Animorphs Read 2020 (March);

Marco books are quickly becoming my least favorite book. I can usually open one of these books and power through in about an hour, or less, without looking up, since eating them is rather like eating cotton candy. But Marco's book became my very first dropped star, and the first it put down three or four times while reading it because I was just tired of his abrasiveness.

(I'm, also, having a lot of issues with anytime he gets angry with anyone for keep secrets from him/them, while he's also keeping one of the biggest secrets going that will later involve this group.)

I really did love the focus on the androids and the dogs. That part was absolutely touching, and even a good deal heartbreaking at the end there. I hope we do see more of them and their underground world inside of the Earth later in our series.

Man, they really like to leave the heavy stuff for Marco's books. This one features some world-building in the form of the Pemalites and their androids, who will certainly play a larger role in the series going forward. This introduction is certainly routine enough, and while the Pemalite story isn't anything original, it does widen the scope of the Animorph's world. The ending is as much of a copout as I've seen in this series, but it carries with it some serious weight - the main characters consistently remind us of the terrible things they've seen and done, and this ending certainly showcases that.

I can't believe they gave up so easily on the bat morph though.

This is possibly the wildest Animorphs book yet. Marco and Jake go to an Offspring/Alanis Morrisette concert as dogs, find that one of their friends doesn't have a smell, and then start looking into their friend.

The friend, Erek, turns out to be the Android referenced in the title. He's an ally and requests the gang to come to his home to learn more, and this is where things somehow take a twist to the more wild...Erek is a Chee, a group of androids whose creators were destroyed. They are super strong, but have never taken a life. Their creators are also basically intelligent dogs. When the Chee escaped to earth they created dogs with some of the "essence" of their creators. It's weird.

Anyways, Erek wants to fight but can't without a crystal computer that will let him rewrite his code to allow him to kill. Of course the crystal is on earth and they need to get it NOW before the Yeerks use it to control all computers in the world in the 90's.

The squad breaks into where it's held, get so close to making it out, but then it all falls apart and they have to turn into their strongest morphs to escape. They are held at gunpoint, but then the Yeerks realize they have the crystal and if they shoot they will destroy the crystal and face the wrath of their leader, Visser 3. So instead a giant brawl ensues, with the Animorphs almost getting killed. With his last breath, Marco breaks the window and hands the crystal to Erek as he passes out.

When he comes to, Marco is informed that Erek, a being that has existed since before the pyramids were built, rewrote his code with the crystal and violently tore apart Yeerk controlled humans and aliens alike. Like ripped their arms, heads, everything off in about 30 seconds (they are super strong androids). In a book recommended for kids 8-12! It's wild. Anyways, Erek is devastated to experience violence like that, rewrites his programming again, and that's that.

The message is apparently that this android race can't succumb to violence after being peaceful for so long, which is too bad because they could end the invasion in a week.

This was a good one!

The introduction of a new character really boosted this book and with Marco being the comedian of the group, it was interesting to see him tackle some complex concepts regarding war, violence and pacifism.

*spoiler upcoming*



I still find the idea of the 'doggy' pemalites with their advanced technology kind of ridiculous. Can't get past this.

honestly, i’m not usually one for marco books, but i really liked this one. the themes about what it means to be unable to fight and what it means when you Do fight and witness terrible brutalities.. it was Good it was A Lot. just insane reading about how these kids have to teach themselves to forget and stop thinking about all the things they’ve done and seen. good book

This one was pretty grim, other than the awesome Chee.

The presence of Erik, a character I absolutely adore, added an exciting dynamic to this heist-themed installment of the Animorphs series. The book expertly blended elements of adventure, suspense, and thought-provoking themes, making it a truly enjoyable read. The characters' resourcefulness and growth, coupled with the exploration of morality and sacrifice, elevated the narrative to a higher level. Overall, this book was a thrilling and memorable addition to the series.

I love the heisting and the deep disturbing questions of ethics and morality.

Marco’s old friend Erek is hanging out with the Sharing. But there’s clearly something weird going on with him. This is where we’re introduced to the Chee, the pacifist robots who try to fight the Yeerks in their own way. It also shows Marco’s rage and hatred towards the Yeerks. And that fight at the end is brutal and terrifying.

And we finish out Cycle 2 with a return to Marco. The Predator was the best one up to that point, as it developed Marco further and made him a solid favorite for me. This one, personally, was a bit lesser on that front but was still was very solid.

The plot is that an old fiend of Marco's, named Erik King, has come back and they suspect something is off with him. Spoilers, he is Animorphs #10 the Android. And that's really all I can say, as the rest deals with them finding out exactly what his deal is. There isn't a ton to say without spoiling anything so I'll tread lightly.

First off, the opening set piece actually connects to the plot decently enough, although it involves Jake being just fine with using dog morphs to get into a concert even after he mentions how he scolds the others whenever they use morphing for nonsense. Marco wanting to do it makes sense but also was right there yelling at Rachel back in The Visitor so he's just a hypocrite sometimes.

I think that may be it for actual complaints though. This has less of the character stuff but it is more focused on other things and does it well. So it's more of a preference thing than anything else I suppose.

As for what we have, Erik brings with him some really fascinating lore in regards to what he is. Oh and I should mention his name comes from a contest Scholastic did. The winner got this character named after them and this character is not only notable for this book but is important for the rest of the series. Nice.

Can't spoil too much but it's pretty interesting stuff, being a bit odd in places but very interesting. His kind is literally programmed to be non-violent but he wishes to fix that so they can properly help out in the fight against the Yeerks. That's where the big dilemma comes in. This brings up the important issue on the morality of killing.

Is it truly worth it to be all peaceful and not put up any fight at all and risk being defeated by those who do fight? But is it worth it to fight or even kill if it means you may go too far? It's something o think about and again there are no easy answers.

This theme carries this one for sure. It gets into some messed up stuff, including one scene with a crow that was...damn. But even more damn is something that happens off page, because that's the only way they'd allow for it to even happen.

It is a bit slow at first, but mostly in a good way as they figure out what his deal is and things spiral from there. It's worth once we get into the lore and ethical stuff. As a whole, this did its job in introduction Erik and his lore, along with moral dilemma stuff that was interesting to think about.

But more importantly, this is the first one Visser 3 isn't in! Yes, really. For once, he isn't always there. I feel like this won't last long but let me have this one lol

But yeah, a solid way to end off Cycle 2. Doesn't get as deep with Marco as the last one but it was still pretty good. That's really I got. Next time, we begin Cycle 3 by seeing how Jake fares again.

Is this how people felt when movie Harry Potter broke the elder wand?

This was enjoyable to read, but probably for the wrong reasons. Easily the highest really-really-stupid-plan to page ratio so far. And that's saying something.

Someone help me, I can't stop reading these.

The Android is an excellent example of the greatness of the Animorphs series. If you were going to jump in to this series rather than start from the first book, you could do worse than start here. In addition to the now-boilerplate introduction required to get such new readers up to speed, Applegate continues to expand the mythology of the series. We meet the Chee, programmed to be peaceful by the joy-loving but now extinct Pemalites. And Marco’s parent—this time his dad—is threatened again by the Yeerks.

The writing is stellar in this one. Unlike the disappointing plot in The Secret, which takes a turn towards bathos at the end, the plot The Android is tense and suspenseful up until the final page. First, Marco and Tobias stumble onto the fact that this kid, Erek King … isn’t exactly human. But he’s managed to infiltrate the Sharing. Why? The Animorphs have to get to the bottom of this mystery … and when they do, they find out they have to pull a heist to stop the Yeerks from gaining control over all the computers on the planet.

So the stakes are high.

Oh, and Marco’s dad is starting to work with the company that has the crystal the Yeerks are using. Which means he might be a target.

The stakes are really high.

Navigating the security during the heist is tense. I love heist stories! The Animorphs use bat morphs—an excellent choice. But I particularly love that, after they go to all that trouble to be sneaky, they decide they can’t lift the crystal as bats … so they’re just going to turbo their way out.

That is totally something I would do in a video game. (I save often….)

Emotionally, there’s a lot going on here too. For Marco, the prospect of losing his dad to the Yeerks is too much, especially considering what happened with his mom. Marco seems lately to be all about drawing lines: if this happens, I’ll do this. Applegate portrays here the emerging conscience of an adolescent: Marco is no longer saying things are right or wrong because an adult told him so; he’s actually internalizing, expressing, and acting on his own sense of ethics.

But where will those ethics lead in time of war?

The pacifism of the Chee is a stark contrast to the child soldier nature of the Animorphs. And Applegate does not pull any punches. Not a single one. Erek manages to rewrite his programming to let him slaughter the Controller guards, thereby saving the Animorphs from certain death … and it’s horrible. Everyone seems shocked and scarred beyond imagining. It feels like they kicked and killed a baby. The fact that Marco was unconscious and only learns about it secondhand makes this sentiment all the more potent. Sometimes, it’s about what you don’t say, and the way that the other Animorphs have trouble expressing how disturbing that scene was says it all.

Beyond that single moment, however, lies the enduring ethical question. Most of the Animorphs understand why Erek has now changed sides and agrees with Maria that the Chee cannot surrender their pacifism. This allows us to hold the Chee up as a foil to the Animorphs, who will become increasingly militant as this series progresses. As always, Applegate asks the question: how far are you willing to go to win?

The Android, even this early in the series, hints that there is an event horizon you should not cross.

It’s serious business. Despite being a Marco book, and therefore replete with the usual Marco humour, there’s a sombre tone to this story. This complementary sense of black humour to stave off the darkness is key to Marco’s role in the series, and it’s one reason this book is so successful.

Next time, the Animorphs get timey-wimey wibbly wobbly again. And Jake goes crazy. It’s basically The Real World meets I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.

My reviews of the Animorphs series:
← #9: The Secret | #11: The Forgotten →

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I breezed through this one, mostly puzzled because I could not remember it and absolutely needed to know what was going on.
Dogs are always a big win for me!