I was saying it to Applegate. And I think she deserves it. Just because she wrote SOME of the series, does not make her untouchable.
In my opinion, it is fantasy because kids who read it fantasized about it. I don't care if it was science fiction or romance. It was also fantasy. Don't give me definitions etc. I'm not interested. I am referring to it as what I thought it was, regardless of what the literature world thinks. The ghost-writers kept it alive, and we paid for Applegate to make a living. IMO it is the same as any other entertainer, sports or otherwise. Athletes get paid big money by teams, who make money by selling tickets and concessions to customers. Fans. People like US. If there were no fans, the athletes would not eat. If nobody wanted to see John Cena take on HHH in a cage match, they would be looking for jobs elsewhere and not providing the entertainment service.
When you write a book or series that you intend to sell for money that will feed you and keep you financially afloat for the next 6 years, there should be some consideration as to the fans and how they feel. For her to flat out say "If you're mad at me because that's what you have to take away from Animorphs, too bad." is like a slap in the face of anyone who is mad.
And that is a terrible attitude to have when selling something to people. ESPECIALLY after the fact when there is nothing to be done about it. That is like the chef of a really good restaurant cooking up a meal and having assistants create much of it, then putting on the finishing touches, but the problem is, the dish you ordered calls for a sprig of mint and the chef personally decides he'd rather put some parsley on it instead. And then once it is brought to you, and you complain, he says, "TOO BAD. I want you to eat it and like it, and learn from it. O yeah, and don't forget to PAY ME."
I just don't like the attitude is all. I'm fine with Rachel dying and having casualties etc. I'm NOT fine with ending the whole thing on a mystery that goes unexplained forever. I know you are all fellow fans and all that. And I just stumbled across this site the other night, so it has brought back very old memories and made them very fresh. And I love it. But I can't get over how mad that ending made me. And I never thought it through. I stopped thinking about it 7 years ago, after only about a week from finishing it. And I haven't gone down memory lane since. So it's tough for me. I don't want to argue with anyone here. Please understand that. I am just EXTREMELY emotional about this incredible sci-fi series that made my youth that much more special.
I am 22 years old now, and I would wish that everyone I know could've read this series around the same age I did. Except for the last chapters of the last book. I would tell them to read until Rachel is gone, and the world is saved. Read about Marco's fame and Jake's depression. Read about Tobias' emotions and Cassie's new life. Read about the honors that Ax received from his home land. But then stop. Do NOT continue onto the last Animorphs mission that you will EVER know of, and do not read further because things will happen and you will need to live forever without knowing the outcome. That is all I would say. It was not bittersweet to me. It was not ironically pleasant. It was terrible. I am a man of closure. And for me to NOT have closure on one of the biggest pieces to my youth is something that bothers the HECK out of me.
It may be selfish to think this way, or lazy or whatever you may say, but in truth all I wanted was closure. I didn't want an alternate ending where everyone lives and there is a happy ending. I simply wanted to know what the heck The One was and what took place after the final page. Closure.....
Anywho, thanks for reading all that took the time. Don't be offended all those who disagree. I am simply stating my opinion on entertainers and the industry as a whole. I will not be posting for a bit unless I really want to share something. I just don't want to get caught up in the forum when I have hardly any time in my life(recently married, new career starting, etc.)
I will read as often as possible. It is just nice to know I'm not the only Animorphs freak out there.
BTW, anyone remember all that fan fiction stuff on the internet back then? I printed out PAGES and PAGES of that stuff.
I even wrote my own story, but alas, I lost it among my rents getting new computers and word documents not being backed up. It was about 40 pages long, 2 chapters. It was an extension of the series after book #47 or so. Maybe one day I'll revive the story in my head and rewrite it so I can share it.
Thanks again all and I'm sorry to offend anyone!
And I have to say...Daphnes...you summed it up for me. I wish I could've just wrote that originally. Lol. Nice.
Estelore...I get where you are coming from. You are a literature buff. But what you should understand is that MANY people are not. And many people think that fiction is designed to take you away from reality. And some think it is supposed to take you as far away as possible. Not everyone is going to accept you telling them that they are wrong and that this book series was full of hidden messages about reality. People who read it, and I think, especially kids, do not care about reality. They are kids for crying out loud. My biggest concern when I was reading these books was this: Are my batteries going to hold up in my radio and reading light? Will it rain tomorrow and stop me from playing basketball outside?
I was 16 when the final books came out. I was then concerned with my first year of HS being over and I hadn't found a steady girlfriend. And I really wanted to beat this sophmore out for his starting spot on the football team. Honestly. Had I been 22 when I read the final book, I MAY have thought more about reality. But I took these books as an escape from reality, as I'm sure many people did.