Animorphs Book Club [#2 The Visitor - Jul 17]

[Negrek]

This is the main discussion thread for our Animorphs book club! There's also a Discord component to the club if you're interested in joining in on that; visit the #botstuff channel on our Discord server and check out the pins to find out how to add the "Andalite Bandit" role that will let you get pings for the book club group. Feel free to jump in anytime--the books are short, so it's pretty easy to catch up, even if we're deep into the series when you want to join!

We'll have reminder pings and light discussion throughout the week on Discord, culminating in discussion in this thread once we reach the end of the book.

We're planning to read one book a week. This week's book is #1: The Invasion. This week's reading period is July 2nd - July 10th.

As a reminder, you can find free e-books of the Animorphs series here.

For this week... let's get things started! You don't need to do anything but read the first book, but if you'd like, you can answer the pre-game questions below.

This Week's Questions​

1. What are you impressions of the kids so far? Are there any you're particularly interested in following at this point?

2. Were there any scenes or moments that especially stuck out for you in this book, good or bad?

3. At the end of the novel, the Animorphs are soundly defeated and barely escape with their lives. What do you think of this ending? Assuming you want to read more, how does the failure of this first mission make you want to continue the series?

 

[Equitial]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

I am actually currently in the middle of reading the series for the first time. I began around uhhhh March I think? Currently, I'm about to start book 21 (mild spoilers: middle of the David arc, for those who know about him). That means the timing of the book club is kinda inconvenient for me--it isn't worth it to wait for the rest of the club to get caught up--but oh well. I think it will be fun anyway!

Before officially starting my personal reread, I did have some dim knowledge of the series. I read a few books, mostly spin-offs I think. Except I did read one which was important to the main plot, one which I think I'm currently coming up on. Spoilers: It's a Rachel POV, David is a rat, and he's trying to get her stuck in a morph as well. I also have some endgame spoilers about certain characters.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

There's a particular brand of child protagonists where the kid characters not only go through a lot, but also the story is very cognizant of the fact that the characters are children. I loved stories like Ender's Game and Madoka Magica and the character of Steven in Steven Universe Future, so the minute I got whiff that Animorphs was actually Like That I wanted to read.

(btw the way the characters are definitely traumatized babeys who go through so much and whom I love and want to protect. I am enjoying my read very muchly)

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

Something that can fly! Which I think is going to be most people's answers, lol.

(and if it's not it will be in a few books)

 

[Oculus049]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?
I have actually read every book in the whole series (except for the few side books). Took me 3 months I think to do so XD

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?
I remember it being surprisingly dark and mature for what I suppose is a teen novel series. But also being surprisingly hilarious and silly. There are many goofs and jokes as there are moral dilemmas that make you question the righteousness of anything XD. Hoping to get some new insight and enjoyment by talking to others.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?
Definitely a bird. Something agile over raw speed. Don't remember the birds they used in the books specifically though.

 

[Sike Saner]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

Yep! Started reading around when book 8 came out. I'd been vaguely intrigued by previous books whenever I saw them at the library, but when they went and just straight up put an alien on the cover, that did it. I had to investigate.

I've read the entire series, including those Alternamorphs CYOAs. Still got the entire series sitting on a shelf behind me.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

I remember the aliens, mainly. The aliens, and the body horror. And the sheer '90s-ness of it, or at least of the books that actually came out in the '90s, pfff.

Anything different this time around? I don't know. Maybe that odd sort of awkward nostalgia that comes from how very dated some of this stuff is will be even stronger this time. Maybe some book or another will be better or worse than I remember it. We shall see, I guess!

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

Cat, I suppose? Decent senses, good mobility, ubiquitous enough to maybe not draw too much of the wrong sort of attention.

 

[The Walrein]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

Animorphs #1 may have been the very first library book I ever checked out! I was young enough - either five or six, I think - that the librarian was skeptical that I could actually read it, and made me read the first page out loud to her to prove I could do it. I didn't make much of an attempt to read the series in order, just checking out whichever books were available at the library at any given time, and over the course of around 2000 - 2004 read roughly up to the mid-forties in the main series, all the megamorphs, the Andalite/Ellmist/Hork-bajir chronicles, both alternamorphs, as well as the final book in the main series. The later books in the series were available, but I recall that I didn't like the changes to the status quo in those novels, so I didn't read them as much. (I also checked out Visser at one point but found it too boring and political to finish.) In a way, the books were sort of like comfort food to me, and I'd read the few books in the series I owned again and again, often during bouts of insomnia at 3:00 A.M.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

I can recall a lot of dated 'nineties pop-culture references I wasn't old enough to really get at the time, as well as a shocking level of violence for a children's book series. The intricately-described morphing sequences are also something I recall fairly well. This time around I think I'll appreciate the later books a lot more, and hopefully be able to get through Visser this time. I'm not sure if I'll pick up on any themes I didn't during my childhood read; I recall thinking I 'got' the books' messages pretty well back then, but of course I was young enough that I may have overlooked things. It'll definitely be very nostalgic for me, though.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

This is a tough one! My initial impulse was to say the wandering albatross, since it can fly and cross entire oceans, living off the sea, allowing me to travel long distances. Thinking on it some more, I thought of going with Thomas Nagel's answer of an echolocation-using bat species, for the novelty of having a new sense, and the ability to squeeze through small cracks and get airborne without needing a bit of a runway, unlike the albatross. My next choice was the greenland shark, due to its incredible longevity and ability to live deep under the surface hopefully allowing it to survive through a nuclear war if it came to that, and to live long enough afterwards for humanity to maybe develop tech to scan my brain into a computer and liberate me from my shark body.

However, I think my final answer is going to have to be the starfish species Linckia columbiae, for certain spoiler-y reasons...

 

[Flyg0n]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?
I've never read it before but I recall very much wanting to! I'd see them around lots and thought they were weird looking in a good way. All I know is that its very dark which I'm very excited for. I also know its got trauma and a lot of depth for middle school books. I've very into those middle-grade age books that aren't allowed to swear or do sexy things but still get to talk about complex matters and issues.

Also I just love animals.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?
Similar to above tbh. I'm really expecting some dark stuff, angst, crazy stuff, and hopefully some good feels mixed in, some hope or light at the end of the tunnel. The pictures on the front always called to me as a kid tbh, cause I love the idea of being able to turn into an animal. I always like pretending to be an animal when I was very young.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?
Part of me wants to be a possum cause I love em. Realistically though, a cat or a peregrine falcon would be awesome. Guess I can't pick a dragon, huh? Well in anycase, cat seems super cool, dexeterous, capable and fun.

 

[kyeugh]

gonna try my best at this! here's hoping i can stick with it.

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

i have not! or, i might have picked up one or two at random as a kid, but i don't really remember anything. i might recall some wacky alien stuff? mostly i know what i've heard on TR, which has been pretty favorable.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

i'm expecting weird alien shenanigans and a gradual descent into unexpected darkness. not sure if this is accurate but i also kind of suspect that some of the heavier content will be hinted at rather than stated outright, and i'm sort of hoping that's the case because i need to get better at that. some of my favorite worldbuilding works in that way, but i feel like i don't see it too often just bc the stuff i usually read prefers to get into it. also anticipating a healthy dose of teen drama, as well as POVs that act exactly as dramatically as you'd expect a teenager who gets to be an epic tiger now to act.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

crow or raven for sure. good-sized bird, clever enough that i could probably get away with a lot, and also capable of mimicking human speech, which hopefully means i'd be able to just straight up talk if the need arose. v good birds.

 

[windskull]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

I have! My step grandmother had a bunch of random children's books (and a few game boy games, which is how I got into pokemon). and just happened to have books 2 and 4. I was very enticed by the "girl turns into kitty" cover and read both of those books, then found them in the library and started reading more. Unfortunately, the library collection was not complete, and as a result I ended up reading in a relatively random order.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

I remember quite a bit, actually, but mostly because I listed to an animorphs podcast only about 6 months ago. But I'm looking forward to rereadign the series, and reading a few that I had missed over the years.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

Hm... probably something that blends in to suburbian areas well. Maybe a crow or a grackle. If birds were off limits for whatever reason, maybe a racooon?

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Got book 1 done!

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

I have read a few books out of order. I think the first one was probably one of them, because a few elements of this one seem familiar. (Namely, The elephant rampage at the pool, the tiger acquiring thing, and discovering that Older Bro is a vessel.)

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

I remember them being very bizarre in an an enjoyable sort of way. I expect I'll like it in parts, and also that other parts will make me mildly embarrassed to be invested in the rest of it.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

Something like one of the bigger corvids or whatnot. I thought about what I'd want if not a bird, but... Eh, it's not super appealing to me given I live a pretty normal life. Honestly, even with birds it probably wouldn't be worth the sheer surreality of it.

 

[Dragonfree]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

A couple of years ago, I read the first book, and just started the second - like, a few pages in. Then I got distracted by other things, though I've been meaning to pick them up again the entire time.

Prior to that, I had never read any Animorphs. I'd heard whispers of this series existing, and images of the covers, since my early days on the internet, though. My initial impressions were the covers looked pretty dorky, and that I probably wouldn't have liked them as a kid because I loved books about animals but why did there have to be humans transforming into them.

Vaguely, over the years, I picked up the names of the main characters, and in particular, that one of them was named Tobias and got stuck in the form of a hawk. Somehow, it wasn't until several years into hearing about these books on the internet that I learned the books with the kids transforming into animals were also about an alien invasion whaaaat?!

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

I don't remember if it was before or after learning about the alien invasion that I started hearing things about the series that legitimately intrigued me. That they were full of whump, and trauma, and mercilessly grappling with terrible moral dilemmas, and fates worse than death, and themes of how war changes you. I saw long Tumblr posts about horrifying things that happen in Animorphs, where all of the things sounded delicious. I must read this series. And if I had read them as a kid, I would 100% have been obsessed with them.

When I did read book one, I found the writing often a bit more simplistic than I would have liked, but enjoyed the sense that there was more going on in the characters' heads than the author felt the need to spell out directly on the page, and the tangible sense that the kids are grappling with something far beyond their capabilities. I expect I'll have similar feelings revisiting it, since it's only been a couple of years!

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

Might just go for Arctic tern, which I have identified with a bit since I was a kid because my mom nicknamed me after them and also is just a cool small fierce bird that undertakes the longest migrations of all animals. Heck yes long-distance flight.

 

[K_S]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

I read them when they came out and they were the bulk of my pre-middle school childhood (yes I am that old,) I read nearly every one, though I missed a few entries due to lack of availability (my library didn't have them beyond the first five books and I wound up having to save up to buy them from the grocery and had to pick and choose.... I'd say past the twentieth book on up). I think I've got a copy of the third one knocking around somewhere, that and the one dealing with

Spoiler: spoiler

the howlers

.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?
Honestly, I was drawn to the pictures on the covers at first. The realistic and gritty plots balanced by Marco's dry wit kept me reading as it wasn't like anything that we had available at the time. I remember feeling for Tobias the most and being really creeped out by Rachel as the series progressed. I won't dig into that further to avoid spoilers... I'm wondering what subtext/foreshadowing/and various plot devices I missed first read around that I'll pick up this time. Also going to be able to read them in order is something of a treat.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?
undecided honestly. I'd either aim for a big bird of prey or a lynx and decide courtesy of a coin toss if pressed on the topic.

 

[Luxray1000]

1. Have you read Animorphs before? If so, when and how far did you get through the series? If not, do you know anything about the series?

Yes. I initially read them in primary school, where I was limited to precisely three books from the series (#1 The Invasion, #4 The Message, and #23 The Pretender to be exact). The last of the three was my favourite, and I feel like I can at least in part blame that one for my love of stories centered around non-human characters (I know Tobias is still a human, just in a hawk's body... you know what I mean. This is a PMD forum after all).

More recently, however, I got a burst of nostalgia and decided to read through the whole series one book a day in the first couple of months of 2020, starting early in January (the second, I believe?) and finishing in late February.

2. If you haven't read the books before, what are you expecting? What got you interested in them? If you have, what do you remember about the series? Are you expecting to get anything different out of them this time around?

Well, as I said, I read them rather recently, so I remember just about the entire overarching plot, and even some of the weird books in the #30 to #40ish range. I certainly got something different out of them between the 'first' reading of three books and the 'second' reading of the whole series, so... maybe? But, then again, there was a gap of over a decade between those two, and about a year and a half here.

3. If you could pick a single animal morph for yourself, what would it be?

A lion or lynx to stay on the Luxray theme, perhaps. If not, a bird, most likely a red kite.

 

[Negrek]

Thanks to everyone who's replied so far! It was a lot of fun getting to see what people's experiences with the series have been, whether the books are childhood favorites or ones you've only heard about recently. Here's how things are going to work from here on out:

1) We read one book a week!

2) On Saturday I'll start a Discord discussion about the book we just read. This is a pretty wide-open discussion, and anyone who isn't able to join in right when I start things off is welcome to bring the discussion back over the next couple days by leaving a late reply.

3) Early in the week (ideally Sunday) I'll post some additional discussion questions in this thread for people to answer at their leisure while reading the next book in the sequence. You can answer ones that interest you, skip ones that don't, or ask you own questions, too!

4) And repeat!

Obviously I didn't manage "early in the week" this week, but here are the discussion questions for Book 1 nonetheless!

1. What are you impressions of the kids so far? Are there any you're particularly interested in following at this point?

2. Were there any scenes or moments that especially stuck out for you in this book, good or bad?

3. At the end of the novel, the Animorphs are soundly defeated and barely escape with their lives. What do you think of this ending? Assuming you want to read more, how does the failure of this first mission make you want to continue the series?

 

[Dragonfree]

1. What are you impressions of the kids so far? Are there any you're particularly interested in following at this point?

The characterization of the kids is really strong and coherent! It's one of the biggest strengths of the book to me. Tobias's horrible home life naturally causes his desire for escapism; it just makes sense that he's the one of the kids who's most open to the notion of fantastical things, to joining this fight where life will never be the same again. (He doesn't want life to be the same!) He insists to Jake at the end that he just couldn't find a place to demorph, but you know he wasn't looking all that hard. He's probably my favorite so far.

I'm also really intrigued by Marco. He's sad and troubled too with the death of his mom and his dad never the same, and has responded to it with this resentment and a load of sarcasm that masks it. Being adamant that they don't join the fight for most of the book is like, he's already been through one life-upending trauma that's left his dad hanging by a thread, and can't deal with the thought of another and what that would do to his dad. Really looking forward to seeing that one explored further.

Third is Rachel. I know some vague spoilers about Rachel and am incredibly tickled by how already the first book feels like it's setting up her character for that? I don't remember precisely which bits made me think that but there were several. I believe this author actually planned out this 54-book series from the start, goddamn.

Jake is sort of more average, as these leader types often are, but I do like that he has a personal stake in the plot with Tom being a Controller and look forward to what more they do with him from here.

Cassie has grabbed me the least so far, except for the bit where she says not to worry about the cop, which I am eyes emoji at but wasn't explored beyond that at all here. She did get characterization - kind, sensitive, the best at morphing - but we haven't properly seen her have issues yet. I'm sure she will, though. Looking forward to it.

2. Were there any scenes or moments that especially stuck out for you in this book, good or bad?

Elfangor's death was truly brutal and devastating. Very good. In general the book manages to punch in this emotional connection to him in the brief couple of chapters he gets before he's eaten and I commend that.

The bit where Jake morphs into his dog and starts barking about another dog being in his yard (his actual dog, who he just put in the yard himself), and then is devastated when Tom calls him a bad dog, is amazing and hilarious and I love it. A+ dog.

3. At the end of the novel, the Animorphs are soundly defeated and barely escape with their lives. What do you think of this ending? Assuming you want to read more, how does the failure of this first mission make you want to continue the series?

That ending is one of my favorite bits! You genuinely just have no idea how these kids are ever going to stand a chance against Visser Three and the sheer scale of the Yeerk operation as we see it there. I need to find out how they're going to manage this. And how hopeless they'll feel about it. Absolutely the ending I wanted. A++

 

[Sike Saner]

1. What are you impressions of the kids so far? Are there any you're particularly interested in following at this point?

They seem like exactly what they are: mid-'90s preteens. The narration reads accordingly: like a kid telling his own story. 1st-person POV was a good call.

My impressions of most of the characters as individuals is heavily informed by major plot points that are a pretty long way from actually happening, so I'll avoid going into too much detail. As for relatively non-spoilery thoughts:

Jake - somehow it took me this long to really appreciate just how sad it is to have a sibling who was essentially like one of your first friends become more distant and unrelatable, to lose interest in you and the things you had in common... only to regain interest for sinister reasons.

Rachel - Of course the most brutal kill in the book was her doing.* Of course it was.

Cassie - How is it only just properly occurring to me how much of the plot depended on her from the start? I mean, hell. If it wasn't for her (or more precisely, for her parents' line of work), how the shit were they gonna be anything except the Kitty and Pupper squad?

Marco - I remembered him being super reluctant to answer the call. Somehow I managed to forget the real reason why. Wtf, me.

Tobias - :(

2. Were there any scenes or moments that especially stuck out for you in this book, good or bad?

- The description of Elfangor's ship. Damnit, I want a vehicle like that. It just sounded so pleasant. I'd insist on chairs, though. :V

- The taxxons crowding around Visser Three in hopes of snagging some scraps. What a great detail.

- Similarly, the taxxon being all "pls to let us eat these animals??" at him during the pool scene. Why is that so adorable? Why was any other species in this series ever my favorite when these poor, effed-up dorks were an option the entire time? Granted, they became my favorite eventually, but still.

- How??? did they not get caught morphing in the pool complex?? Cassie went horse in the middle of a crowd of people who were either a.) infested or b.) about to be. Rachel demorphed to human in full view on the stairs. I am confusion.

3. At the end of the novel, the Animorphs are soundly defeated and barely escape with their lives. What do you think of this ending? Assuming you want to read more, how does the failure of this first mission make you want to continue the series?

It gets the job done. Wraps up what it can (which isn't much, obviously, because first installment in a series), leaves it clear that things are far from over. They're clearly gonna try again, otherwise this'd be a pretty short series. So why not stay tuned?

*Most brutal on-screen. I still wonder exactly why Cassie doesn't want to go into too much detail about her actions after going horse. And I tend to assume the worst, because I'm morbid like that. :B