Richard's Animorphs Forum

Animorphs Section => Animorphs Forum Classic => Group Re-Reads => Topic started by: RYTX on December 29, 2012, 11:57:06 PM

Title: Group Re-Read 2.0 #49 The Diversion
Post by: RYTX on December 29, 2012, 11:57:06 PM
Synopsis
This war can't go on forever. Will it be us? Or them...?
At long last, the Yeerks have uncovered the Animorphs greatest secret. The enemy knows exactly who they are, and exactly where they live. And the Yeerks search has exposed something else. Tobias's mom, once the wife of Elfangor, is still alive, still in town. There's no other options; the Animorphs have to go on the run-but no one is going to leave their family behind. And that includes Tobias.....

Questions
   1. Why do you think, after all this time, the Yeerks have finally begun to seriously consider morph-capable humans as their primary antagonist on Earth? What was your reaction to this critical turn of events?

   2. What did you think of the reactions of the Animorphs' family members to the truth? How do you picture that scenario playing out with your family? For that matter, how would you react if someone in your family revealed something like this to you?

   3. Jake who from the very beginning has been fighting to save his brother, loses his whole family to the Yeerks in this book. Thoughts?

   4. Loren returns for the first time since TAC. What did you think of the details of her absence, and the relationship between her and Tobias in this book?

   5. Jake was the original common link for the human members of the Animorphs, especially Tobias. What do you think of their relationship up to and beyond this book?  How has it changed since the beginning? Under what circumstances do they work well together?  How do Tobias and Jake view one another as friends, and members of the Animorphs?

   6. Any reason Jake and Cassie weren't involved in getting Loren out?

   7. Man's best friend, utilized in various breeds by the Animorphs many times: dogs. What did you think of this animal in this book and throughout the series? Do you think the descriptions of it's attitudes and abilities were accurate, undersold or exaggerated? What do you envision the experience of being a dog to be like?

   8. This is the last full book narrated by Tobias. How has this character changed since the beginning of the series? What is his role within the Animorphs now, and has it changed at all through the books? At this point, what do you like, or dislike about what has been done with and by Tobias?

   9. Approximately when is the last time you read this book? What changes do you expect or would like to see in a re-release?

   10. Anything else?

Answer, ignore and submit your own questions and comments as you please; but remember to vote!

Next week: #50 The Ultimate
Title: Re: Group Re-Read 2.0 #49 The Diversion
Post by: Ember Nickel on January 07, 2013, 03:07:05 PM
"Yeah." Rachel shook her head. "But we can't take that chance. If the Yeerks find me, they find us all. They'll slide a Yeerk into my head and then we're dead or worse, infested, and so are our families." She looked up at me. "And everyone we care about."
<And the free Hork-Bajir,> said Ax. <They have been forced to relocate once, in spite of our assistance. Without our help they easily could be captured, their colony destroyed.>

<- since when has Ax been the one into caring about the Hork-Bajir?


The scene with Jake and the basketball was really sad. :( He's trying to circle back to what motivated him at the beginning of the series but he's really not the same person.
Title: Re: Group Re-Read 2.0 #49 The Diversion
Post by: RYTX on February 05, 2013, 02:54:08 PM
since...ghost writing? idk, he never was a callous as he could be about them. Maybe he's learned a little tolerance

   1. So many options: The camera kid, Taylor, an Australian/tourist, Marco, the campers, even David or the thugs could have said something. When you sit down and read these books sequentially and envision it as the stories unfolds, well I still bounce up and down a  bit. It so shocking, so much desperation behind it. It's a powerful moment, and from now on it's all uphill in fight, and story quality.

   2. These are classic scenes right here. Naomi attacking a grizzly with a spice rack is one of my fondest memories. The effort to persuade Cassie's parents, the loss of Jake's family, all that stuff was masterfully executed and writing and is an very compelling part of the story. I can see in my life that scene being much messier than these families went through. Some nameless people refusing to give up their creature comforts, others scared and distressed. I'd be heavily skeptical, and of course a bit scared and just a touch jealous if someone I knew dropped this on me, but if I could be convinced it's legit, run like hell.

   3. Sad. I've said all I can about this before, but still, beautiful told, emotionally touching, regret and revenge brilliantly birthed in this moment.

   4. One of the few times I have no qualms with Ellimist did it. (But IMO, he did it awfully more painfully than necessary.) Tobias choking on the word was, I thought odd. I guess I understand, but I would figured he'd have toughed up about family by mid teens, years as a hawk and fighter. My big peeve though is Loren taking the not so proverbial bullet for him. She's a nice lady, but they are in affect strangers still. Seemed a bit much.

   5. 5 short books from now it will all go to hell, but currently I really get Jake and Tobias. Friends, colleague  they aren't going to spill their hearts to one another, but they know how to work together, and stay relaxed near each other when nothings going on. Don't need to force a conversation. One of the most interesting aspects of Tobias is how he went from shadowing Jake, to being willing to call him out if he appeared to err. One of the biggest signs of growth he ever shows.

   6. Because Jake just suffered a huge emotional loss, I understand him sitting out this very intimate situation. Cassie: wtf Cassie, she just being lazy. The underlying assumption is comforting Jake, but hell she should have gone along.

   7. It takes almost no time to recognize how variable dogs can be. They can be freak happy, oblivious, lazy, and mean, and some of them can be all of those things. In a universe where dogs are nuts happy and infused with Pemalite souls, I that gets under played, but all in all I like dogs in Animorphs. Some how I picture this as most akin to human in attitude. Functioning in groups and alone, a little bit of fear and hostility, things to do, but not an inherent plan of action. Would love to try the nose, and apparently night vision isn't bad. This would be an awesome day to day morph, and on of the more enjoyable morphing experiences.

   8. This is the first time I've cared for Tobias in one of his books since 13. He began as personal outsider, functional look out, and while he's one better personal terms with everyone, I'm hard pressed to say what his function is now. Less and less was he serving as scout in any beneficial capacity, I kinda want to call him guide or terrain expert, but it's just doesn't seem....vital.  I like Tobias early, when he seemed to have coped with being a bird, freeing the H-B, but then, every time he gets on family, every time he gets on a personal level with Rachel, he has a crisis. And then his whole thing at the end. But of late, Tobias is again more likeable. Focused, a decent sense of humor, has his feelings but isn't living and dying by them.

   9.

   10. Really Loren: blind, dead? blind, dead? come on. Not a situation you hesitate in.
Title: Re: Group Re-Read 2.0 #49 The Diversion
Post by: Tim Bruening on August 16, 2015, 11:13:40 PM
Why hadn't the Animorphs long since developed a contingency plan for evacuating their families?