Group Re-Read: #28 The Experiment

[Terenia]

Summary
The Yeerks have decided to try a little experiment. THey've decided that if they can develop a way to make people more "willing" to be infested, they can speed up Earth's invasion. So, the Yeerks try to invent a substance that will take away the human ability to make a decision. A substance that will eliminate free will.

Now the Animorphs and Ax are not only faced with trying to slow down the Yeerks' invasion, but they also have to put an end to the genetic testing on a small group of humans. This time there's only one chance to stop the Yeerks. And if anything goes wrong, it's all over...


Questions
1) A few books ago, with #25, we entered the Era of Ghostwriters. So far, have you noticed the difference between the way these books 'read' compared to those penned by KA? This book in particular, I think, showed the first definite signs of a different writing style.

2) Ax refers to Cassie as the "smartest" Animorph when he's introducing them at the beginning. What do you think he means by this?

3) Ax finds and falls for television in this book, providing us with some funny scenes (including "These Messages"). What are some of your favorite Ax moments?

4) The book is, essentially, about a failed attempt to remove human free will. The doctor lied and said that there was a 100% success rate when there was a 0% success rate. The conclusion is, basically, that a human cannot exist without free will. Do you agree with this statement or disagree? Why?

5) Anything else?

Next Week: #29 The Sickness

[SkyMorpher]

I don't think we can, re number 3. I'm curious how others elaborate though because my mind isn't working well.

Ax moments are love *g*

"I am young and restless. Those who are young and restless don't wear shirts."

"Ax, put on a shirt."

What was the one that led to someone saying "Ok, first thing, we smash Ax's TV" ?

I never noticed the writing differences, but I'm gonna go grab the book and maybe I'll notice now.

I'm going to like having two books a week to read. For like four more weeks anyway. I'm on The Diversion at the Livejournal group. And wanting to cry because I'm so close to the end.

*bows to the poster of good questions* Can you tell me how you do it? Half the time I can never come up with decent questions or not enough of them on my re-read.  I've felt that one since the first re-read host stopped posting and I took over to keep it going.

[RYTX]

1)At this point I don't start to feel the ghostwriters as much as a do a sense of filler; plots seem to be more outlandish, with stories that don't seem to have lasting signfigiance to war part of the story. This definetly isn't the first like that, but around here is were it begins an era of filler for me.

2)Cassies is obviously insightful, and I think that may be what he's talking about. Jake's a strong leader, and Marco's a good tactian, but Cassie anaylzes the conquences of actions; and no matter how good you are at tactics, if you don't realize the outcome your putting yourself in trouble. Much as I dislike her, I will give her that

3) Too many too count. And him and Marco in the openings just go so well together. Can't help but laugh.

4) Now that ones complicated for me.
Can the blood and bones and flesh be there; probably, but is that really a human being. Even the most total slave can say no. Even host can rebel inside their own heads. Is a total lack of free will even possible? I'm inclined to say no, but then again how do you know that even now we aren't just helpless agents of fate?
How depressing
5) Not at the moment

[Terenia]

I'm going to like having two books a week to read. For like four more weeks anyway. I'm on The Diversion at the Livejournal group. And wanting to cry because I'm so close to the end.

*bows to the poster of good questions* Can you tell me how you do it? Half the time I can never come up with decent questions or not enough of them on my re-read.  I've felt that one since the first re-read host stopped posting and I took over to keep it going.

Haha, I actually got the idea for this Re-Read from the LJ one! I haven't posted over there in a loooong time, though.

Also, I'm an English teacher, so its my job to come up with questions about literature. Usually I have trouble, though. Sometimes it's hard! Especially as you get further along, b/c you feel like you're asking the same question over and over, lol.

Aaaand...back on topic, the idea of #4 frustrates me.

For example, take a human with a severe brain injury. Are they not human if their brains do not function? Or are they just malfunctioning humans? What about psychological disorders that lead to certain actions?

For example, manic depression can lead to suicide. If a person was mentally healthy they may not have made the choice to kill themselves. So, if it is a chemical imbalance of the brain that causes you to want to, and succeed, at suicide, is it truly an act of free will? Or are you a victim to your own disorder?

If that's true, and the above victim DOESNT truly have free will, does that make them inhuman? Of course not!

[SkyMorpher]

I also liked the things that were discussed about the animal testing and the questions of the chimps being sentient or not. I guess it had to be left ambiguous (sp?)since we can't answer yes or no to that one. (I'm kinda like Cassie myself wanting to keep the tests to the minimum necessary,btw)

I don't know if I could go out for a burger after that lol just because of the eww factor. I'd need a few days, then go for one.

Another quote I love: "How do you program a computer to kiss butt?"

[Gafrash]

1) A few books ago, with #25, we entered the Era of Ghostwriters. So far, have you noticed the difference between the way these books 'read' compared to those penned by KA? This book in particular, I think, showed the first definite signs of a different writing style.

Hmmmm... I don't 'feel' it in this one so much as the ones coming up. But there's definitely a difference in writing style.

2) Ax refers to Cassie as the "smartest" Animorph when he's introducing them at the beginning. What do you think he means by this?

She's the closest one we got to philosophical in the team. But in the 'chimpanzee'-mission, I think, she seemed to be okay with acquiring a near-sentient animal (much like with the dolphin and the whale morphs). When it comes to saving animals, her values go out for a bit of a stroll. There's a scene which I remember Marco having a prod at her for this.

3) Ax finds and falls for television in this book, providing us with some funny scenes (including "These Messages"). What are some of your favorite Ax moments?

There are plenty of 'These Messages' references. But I kinda like picturing the cow-tipping scene, too.

4) The book is, essentially, about a failed attempt to remove human free will. The doctor lied and said that there was a 100% success rate when there was a 0% success rate. The conclusion is, basically, that a human cannot exist without free will. Do you agree with this statement or disagree? Why?

You have to see this 'Project' from the Yeerks POV. This is Visser Three in his 'desperate' mode.
The Yeerk scientists, under orders from the ignorant Visser Three (who admittedly was more of an Andalite-expert than a human one), were forced to explore different avenues to speed the Invasion. Earth should have been pretty much theirs at this stage. They needed results.
It feels like the Yeerks, with their higher-advanced-tech, could have pulled this off. Hence, why we had a mission to the meat-packing plant in the first place. But perhaps it feels flawed, because, sure enough, the scientist-Controllers were feeding false information and in the end it lead nowhere.

5) Anything else?

I remember a scene with chimpanzees and the Anis throwing dung at Visser Three. Much like the skunk-stunt, it was a refreshing touch to making the villain pay. Hehehehe!
Riding as flies in cow nostrils. Birds of prey diving for a moving van and Ax demorphing in a tunnel.

But The funniest scene I can recall is Marco/gorilla trying to reverse-park the truck into the packing plant. With all the grinding and lurching, I think it ended up being like a 50-point turn or something. The graphic imagery just cracks me up EVERY time. 

The book certainly had a lot of humour in Ax's charge, but I think it was also meant to force the reader to have a real good look at us as humans. As a civilization. Once again, we have Ax, the resident alien, giving us his perspective on the choices we humans have made as a living race.
Some of his highlights were a bit too close to being evil Yeerk-like for comfort. I recall flashing back at points in the book, to Cassie's scene with Karen/Aftran back in The Departure, where the Yeerk blatantly stated that humans were like pigs, 'meat' to the Yeerks.

[Shark Akhrrana]

1) A few books ago, with #25, we entered the Era of Ghostwriters. So far, have you noticed the difference between the way these books 'read' compared to those penned by KA? This book in particular, I think, showed the first definite signs of a different writing style.

it seemed more like a useless filler. but yea i think i did see a difference there

2) Ax refers to Cassie as the "smartest" Animorph when he's introducing them at the beginning. What do you think he means by this?

I didn't notice that until you mentioned it. idno it seems very unlike Ax to talk like that. maybe the best at morphing or something like that but i don't think he ever would refer to only one a "smartest"

3) Ax finds and falls for television in this book, providing us with some funny scenes (including "These Messages"). What are some of your favorite Ax moments?

Sharky's favorite Ax moments from book 25

<Look, Tobias! Victor and Nikki are doing that thing again!> I pointed
at the screen. <They do this very often.>
<Uh-huh.> His hawk eyes were trained on the little screen as Victor
tightened his arms around Nikki. <lt's called kissing, Ax-man. Just like
yesterday. And the day before. Kissing. Everyone does it. Of course, you
need lips.>

Shut up. Cassie? I love you, but
this isn't about saving the lab rats. We have a mission here. So let's
just go and get it over with."
"Rachel's right, we can debate animal testing some other day," Prince
Jake said. "Let's just do this. In, out, and right back."
<After These Messages.>

 <0kay, Ax. Acquire some beef and let's haul.>
<Yes. I would like to make it home in time to watch The Brady Bunch. It
is a story. About a lovely lady. Who was bringing up three very lovely
girls.>

that made me laugh XD



4) The book is, essentially, about a failed attempt to remove human free will. The doctor lied and said that there was a 100% success rate when there was a 0% success rate. The conclusion is, basically, that a human cannot exist without free will. Do you agree with this statement or disagree? Why?

I like the idea that i can keep my free will no matter what so i liked it

5) Anything else? Smiley

I loved the end XD when after the whole scenario of almost being turned into a burger everyone gets one.

[SkyMorpher]

Are we doing The Sickness or Megamorphs 3 next?

[Shark Akhrrana]

Next Week: #29 The Sickness

Sickness

[SkyMorpher]

drat I need to read closer. So MM3 is after that? Sorry, my bad.

I make a habit of putting what's next on my reread too. Sometimes in a funny way lol. Like for The Exposed, my preview was "The Squid and the Whale" lol The Proposal was "Marco's Mixed-up Morphs". I don't always say the title though, I never thought about it really. No one ever got confused though, except when we had to figure out where the MMs and Chronicles fit.