1. In this book we see the Animorphs attempt to publicize the Yeerk threat. What do you think about the timing of this? Should something like this been done a long time ago, or does it not matter? Who believes in that sort of stuff anyway, right?
2. This book largely consisted of Marco/Tobias/Ax interactions. In fact we see next to nothing involving Jake and the girls. What do you think is going on between the three unseen characters who undeniably are in the midst of much more personal tension?
3. This is our first book seeing Yeerks who can morph. What kind of an impact does this moment have on the series? What about on you as a reader?
4. This is our final Marco narrated book before the end. How has his character evolved and changed since the beginning of the series? Do you think that he has benefitted from the war?
5. The governor in this book is a fictitious female governor who certainly never existed in California in the late 1990's. Just for fun, how do you think the end of the series would have been different if the Animorphs had to contend with their current governor, Schwarzenegger in this book?
1. In this book we see the Animorphs attempt to publicize the Yeerk threat. What do you think about the timing of this? Should something like this been done a long time ago, or does it not matter? Who believes in that sort of stuff anyway, right?The Anis have had this strategy in mind earlier in the series, but, I, too, think it would have been more realistic if had happened a group of humans had put two and two together, will all the facts being too many to ignore as the series went along. The Governor would just have made it official.
2. This book largely consisted of Marco/Tobias/Ax interactions. In fact we see next to nothing involving Jake and the girls. What do you think is going on between the three unseen characters who undeniably are in the midst of much more personal tension?You know, I never thought about what was going on with the others back in Ground Zero during this. It's not the first time that the Anis get divided for strategic reasons. I am not sure if Rachel and the others would have caught on, but Jake and Cassie would have made things a little tense for the others back there. Supposedly they had their missions to divert Yeerk attention away from Marco's group.
3. This is our first book seeing Yeerks who can morph. What kind of an impact does this moment have on the series? What about on you as a reader?With the Anis no longer being the only ones who can morph, it got a little messy, from my stand point. I have to say, my initial reaction was 'Oh man, now it's crap, the Controllers can morph too.' As an impact on the series itself, it felt that, with the 'morphing' advantage gone, it turned into a 'gimmick', as it was blown by Cassie's stunt.
4. This is our final Marco narrated book before the end. How has his character evolved and changed since the beginning of the series? Do you think that he has benefitted from the war?I need to go back and properly re-read this book, just to see from a last character narration P.O.V. Marco didn't strike me as any different than his last few books here. He still came off as strategic, skillful and humurours. And fulfilled Jake's 'finesse' mission requirements.
5. The governor in this book is a fictitious female governor who certainly never existed in California in the late 1990's. Just for fun, how do you think the end of the series would have been different if the Animorphs had to contend with their current governor, Schwarzenegger in this book?The thing with the Governor, as a character, is precisely the fact that we all thought it would have been some man in a suit. Instead we got an innate adventurous self-accomplished woman. It was great! It's appropriate with San Francisco. In my mind I was picturing someone like Dianne Feinstein jumping a bridge onto a yatch (mind boggling, but totally plausible in the Aniverse).
6. Anything else?Me thinks I should re-read this book.
Yeah, now that you mention it...is this the VERY first Marco book to have nothing to do with Visser One!?
...This book mostly bothers me because Marco did a lot of changing up until #35, and then the last three of his books played him pretty strictly as the team comedian. #45 could have gone deeper, but didn't - instead we got autopilot and driving gags filler. #40 had him acting pretty wildly out of character in a filler story. And this, too, is a story that could be narrated by anyone, and could have been narrated by Marco at pretty much any point in the series. I mean, Marco's reached his goals - he has his family back. Surely that should at least give him a reason to reassess why he's fighting? How about how his relationship with Jake has changed? How does he feel about being the one who blew their cover in #45, after being the paranoid one for so many years? Given that he was so (bizarrely) passionate about disability in #40, and that he was the first person to get involved with and distrust David, does he have any thoughts on the Auxs? How about a HEY MOM I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH YOU FOR FIVE YEARS moment? Furthermore, we're just supposed to buy that Eva and Peter get back together seamlessly? They've been living entirely different lives for years. And does Marco have any regrets about Nora, and if not, wouldn't that be cool to actually examine? How is his dynamic with Tobias and Ax different now that he's been living with them longer than the other Anis?
This book explores none of that. I mean seriously. Gah. So many missed opportunities for character development.
...The tank scene, the ballroom scene, the yacht scene - all fun, but ultimately completely unnecessary.
...regarding this question also, I thought it was cool to have sub-plot developments in some of the pages. Jake snapping at Cassie, in front of everyone, during that meeting was a pretty cool plot device, to remind fans that this was still a big deal, and to get new readers wondering what the heck was that all about.2. This book largely consisted of Marco/Tobias/Ax interactions. In fact we see next to nothing involving Jake and the girls. What do you think is going on between the three unseen characters who undeniably are in the midst of much more personal tension?
...Here's my personal summary of the book::thumbsup:
OMGZ MARCO STEALS A TANK! YEEE-HAH!
Awkward group meeting. Let's tell the governor!
Ducks! At last! Wait, oh no, almost foiled by evil morphing Controllers......wh o apparently don't care about morphing in front of uninfested people despite the fact that it is not yet an open war! So much for subtlety!
Governor twist! It is Rachel, only grown up and fat!
BATTLE AT THE BALL!
BATTLE ON THE BRIDGE!
BATTLE ON THE BOAT!
Animorphs win, yayzorz. Governor Rachel tells the world all, because they're really gonna believe her.
/fin