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Animorphs #5
The Predator
Marco never wanted to be an Animorph. He didn't want the ability to change into any animal he touches. And he certainly didn't want to be one of a handful of kids that are the planet's only defense against a secret alien army. His friends know why he feels the way he does. He's worried about his dad - the only family Marco has left. If anything happens to him, his father will be alone. But something big is about to change for Marco. Something that could finally give him a reason to fight.
Run time: 3 hours 11 minutes
Run time: 3 hours 11 minutes
4 pages, Audiobook
First published December 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 446 reviews
June 1, 2016
The Predator is strangely named. I've been sitting here for twenty minutes trying to figure out who exactly the predator is in this book, and I still don't have a definite answer.
This book is nominally about the Animorphs trying to carry out Ax's plan of luring a Yeerk ship to the ground, stealing it, and then hightailing it back to Andalite space (where, theoretically, he can send reinforcements back to the Animorphs), but really, it's about Marco finally committing to the mission. Until now, he's been the most reluctant of the group, only going along at times due to wanting to help Jake, being shamed by Rachel or Cassie, because something drastic happened that he could help with in the moment, or simply because he saw a mission as low risk or fun. But now on the two year anniversary of his mom's death with his father still devastated emotionally, he realizes that he can't keep going and risk that his dad will have two family members to mourn instead of one.
I was looking forward to our first Marco book particularly, because he was my favorite character when I was a kid. I found his inane jokes and inability to be serious quite charming and hilarious. (I seem to remember there will be an incident with a Baby Ruth thrown into a pool in our near future?) I knew theoretically that Marco's humor was a coping mechanism, but it's only now reading through the eyes of an adult that that idea actually holds resonance for me. In fact, part of the reason I'm only rating this one 3.5 stars is because I don't think Applegate hit that nail hard enough. The beginning of the book especially is curiously light on Marco introspection, and even after the big reveal at the end, he never really comes out and says what he's feeling. Maybe Marco is just more cagey than the others, but I really thought the first four books did a much better job of tying the POV characters' emotional arc to what was happening in the plot.
And things did pick up in that respect by the end. The first half of the book is them having wacky adventures with Ax, basically. They take Ax to the mall (to visit Radio Shack! RIP) so he can get the parts to build the fake Yeerk distress beacon that will hopefully call down a Yeerk ship from the sky, but he can't control his human morph yet. He keeps running off to buy food (he discovers the sense of taste for the first time and FREAKS OUT--also, this book was published before Starbucks was mainstream, and Applegate actually clarifies that it's a coffee place, which I find adorable). Ax also won't shut up making mouth sounds because he's never had a mouth before. I found his behavior unbelievably hilarious as a young person, but reading it now I was just like AX BE COOL PEOPLE ARE LOOKING. And then, they have to somehow find a z-space transponder, which does not come standard packaging at Radio Shack, so they decide to break in to Chapman's secret basement and steal one of his, using brand new ant morphs. IT IS AN EXCELLENT PLAN.
The ant incident is yet another example of ways this series takes it to a level you don't expect in a children's book series. The kids are horrified by the experience of being ants, not least because Applegate portrays being in an ant's mind as being existentially terrifying. They have no sense of self, because they are hive insects. And on top of that, as they are escaping Chapman's house, they are attacked by thousands of ants from an enemy colony and almost die. Like, limbs ripped off, eyes gouged out, almost bitten in half died for real. I know it is a children's book series so I should probably cut it some slack for not going more in depth on this incident, but as much as I like the idea of it, I wasn't totally sold on the execution. It happened too fast for me to really feel that terror that so badly traumatizes the kids, and they are traumatized. All of them have nightmares, Rachel has a full on PTSD breakdown in the cafeteria the next day, and Marco solidifies his decision to quit the group after this last mission.
Until, that is, their plan
We've now had POV books for all of the characters except for Ax, but if I remember correctly, the table is essentially set, and future books really start to play around.
[3.5 stars]
This book is nominally about the Animorphs trying to carry out Ax's plan of luring a Yeerk ship to the ground, stealing it, and then hightailing it back to Andalite space (where, theoretically, he can send reinforcements back to the Animorphs), but really, it's about Marco finally committing to the mission. Until now, he's been the most reluctant of the group, only going along at times due to wanting to help Jake, being shamed by Rachel or Cassie, because something drastic happened that he could help with in the moment, or simply because he saw a mission as low risk or fun. But now on the two year anniversary of his mom's death with his father still devastated emotionally, he realizes that he can't keep going and risk that his dad will have two family members to mourn instead of one.
I was looking forward to our first Marco book particularly, because he was my favorite character when I was a kid. I found his inane jokes and inability to be serious quite charming and hilarious. (I seem to remember there will be an incident with a Baby Ruth thrown into a pool in our near future?) I knew theoretically that Marco's humor was a coping mechanism, but it's only now reading through the eyes of an adult that that idea actually holds resonance for me. In fact, part of the reason I'm only rating this one 3.5 stars is because I don't think Applegate hit that nail hard enough. The beginning of the book especially is curiously light on Marco introspection, and even after the big reveal at the end, he never really comes out and says what he's feeling. Maybe Marco is just more cagey than the others, but I really thought the first four books did a much better job of tying the POV characters' emotional arc to what was happening in the plot.
And things did pick up in that respect by the end. The first half of the book is them having wacky adventures with Ax, basically. They take Ax to the mall (to visit Radio Shack! RIP) so he can get the parts to build the fake Yeerk distress beacon that will hopefully call down a Yeerk ship from the sky, but he can't control his human morph yet. He keeps running off to buy food (he discovers the sense of taste for the first time and FREAKS OUT--also, this book was published before Starbucks was mainstream, and Applegate actually clarifies that it's a coffee place, which I find adorable). Ax also won't shut up making mouth sounds because he's never had a mouth before. I found his behavior unbelievably hilarious as a young person, but reading it now I was just like AX BE COOL PEOPLE ARE LOOKING. And then, they have to somehow find a z-space transponder, which does not come standard packaging at Radio Shack, so they decide to break in to Chapman's secret basement and steal one of his, using brand new ant morphs. IT IS AN EXCELLENT PLAN.
The ant incident is yet another example of ways this series takes it to a level you don't expect in a children's book series. The kids are horrified by the experience of being ants, not least because Applegate portrays being in an ant's mind as being existentially terrifying. They have no sense of self, because they are hive insects. And on top of that, as they are escaping Chapman's house, they are attacked by thousands of ants from an enemy colony and almost die. Like, limbs ripped off, eyes gouged out, almost bitten in half died for real. I know it is a children's book series so I should probably cut it some slack for not going more in depth on this incident, but as much as I like the idea of it, I wasn't totally sold on the execution. It happened too fast for me to really feel that terror that so badly traumatizes the kids, and they are traumatized. All of them have nightmares, Rachel has a full on PTSD breakdown in the cafeteria the next day, and Marco solidifies his decision to quit the group after this last mission.
Until, that is, their plan
We've now had POV books for all of the characters except for Ax, but if I remember correctly, the table is essentially set, and future books really start to play around.
[3.5 stars]
January 30, 2020
FIRST REVIEW / MAR 9, 2015
"I AM INCAPABLE OF BEING OBJECTIVE ABOUT ANIMORPHS IN GENERAL AND MARCO IN PARTICULAR": A Life.
Except that I do think this one is a very good book due to their experience morphing ants (hands down one of the most terrifying moments in the entire series IMO, has lodged itself in my memory forever), and the lobster (also a moment which I thought of every time I eat lobster, whoops), and the twist at the end. Just, so good. So gutting, and sets in motion a really long-term arc. And now he's got his motivation, too.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / JAN 28, 2020
Marco was my favourite Animorph when I first read this series as a kid, and even his very first book quickly reminds me why, and why he's still so near-and-dear to my heart now: his way of using humour as a deflecting defense mechanism, his sharp sense for strategy and tactics, his love for his father and attempts to keep his diminished family together (even struggling with poverty in a way that Jake, Rachel, and Cassie don't). The way he tries to quit the team, because he's already had enough -- and how can you blame him, considering the absolute horror of his near-death as a dolphin in the previous book, and the lobster and ant experiences in this book -- and the way the war sucks him back in, in the most gutting and life-ruining way possible.
The Message underscored the importance of Cassie's presence on the team as its heart and conscience and empathetic understanding, but this book also highlights the importance of Marco's role as the comedic relief: he works hard to keep their spirits up, to keep the mood jolly even when they're staring down the barrel of an awful, awful death. It's his own way of coping with the circumstances they're in, but it's such a necessary ingredient within the group, too: each Animorphs occupies such a crucial spot within the team, all their personalities a carefully-calibrated gyroscope. The team would fall apart if they were missing just one of them.
I got especially verklempt at anything to do with Marco's father; plus Marco's emotional vulnerability about his mother, and the way he's already had to shoulder a burden that no pre-teen should have to. He might cultivate an immature facade with his jokes and joshing around, but he's anything but. I love him!!!
Favourite quotes moved .
"I AM INCAPABLE OF BEING OBJECTIVE ABOUT ANIMORPHS IN GENERAL AND MARCO IN PARTICULAR": A Life.
Except that I do think this one is a very good book due to their experience morphing ants (hands down one of the most terrifying moments in the entire series IMO, has lodged itself in my memory forever), and the lobster (also a moment which I thought of every time I eat lobster, whoops), and the twist at the end. Just, so good. So gutting, and sets in motion a really long-term arc. And now he's got his motivation, too.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / JAN 28, 2020
Marco was my favourite Animorph when I first read this series as a kid, and even his very first book quickly reminds me why, and why he's still so near-and-dear to my heart now: his way of using humour as a deflecting defense mechanism, his sharp sense for strategy and tactics, his love for his father and attempts to keep his diminished family together (even struggling with poverty in a way that Jake, Rachel, and Cassie don't). The way he tries to quit the team, because he's already had enough -- and how can you blame him, considering the absolute horror of his near-death as a dolphin in the previous book, and the lobster and ant experiences in this book -- and the way the war sucks him back in, in the most gutting and life-ruining way possible.
The Message underscored the importance of Cassie's presence on the team as its heart and conscience and empathetic understanding, but this book also highlights the importance of Marco's role as the comedic relief: he works hard to keep their spirits up, to keep the mood jolly even when they're staring down the barrel of an awful, awful death. It's his own way of coping with the circumstances they're in, but it's such a necessary ingredient within the group, too: each Animorphs occupies such a crucial spot within the team, all their personalities a carefully-calibrated gyroscope. The team would fall apart if they were missing just one of them.
I got especially verklempt at anything to do with Marco's father; plus Marco's emotional vulnerability about his mother, and the way he's already had to shoulder a burden that no pre-teen should have to. He might cultivate an immature facade with his jokes and joshing around, but he's anything but. I love him!!!
Favourite quotes moved .
January 31, 2020
How on earth did I ever forget THAT?? #plottwist
April 24, 2015
We arrive at the last of the introductions to the original five Animorphs: Marco, no last name (as usual). He is, in our Animorph boy band, the Funny One (not the Pretty One, though he might try to sell you on that). (Debate which of the other Animorphs are which boy band stereotype in the comments!) He has spent the past four novels providing comic relief, sometimes at the most inopportune times, and generally being a dick to Tobias and Rachel, because he is scared shitless the Yeerks will kill him and leave his dad alone.
OK, we didn’t learn that last part until now, so I guess we should cut Marco some slack.
Seriously though, dude’s mom just vanished two years ago. No body. No note. We learn why—turns out she is Visser Freaking One, or at least that’s the rank of the Yeerk in her head. And now she is back on Earth, or at least parked in orbit, apparently just to rile up the incompetent but deadly Visser Three in an intergalactic game of “Come at me, bro.�
The whole Visser One/Visser Three power struggle subplot is both hilarious and painful. I get what Applegate is trying to do. It’s clever and definitely done in a way kids will understand. But I still don’t quite see what the objective is for Visser One. She claims she has come back to check up on the invasion of Earth, and then she has her personal Hork-Bajir guard let the Animorphs escape from Visser Three’s Bladeship to embarrass him � and then what? What is her game plan?
Oh, god, Applegate has me hooked and asking questions just like a teenage kid. You win this time, Katherine.
I’m sure that the “Visser One is Marco’s mom� is a twist that past!me never saw coming. Even reading it now, it isn’t obvious—from the way Marco recounts his mother’s disappearance, the reader might assume she was taken as a Controller. But even once Ax breaks the news that Visser One is in town, the connection isn’t there until they are aboard the Bladeship.
Speaking of Ax, let’s talk about our newest boy band member (I guess he’s the Alien One?).
I love human!Ax and his obsession with food, and the confusion that he creates in his first-ever trip to the mall is hilarious.
Despite comic relief not coming from Marco, Ax displays the warning signs of (TVTropes), when it turns out that he just so happens to know how to build a Yeerk distress transmitter out of spare parts. I’m not saying it’s improbable, just that it’s very convenient.
Also, in the ongoing lexicon of dated references, they went to Radio Shack. That was still a thing. (Note that I live in Canada; Radio Shack abandoned us in 2004, morphing into “the Source by Circuit City� and generally sucking even more. I hear it isn’t doing great in the States these days either.)
Lastly, the ants.
Applegate deserves a lot of credit here for continuing to push the envelop of how she explores morphing ability. It’s not enough for the Animorphs to just turn into animals. She’s always trying to find new ways to describe the experience, and in the end, to explore what it means to be human, as opposed to being a different creature. Her depiction of the Animorphs� time as ants here is amazing in its breadth and creepiness. From their Kafkaesque horror as they find themselves subsumed into the hive mind of the ant colony instincts to the existential terror as they are nearly torn limb-from-limb by other ants, the Animorphs do not have a good time.
And that’s before Visser Three captures them and nearly discovers their secret.
So the Animorphs get captured (because their brilliant plan goes horribly awry and none of us could have seen it coming)—boo! But they get away—yay! But Marco’s mom is Visser One—boo! But Ax is a pretty human who likes food—yay! But everyone is psychologically scarred from trying to morph ants—boo! But Marco’s dad seems to have snapped out of his pity-fest and is trying to get his old job back—yay!
Next time, Jake becomes a Controller, and shit gets real. We’ll look at the Animorphs� first real grapple with the moral complexities of war and what, I would argue, is their first real victory.
My reviews of Animorphs:
� #4: The Message | #6: The Capture �
OK, we didn’t learn that last part until now, so I guess we should cut Marco some slack.
Seriously though, dude’s mom just vanished two years ago. No body. No note. We learn why—turns out she is Visser Freaking One, or at least that’s the rank of the Yeerk in her head. And now she is back on Earth, or at least parked in orbit, apparently just to rile up the incompetent but deadly Visser Three in an intergalactic game of “Come at me, bro.�
The whole Visser One/Visser Three power struggle subplot is both hilarious and painful. I get what Applegate is trying to do. It’s clever and definitely done in a way kids will understand. But I still don’t quite see what the objective is for Visser One. She claims she has come back to check up on the invasion of Earth, and then she has her personal Hork-Bajir guard let the Animorphs escape from Visser Three’s Bladeship to embarrass him � and then what? What is her game plan?
Oh, god, Applegate has me hooked and asking questions just like a teenage kid. You win this time, Katherine.
I’m sure that the “Visser One is Marco’s mom� is a twist that past!me never saw coming. Even reading it now, it isn’t obvious—from the way Marco recounts his mother’s disappearance, the reader might assume she was taken as a Controller. But even once Ax breaks the news that Visser One is in town, the connection isn’t there until they are aboard the Bladeship.
Speaking of Ax, let’s talk about our newest boy band member (I guess he’s the Alien One?).
I love human!Ax and his obsession with food, and the confusion that he creates in his first-ever trip to the mall is hilarious.
Despite comic relief not coming from Marco, Ax displays the warning signs of (TVTropes), when it turns out that he just so happens to know how to build a Yeerk distress transmitter out of spare parts. I’m not saying it’s improbable, just that it’s very convenient.
Also, in the ongoing lexicon of dated references, they went to Radio Shack. That was still a thing. (Note that I live in Canada; Radio Shack abandoned us in 2004, morphing into “the Source by Circuit City� and generally sucking even more. I hear it isn’t doing great in the States these days either.)
Lastly, the ants.
Applegate deserves a lot of credit here for continuing to push the envelop of how she explores morphing ability. It’s not enough for the Animorphs to just turn into animals. She’s always trying to find new ways to describe the experience, and in the end, to explore what it means to be human, as opposed to being a different creature. Her depiction of the Animorphs� time as ants here is amazing in its breadth and creepiness. From their Kafkaesque horror as they find themselves subsumed into the hive mind of the ant colony instincts to the existential terror as they are nearly torn limb-from-limb by other ants, the Animorphs do not have a good time.
And that’s before Visser Three captures them and nearly discovers their secret.
So the Animorphs get captured (because their brilliant plan goes horribly awry and none of us could have seen it coming)—boo! But they get away—yay! But Marco’s mom is Visser One—boo! But Ax is a pretty human who likes food—yay! But everyone is psychologically scarred from trying to morph ants—boo! But Marco’s dad seems to have snapped out of his pity-fest and is trying to get his old job back—yay!
Next time, Jake becomes a Controller, and shit gets real. We’ll look at the Animorphs� first real grapple with the moral complexities of war and what, I would argue, is their first real victory.
My reviews of Animorphs:
� #4: The Message | #6: The Capture �
January 22, 2022
Come check out my 4 hour 35 minute deep dive into reading every single Animorphs book for the first time on YouTube. I recap and review all of the books from the main series:
February 6, 2020
Animorphs was the defining series of my childhood. More than any other this book series shaped me into the person I would become, it ignited the interest in animals that is my driving force to this day, and instilled within me the moral groundwork that defined my values as an adult. Animorphs was everything to me - and now for the first time since the books were published I'm doing a full reread of the series.
Thank you, Clara.
Marco was one the Animorphs that I least related to when I first read through the series. I enjoyed his wisecracks - everyone did - but his hesitancy to be part of the team was something that frustrated me. It's only upon rereading that I truly appreciate the position Marco found himself in. His mother drowned two years ago, the body never found. Losing his wife broke his father, and his father has been wasting away at menial work since then. Marco's poor, having to fend for himself. His father couldn't stand losing his son in addition to losing his wife - could he? It's a delicate situation and written better than I ever gave it credit for being written.
The plot of this book is relatively simple enough. Ax wants to go home. The Andalite homeworld is approximately 82 light years from where they are now... they'll need to steal a Yeerk ship to get to it. Ax seems to think this will be a simple enough task, after all. He can build a device that will send out a distress call and they can hijack it. What could go wrong? Turns out... everything. From Ax being distracted by the newfound sense of taste in his human morph to them realizing belatedly that they'll need to steal a piece of technology for the device that humans just haven't invented yet.
This is the book with the ant morphs. The terrifying awful ant morphs that have haunted me all these years. This is the book with a twist that was so satisfying and upsetting that I'd pushed it out of my head. This is a solid Animorph book and one that I'm surprised didn't stick with me better after so much time.
Can't wait to read more.
Thank you, Clara.
Marco was one the Animorphs that I least related to when I first read through the series. I enjoyed his wisecracks - everyone did - but his hesitancy to be part of the team was something that frustrated me. It's only upon rereading that I truly appreciate the position Marco found himself in. His mother drowned two years ago, the body never found. Losing his wife broke his father, and his father has been wasting away at menial work since then. Marco's poor, having to fend for himself. His father couldn't stand losing his son in addition to losing his wife - could he? It's a delicate situation and written better than I ever gave it credit for being written.
The plot of this book is relatively simple enough. Ax wants to go home. The Andalite homeworld is approximately 82 light years from where they are now... they'll need to steal a Yeerk ship to get to it. Ax seems to think this will be a simple enough task, after all. He can build a device that will send out a distress call and they can hijack it. What could go wrong? Turns out... everything. From Ax being distracted by the newfound sense of taste in his human morph to them realizing belatedly that they'll need to steal a piece of technology for the device that humans just haven't invented yet.
This is the book with the ant morphs. The terrifying awful ant morphs that have haunted me all these years. This is the book with a twist that was so satisfying and upsetting that I'd pushed it out of my head. This is a solid Animorph book and one that I'm surprised didn't stick with me better after so much time.
Can't wait to read more.
July 19, 2020
Rating: 4.5
Marco is easily my favourite character now, (Rachel was my favourite as a child, she's still awesome buuuuuuut...) I actually love that he's significantly more pessimistic, selfish (and by selfish I that mean he has a much higher sense of self-preservation), and outwardly afraid than the others. These kids are in such a dangerous and terrifying situation, I feel that it's a good thing to have a character who acknowledges this and isn't just super brave all the time. Because it's ok to not be brave all the time.
I feel like a book like this would never fly today. It depicts some pretty graphic violence towards the characters while they're in animal form, which is quite interesting (is that the right word?). If the kids had been in human form during those scenes, even in the 90s, I'm sure this book wouldn't have made it to publishing. I feel like if this series came out recently, PETA or something would have a lot to say about how we treat the suffering of humans so differently from other animals 😂
Marco is easily my favourite character now, (Rachel was my favourite as a child, she's still awesome buuuuuuut...) I actually love that he's significantly more pessimistic, selfish (and by selfish I that mean he has a much higher sense of self-preservation), and outwardly afraid than the others. These kids are in such a dangerous and terrifying situation, I feel that it's a good thing to have a character who acknowledges this and isn't just super brave all the time. Because it's ok to not be brave all the time.
I feel like a book like this would never fly today. It depicts some pretty graphic violence towards the characters while they're in animal form, which is quite interesting (is that the right word?). If the kids had been in human form during those scenes, even in the 90s, I'm sure this book wouldn't have made it to publishing. I feel like if this series came out recently, PETA or something would have a lot to say about how we treat the suffering of humans so differently from other animals 😂
July 18, 2022
Marco’s role has mostly been that of comic relief, he also never wanted to be an animorphs in the first place. That’s definitely changed here. Great fleshing out of his character and his motivations. It’s also quite a strong plot. With some really brilliant and even some dark stand out scenes to boot. If not with the morphs, the ending’s sure to get you.
June 30, 2018
H O L Y F U C K
These books have ALWAYS impressed me, but this one. Oh my FUCKING dog..........So good. Marco is a gem and 100% my favorite character at this point.
These books have ALWAYS impressed me, but this one. Oh my FUCKING dog..........So good. Marco is a gem and 100% my favorite character at this point.
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March 3, 2023marco is gay. marco is jesus. marco is gay jesus. (very funny how in different ways marco, jake, and tobias are all kind of messianic figures. for marco’s mom so loved the world that she gave her only begotten son or whatever.)
January 31, 2013
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In Book #5, newly rescued Andalite cadet Ax decides he’d like to go home, so the group decide to hijack a Yeerk Bug fighter.
Marco’s first time narrating an Animorphs book is another one you really don’t want to miss. There are two stand-out sequences: one is when the Animorphs morph ants to infiltrate Chapman’s house and steal a piece of equipment so stranded Andalite Ax can make a Yeerk distress beacon and steal a Bug ship to go home to the Andalite home world. Sounds convaluted, but focus on the ant part. Previously, Marco had morphed a lobster to escape detection and almost been boiled alive. The ant is ten times worse � no, a hundred times worse. The ants have no individual consciousness, and the complete and utter take over of their minds leaves the Animorphs shattered. not only that, but on the return journey they are attacked by an army of ants whose colony they don’t belong to. It’s a pretty horrific sequences, and even though it only lasts a few pages, it makes a memorable impact. This is Applegate’s strength in these books: what it’s like to be a human mind in an animal as animal things happen. Because, let’s face it, ant wars happen every day.
The other sequence that stands out is when Marco finds out his missing-presumed-deceased mother is in fact the host body for Visser One, the most powerful Yeerk outside of the Council of Thirteen. Because this is Marco’s first book, we get a strong look at how he and his dad have dealt with Eva’s death. Marco’s dad hasn’t coped, which is why Marco is so reluctant to be an Animorph. But this is the moment that changed his mind. Like with Rachel in Book #2, the fight has now become personal. The Yeerks took Marco’s mother away and in the process tore a family apart, leaving his dad with severe depression and forcing Marco to grow up very quickly.
While it’s sad that it takes making the war personal for Marco to fight, I do understand where Applegate is coming from. Not everyone can be as heroic as Jake, or as brave as Rachel. All of the Animorphs have their own issues to deal with, and with this book we’ve finally found them all.
Although Marco is considered the ‘funny one� of the group, there is always a lot of humour when Ax morphs a human, and this is our first glimpse at how he reacts to the new sense of taste. It’s hilariously funny, if a little scary at times, and well worth the read. For continuity purposes, you’d be better off not skipping this one.
February 2, 2022
I came into the first Marco book fully prepared to find his PoV annoying, and he's still my least favorite character, but: 1) The plot progression is broadcasted and exceptionally angsty, but also a strong emotional counterpoint to Marco's sarcastic personality. 2) This is top-tier body horror. I'm finding that I remember these books surprisingly well, and when ants came up I legitimately closed the book for the evening; and I was right, it's as nightmarish as I remember. It's that balance of elements, normal kids with angsty arcs exploring the wondrous and awful world of existential/body horror, which is making the series successful--so this turns out to be a solid installment.
March 15, 2024
Marco's POV.
January 7, 2023
i read the first 30% of this before work and then showed up at work on a day i *really* didn't wanna be there because capitalism SUCKS, but the sheer chaos of "taking our alien pal to the radio shack in the mall to buy stuff to build a subspace transponder and almost getting caught by the bad guys because said alien pal can't stop stealing food off ppl's plates in the food court and screaming about how good it tastes" put me in such a good mood that my assistant manager did a triple take
anyway, i won't spoil how they got out of that particular predicament, but i WILL say it lived up to the hype of the first half of that adventure. GOD i love these books
anyway, i won't spoil how they got out of that particular predicament, but i WILL say it lived up to the hype of the first half of that adventure. GOD i love these books
October 18, 2022
So I may or may not be prepared to die for Marco Animorphs. What about it?
February 8, 2024
Please Katherine chill on these children, between the identity crisis, dismemberment, and paranoia I feel like they have enough trauma
April 28, 2021
Marco is my favorite POV character hands down. So relatable.
August 8, 2023
AAAAAAAAAAAA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 22, 2024I did not expect this to read as a horror, but it did 😂
December 24, 2022
The worst body horror of the series so far. And the most ominous dread. The best bit: After being poisoned, having legs severed and nearly being bit in half by an ant colony, Marco says "I don't want my dad to have to visit two empty graves."
May 6, 2021
My least favorite one so far but it was all because of Ax. Seems unlikely. Other than that whole trip I did have a lot of fun reading this one.
I actually enjoyed (maybe that's the wrong word... his story is so sad...) Marco's story and POV. Going to take a little bit of an Animorphs break so I don't burn myself out, but I've already got the library wait list for book #6
I actually enjoyed (maybe that's the wrong word... his story is so sad...) Marco's story and POV. Going to take a little bit of an Animorphs break so I don't burn myself out, but I've already got the library wait list for book #6
March 30, 2017
(Originally reviewed at )
Narrator:Marco
Plot: This book is a perfect example of something that I knew I was going to eventually stoop to discussing, and that is the awful individual names of each of these books. If anyone else noticed, by this point it might have become clear that there is ABSOLUTELY NO CONNECTION between the supposed name of the book and anything obvious in the plot. I read somewhere that the publishers, not Applegate, chose the names for these books, but I feel like they should have known there was going to be a problem when, in what turns into a 50+ book series, they were already having a hard time matching this “The____� format with the actual plot of the books themselves by only book #5. Who is the “predator� in this?? Anyways, this is going to be an ongoing issue, but I’ll try to restrain myself to commenting on it for only the most egregious examples. On to the plot!
Ax is feeling the effects of being stranded on a strange planet far from home and wants to establish contact. So the action starts off in a very “E.T. phone home� sort of way. Turns out, shockingly, that Earth tech isn’t quite up to the loft standards of the Andalites, so the first third is essentially a caper around the mall looking for adequate substitutes at Radioshack (oh, the 90s). This adventure doesn’t go as well as one would hope due to Ax’s inability to reign in his joy at the discovery of taste buds (Andalites have no mouths, as we must remember). The end results is an inordinate amount of time spent hiding as lobsters before being taken to some poor woman’s kitchen where the nightmare of her life takes place: three lobsters turning into two human boys and a bizarre alien. So she’s definitely scarred for life.
The second third consists of their next brilliant plan: sneaking back into Chapman’s house, this time as ants. What could possibly go wrong! Lots, as it turns out. Ants are by far the worst morph they have ever chosen so far, as I will go into more later. They do manage to get the super specific, high tech communication chip that Chapman uses to communicate with Visser Three on the Yeerk home ship, however. So on a purely practical (but not ongoing mental health) sense, they are successful.
The third part is where it all really goes wrong. The plan is to call down one of the Yeerk Bug Fighter ships and use their technology to reach across space to the Andalite home world. Turns out the Yeerks aren’t complete chumps and see through this ploy from a mile away. They show up in force and things aren’t looking good for our gang. The group, all disguised in battle morphs, are corralled onto a ship and transported into space. They’re all pretty resigned to their fate, at this point, as not only would they now need to overcome a massive force of Yeerks, but they’d also need to find a ship, learn to fly it, and survive a return journey.
But, as always, they hit a stroke of luck. Visser One, the most powerful Yeerk on the Yeerk high council is visiting to see how things are going on “Project: Take Over Earth.� Visser One is Visser Three’s superior, and they don’t get along. This internal, political feud pays off for the Animorphs in a big way as it turns out that Visser One is more interested in embarrassing Visser Three and highlighting his incompetence by having him lose a bunch of Andalite warriors off his own main ship than in actually capturing said Andalite warriors. Thus the Animorphs are provided with a clear path out and a pre-programmed ship to return them home. But…the most major revelation of it all, Visser One isn’t just any old Yeerk Controller. She is Marco’s mother, not dead at all. This obviously changes Marco’s entire outlook on the fight going forward.
The Comic Relief: Marco has been the most reluctant Animorph from the very beginning, but he also has the best reason for this. Of them all (except for Tobias), Marco’s life already kind of sucked before this whole alien war started. His mother died suddenly in a boating accident a few years ago, and his dad has spiraled completely, losing his job and their home and essentially withdrawing from life and Marco. At this point in the story, Marco is coming up on the two year anniversary of his mom’s death, and looking at the state of his dad, he decides that this is his last mission. His dad can’t survive another loss if Marco doesn’t make it, and after the close call as a dolphin in the last book� In respect for the sacrifice that Ax’s brother, Elfangor, made on their behalf, he’ll help with Ax’s project to reach home, but after that he’s out.
Marco is the most reserved of the narrator’s we’ve seen so far. Not only have we seen Marco putting on a brave/snarky front in the other books to the other characters, but as a narrator himself, he feels more withdrawn and less open with the readers, still playing it close to home with his true feelings. As his book continues, these barriers come slowly down, most dramatically when he discovers the truth about his Mom. But I found this to be an interesting and very true take on the Marco, that something that is so central and has been so well established to Marco’s character (his unwillingness to easily lower emotional walls) would still be present, even in his first person narrative.
As a narrator, Marco is, of course, a good time. He’s witty, while also probably being the most insightful into the true character of each of his friends. And really, it’s a lucky thing he has all of this going for him considering the more weighty aspects of his tale. Other than Tobias, who has definitely locked in on the award for “Most Tragic Animorph,� Marco’s life has been rough for a while and though he discovers his mom’s still alive, the fact that she is controlled by the most powerful (and thus most well protected) Yeerk in the galaxy is a small joy. Though, this does give Marco his reason to finally truly commit to the war against the Yeerks.
Our Fearless Leader: Jake and Marco’s friendship is great. We have some lighter moments that shed some insight onto how these two became friends, with Marco’s wit to balance Jake’s more serious take on life. But Jake also is the one person who truly understands Marco’s reluctance to join this battle. When Marco says he’s out, Jake doesn’t pressure him or judge him for this decision. Jake is also the only Animorph who had met Marco’s mother before, and thus the only one to realize who Visser One truly is. At the end of the story, Marco makes it clear that this is a secret he is not willing to share right now, and Jake respects this decision as well.
Xena, Warriar Princess: We get another example of why as badass as Rachel’s elephant morph is, it’s really not the best battle morph she could have picked. Size issues are always posing a problem for her, and we’ve had one too many overly graphic scenes of her trying to frantically demorph while fleeing from the Yeerks, this time in cramped alien spaceship hallways. I know that she gets an even more awesome morph soon, and I can’t wait until then! Rachel also still clearly remembers her experiences in the Chapman house from book two and is very adamant that however the Animorphs choose to infiltrate the basement this time, there can be no chance that they will be caught and risk Melissa’s life again. It’s a nice little callback to Rachel’s story and to the fact that loyalty is such a strong motivator for her character.
A Hawk’s Life: Tobias actually ends up in the action for the last bit of this story which is a nice change. In the last book he was largely absent due to the obvious fact that hawks don’t do water. But here he gets to join in all the kidnapping fun and even take a few swipes at Yeerks during their escape on the home ship.
Peace, Love, and Animals: I feel like Cassie came up with the ant plan. And right there, Cassie has failed in her one and only duty! Knowing the animal facts! Come on, Cassie, you had to know this was a terrible idea!!
E.T./Ax Phone Home: Ax is comedy gold, guys. I have very clear memories of reading and cracking up at this mall scene (and I’m sure others) where Ax goes nuts for Cinnabons. And it was just as hilarious now. There’s some bit where I’m pretty sure that it is established that Ax is so far gone in his love of taste that not only is he licking other people’s used plates, but even eating cigarette butts. It’s all very humorous. On a more serious note, Ax provides a lens that highlights just how far the Animorphs have already come. They’re kids, yes, but at this point they’ve seen many battles, and when compared to Ax, they’re pros. He’s much quicker to give in to Yeerk goading and has a bad tendency to want to rush to his death for the sake of “honor.� At this point, the Animorphs know that a good retreat is never in conflict with honor when the other option is a pointless death. Ax also serves as good mouthpiece for the group with the Yeerks, as he is the only true Andalite among them and adds credence to their disguise as an entire group of Andalite warriors.
Best (?) Body Horror Moment: The whole ant scene. All of it. You’ve got the initial existential horror when Marco and Co. completely lose themselves in the ant mind. He describes it as literally forgetting that Marco exists at all. He just wasn’t there. So that’s horrifying. And then, even worse, they get into a fight with another ant colony and start getting eaten/torn apart alive, and they only escape by demorphing out of the ground. Marco mentions finding a severed ant head still attached to his waist when he showers later. Which�.just�.no.
Couples Watch!: Marco comments that Jake and Cassie are sort of together…or something…He notices them giving each other sappy looks, and such. As the one Animorph (not including Ax, which…obviously) not involved in a romantic pair, it was fun reading his narrative eye-rolls at the whole thing.
If Only Visser Three had Mustache to Twirl: I really liked the introduction of all the Yeerk politics. It adds depths to them both as villains and as a unique civilization that has its own problems outside of taking over the universe. Also, the fact that Visser One openly mocks Visser Three to his face on his massive ignorance of the planet he is charged with conquering is everything.
Adult Ugly Crying at a Middle Grade Book: The scenes of Marco’s dad, just sitting in a dark living room staring at the TV. And then the whole revelation at the end about his Mom. And not just the obvious, that she’s a Controller. But now Marco has to question all of his memories. When did she become a Controller? A month before she disappeared? A year? When was the last time his true mother was even part of his life?? All the cries.
What a Terrible Plan, Guys!: I mean, kind of the whole thing, right? But I have to say, the idea to hide as lobsters in a lobster tank from the Controllers chasing them (they spotted Ax trying to demorph in a state of panic in the mall, another example of Ax being new to this fight and cracking under pressure) seems particularly flawed. I’m not sure what the better option was, but when you find yourself having to demorph in someone’s boiling pot of water in their kitchen, you know something went very wrong somewhere along the line.
Favorite Quote:
This one cuz I love Rachel and this seems true:
“I swear that, if she could, Rachel would be wearing a suit of armor and swinging a sword. And it would be a fashionable suit of armor, and she would look great in it.� ~ Marco
This one cuz it highlights Ax’s newbie issues:
“The higher the danger, the higher the honor.� ~ Ax
And this one because it quintessential Marco:
“We’re mostly against the idea of getting killed.� ~ Marco.
Scorecard: Yeerks 1, Animorphs 2
The scorecard goes unchanged in this one. Yeerk political infighting was all that saved this from being a “Game Over� for our favorite morphing teens. But the Yeerks didn’t exactly show off their best face either. Though it does prove that sticking it to Visser Three really IS the best thing ever. Even better than potentially kidnapping the supposed Andalite warriors who are the only thing keeping the Yeerks from fully conquering Earth. So…there’s that.
Rating: Marco is great fun, though his sads are for real, folks.
Narrator:Marco
Plot: This book is a perfect example of something that I knew I was going to eventually stoop to discussing, and that is the awful individual names of each of these books. If anyone else noticed, by this point it might have become clear that there is ABSOLUTELY NO CONNECTION between the supposed name of the book and anything obvious in the plot. I read somewhere that the publishers, not Applegate, chose the names for these books, but I feel like they should have known there was going to be a problem when, in what turns into a 50+ book series, they were already having a hard time matching this “The____� format with the actual plot of the books themselves by only book #5. Who is the “predator� in this?? Anyways, this is going to be an ongoing issue, but I’ll try to restrain myself to commenting on it for only the most egregious examples. On to the plot!
Ax is feeling the effects of being stranded on a strange planet far from home and wants to establish contact. So the action starts off in a very “E.T. phone home� sort of way. Turns out, shockingly, that Earth tech isn’t quite up to the loft standards of the Andalites, so the first third is essentially a caper around the mall looking for adequate substitutes at Radioshack (oh, the 90s). This adventure doesn’t go as well as one would hope due to Ax’s inability to reign in his joy at the discovery of taste buds (Andalites have no mouths, as we must remember). The end results is an inordinate amount of time spent hiding as lobsters before being taken to some poor woman’s kitchen where the nightmare of her life takes place: three lobsters turning into two human boys and a bizarre alien. So she’s definitely scarred for life.
The second third consists of their next brilliant plan: sneaking back into Chapman’s house, this time as ants. What could possibly go wrong! Lots, as it turns out. Ants are by far the worst morph they have ever chosen so far, as I will go into more later. They do manage to get the super specific, high tech communication chip that Chapman uses to communicate with Visser Three on the Yeerk home ship, however. So on a purely practical (but not ongoing mental health) sense, they are successful.
The third part is where it all really goes wrong. The plan is to call down one of the Yeerk Bug Fighter ships and use their technology to reach across space to the Andalite home world. Turns out the Yeerks aren’t complete chumps and see through this ploy from a mile away. They show up in force and things aren’t looking good for our gang. The group, all disguised in battle morphs, are corralled onto a ship and transported into space. They’re all pretty resigned to their fate, at this point, as not only would they now need to overcome a massive force of Yeerks, but they’d also need to find a ship, learn to fly it, and survive a return journey.
But, as always, they hit a stroke of luck. Visser One, the most powerful Yeerk on the Yeerk high council is visiting to see how things are going on “Project: Take Over Earth.� Visser One is Visser Three’s superior, and they don’t get along. This internal, political feud pays off for the Animorphs in a big way as it turns out that Visser One is more interested in embarrassing Visser Three and highlighting his incompetence by having him lose a bunch of Andalite warriors off his own main ship than in actually capturing said Andalite warriors. Thus the Animorphs are provided with a clear path out and a pre-programmed ship to return them home. But…the most major revelation of it all, Visser One isn’t just any old Yeerk Controller. She is Marco’s mother, not dead at all. This obviously changes Marco’s entire outlook on the fight going forward.
The Comic Relief: Marco has been the most reluctant Animorph from the very beginning, but he also has the best reason for this. Of them all (except for Tobias), Marco’s life already kind of sucked before this whole alien war started. His mother died suddenly in a boating accident a few years ago, and his dad has spiraled completely, losing his job and their home and essentially withdrawing from life and Marco. At this point in the story, Marco is coming up on the two year anniversary of his mom’s death, and looking at the state of his dad, he decides that this is his last mission. His dad can’t survive another loss if Marco doesn’t make it, and after the close call as a dolphin in the last book� In respect for the sacrifice that Ax’s brother, Elfangor, made on their behalf, he’ll help with Ax’s project to reach home, but after that he’s out.
Marco is the most reserved of the narrator’s we’ve seen so far. Not only have we seen Marco putting on a brave/snarky front in the other books to the other characters, but as a narrator himself, he feels more withdrawn and less open with the readers, still playing it close to home with his true feelings. As his book continues, these barriers come slowly down, most dramatically when he discovers the truth about his Mom. But I found this to be an interesting and very true take on the Marco, that something that is so central and has been so well established to Marco’s character (his unwillingness to easily lower emotional walls) would still be present, even in his first person narrative.
As a narrator, Marco is, of course, a good time. He’s witty, while also probably being the most insightful into the true character of each of his friends. And really, it’s a lucky thing he has all of this going for him considering the more weighty aspects of his tale. Other than Tobias, who has definitely locked in on the award for “Most Tragic Animorph,� Marco’s life has been rough for a while and though he discovers his mom’s still alive, the fact that she is controlled by the most powerful (and thus most well protected) Yeerk in the galaxy is a small joy. Though, this does give Marco his reason to finally truly commit to the war against the Yeerks.
Our Fearless Leader: Jake and Marco’s friendship is great. We have some lighter moments that shed some insight onto how these two became friends, with Marco’s wit to balance Jake’s more serious take on life. But Jake also is the one person who truly understands Marco’s reluctance to join this battle. When Marco says he’s out, Jake doesn’t pressure him or judge him for this decision. Jake is also the only Animorph who had met Marco’s mother before, and thus the only one to realize who Visser One truly is. At the end of the story, Marco makes it clear that this is a secret he is not willing to share right now, and Jake respects this decision as well.
Xena, Warriar Princess: We get another example of why as badass as Rachel’s elephant morph is, it’s really not the best battle morph she could have picked. Size issues are always posing a problem for her, and we’ve had one too many overly graphic scenes of her trying to frantically demorph while fleeing from the Yeerks, this time in cramped alien spaceship hallways. I know that she gets an even more awesome morph soon, and I can’t wait until then! Rachel also still clearly remembers her experiences in the Chapman house from book two and is very adamant that however the Animorphs choose to infiltrate the basement this time, there can be no chance that they will be caught and risk Melissa’s life again. It’s a nice little callback to Rachel’s story and to the fact that loyalty is such a strong motivator for her character.
A Hawk’s Life: Tobias actually ends up in the action for the last bit of this story which is a nice change. In the last book he was largely absent due to the obvious fact that hawks don’t do water. But here he gets to join in all the kidnapping fun and even take a few swipes at Yeerks during their escape on the home ship.
Peace, Love, and Animals: I feel like Cassie came up with the ant plan. And right there, Cassie has failed in her one and only duty! Knowing the animal facts! Come on, Cassie, you had to know this was a terrible idea!!
E.T./Ax Phone Home: Ax is comedy gold, guys. I have very clear memories of reading and cracking up at this mall scene (and I’m sure others) where Ax goes nuts for Cinnabons. And it was just as hilarious now. There’s some bit where I’m pretty sure that it is established that Ax is so far gone in his love of taste that not only is he licking other people’s used plates, but even eating cigarette butts. It’s all very humorous. On a more serious note, Ax provides a lens that highlights just how far the Animorphs have already come. They’re kids, yes, but at this point they’ve seen many battles, and when compared to Ax, they’re pros. He’s much quicker to give in to Yeerk goading and has a bad tendency to want to rush to his death for the sake of “honor.� At this point, the Animorphs know that a good retreat is never in conflict with honor when the other option is a pointless death. Ax also serves as good mouthpiece for the group with the Yeerks, as he is the only true Andalite among them and adds credence to their disguise as an entire group of Andalite warriors.
Best (?) Body Horror Moment: The whole ant scene. All of it. You’ve got the initial existential horror when Marco and Co. completely lose themselves in the ant mind. He describes it as literally forgetting that Marco exists at all. He just wasn’t there. So that’s horrifying. And then, even worse, they get into a fight with another ant colony and start getting eaten/torn apart alive, and they only escape by demorphing out of the ground. Marco mentions finding a severed ant head still attached to his waist when he showers later. Which�.just�.no.
Couples Watch!: Marco comments that Jake and Cassie are sort of together…or something…He notices them giving each other sappy looks, and such. As the one Animorph (not including Ax, which…obviously) not involved in a romantic pair, it was fun reading his narrative eye-rolls at the whole thing.
If Only Visser Three had Mustache to Twirl: I really liked the introduction of all the Yeerk politics. It adds depths to them both as villains and as a unique civilization that has its own problems outside of taking over the universe. Also, the fact that Visser One openly mocks Visser Three to his face on his massive ignorance of the planet he is charged with conquering is everything.
Adult Ugly Crying at a Middle Grade Book: The scenes of Marco’s dad, just sitting in a dark living room staring at the TV. And then the whole revelation at the end about his Mom. And not just the obvious, that she’s a Controller. But now Marco has to question all of his memories. When did she become a Controller? A month before she disappeared? A year? When was the last time his true mother was even part of his life?? All the cries.
What a Terrible Plan, Guys!: I mean, kind of the whole thing, right? But I have to say, the idea to hide as lobsters in a lobster tank from the Controllers chasing them (they spotted Ax trying to demorph in a state of panic in the mall, another example of Ax being new to this fight and cracking under pressure) seems particularly flawed. I’m not sure what the better option was, but when you find yourself having to demorph in someone’s boiling pot of water in their kitchen, you know something went very wrong somewhere along the line.
Favorite Quote:
This one cuz I love Rachel and this seems true:
“I swear that, if she could, Rachel would be wearing a suit of armor and swinging a sword. And it would be a fashionable suit of armor, and she would look great in it.� ~ Marco
This one cuz it highlights Ax’s newbie issues:
“The higher the danger, the higher the honor.� ~ Ax
And this one because it quintessential Marco:
“We’re mostly against the idea of getting killed.� ~ Marco.
Scorecard: Yeerks 1, Animorphs 2
The scorecard goes unchanged in this one. Yeerk political infighting was all that saved this from being a “Game Over� for our favorite morphing teens. But the Yeerks didn’t exactly show off their best face either. Though it does prove that sticking it to Visser Three really IS the best thing ever. Even better than potentially kidnapping the supposed Andalite warriors who are the only thing keeping the Yeerks from fully conquering Earth. So…there’s that.
Rating: Marco is great fun, though his sads are for real, folks.
March 3, 2020
March 2, 2020 re-read:
Time for our fifth and final human Animorph to find his reason to fight! Marco has always been reluctant to be an Animorph, and now we learn why: his mother died two years ago at sea. Her death destroyed his dad, sending him into a deep depression, and Marco knows that if anything were to happen to him, his dad would never recover (not that he can really call his dad “recovered� from his mom’s death, not by any real stretch). Missions gone awry one after another in this book (not to mention from the previous books) only reinforce for Marco just how much he doesn’t want to be doing this � from nearly getting boiled alive as a lobster to the terror that is the ant colony mind (and one of the few times we get to see what an actual Animorph nightmare is like), he’s ready to be out after this next mission to try and help Ax contact the Andalite homeworld.
Well, I don’t accept [the inevitable]. That’s what they want.
This book also sees Ax be a member of the team for the first time � well, more a member apart than an integrated member. It’s interesting to see what Marco observes of him, right down to interpreting what ‘surprise� looks like on an Andalite. It’ll be interesting to see as books go on who notices Ax’s facial/emotional expressions, as the main one we’d seen until this point is just “smiling with the eyes�, and I don’t remember how much detail we usually get describing Ax’s expressions beyond that (if any?). There’s also still a fair amount of world-building going on. This time, we get to see more of the Yeerk hierarchy and even a dash of their internal subversive politics. We also get to see a bit more of why Marco is the jokester of the team � because it’s better to laugh than be sad, a lesson he learned from his mom and has taken to heart. And a lesson that is going to prove itself helpful and so very important time and again as this series progresses. I also am continuing to enjoy noticing the little indications scattered here and there which note the team’s dynamics, even the little things like wolf-Cassie leaning into tiger-Jake, or Marco realizing that Tobias has to worry about other predators in life in addition to the Yeerk battle, or when Ax pulls off a good battle move and Marco thinks, “I decided right then � I kind of liked Ax.� (page 143). The latter is also further support for what Michael Grant made canon following on the subject � that Marco is bisexual. They say the devil’s in the details, but some of the best stuff is also in the details � the details give us the nuances, the depth, and set things up to come. And I love every minute of it.
Quotable quotes:
Here’s what Rachel’ll say whenever we decide to do something so dangerous […] “I’m in! Let’s go! Let’s do it!� � page 12
Andalite surprise: main eyes widen, stalk eyes stretch to maximum height � page 20
[Ax] had found a piece of Cinnabun. � page 37 � Ah, the addiction starts early�
Lots of people think only humans fight wars. That only humans are murderous. Let me tell you something � compared to ants, human beings are full of nothing but peace, love, and understanding. � page 92
[The nightmare ant experience] had gotten to all of us. […] It was too much. This wasn’t how life was supposed to be.
One of us would snap. One of us would lose it. It could happen, even to strong people. � page 94
I looked, as the dracon beams formed […] each armed with a Dracon beam. -- page 114 � I think that first “dracon� should actually be capitalized. Maybe it is in the re-issue; I’ll have to check it out at some point.
[Cassie said to Ax, < ] Nothing is your fault. >
It was true. But sometimes, when everything hits the fan, you don’t want the truth. You just wanted someone to blame. � page 125
Ax said, < My people have a saying � grace is the acceptance of the inevitable. >
< Yeah? > I said suddenly. < Well, I don’t accept. That’s what they want. They want the entire human race to lie down and accept the inevitable. > -- page 136 (this is also the preclude to the first quote under the cut for my 2015 review)
Original Review: April 21, 2015
This time, it is Marco's turn to narrate, and to find his reason to fight, or not fight. He has every reason not to -- he's all his dad has left.
Ax is a good infusion of humor -- between Marco and Ax, there's not going to be any lack of humorous moments, even when things get really rough.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
If Klingons were real, they would be scared of Hork-Bajir. -- page 112
< The higher the danger, the higher the honor, > Ax said. < Is this not true? >
I gave Rachel a sidelong look. "I think we've found your future husband." -- page 20
"So far, so good," Jake said as we headed into the mall.
I rolled my eyes. "Jake? Do me a favor. Don't ever say 'so far, so good.' The only time anyone ever says 'so far, so good' is right before everything blows up in his face."
"So far. So far. Farrrrr. Faaaar," Ax said, trying out the sounds. "So. Sssso far so so so good."
"Oh, man," I said. -- page 29
"Sticky," Ax said. "Must I carry this?" he asked, indicating his empty coffee cup.
"No, you can just throw it away."
Bad choice of words. Ax threw the coffee cup. He threw it hard. It hit one of the cashiers in the head. -- page 36
"Jake, I don't want to be a bug. I've been a gorilla, an osprey a dolphin, a seagull, a trout, of all things, a lobster ... and I'm probably forgetting a few. Gorilla was fun. Dolphin was fun. Osprey was fun. Ant? Not fun. Basically, bugs are a bad idea."
Jake shrugged. "I was a flea. That was no big thing." He grinned like he'd made the world's funniest joke. "Seriously, it was like nothing. I couldn't see anything. I could barely hear anything, just vibrations. All I knew was I liked warm bodies and whenever I got hungry I just poked a hole in some warm skin."
"And sucked blood."
He looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, it was Rachel's blood. Kind of. I mean, okay, it was cat blood, but Rachel was morphing the cat."
"Jake? Do you ever listen to yourself?"
"I try not to think about it," he admitted. -- page 66
< These are excellent eyes! > Ax said. < Far better than your human eyes. Even better than my Andalite eyes. >
< Yes, birds of prey usually have great daytime vision, > Tobias said. < I think mine may actually be a little better than yours, though. >
< I doubt that, > Ax said. < It is hard to imagine better vision than this. >
< Remember the good old days? > I asked. < When we used to argue over who had the best jump shot? Now it's who has the best bird eyes. > -- page 104-105
If something deadly can ever be beautiful, it's a tiger.
< Bet I could kick your butt, > I said to Jake.
< Yeah, monkey boy? I don't think so. >
< Hey, I could stomp both of you, > Rachel said. She walked closer, swinging her trunk and flaring her ears out. A moving mountain.
< This is so mature, > Cassie said. < Arguing over who could beat who. >
< Hah. You're only saying that because we can all kick your butt, wolfie, > I pointed out.
< As if! > Cassie protested. < You'd have to catch me first. And I could still be running long after the three of you were worn out and fast asleep. > -- page 109
More under the spoiler:
Time for our fifth and final human Animorph to find his reason to fight! Marco has always been reluctant to be an Animorph, and now we learn why: his mother died two years ago at sea. Her death destroyed his dad, sending him into a deep depression, and Marco knows that if anything were to happen to him, his dad would never recover (not that he can really call his dad “recovered� from his mom’s death, not by any real stretch). Missions gone awry one after another in this book (not to mention from the previous books) only reinforce for Marco just how much he doesn’t want to be doing this � from nearly getting boiled alive as a lobster to the terror that is the ant colony mind (and one of the few times we get to see what an actual Animorph nightmare is like), he’s ready to be out after this next mission to try and help Ax contact the Andalite homeworld.
Well, I don’t accept [the inevitable]. That’s what they want.
This book also sees Ax be a member of the team for the first time � well, more a member apart than an integrated member. It’s interesting to see what Marco observes of him, right down to interpreting what ‘surprise� looks like on an Andalite. It’ll be interesting to see as books go on who notices Ax’s facial/emotional expressions, as the main one we’d seen until this point is just “smiling with the eyes�, and I don’t remember how much detail we usually get describing Ax’s expressions beyond that (if any?). There’s also still a fair amount of world-building going on. This time, we get to see more of the Yeerk hierarchy and even a dash of their internal subversive politics. We also get to see a bit more of why Marco is the jokester of the team � because it’s better to laugh than be sad, a lesson he learned from his mom and has taken to heart. And a lesson that is going to prove itself helpful and so very important time and again as this series progresses. I also am continuing to enjoy noticing the little indications scattered here and there which note the team’s dynamics, even the little things like wolf-Cassie leaning into tiger-Jake, or Marco realizing that Tobias has to worry about other predators in life in addition to the Yeerk battle, or when Ax pulls off a good battle move and Marco thinks, “I decided right then � I kind of liked Ax.� (page 143). The latter is also further support for what Michael Grant made canon following on the subject � that Marco is bisexual. They say the devil’s in the details, but some of the best stuff is also in the details � the details give us the nuances, the depth, and set things up to come. And I love every minute of it.
Quotable quotes:
Here’s what Rachel’ll say whenever we decide to do something so dangerous […] “I’m in! Let’s go! Let’s do it!� � page 12
Andalite surprise: main eyes widen, stalk eyes stretch to maximum height � page 20
[Ax] had found a piece of Cinnabun. � page 37 � Ah, the addiction starts early�
Lots of people think only humans fight wars. That only humans are murderous. Let me tell you something � compared to ants, human beings are full of nothing but peace, love, and understanding. � page 92
[The nightmare ant experience] had gotten to all of us. […] It was too much. This wasn’t how life was supposed to be.
One of us would snap. One of us would lose it. It could happen, even to strong people. � page 94
I looked, as the dracon beams formed […] each armed with a Dracon beam. -- page 114 � I think that first “dracon� should actually be capitalized. Maybe it is in the re-issue; I’ll have to check it out at some point.
[Cassie said to Ax, < ] Nothing is your fault. >
It was true. But sometimes, when everything hits the fan, you don’t want the truth. You just wanted someone to blame. � page 125
Ax said, < My people have a saying � grace is the acceptance of the inevitable. >
< Yeah? > I said suddenly. < Well, I don’t accept. That’s what they want. They want the entire human race to lie down and accept the inevitable. > -- page 136 (this is also the preclude to the first quote under the cut for my 2015 review)
Original Review: April 21, 2015
This time, it is Marco's turn to narrate, and to find his reason to fight, or not fight. He has every reason not to -- he's all his dad has left.
Ax is a good infusion of humor -- between Marco and Ax, there's not going to be any lack of humorous moments, even when things get really rough.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
If Klingons were real, they would be scared of Hork-Bajir. -- page 112
< The higher the danger, the higher the honor, > Ax said. < Is this not true? >
I gave Rachel a sidelong look. "I think we've found your future husband." -- page 20
"So far, so good," Jake said as we headed into the mall.
I rolled my eyes. "Jake? Do me a favor. Don't ever say 'so far, so good.' The only time anyone ever says 'so far, so good' is right before everything blows up in his face."
"So far. So far. Farrrrr. Faaaar," Ax said, trying out the sounds. "So. Sssso far so so so good."
"Oh, man," I said. -- page 29
"Sticky," Ax said. "Must I carry this?" he asked, indicating his empty coffee cup.
"No, you can just throw it away."
Bad choice of words. Ax threw the coffee cup. He threw it hard. It hit one of the cashiers in the head. -- page 36
"Jake, I don't want to be a bug. I've been a gorilla, an osprey a dolphin, a seagull, a trout, of all things, a lobster ... and I'm probably forgetting a few. Gorilla was fun. Dolphin was fun. Osprey was fun. Ant? Not fun. Basically, bugs are a bad idea."
Jake shrugged. "I was a flea. That was no big thing." He grinned like he'd made the world's funniest joke. "Seriously, it was like nothing. I couldn't see anything. I could barely hear anything, just vibrations. All I knew was I liked warm bodies and whenever I got hungry I just poked a hole in some warm skin."
"And sucked blood."
He looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, it was Rachel's blood. Kind of. I mean, okay, it was cat blood, but Rachel was morphing the cat."
"Jake? Do you ever listen to yourself?"
"I try not to think about it," he admitted. -- page 66
< These are excellent eyes! > Ax said. < Far better than your human eyes. Even better than my Andalite eyes. >
< Yes, birds of prey usually have great daytime vision, > Tobias said. < I think mine may actually be a little better than yours, though. >
< I doubt that, > Ax said. < It is hard to imagine better vision than this. >
< Remember the good old days? > I asked. < When we used to argue over who had the best jump shot? Now it's who has the best bird eyes. > -- page 104-105
If something deadly can ever be beautiful, it's a tiger.
< Bet I could kick your butt, > I said to Jake.
< Yeah, monkey boy? I don't think so. >
< Hey, I could stomp both of you, > Rachel said. She walked closer, swinging her trunk and flaring her ears out. A moving mountain.
< This is so mature, > Cassie said. < Arguing over who could beat who. >
< Hah. You're only saying that because we can all kick your butt, wolfie, > I pointed out.
< As if! > Cassie protested. < You'd have to catch me first. And I could still be running long after the three of you were worn out and fast asleep. > -- page 109
More under the spoiler:
May 3, 2019
Five animal-morphing stars for this one!
This is the fifth book in KA Applegate's series Animorphs and this time we continue the adventure in Marco's POV. I have to say, Marco is probably my least favorite character so far due to his constant skepticism, but I have to say, his personality is consistent and understandable given his family situation.
This time around, Ax comes up with a plan to steal a Bug Fighter ship from the Yeerks in hopes of escaping Earth to warn the Andalite world about how severe the situation on Earth is. The Animorphs' quickly set on this impossible mission, with new terrifying near-death experiences to boot.
Will the Animorphs' achieve their goal, or are they in over their heads?
The action was spot on this time around. The plot took turns that were very unpredictable, and I just love that about this series. Every time I think I know what's going to happen, BAM! Sudden right turn!
Although Marco is still my least-favorite character, this book helped me understand why he is the way he is in such a short time. Pretty hard to pull that off. Nothing but mad respect for the author and this crazy roller coaster ride that I'm on. Definitely worth a read!
This is the fifth book in KA Applegate's series Animorphs and this time we continue the adventure in Marco's POV. I have to say, Marco is probably my least favorite character so far due to his constant skepticism, but I have to say, his personality is consistent and understandable given his family situation.
This time around, Ax comes up with a plan to steal a Bug Fighter ship from the Yeerks in hopes of escaping Earth to warn the Andalite world about how severe the situation on Earth is. The Animorphs' quickly set on this impossible mission, with new terrifying near-death experiences to boot.
Will the Animorphs' achieve their goal, or are they in over their heads?
The action was spot on this time around. The plot took turns that were very unpredictable, and I just love that about this series. Every time I think I know what's going to happen, BAM! Sudden right turn!
Although Marco is still my least-favorite character, this book helped me understand why he is the way he is in such a short time. Pretty hard to pull that off. Nothing but mad respect for the author and this crazy roller coaster ride that I'm on. Definitely worth a read!
November 19, 2024
This book is probably the weakest in the series so far. It has a strong ending, with a pretty big twist, but getting there is a slog. The first five chapters are not worth reading. The opening scene is laughable, and not in a good way. The entire first half of the book feels almost like filler.
All in all, I enjoyed this book the least out of the five I've reread so far. Plus, the narrator for this audiobook does not know how to voice children, which further aided to my dislike of this volume, but I'm not holding that against the book itself.
All in all, I enjoyed this book the least out of the five I've reread so far. Plus, the narrator for this audiobook does not know how to voice children, which further aided to my dislike of this volume, but I'm not holding that against the book itself.
March 19, 2022
We finally get to Marco’s perspective- the most reluctant member of the Animorphs team. With this particular perspective, we think more frequently about mortality and the stakes each of the Animorphs face each time they go into a mission.
Marco is an interesting character with a very tragic background that comes to the forefront in this book in more way than one. We get more insight into how his relationship with his father functions and we get new information regarding his deceased mother.
I cant describe much else without spoiler but I’m fascinated by what caused a major shift in Marco’s commitment to the cause.
CW: war, slavery, violence, brief threat of gang violence, references to dead loved one, grief, depression
Marco is an interesting character with a very tragic background that comes to the forefront in this book in more way than one. We get more insight into how his relationship with his father functions and we get new information regarding his deceased mother.
I cant describe much else without spoiler but I’m fascinated by what caused a major shift in Marco’s commitment to the cause.
CW: war, slavery, violence, brief threat of gang violence, references to dead loved one, grief, depression
March 28, 2022
The first book narrated by Marco, who was one of my faves when I was a kid (second to Ax, obviously). We see how well the group works together and supports each other, and the addition of Ax is awesome.
Marco has decided he's done with being an Animorph, but will go on One Last Mission to help get Ax a ship so he can return to his homework. However, Ax is essentially a child and got his equipment at Radio Shack... so the plan doesn't work out. We are also treated to a HUGE REVELATION that totally shocked me as a kid (but re-reading this as an adult you can tell it was planned for all along), and keeps Marco in the game.
I love how each kid in this series has a clear voice and place in the group. The addition of Visser One creates so many new wrinkles for multiple characters, it promises to make the series even more interesting.
Marco has decided he's done with being an Animorph, but will go on One Last Mission to help get Ax a ship so he can return to his homework. However, Ax is essentially a child and got his equipment at Radio Shack... so the plan doesn't work out. We are also treated to a HUGE REVELATION that totally shocked me as a kid (but re-reading this as an adult you can tell it was planned for all along), and keeps Marco in the game.
I love how each kid in this series has a clear voice and place in the group. The addition of Visser One creates so many new wrinkles for multiple characters, it promises to make the series even more interesting.
May 31, 2023
My Review is below, be warned there will be spoilers!!
The author doesn't hesitate to bring up themes and issues in this YA novel series that these young teenagers have to juggle life-threatening situations as well as keep it all secret from their families and the general public and all the while keeping a grasp on their sense of self and humanity and the cracks are already starting to show.
Still getting strong "Tomorrow When the War Began and Stargate SG1 vibes while reading this!!" lol
Be prepared for a few shockers along the way!! Like holy shit!!
Happy Reading!!
The author doesn't hesitate to bring up themes and issues in this YA novel series that these young teenagers have to juggle life-threatening situations as well as keep it all secret from their families and the general public and all the while keeping a grasp on their sense of self and humanity and the cracks are already starting to show.
Still getting strong "Tomorrow When the War Began and Stargate SG1 vibes while reading this!!" lol
Be prepared for a few shockers along the way!! Like holy shit!!
Happy Reading!!
January 1, 2022
Terrifying, heartfelt, and exciting as always.
July 8, 2016
Two amazing things happen in this one:
First, there's a lot of Ax. I love Ax. Give me all the non-humans having to pretend to be human. Give it to me all day. Thank you.
Second, Jake has to explain what a Starbucks is. He has to clarify for Marco (and the reader) that it is a coffee place. Wow! The '90s were such an innocent time, man.
Less innocent: already, these kids. Only five books in and I'm pretty sure every single one of them already has PTSD.
First, there's a lot of Ax. I love Ax. Give me all the non-humans having to pretend to be human. Give it to me all day. Thank you.
Second, Jake has to explain what a Starbucks is. He has to clarify for Marco (and the reader) that it is a coffee place. Wow! The '90s were such an innocent time, man.
Less innocent: already, these kids. Only five books in and I'm pretty sure every single one of them already has PTSD.
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