the snake venom.

I mean Cassie's parents would probably have some rattler antivenom, and if Ax had clued them in she could have even brought it with them (in a cute little pouch of course).

Also he could theoretically just morph, if venom works the same as injuries.I guess if he's too weak from the venom, plus probably also too mentally weak from the years of enslavement to morph through the failing body like we saw Jake do with the sprayed roach, there isn't much he would have done but slowed them down.

E: I guess there's also no way to know ahead of time if Alloran was a cooperative host. Is his Andalite identity known to the homeworld?

They should have brought Alloran off with them, though them freeing the Big Bad from brain enslavement eight books into a 54 book series is quite a ratchet up. So I guess killed them. This might have been Ax's first kill though, I think he's mostly been knocking people out and claiming hands since book 4. Unless you include Taxxons, which, we probably should.

Is this the first time we've seen Tobias miss something or gently caress up (aside from the first Yeerk pool mission obviously, which, :shrug:

). I love that hawk boy so much, him and Ax moving forward is such a treat.

This might be my favorite book we've done in the thread so far, it's so tightly written and gives great comedy in between the soul crushing intergalactic loneliness.

QuickbreathFinisher fucked around with this message at 02:16 on Sep 5, 2020

# ? Sep 5, 2020 02:14

Fritzler: Sep 5, 2007

I do think killing Alloran only is the optimal play for the animorphs actually. Killing Visser Three is terrible, because a more competent Visser (like Visser One) might take over. If they just kill Alloran Visser Three stays in charge but in a much less deadly body.

I also think it�s cowardly to not kill Alloran when he is asking for it. I understand not wanting to do it, or feeling uncomfortable. You would think Jake would volunteer how horrible it is to be a controller.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 02:38

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

All true, but, counterpoint, most 13 year olds probably are reluctant to commit euthanasia. It's probably the tactically smart choice to kill Alloran, but a lot of times, people don't make the smart choice.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 02:48

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

It's kind of a "Frodo sparing Gollum" moment because Alloran's intervention stops the Andalites from glassing Earth at the end.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 03:05

ANOTHER SCORCHER: Aug 12, 2018

OctaviusBeaver posted:

We find out that the Yeerks have infiltrated the Andalite home world in the same book where a Yeerk betrays Visser 3.

Does this ever come to anything? I feel like it�s a dropped plot line but I may be misremembering. I know the Andalite military has grown more powerful due to the war but that was presented as a consequence of the long conflict not Yeerk subversion.

Agreeing with other folks that not killing Alloran comes off as both strategically unwise and a little cowardly. Even if Ax couldn�t bring himself to do it you�d think another one of the Animorphs would.

Great book though.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 03:47

QuickbreathFinisher: Sep 28, 2008; by reading this post you have agreed to form a gay socialist micronation.
`

ANOTHER SCORCHER posted:

Does this ever come to anything? I feel like it’s a dropped plot line but I may be misremembering. I know the Andalite military has grown more powerful due to the war but that was presented as a consequence of the long conflict not Yeerk subversion.

Agreeing with other folks that not killing Alloran comes off as both strategically unwise and a little cowardly. Even if Ax couldn’t bring himself to do it you’d think another one of the Animorphs would.

Great book though.

The one with possibly the most reason other than Ax to want to kill him is Tobias, whose hawk body is unfortunately the worst equipped for mercy killing

# ? Sep 5, 2020 03:57

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

ANOTHER SCORCHER posted:

Does this ever come to anything? I feel like it�s a dropped plot line but I may be misremembering. I know the Andalite military has grown more powerful due to the war but that was presented as a consequence of the long conflict not Yeerk subversion.

Agreeing with other folks that not killing Alloran comes off as both strategically unwise and a little cowardly. Even if Ax couldn�t bring himself to do it you�d think another one of the Animorphs would.

Great book though.

Sort of, in the Leeran book an Andalite captain is a traitor who's working with the Yeerks. I can't remember it affecting the plot other than that though. I can't imagine it would be easy to hide a Yeerk pool on the Andalite home world.

I think not killing Alloran was the morally correct choice, even though it's a strategic disadvantage. I think it's weird to see people condemning the Andalites for genociding the Hork Bajir but also condemn the Animorphs for not killing Alloran, it's the exact same choice just at a different scale

# ? Sep 5, 2020 04:59

Fritzler: Sep 5, 2007

OctaviusBeaver posted:

I think not killing Alloran was the morally correct choice, even though it's a strategic disadvantage. I think it's weird to see people condemning the Andalites for genociding the Hork Bajir but also condemn the Animorphs for not killing Alloran, it's the exact same choice just at a different scale

i don�t remember the details of the first part of your first spoiler, but I�m going to guess it is way different because Alloran requested it. If anyone wants to be a voluntary controller I have no problem with that, but honestly it seems worse than death to me. If someone wanted to be killed instead of subjected to that I think it is moral to prevent their future suffering.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 05:07

HIJK: Nov 25, 2012; in the room where you sleep

The important bit about Ax not killing Alloran is to show that these are still child soldiers with the emphasis on child. They're also still very new to war. This is only Book 8, they've been at this for what, 6 months? That's not much experience.

I think its unreasonable to expect a 13/14 year old to kill an adult face to face.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 05:22

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

OctaviusBeaver posted:

Sort of, in the Leeran book an Andalite captain is a traitor who's working with the Yeerks. I can't remember it affecting the plot other than that though. I can't imagine it would be easy to hide a Yeerk pool on the Andalite home world.

I think not killing Alloran was the morally correct choice, even though it's a strategic disadvantage. I think it's weird to see people condemning the Andalites for genociding the Hork Bajir but also condemn the Animorphs for not killing Alloran, it's the exact same choice just at a different scale

I'm on the record as being FOR the Hork-Bajir genocide, just so it's absolutely plain what I mean when I say Alloran did nothing wrong.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 05:41

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

OctaviusBeaver posted:

Sort of, in the Leeran book an Andalite captain is a traitor who's working with the Yeerks. I can't remember it affecting the plot other than that though. I can't imagine it would be easy to hide a Yeerk pool on the Andalite home world.

Yeah and it's dropped after that, with that only being book 18. Which, speaking of, I think is one of my favourites in the series and is an even better Ax book than this one.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 06:00

Rochallor: Apr 23, 2010; ふっっっっっっっっっっっっｃｋ

It's really neat how from their first appearance, the Hork-Bajir are repeatedly emphasized as being peaceful and unwilling slaves of the Yeerks. They're so inherently imposing and villainous that you could just assume they allied with the Yeerks like the Taxxons. It tells a cautionary tale for Earth and also sets up future stories.

There's lots of scenes that have me wondering how much Applegate had things planned out in advance. The Yeerk infestation of the Andalite homeworld ****************************kinda goes nowhere, but**************************, there's Hork-Bajir foreshadowing from the very beginning, shades of Elfangor being Tobias's father, Crayak... All of this stuff could have been happy accidents, but it works well regardless.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 10:23

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Rochallor posted:

There's lots of scenes that have me wondering how much Applegate had things planned out in advance. The Yeerk infestation of the Andalite homeworld ****************************kinda goes nowhere, but**************************, there's Hork-Bajir foreshadowing from the very beginning, shades of Elfangor being Tobias's father, Crayak... All of this stuff could have been happy accidents, but it works well regardless.

I get the impression she'd probably planned out a lot of the story arc for the first 20-25 books, but it was such a smash hit she decided to keep churning it out (with the help of ghostwriters). Compare it to Everworld, by contrast, which only ran for about 12 books. (Though I can't recall if that even had a satisfying ending or not.)

I say 10-25 because even in that range I think there's a bit of filler. The next book, IIRC, is a bit of a dud, and there's the internet one and the morphing allergy one... although even as I write that it occurs to me that they're less "filler" and more "an idea for a book that didn't really come off well."

# ? Sep 5, 2020 10:45

Rochallor: Apr 23, 2010; ふっっっっっっっっっっっっｃｋ

freebooter posted:

I say 10-25 because even in that range I think there's a bit of filler. The next book, IIRC, is a bit of a dud, and there's the internet one and the morphing allergy one... although even as I write that it occurs to me that they're less "filler" and more "an idea for a book that didn't really come off well."

I remembered the series as having a lot of filler so it's been pretty surprising seeing how plot-heavy the books so far have been, though yeah I think that starts next book. That has one of the other things that stuck with me, though-- the first place I learned about using tomato juice to get rid of a skunk's spray. The internet one I remember as being pretty inconsequential, but I'm sure that its look at mid-90s internet culture is going to be an amazing read-through.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 11:13

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

The Alien-Chapter 15

"Give me liberty or give me death." A human named Patrick Henry said that. I wonder if the Yeerks knew before they came to conquer Earth that humans said things like that. I wonder if the Yeerks knew what they were getting into. - From the Earth Diary of Aximlli-Esgarrouth-Isthill

quote:

<We call it the law of Seerow's Kindness,> I said.

We were in the woods where I live. The woods of the planet called Earth.

Two days had passed since the terrible events in the meadow. I had thought a great deal in those two days. I had thought about everything. Then I had asked my human friends if they would join me.

"What's it mean?" Rachel asked.

She was standing with her arms crossed. I believe it was an expression of skepticism.

<It means that we are not allowed to transfer advanced technology to any other race,> I explained. <It is a very important law. One of our most important laws.>

"You don't want any competition," Marco said. "You Andalites want to be able to stay on top. I understand that. But humans are on your side. We're the ones being taken over."

"Marco," Prince Jake said. "Chill. Let Ax tell his own story."

<Seerow was a great Andalite. A warrior. A scientist. He ... he was in charge of the first Andalite expedition to the Yeerk home world.>

I saw my human friends stiffen. Tobias flitted to a lower branch, drawing closer.

<Seerow felt sorry for the Yeerks. They were an intelligent species. They used a primitive species called Gedds as hosts. But the Gedds were nearly blind, clumsy, not very useful. The Yeerks had never even seen the stars. Let alone been able to leave their own planet. Seerow felt sorry for them. Seerow was a kind, decent Andalite . . .>

"Oh my God," Cassie whispered. "That's the big secret. That's the shame the Andalites are hiding."

"What?" Rachel asked. "What's the big secret?"

"Seerow gave the Yeerks advanced technology, didn't he?" Cassie asked.

I nodded. <Seerow thought the Yeerks should be able to travel to the stars, as we did. At first, it seemed like the right thing to do. But then ... a species called the Nahara. ... By the time we found out, it was too late. The entire species was enslaved by the Yeerks. Then came the Hork-Bajir. The Taxxons. And other planets . . . other races were falling to the Yeerk empire. They spread like a disease! Millions . . . billions of free people have been enslaved or
destroyed by the Yeerks. Because of Seerow. Because of us. Because of the Andalites.>

For a while no one spoke. I knew what to expect. These humans had first seen Andalites as heroes. Then they had come to be suspicious. Now I had just confirmed their suspicions. Now they would see that Andalites were not the great saviors of the galaxy.

"Elfangor broke the law of Seerow's Kindness, though, right?" Marco pointed out.

<Yes. But I will take the blame for him. Elfangor was a great hero. His name would be destroyed. I'm a nobody. I have taken the blame. If I help you, and you humans become a new race of conquerors, if you become the new Yeerks some day, my people will talk about Aximili's Kindness. And I'll be the one who goes down in history as the new example of a fool.>

I saw Rachel make a small smile and shake her head. Marco rolled his eyes. He said, "Man, and I really was getting into disliking you, Ax."

I was confused. I expected them to be furious. Instead they were each smiling.

<Don't you understand? Your world is threatened by the Yeerks because of my people.>

Prince Jake nodded. "Yes, we understand, Ax. A long time ago someone tried to be nice and it was a disaster. This Seerow person tried to be a good guy. He hoped all the different people of the galaxy would get along. That we'd all go to the stars together."

<Yes, and the result was terrible.>

"Ax, you don't stop hoping just because it doesn't always work out," Cassie said. "You get more careful. You get wiser, maybe. But you keep hoping."

"Look, Ax," Prince Jake said, "we don't want you to give us any Andalite technology. We don't want you to break your laws. We just want you to trust us. Tell us the truth. Be one of us."

"You aren't alone, Ax," Cassie said softly. "Maybe we aren't your people, but we are your friends."

"Your boy Seerow wasn't wrong," Marco said. "He just hooked up with the wrong species. We aren't the Yeerks. We're Homo sapiens, Jack. Humans. Andalites want someone to cruise the stars with them? We're the ones. You bring the spaceships. We'll bring the Raisinets and cinnamon buns."

<You'll do more than that,> I said. <You learn very quickly. Someday you may be greater than the Andalites.>

"No," Prince Jake said. "Because whatever we learn, you'll learn. We'll do it together. Human and Andalite. Andalite and human."

<It isn't possible,> I said. <We are two different species. From two different worlds, a billion Earth miles apart.>

<Ax-man?> Tobias said. <Tell me: What does an Andalite want most? What is it you guys are fighting for ?>

<For freedom, of course,> I said.

<And what do humans want most?> Tobias asked.

"Freedom," Prince Jake said.

"Freedom," Rachel said, nodding her head.

"Freedom," said Marco and Cassie together.

<Freedom,> Tobias said. <Different bodies, different species, maybe. But who cares? We agree on what matters.>

For a few minutes, I said nothing. I guess I felt a little overwhelmed. Then, I realized something that made me laugh. <See? It's happening already,> I said.

"What?" Rachel asked.

<You humans are already teaching Andalites something new,> I said. <You're right. We fight the same battle, for the same goal.>

"The Andalites on your home world may not like that idea," Rachel said.

<No. They won't. They have their laws and customs. They think they know what's right. If I ever go home, I'll have a lot to explain.>

<Maybe so,> Tobias said. <But I know one Andalite who would have been proud of you.>

"Are you with us?" Prince Jake asked.

<Yes, Prince Jake,> I said.

"Don't call me 'Prince.'"

<Yes, Prince Jake,> I said again.

"All right," Marco said, rubbing his hands together. "Now that's over with. And now that we are finally all leveling and telling the truth ... I think we have one very big question for Ax. One huge question that will put our new friendship to the test. One gigantic question."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

<What?> I asked nervously.

"How, how, HOW do you eat without a mouth?" Marco demanded.

I laughed. <We eat as we run. Our hooves crush the grass, and the nutrients are absorbed into our systems, We drink in the same way, by putting a hoof into water.>

<Ahhh, so that's what the whole thing is with the morning ritual, when you stick a hoof in the water,> Tobias said.

"Morning ritual? What morning ritual?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, tell us," Cassie said.

<Okay,> I agreed. 

I looked directly at Tobias as I said that. I met his fierce, intense hawk's gaze. I wanted him to understand that I would answer his question as well. The question I knew must be burning inside him.

But the question never came. And I heard in my mind an echo of Tobias's words. <Different bodies, different species, maybe. But who cares? We agree on what matters.>

Neither I, nor my shorm Tobias, is capable of smiling. But just the same, there are times when we look at each other, and understand each other, and smile.

I don't think this chapter needs comments. I think any interstitial stuff I put in will just weaken it. But it's really good.

The Alien-Epilogue

quote:

<You'll do it because if you don't, I'll find a way to tell Visser Three who set him up,> I told Eslin, the Yeerk traitor.

I was in the observatory. We were alone, just the two of us. Eslin glared hatefully at me.

"Andalite scum. You couldn't even kill the Visser. What's the matter? Did he scare you too badly?"

<Just boot up the software,> I said. 

It took several minutes for the Z-space transmission to be established. And it took a few moments more before I was connected to the great Lirem again.

 I said. 

It was kind of nice to see old Lirem's eyes go wide all of a sudden. See, he knew exactly who Alloran was. What he was.

<Her husband sends his love. He still hopes for the day when he will be freed.>

<Is that all you have to say, aristh Aximili?>

<No ... I have this to say, too. You tried to save the Hork-Bajir, and still live by all our laws. Still keeping all our secrets. But you failed.>

<Do not say what you are about to say, Aximili,> Lirem warned. <Do not disobey the laws of our people.>



Lirem's eyes narrowed dangerously. <It must run in your family,> he growled. <You're just like your brother, Elfangor.>

I laughed. <Thank you, Prince. Thank you very much.>

And that's the story of how the Animorphs became 6 instead of 5. I really though this was a good book. It might even be my favorite so far. Tomorrow, we start The Secret. It's a Cassie book. I think it's...eh, but there's a part that consistently makes me laugh.

# ? Sep 6, 2020 00:59

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

I forgot just how much happens in these first 8 books. That coda is something special.

# ? Sep 6, 2020 01:52

QuickbreathFinisher: Sep 28, 2008; by reading this post you have agreed to form a gay socialist micronation.
`

Joe Biden voice:

Marco posted:

We're Homo sapiens, Jack.

This book ruled.

# ? Sep 6, 2020 01:59

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

Literally the only bad thing about this book is that it's the start of Scholastic forcing KAA to alternate Tobias and Ax books instead of each of them getting a book in each "cycle."

On the other hand, it does kind of work out for them: there are only one or two Ax books below "great" quality, and I don't think Tobias has a single one (though some of his are not fun, exactly). I don't think I can say that about the others. Maybe Marco?

# ? Sep 6, 2020 03:16

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# ? May 25, 2024 16:08

Tree Bucket: Apr 1, 2016; R.I.P.idura leucophrys

disaster pastor posted:

Literally the only bad thing about this book is that it's the start of Scholastic forcing KAA to alternate Tobias and Ax books instead of each of them getting a book in each "cycle."

On the other hand, it does kind of work out for them: there are only one or two Ax books below "great" quality, and I don't think Tobias has a single one (though some of his are not fun, exactly). I don't think I can say that about the others. Maybe Marco?

That's really interesting. I wonder what the rationale was? "hey now, as if kids are gonna relate to characters who feel isolated from their families and different from their peers!"

# ? Sep 6, 2020 03:38

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > Let's Read Animorphs! The Whole Series! Ch-ch-ch-chaaanges

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