Author Topic: Group Re-Read: #34 The Prophecy (Read 3617 times)

Terenia · « **on:** June 30, 2009, 04:49:01 PM »

Summary
There is a chance for the free Hork-Bajir on Earth to start their own rebellion against the Yeerks. They have the numbers, but they don't have the weapons. And they've learned from the last surviving Arn -- the race that created the Hork-Bajir -- that Aldrea, daughter of Prince Seerow, knew the location of a stolen Yeerk vessel. Unfortunately, the only way to recover the ship is to ask Aldrea herself -- and she's dead. But the Arn has Aldrea's persona stored. And Cassie, Rachel, or Toby Hamee are the closest match. The only problem is that once Aldrea gets into one of their minds, she may not want to come out...

Questions
1. The entire concept for this book is a little bizarre. Let's take it piece by piece. What do you think of the concept of Aldrea having her 'persona' stored in an Ixcila? What about the Ceremony of Rebirth?

2.This book is the second time that the Animorphs voluntarily go off-world (the first being #26 The Attack), yet they seem rather...blase about the whole thing. As if it is no big deal that they suddenly have access to space travel. Thoughts?

3. What do you think about the fact that Aldrea chose Cassie's mind to share? What about their dialogue throughout the book?

4. The climactic scene of this book is where Cassie is morphing over the Yeerk Pool. She morphs from osprey to human to whale somehow keeping her osprey wings through the morphs. Is Cassie THAT good of a morpher? Or is this a KASU?

5. Because of the actions of Cassie et. al. thousands of Yeerks met their death. We see instances of this further along in the series (most notable Jake in #54) with huge emotional consequences. But in this case the repercussions for this vast amount of death is given barely a line. How do you think Cassie and the others regard their missions success and the resulting deaths?

As a note, here's the quote accompanying #5:

Quote

The water continued to drain. The Yeerks in
host bodies might be able to save some of their
brothers and sisters. Not many. Not all. Thousands
of Yeerks would lie there, dying a slow
death of dehydration as the water left them
stranded, or asphyxiation as they sank, helpless,
into the mud.
Because of me.

And finally, this book has one of my favorite quotes in the entire series, so I thought that I would post it just as food for thought:

Quote

So far our freedom here, in this valley,
on this planet, has been bought and paid for
by these humans, our friends. But freedom can't
be given. It must be taken and held and defended.
Our freedom has to be our own creation.
-Toby Hamee

Next week: #35 The Proposal

Chad32 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2009, 05:02:34 PM »

I think it's kind of wierd that, after 19 and 29, Cassie would do something like that. Especially with little remorse afterwards. Kind of out of character for her.

This is the book that makes me wonder why Toby didn't take the rest of her people to the Homeworld after Earth was saved. No mention of the resistance force begun here is mentioned afterwards. It seems really odd.

As for Aldrea, I believe she said she subconsciously chose someone in the group that would be strong enough to make her leave. I'm not sure I understand that.

There's also a line where Rachel asks the Arn when the Hork-Bajir get to take revenge on the Arn for what they did. I guess this is because the Arn enabled Alloran to create the quantum virus. It's a sad thing, because if the Arn had really thought hard about it, they could have probably turned the Yeerks into Iskoort. Create a new kind of host, then bioengineer Yeerks so that they could only use that one host.

rocklobster · « **Reply #2 on:** July 01, 2009, 07:52:36 AM »

1. I think the Arn might have been giving her a second chance. When the ceremony occured, I thought it was neat.
2. I think by now they've been used to weird stuff.
3. Cassie really surprised me in this book. I was surprised at how she got Aldrea to cooperate. I think she got it from hanging around Rachel so much. As for why Cassie was chosen, I'm guessing she could sense Cassie's sympathy for her actions.
4. Yeah, it's definitely a KASU.
5. I think Jake says it best in book 37. They were all alive. That was the only success that mattered.

AniDragon · « **Reply #3 on:** July 01, 2009, 07:49:08 PM »

I don't think Cassie's epic morphing in this book was a KASU, really. I mean, we know she's talented at morphing, and can control it to a point. So really, it's not so far fetched.

We know that you can't go directly from one morph to another. But there's nowhere that says you can't keep one part of a morph while you start a different one on a different part of your body. Sure, it's probably incredibly difficult, and takes a heck of a lot of focus, but no where does it say it can't be done.

Actually, doesn't Tobias try to do the same thing in book 49? It didn't really work, but the fact that he tried shows at least a bit of continuity on it being possible.

anijen21 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2009, 08:07:46 PM »

I thought the *memory of Aldrea* being contained and accessible was way too gimmicky and out-of-tone for Animorphs

Terenia · « **Reply #5 on:** July 01, 2009, 11:03:20 PM »

Quote from: anijen21 on July 01, 2009, 08:07:46 PM

I thought the *memory of Aldrea* being contained and accessible was way too gimmicky and out-of-tone for Animorphs

I don't think the act in itself was gimmicky.....I think that the WAY Aldrea's "being" was contained and preserved was gimmicky. In a book series such as this I would expect it to have something to do with like a technological thumbprint of Aldrea or something. You would "upload" her. I can see her being uploaded into Erek or something. But the whole vial of glowing green liquid and almost borderline religious ceremony thing? It doesn't seem to fit, and it isn't really plausible.

Chad32 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:20:25 AM »

The Arn are a rac e of biologists. Not technologists. so putting her in a downloadable computer chip would probably be out of character for the Arn.

Kitulean · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2009, 01:35:02 PM »

I think this was the first animorphs book I genuinely disliked. I don't know, the whole thing didn't seem to make much sense to me at the time, and I still don't really like it.

anijen21 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 02, 2009, 01:37:46 PM »

#28 was mine

AniDragon · « **Reply #9 on:** July 02, 2009, 06:24:57 PM »

Quote from: anijen21 on July 02, 2009, 01:37:46 PM

#28 was mine

Heh, same.

I did actually enjoy this one. I adore the Hork-Bajir, so really, anything that focuses on them...

morfowt · « **Reply #10 on:** July 03, 2009, 10:20:35 AM »

Quote from: anijen21 on July 02, 2009, 01:37:46 PM

#28 was mine

really? I loved #28. I admit this is one book I don't really like. I don't dislike it, but it didn't really appeal to me like #28 or MM#2...

filmstu2005 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 04, 2009, 04:39:41 PM »

No, i really enjoyed this book. The Animorphs on the Hork-bajir homeworld? What more could u ask for. I'm just glad they got to meet Aldrea.

Cassie's epic morphing, awesome, but not far-fetched. We always knew how great she was at it. I mean, if Ax can create a totally new human out of all four of their DNA then surely Cassie can pull off a fantastic morphing scene.

Aldrea chose Cassie because she noticed how strong Cassie was, not strong like Rachel and Toby, but mentally strong willed, sympathetic with a great deal of empathy. Right before the ceremony started she started to feel admiration for Aldrea, and i think thats what drew Aldrea to her, someone who understood her actions.

When did Tobias try to cross-morph in book 49? I literally have no idea...

Chad32 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 04, 2009, 04:44:52 PM »

Tobias tried to make it look like he was demorphing from Taxxon to Andalite, instead of Taxxon to Hawk.

AniDragon · « **Reply #13 on:** July 04, 2009, 04:51:31 PM »

He was trying to morph his hawk-parts to Andalite as soon as they were appearing, but didn't really succeed. Luckily for him, the rest of the Animorphs formed a shield around him so Taylor couldn't see him anyway.

filmstu2005 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 04, 2009, 05:35:22 PM »

Taylor was in book 49? Wait, wasnt that the diversion?

Adrian Malacoda · « **Reply #15 on:** July 04, 2009, 05:48:08 PM »

Quote from: filmstu2005 on July 04, 2009, 05:35:22 PM

Taylor was in book 49? Wait, wasnt that the diversion?

#43, The Test.

Anyway, the premise of the book was interesting enough. I did, however, think Aldrea was a bit out of character here. She comes off as a typical holier-than-thou Andalite (what with all the comments about how inferior humans are and whatnot) when the whole premise of HBC was that she was going against that kind of attitude. That she tried to keep Cassie's body at the end sort of falls into that vein. She must have agreed with Dak's comment in HBC about the Hork-Bajir being used by the Arn, Yeerks, Andalites, etc., or else she wouldn't have given up her Andalite body to live amongst Hork-Bajir; but she's content to treat Cassie like a tool.

Also, minor quibble here - but how exactly does Aldrea know about Taxxons? If I remember correctly HBC was set in the very beginning of the war, and no Taxxons were mentioned in HBC, so I'd assume that the Yeerks didn't get Taxxons until after the battle of Planet Hork-Bajir.

Chad32 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 04, 2009, 05:52:26 PM »

The Taxxon Homeworld was taken efterwards, but not too long afterwards. It was taken before TAC started, and Elfangor said it was five years into the war when he was an Arish. Meaning that if she had lived five or so years after becoming a nothlit, Aldrea may have still seen or heard of Taxxons.

morfowt · « **Reply #17 on:** July 04, 2009, 11:22:03 PM »

Quote from: Nine Out Of Ten Vissers on July 04, 2009, 05:48:08 PM

That she tried to keep Cassie's body at the end sort of falls into that vein.

I thought cassie lied about that as part of the plan to have toby return to earth...

rocklobster · « **Reply #18 on:** July 05, 2009, 07:32:05 AM »

She did lie.

Terenia · « **Reply #19 on:** July 06, 2009, 01:52:29 PM »

Yeah, because Toby wasn't going to willingly go back to Earth. She thought that she should stay and help her people reclaim their world, but Aldrea didn't want another Dak situation, so they worked it out so he returned as a 'hostage'.

Adrian Malacoda · « **Reply #20 on:** July 06, 2009, 02:00:27 PM »

Wow. Must have completely not noticed. I feel stupid now

I need to read these more thoroughly next time.

filmstu2005 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:52:33 PM »

Actually, Aldrea WAS a holier than thou Andalite in HBC. She manipulated Dak, knew she was smarter than him, n figured she could use his growing intelligence to her advantage. There were times when she was just ur basic connivingly clever Andalite.

Initially she thought she was better than him. Maybe in the end I'm sure she changed, but it probably wasnt before her Ixillia (? was that it) was taken from her memory.

dolphin4077 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2009, 11:47:33 AM »

Yeah, Aldrea was a typical Andalite in HBC, but I liked her more in HBC than in this book. Why are characters from Chronicles that show up in main series never as cool as they were in the chronicles? The only exception I can think of is Elfangor.

Gafrash · « **Reply #23 on:** July 13, 2009, 02:12:59 AM »

Cassie surprised me in this book, too. I always wondered WHY Aldrea chose Cassie and not a fellow Hork-Bajir youth or Rachel (surely she sensed the aspirational future Hork-Bajir leader or the fearsome brave capacity in Rachel).

Quote from: filmstu2005 on July 04, 2009, 04:39:41 PM

...Aldrea chose Cassie because she noticed how strong Cassie was, not strong like Rachel and Toby, but mentally strong willed, sympathetic with a great deal of empathy. Right before the ceremony started she started to feel admiration for Aldrea, and i think thats what drew Aldrea to her, someone who understood her actions...

What filmstu2005 wrote answers the question for me. It finally makes sense.

I reckon the Anis had been offworld THAT many times, they felt another one would be simply put 'another one' in their list. Showing some sort of stress or awe in this aspect would only be repetitive.
On the topic of repetition, Cassie's stunt was a bit of a let down. Almost as if the writer got slack and ripped off the 'anvil'-idea from MM1.
Though I liked what Cassie had to do in order to succeed (6xmorphs consecutively, focus while fighting off Aldrea, concentrate on keeping her wings, NOT GET SHOT AT)... her stunt in the end, saved the day, yes!

I think, however, the book had a more memorable scenes towards the start. Where upon arriving just before the HB-Homeworld, they tangle with an Andalite fighter and 2 Yeerk-sentinels. There's some gold moments here, between Jake, Ax, Aldrea.

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Author Topic: Group Re-Read: #34 The Prophecy (Read 3617 times)