The Beginning

It's been almost six years since this series ended and I am now a college student, and yet it still resonates with me as much as it did back when I was a middle school student. Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, Marco, and Ax are always characters that will hold a special place in my heart. Throughout the course of the series, I felt like I got to know them as if they were real. I love the intricate, mature, and exciting story K.A. Applegate told about their battle to save Earth throughout the series. This is the stunning conclusion to my favorite book series of all time. The long war against the Yeerks finally comes to an end, and while the Animorphs and their allies are victorious in saving Earth, what is the price they pay? The way K.A. Applegate chose to end this series has been a source of controversy among the fans ever since its publication in May 2001. Rachel is killed, Jake and Tobias sink into depression, and the series ends on a cliffhanger. No doubt this book is quite depressing on many levels, and in no way would you describe it as a happy ending. However, I would not have it any other way. I am an English major with aspirations to become a secondary-level English teacher, and so I appreciate maturity and character depth and development. As the author herself has stated, Animorphs is and always was a war story. War is not clean. People make tough decisions, people are killed, afterwards some aren't always able to "shake it off" and move on, and sometimes the events that lead to the end of one war at some point down the road trigger another war. Thus, after writing an entire series in which the characters had to face very real moral dilemmas and had to deal with the reality of losing their youth and innocence as a result of becoming soliders, it would have been untrue to the mature spirit of the series to end it with everyone left happy, unscarred and giving each other high fives. Let me tell you, Rachel's death scene is powerful, and beautifully written. I have read it dozens upon dozens of times since the book was published, and it still hits me six years later with its force. The scene of her funeral is even more powerful. That last image of Tobias flying away with the urn containing her ashes...gets me every time, still. The character development after the way, as well, I also felt was believable. It would only be natural that Jake, after being such a good leader with the ability to make snap decisions during the war, would not be able to fully function after the war, finally getting the chance to second guess himself and the decisions he made. Rachel was the only person who ever truly loved Tobias, and so he will never be able to get over her death. It made sense for Marco and Cassie, on the other hand, to be able to do well and even prosper, and I was glad to see that Ax was finally able to step outside of his Elfangor's shadow and become an Andalite hero in his own right. As far as the cliffhanger goes, I love it. I don't a

Like most people, I was in middle school when I discovered Animorphs during that wonderful summer of 1996. I was a loyal reader up until #40. For some reason, I stopped readong my favortie books. I don't know why. I only recently began rereading my books and catching up on the ones I had never read. Now, when I was getting reaquainted, I learned all about the horrible ending, about Rachels tragic end. But I never read this book until now. And I still cried. I cried even when I knew how it would end up. I can understand why loyal fans would feel hurt and cheated by the UNBELIEVABLE cliffhanger, but on the other hand, I agree with those few who understood this was the ONLY way for the books to end. It broke my heart and I sat in my room crying for a good half-hour, grieving for these characters I have grown up with. They truely were like real people, and K.A.'s talent has never shined brighter than in this book. It was deep, dark, and more thought-provoking than any book i've ever read that was geared toawrds the 9-12 age group. I'm not ashamed to admit that i'm in college and I STILL reread these books. They will always be apart of me, and the characters will never be far from my thoughts. But now I have to say goodbye. Jake, thank you for teaching me about responsibility and leadership. Cassie, thank you for being moral, and for showing me how to win a war without losing your soul. Rachel, thank you for teaching me to take risks and not be afraid to live life. Marco, thank you for making me laugh. Ax and Tobias (my favorties), thank you for making me feel less alone, for being the only characters that conected with the part of me that always felt like a "misfit." You all taught me courage that will never leave me. In her last letter, K.A. leaves us by saying that we "may now demorph." I may be demorphed, but i'll never forget these books.

If you are an animorphs fan than this book will blow you away like it did me! I could read it over and over. I have devoted myself to the Animorph series for many years and but this conclusion book makes me feel happy but, like alot of people, sad! I just can't belive its over. I loved this book all the way up to the last page! I mean if you haven't read it I'm not going to ruin it but it leaves you with the feeling, that it leaves you with so many questions in your mind and you wish there was at least there was one more book. I hope this review helped you to relize, that you have to get this book if you are an Animorphs fan!

The Animorphs have fought countless battles. They have won few and lost many. But they had always managed to survive and keep their identities as human teenagers a secret. Until the day when their secret was revealed, and they had to flee for their lives with their families to live with the free Hork-Bajir. It was then they realized that the war was drawing to a close - and it became even more clear that it had ever been before that a human victory was not guaranteed. They had always set certain limits for themselves - but in the face of the brutal Yeerk onslaught under Visser One, during which silent invasion became all out war, they began to cross the line and do things they never would have found acceptable before. And now the final battle is here. Six teenagers are humanity's last hope, standing against a powerful alien empire. The odds are against them. But they will do anything to save Earth. The best-selling Animorphs series comes to a powerful conclusion with The Beginning. I have been reading Animorphs for a long time now, and I am sad to say good-bye to Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Marco, Tobias, and Ax. But for us, the loyal fans, Animorphs will live on in our memories.

Rachel and the other Animorphs had fought a silent battle with the parasitic Yeerks for years, while the human race remained unaware. But now all that avoiding has changed. The human race is just as desperate as the Animorphs to defeat the Yeerks who will rule Earth forever if they're not stopped soon, and it's come to the final battle against the Yeerks to decide once and for all who will victor in the brutal war -- the Animorphs or the Yeerks. The world is terrified of this revelation that their planet may fall victim to the Yeerks. No matter what happens, Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, Marco, and Ax know that if they want to save all they have tried to protect, they have to win this one. No matter what they have to face or give up. Because if they lose, it will be a battle lost that no one can correct. But will this war end in victory or tragedy for the Animorphs? No one knows who will win or lose. And no one knows who will live...or die. K.A. Applegate concludes the fabulous Animorphs series with an absolutely extraordinary and beautifully written finale. I would recommend it to fans and readers of the series everywhere, but I know that you don't have to be told twice to read this last and promising book in the series, Animorphs #54: The Beginning. It's fabulous in more ways then one, being the ultimate last -- and best.