I agree. Here are the Arcs I seen in the continuity:
#1 - #5 : Where they are getting introduced and pretty much learning the ropes of this world they were immersed in.
#6 - #8 : Most noted by the Jake-Controller story, Destruction of the Earth-based Kandrona and Ax officially joining the team (where Ax becomes an official member in all our minds). Possibly the most condensed 'true-militia' feel as the Animorphs series can get.
#9 - #19: There are relevant books with plots in continuity to the previous ones, but no sense of major Arcs. With the possible exception of
#15: The Escape and
#18: The Decision. Also distinct for the introduction of the Chee allies, Tobias regaining his powers and the beautiful Cassie-meets-Aftran venture.
#20 - #23 - The David Trilogy : was simply BRILLIANT and added an exciting new pace to the series; with the Animorph traitor and the posession of the Blue Cube.
#24 - 31:
#24: The Pretender picks up a few months after it. Here there are feelings of a different people on the 'writing' wheels and as such little feeling of Arc per si.
I would join #32 and #33 as an Arc,
The AMR-Arc, because they seem to follow weeks, if not days apart.
#34 - #44 can be considered fillers, with no major arcs, but still relevant continuities.
#35 was a brilliant move on KA, with the dependency of the events happening at the same time and finding resolution in chronicles of Visser One.
And, of course, from
#45 - #54:
#45: The Revelation sets the series in its homerun Arc. Though I think the ACTUAL FINAL ARC doesn't start until
#49: The Deception.I think I get what you're talking about. There's the beginning, and then after they become good at what they're doing and less scared. There are a few things like the David arc, and the last leg where things are more tense and we have the horrible ending. Sorry, just wanted to say horrible ending because you said great ending.
The time when the ghostwriters take over can be called a different arc, because a different style of writing can be noticed.
I get what you mean here,
Nohensen. There is DEFINITELY a different style of writing where the Ghostwriters are concerned. And perhaps that's why it feels like there's no arc in those particular books.
I think it adds to the feeling of 'length' of the whole story of the Animorphs. Like, did Cassie get lost in Australia before they met the Nartecs? A few things seemed to happen off panel, too. Like, did they trash the car wash entrance before Rachel's downtown-raid campaign?