Everything about this book was 5-star awesome until the ending. Cassie is an idiot and I hate her. ( )

This book faces a lot of the real issues. For once the conflicts seem more realistic than usual. SPOILERS if you haven't read this far in the series!

The Animorphs along with most of their parents, are making preparations in the Hork-bajir valley for all-out warfare with the aliens. Things are awkward with the adults who don't always go along with the plan or -very understandably- resent following orders from kids. Oddly, Marco's parents seem to be getting along great, and Tobias and his mother have a touching connection- no serious look at how uncomfortable those newly re-formed relationships might be. Jake is seriously falling apart under pressure, the Animorphs are arguing heatedly about strategy, Cassie is stepping up and doing some things on her own initiative- sometimes rather rashly.

Jake decides they have to recruit more Animorphs, or they have no chance. He figures kids are a better bet, they'll more readily accept the bizarre situation, reality of aliens and morphing technology than adults. They decide to find teenagers the Yeerks would never dream of infesting because their bodies are considered "inferior"- from a rehab center for physically disabled children, and a school for the blind. (Sneaking in and out of these places seemed way too easy). Not all the Animorphs agree with this plan, but they're starting to feel desperate. The new kids are thrown into things very suddenly, most of them accepting because of the tempting restoration morphing will give them- healthy bodies, legs to walk on, eyes that see, etc. For some, morphing back to human makes them healed. Others, it doesn't. In the end, there's a battle with the enemy involving the new recruits that pitches the stakes higher- Tom gets hold of the morphing cube, and Jake has to face him- would he kill his own controller brother to prevent the morphing ability falling into enemy hands. Tense.

from the Dogear Diary ( )

The war is heating up. The Animorphs' families are in hiding. Jake is cracking under the pressure. They decide to recruit more kids. Cliff hanging ending to a rather dark story. ( )

A short comment for every book of the series until I get a chance to re-read them. All three of my sons and I loved this series and read every single book - I even bought every single book (most, but not all, used; some through school book sales). I'm excited to re-read them to see how the five main characters develop and to watch all the different transformations again. ( )