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Animorphs-Book 17:The Underground-Chapter 29quote:It turned out yes, yes, he cared. Visser Three would sacrifice hundreds of his fellow Yeerks to the oatmeal madness. After all, it was war, and sacrifices had to be made sometimes. This is one of the problems with poor leadership. quote:We freed Jake, Tobias, and Ax. Then we headed, very carefully, for one of the exits. We climbed the stairs backward, with Marco pointing the Dracon beam the whole way up. When Andalites don't pull off their feeling of superiority, you get arrogance and xenophobia. When they do, you get....this. quote:I was shrinking all the while. And as I became less elephant and more human, the pain began to diminish. I could feel strength returning. But I was still so tired. Could I morph again? So they poisoned the pool and collapsed part of the cavern. This is sort of a win, I guess. Did you think they'd actually do it? Chapter 30 quote:I wasn’t crushed by a rock. I was glad for that. I was smashed and banged up pretty good. And oh, was I scared. That part with the breakout is so remarkably Rachel it makes me smile. And here's hoping poor Mr. Edelman finds some peace. So what did you think about it? Wacky oatmeal misadventures, huh? Next book is an Ax book. We get to hang out with our favorite Andalite. (Oh, who am I kidding, your favorite Andalite is Elfangor. I know, you know, even poor Ax knows. But I guess Ax's favorite Andalite is also Elfangor.)
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 04:59 |
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# ? Apr 29, 2024 08:52 |
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Cythereal posted:I remember reading the Tripods books as a kid. And the day it clicked that this wasn't a fantasy setting, this was Earth after an alien invasion. I read the prequel first, so I already knew what was up.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 05:02 |
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I've gotta say, I wasn't expecting the Animorphs to actually go through with poisoning the Yeerk pool. This is definitely the most monstrous thing they've done so far and I'm pretty sure using chemical weapons like that is an unambiguous war crime.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 05:20 |
Nah, gently caress 'em. Quantum oatmeal virus time. War crimes for fun and profit. Alloran 2024
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 05:42 |
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That whole scene confused me at first because I assumed the stairways out of there were through tunnels, but I guess it's like... a spiral staircase running around the edge of the cavern, exposed to the whole complex? In which case I have no idea how they did all that demorphing without being spotted by everybody down below, or how they managed to bring the roof down without totally destroying the cavern. But eh whatever. And yeah blowing the oatmeal is one of the darkest things they've done - several hundred insane Yeerks right there at least - but that's still at least half on the Visser. They could have walked out of there and returned to the status quo, he's the one who forced their hands. Epicurius posted:“It’s MAR-co,” Jordan sang. She thinks he’s cute. Jordan has good taste in men. quote:Next book is an Ax book. We get to hang out with our favorite Andalite. (Oh, who am I kidding, your favorite Andalite is Elfangor. I know, you know, even poor Ax knows. But I guess Ax's favorite Andalite is also Elfangor.) Hell yeah, 18 is by far my favourite Animorphs book. It ticks a lot of my boxes personally, but also just objectively rocks, in terms of both personal character development and themes and all that jazz, and the actual plot, which is one of the coolest so far. I think the only real competitor, in my eyes, is (structural spoilers not plot spoilers) 20/21/22, which have the unfair advantage of being a story arc trilogy, and in fact I sat here trying to think of which of those I liked the most and couldn't. Probably 21, but it's a close run thing, and the trilogy is greater than the sum of its parts.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 08:53 |
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The Truth and Reconciliation Commission report on use of oatmeal is going to be pretty surreal at the end of this.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 09:03 |
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Grammarchist posted:The Truth and Reconciliation Commission report on use of oatmeal is going to be pretty surreal at the end of this. It's cute you think that this is going to be anything more than a footnote next to the real war cimes yet to come before we're finished
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 09:05 |
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I really didn't expect them to actually get the chance to oatmeal the pool, even 500 yeerks was probably a pretty hefty blow to the war effort.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 09:22 |
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freebooter posted:That whole scene confused me at first because I assumed the stairways out of there were through tunnels, but I guess it's like... a spiral staircase running around the edge of the cavern, exposed to the whole complex? In which case I have no idea how they did all that demorphing without being spotted by everybody down below, or how they managed to bring the roof down without totally destroying the cavern. But eh whatever. The inside cover shows one of the stairways. It doesn't match up to how I imagined it either. I thought it was an enclosed stairway going straight up, so when Rachel shot at the ceiling I imagined a tunnel caving in.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 09:32 |
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This book has so much weird action that the scene where they discuss the ethics of using chemical weapons on the enemy feels a bit out of place. I think I remember being bored and annoyed by it when I first read it, but that could have been any scene where they talk about ethics, which are only going to get more common from here. On the subject of Visser Three's evil field, maybe he's doing the same thing Elfangor was doing in the first book, when he calms the kids down with emotional telepathy. It looks like a bit of early series weirdness that got retconned, but maybe it's just a hard skill to master, or something. Also, according to the Ellimist Chronicles, the Andalites' ancestors had emotional telepathy before they had thought speech. I think. I might need to reread that scene.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 09:54 |
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quote:Hell yeah, 18 is by far my favourite Animorphs book. It ticks a lot of my boxes personally, but also just objectively rocks, in terms of both personal character development and themes and all that jazz, and the actual plot, which is one of the coolest so far. That's the z-space snap book, right? Somehow I'd always conflated that book with #11 in my mind. Maybe because they both involve weird scifi physics and Animorphs in space, I guess. quote:I think the only real competitor, in my eyes, is (structural spoilers not plot spoilers) 20/21/22, which have the unfair advantage of being a story arc trilogy, and in fact I sat here trying to think of which of those I liked the most and couldn't. Probably 21, but it's a close run thing, and the trilogy is greater than the sum of its parts. NGL I'm basically counting down the books until we get to that.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 13:19 |
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WrightOfWay posted:I've gotta say, I wasn't expecting the Animorphs to actually go through with poisoning the Yeerk pool. This is definitely the most monstrous thing they've done so far and I'm pretty sure using chemical weapons like that is an unambiguous war crime.
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# ? Feb 18, 2021 15:46 |
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While cable internet is a great thing, its less of one when a storm hits and my internet access is unstable and SA decides to give me Cloudflare errors. Hopefully, before I go to bed in an hour and a half, I'll be able to post the beginning of book 18. Otherwise, blame the weather. (Also, do you think Andalites have weather machines? I could see them doing something like that.)
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# ? Feb 19, 2021 04:32 |
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Epicurius posted:While cable internet is a great thing, its less of one when a storm hits and my internet access is unstable and SA decides to give me Cloudflare errors. Hopefully, before I go to bed in an hour and a half, I'll be able to post the beginning of book 18. Otherwise, blame the weather. (Also, do you think Andalites have weather machines? I could see them doing something like that.) I'm astounded at the regularity you've kept up to date. Don't sweat it, we really appreciate what you're doing!
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# ? Feb 19, 2021 04:41 |
Epicurius posted:While cable internet is a great thing, its less of one when a storm hits and my internet access is unstable and SA decides to give me Cloudflare errors. Hopefully, before I go to bed in an hour and a half, I'll be able to post the beginning of book 18. Otherwise, blame the weather. (Also, do you think Andalites have weather machines? I could see them doing something like that.) andalites used to wear coats, but they've had weather machines for so long they've forgotten the concept of clothing
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# ? Feb 19, 2021 04:44 |
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I'm trying to picture Andalite hats, now Little holes for the eyestalks...
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# ? Feb 19, 2021 04:51 |
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Tree Bucket posted:I'm trying to picture Andalite hats, now
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# ? Feb 19, 2021 07:37 |
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https://twitter.com/spacecoyotl/status/1362817836540780544?s=21
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# ? Feb 19, 2021 21:57 |
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 00:27 |
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Animorphs-Book 18:The Decision-Chapter 1quote:My name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. This is true. The manager was certainly unclear here. And she did say "You can help yourself." Ax is blameless! Chapter 2 quote:“So there I am,” Marco said. “Cruising through the food court, minding my own business, thinking, Hey, why not snag a taco? when I notice the paramedics and this crowd all gathered around the Cinnabon.” Chapman's to do list for the day: 1. Drive Melissa to Acrobatics 2. Attend phone meeting on law regarding accommodations for special needs students 3. Meet with principal re school budget funding for student clubs and activities 4. Hit deputy director of Secret Service with car 5. Plan staff retirement party for Mrs. Jacobson
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 04:35 |
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"Jokes are humor." -- Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, 1998. I love that it's specifically Chapman that hits the guy with his car. It couldn't be a Controller in a less public role whose reputation might be less damaged. Has to be Chapman. Visser Three probably specifically demanded it.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 04:50 |
I, um.... Chapman would be, if not dead, then all kinds of arrested.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 04:57 |
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I remember the first chapter making me laugh out loud quite a bit when I first read it... And it still does!
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 05:04 |
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Ax did nothing wrong.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 05:13 |
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Shwoo posted:"Jokes are humor." -- Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, 1998. <Iniss, I require the use of your host's automobile. It is important.> "But, my Visser... you don't know how to drive." <I never said I would be the one driving, now did I?>
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 06:58 |
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I can't imagine they keep it up after these two books, but I do love that while the other Animorphs are writing stuff down for... reasons? Ax has solid motives for his books. He's not gonna write a book of children's fiction just for the hell of it.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 07:43 |
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I wonder what Andalites think about having the ability to consume meat. I don't recall Ax ever talking about it though he doesn't seem to care about that when he goes on a tasting frenzy.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 08:04 |
dungeon cousin posted:I wonder what Andalites think about having the ability to consume meat. I don't recall Ax ever talking about it though he doesn't seem to care about that when he goes on a tasting frenzy. Elfangor showed a pretty big disdain for it, though it was only touched on.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 08:44 |
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This is one of the books I have the clearest memories of. I've read it so many times. It's a good one.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 09:06 |
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Shwoo posted:I love that it's specifically Chapman that hits the guy with his car. It couldn't be a Controller in a less public role whose reputation might be less damaged. Has to be Chapman. Visser Three probably specifically demanded it. It's so loving great. With all the resources they have, everything at their disposal... he just picks this fairly mild-mannered Controller to run down a high-ranking government agent in the family minivan. Other thoughts: a) Pretty surprised Applegate tips her hand about what's going to go down in this book right there in the introduction! b) I've been thinking this for a while, but frankly: Marco and Rachel have more chemistry than Tobias and Rachel SirSamVimes posted:This is one of the books I have the clearest memories of. I've read it so many times. Among the many other reasons I love it is how crazily it escalates. Starts out as a pretty routine mission and ends with one of the most insane setpieces in the entire series.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 09:59 |
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...I have no idea what happens in this book, but you've all got me anticipating something pretty special! I guess from the intro we meet more andalites? And there's another planet? That'd be cool.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 11:27 |
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I mean you already know that it's an Ax book, that should be enough to be convinced it's going to be rad.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 12:02 |
Seriously this is now the most unbelievable thing in the books to me. You cannot take down the number 2 USSS without eating 50 bullets, or facing a squillion years in jail. You just can't. If Chapman walks from that, the Yeerks already control so much of government as to have effectively won already.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 12:05 |
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SirSamVimes posted:This is one of the books I have the clearest memories of. I've read it so many times. I somehow stopped before the Chee were introduced and I'm still pretty sure i remember this one well. I definitely remember that opening scene.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 13:34 |
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Comrade Blyatlov posted:Seriously this is now the most unbelievable thing in the books to me. You cannot take down the number 2 USSS without eating 50 bullets, or facing a squillion years in jail. You just can't. OTOH, it was the 90s, pre-9/11. Different world.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 13:44 |
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Comrade Blyatlov posted:Seriously this is now the most unbelievable thing in the books to me. You cannot take down the number 2 USSS without eating 50 bullets, or facing a squillion years in jail. You just can't. It seems pretty clear to me that he was off-duty at the time (especially since he was in SoCal). Not crossing the street while directly part of Clinton's service detail as Chapman ominously rounds the corner in his Honda Odyssey. edit - not to say that a hit and run on such a high ranking figure wouldn't obviously spark a massive FBI investigation, but maybe the Yeerks have enough Controllers in high places to stymie that, or at least they figure it's worth it even if Chapman gets caught because they still infested the 2IC of the Secret Service. Although that also raises the question (which I think comes up again in a few books when it's implied one of the G8 heads of state is a Controller) precisely how useful that is when the host does not live near Earth's only Yeerk pool in The Animorphs' Hometown. I think they have portable Kandrona etc but it's always suggested to be a pain in the rear end and I feel like logistically, it makes more sense to flood an organisation's low-ranking people with low-ranking Yeerks so you gradually control a majority, than it does to infest a high-ranking person as though that's some kind of coup. freebooter fucked around with this message at 13:52 on Feb 20, 2021 |
# ? Feb 20, 2021 13:47 |
I'd make an argument that by controlling the high-ranking members, it becomes far, far easier to subvert lower ranking members, but either way would work I guess.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 14:19 |
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I think my new favorite thing about this book right away that I only really appreciate thanks to this thread is how severely it breaks the pattern of the generic intro. Ax is talking to his own people here, he doesn't need to spend half a chapter every book explaining what yeerks are, which was starting to get repetitive as heck. Leading instead with promises of political intrigue, unthinkable betrayal, and rewriting an entire field of science was an immense breath of fresh air I think was sorely needed.
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 14:44 |
Comrade Blyatlov posted:Seriously this is now the most unbelievable thing in the books to me. You cannot take down the number 2 USSS without eating 50 bullets, or facing a squillion years in jail. You just can't. erek says it right in the chapter, tho. nobody knows that it even happened because a controller cop showed up to the scene of the "accident" with controller paramedics and took him to the controller hospital. by the time the FBI even gets wind of it his yeerk will be on the phone reassuring them that he's fine, no investigation needed, just a drunk driving hit and run in other news, this made me think of seagull morphs https://twitter.com/pelhambluefund/status/1362939555876245505 Jazerus fucked around with this message at 15:07 on Feb 20, 2021 |
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# ? Feb 20, 2021 15:03 |
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# ? Apr 29, 2024 08:52 |
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https://twitter.com/MinovskyArticle/status/1362867373875822592?s=19
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# ? Feb 21, 2021 00:13 |