Series Re-Read #43 The Test

[buffyangellvr23.livejournal.com]

Tobias, the other Animorphs and Ax have seen things so bizarre that no sane person would believe their story. No one would believe that aliens have taken over Earth and are in the process of infesting as many humans as possible. No one could believe the battles and missions and losses these six kids have had to deal with. And it's not over yet.

Tobias ahs been captured by the same human-controller that nearly tortured him to death once before. She claims that she's now a part of the Yeerk peace movement. That she just needs a favor. Tobias isn't sure what to believe, but he knows that if the Animorphs and Ax don't find him soon, what he believes won't matter anymore.

At least we're back into some plot now instead of just filler material.

Was this book as good as the first Taylor one? Why did she seem more like a regular controller this time when something was mentioned before about the human-yeerk line being blurred or something like that? IE it was hard to tell which was the girl and which was the yeerk. But now we have the scene where she siezes control for a moment.

I don't blame Tobias or the others, I wouldn't have believed her either.

We see a lot in here of how the kids have changed so much; they're way more comfortable now with the idea of collateral damage than they were before. Any thoughts on how we see that stuff displayed in here?

We do think the girl died right? I wonder if the yeerk would have come back later in another body possibly.

I liked seeing Tidwell and the others pop up again even if it was just as a mention.

I would so put Taxxon on the list of things never to morph again lol. Although I had Tobias use it in RP once.

Without going into future material, would it have been feasible for Arbron to show up in this book or no? Should he have?

Why didn't Tobias want Taylor to see his true hawk form? In previous books the only concern was not passing through a human form so as not to let on to the Yeerks that they were actually humans.

Prompt (in response to a question last week, yeah they're suppose to inspire fic I think. *shrugs*) Hunger

I know next week's really gonna get people griping lol...now's the time for The Unexpected. I fully expect people to diss it big time and can't wait to get through with it lol. Partly 'cause after that is one of my faves, The Revelation.

Comments

[tygerwulfe.livejournal.com]

Tobias didn't want her to see his Hawk form because then it would've shown her that he was a Nothlit and somehow got his power back, which would make the Yeerks think the Andalites had new technology. I can see that line of thought.

The Taxxons are just as disgusting and upsetting as always. I will always have the greatest respect for Arbron because of what he's had to live with.

[embergryphon.livejournal.com]

^Or perhaps because, if she knew that hawk was his normal form, she (and, presumably, Esplin) would know that the Anti-Morphing Ray wasn't a proven failure after all, and they might try to bring it back.
At least, that's what I always assumed. ^^()

[geritar.livejournal.com]

I don't think this book was as good as the first Taylor book. I also don't like that two of Tobias's books in a row were devoted to Taylor. Tobias was so angsty in the beginning of this book I just didn't want to read it. Of course, I don't really enjoy Tobias's books because they are kind of dull- I mean, he's hunting, he's in a meadow, he's being a whiney emo to Rachel for trying to help him... Apparently he would prefer to eat pride.

But getting back to Taylor. In #33 we see that Taylor is this insane, diabolical, truly terrifying character. In #43 she is just another 2D controller working for Visser Three. It's obvious up front that she cannot be trusted- there was no playing at a betrayal, it was crystal clear, so it kind of made the big reveal at the end like, "Dur. Already knew that."

Did Taylor die? Could she? I mean, she was already mostly made of plastic and synthetic limbs, so could a gas slide into the Yeerk pool have destroyed her? If I didn't know better, and I DO know better because I've finished the series, I would say she'd make a third return.

I'm not sure why Cassie was crying in the end... what did she do that was so horrible, other than what she normally does in a regular battle? I mean, okay, she tore up some controllers. Whoop-de-doo. She always does that.

I don't think Arbron should have returned, just because they didn't really interact with other Taxxons in this book. (Not that he did a whole lot of good when he DID return, grumble grumble)

I find it interesting that Tobias always compares Taylor to Rachel, but somehow sets them apart because Rachel has a goodness inside her. But, as the series progresses, we find that goodness diminishing more and more and being swallowed up by her dark side. So, in effect, could Rachel become Taylor, in the future? (If, you know...)

Maybe he didn't want her to see him as a hawk because there was no feasible reason why he would be in hawk morph down in a cave? I dunno.

Favorite Funny Moment:
"Is she insane?" Marco cried. He'd ditched the ski cap and the sunglasses but the headphones still hung around his neck.
"Yes. I believe we established that during our last encounter." Ax, of course. He'd gone from seagull to Andalite to eerily attractive human boy in a Dumpster conveniently located behind the bookstore.
"Taxxon! I'd rather morph E. coli. I'd rather morph and ant again."

I liked the tender moment between Rachel and Tobias at the end of this book. Just wanted to throw that out. ;)