Applegate - Book Reviews

*** - Excellent
- Good
* - Okay
** - Bad
* - Terrible

Animorphs - The Complete Series
(Animorphs series, Books 1 - 54 plus Megamorphs 1 - 4)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The lives of five middle-school-age kids - Jake, Rachel, Marco, Cassie and Tobias - are forever changed when they meet a dying alien in an abandoned construction site. Prince Elfangor is the last Andalite (a race resembling a blue centaur with extra stalk-eyes and a bladed tail) left in this sector after a space battle with the parasitic Yeerks. The latter are slugs who wrap around a being's brain to become Controllers, taking complete control of their host's actions, thoughts and memories. Because the Yeerk has access to all of their host's memories and personality traits, it is impossible to tell who is infested or not. Earth is already being invaded, and it could be years before more Andalites arrive. Elfangor breaks his race's tradition of withholding technological assistance to other species and gives the kids a weapon to fight the invaders: the Andalite technology which allows a person to morph into any animal they can touch. fter Elfangor is killed by the evil Visser Three, leader of the Yeerk invasion and the only Andalite-Controller in the galaxy, these five kids are the only resistance to the evil that threatens their entire world.

REVIEW: I started reading Kids/Young Adult books (not all the time, just occasionally) after one too many "grown-up" books deteriorated into gratuitous orgies, meaning-of-the-universe dissertations and general dullness. It's quite refreshing to be able to pick up a book which I know won't fall victim to the first two pitfalls. This series came to my attention by passing my own personal screening process, a very technical and strict procedure which is too lengthy to get into here (translation: there was a cat on the cover of the second book.) The first two felt somewhat generic, setting up the characters and world, but there was something more beneath the surface, a hint of wit and intelligence, plus the fact that being able to become an animal is pretty cool as far as gimmicks go. After the third book, I was hooked! Each book in the series rotates through a first-person point of view of the main characters, giving insight into each of the Animorphs' lives and thoughts. Even Tobias (who sacrifices his humanity for the cause after staying in hawk form too long in the first book) and Aximili (a young Andalite whom they pick up in later volumes) get turns in the rotation. Changing viewpoints help keep things from getting stale, and for the most part the series only improves as the series continues. The later books are a bit hit-and-miss, most likely due to inconsistent ghostwriters, but overall are still entertaining. As for the ending (#54 - The Beginning), the title is a serious misnomer, and not just because several plot threads are left unresolved, even if the main story arc itself wraps up decisively. Of all of them, I think #2 - The Visitor was the one of the weakest, while the David trilogy (#20 - #22, concerning the addition of a new Animorph amid one of their toughest missions) was my favorite story. Aside from the action, which there's never a shortage of, the characters develop into distinct individuals, capable of learning and growing. With a new installment coming out roughly every month, they gave me a quick fix of action and entertainment for over two years. Bottom line: they're fast, they're fun, and they're addictive!
As an ending note, I realize that it's not really fair to lump 58 books under one heading like this; one of my future projects will be to reread and review each one individually. But that will have to wait until I have more spare time lying around, unfortunately...

You might also enjoy:
Animal-Speak (Ted Andrews, Nonfiction - An extensive look at animals as totems, messengers, and spirit guides)
Strange Happenings (Avi, YA Fiction - Fantasy anthology of transformations)
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card, Fiction - A child prodigy trains at an orbital station to defend Earth from alien invaders)
The X-Files: Fight the Future (Chris Carter, adapted by Elizabeth Hand, Fiction - Two FBI agents investigate alien invaders and a dark conspiracy)
The Tripods: When the Tripods Came (John Christopher, YA Fiction - Sci-fi, teens witness an alien invasion)
Half-Human (Bruce Coville editor, YA Fiction - Fantasy anthology of half-humans)
The Watchers series (Peter Lerangis, YA Fiction - Stories of children in strange sitations)
The 2099 series (John Peel, YA Fiction - A computer-dominated future is threatened by conspirators with illegal technology)
The Visitors trilogy (Ron Philbrick, YA Fiction - After a UFO crashes, something strange possesses all the grown-ups of Harley Hills)

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The Andalite Chronicles
(Animorphs series)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
****

DESCRIPTION: Just before his death, the Andalite Prince Elfangor, having given the morphing power to five human children, downloads his death-statement to his ship's computer. This is the story of his first glimpse of the Yeerk War as a young aristh (warrior cadet) under War-Prince Alloran, a veteran of the failed attempt to free the Hork-Bajir of the parasitic invaders. Elfangor's tale covers his trip to the home world of the cannibalistic centipede-like Taxxons, most of whom are voluntary collaborators with the Yeerks, and his first encounter with humans. It also tells how he is responsible for the Abomination - the only Andalite-Controller - who is now Visser Three.
Note: This was published between Animorphs 7 and 8. While it's not necessary to read the books in order, references in later Animorphs books make more sense if you do!

REVIEW: I thought it faltered a little in parts, but if you chalk it up to English/Andalite translation errors and just ride out a couple rough spots, it's just as fun as the rest of the series. Lots of action, some seriousness, and touches of humor mark this Animorph prequel. Since I'm writing this after I've read The Hork-Bajir Chronicles, I can say that this is the weaker of the two, but only by a tiny margin. I also can't quite pinpoint why - it's just a feeling. An interesting comparison is that, while both feature main characters who are deceased when the story is being told, they both have optimistic endings. I've read a few stories where the main characters live, but the tone is unremittingly downbeat. How does she do it?

You might also enjoy:
Strange Happenings (Avi, YA Fiction - Fantasy anthology of transformations)
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card, Fiction - A child prodigy trains at an orbital station to defend Earth from alien invaders)
The X-Files: Fight the Future (Chris Carter, adapted by Elizabeth Hand, Fiction - Two FBI agents investigate alien invaders and a dark conspiracy)
The Tripods: When the Tripods Came (John Christopher, YA Fiction - Sci-fi, teens witness an alien invasion)
Half-Human (Bruce Coville editor, YA Fiction - Fantasy anthology of half-humans)
The Watchers series (Peter Lerangis, YA Fiction - Stories of children in strange sitations)
The 2099 series (John Peel, YA Fiction - A computer-dominated future is threatened by conspirators with illegal technology)
The Visitors trilogy (Ron Philbrick, YA Fiction - After a UFO crashes, something strange possesses all the grown-ups of Harley Hills)

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The Hork-Bajir Chronicles
(Animorphs series)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: This is the story of the early years of the Yeerk War, as told to Tobias by the free Hork-Bajir Jara Hamee. Aldrea is the daughter of the Andalite Prince Seerow, whose good intentions in offering the Yeerks higher technology backfired horribly. Because of him, the Yeerks have spread across the galaxy, enslaving millions of aliens in the expansion of their empire. Relegated to humiliating assignments because of Seerow's mistake, Aldrea and her family wind up on the planet of the Hork-Bajir, a simple tree-dwelling species whose towering, blade-festooned appearance belies their peaceful nature. No beings as unintelligent as these could be of any significance, which is why Seerow's family is sent to study them.
Dak Hamee is a Hork-Bajir seer, a rare genetic anomaly with intelligence to rival the Andalites. Among the Hork-Bajir, it is believed that a seer is born when the people need to learn something new, but Dak has no idea what he was born to teach them. His joy at finding his purpose - introducing his race to the Andalites and their higher knowledge - turns into a nightmare when the Yeerks arrive, and the Hork-Bajir look to their seer for guidance.
Esplin 9466 is the Yeerk who eventually becomes Visser Three, telling the story from his perspective. He is both excited and ambitious as his people explore new hosts and start building their Empire.
Note: This was published between Animorphs 22 and 23. While it's not necessary to read the books in order, references in later Animorphs books make more sense if you do!

REVIEW: Anyone who reads the Animorphs series knows how this one has to end, but it actually comes across as an upbeat tale. Dak Hamee loses his people many times over, and not just to the Yeerks who covet their bladed bodies as the ultimate warrior hosts. Aldrea must overcome her own anger and prejudices to do what's right. Even the parts of the story told by Esplin 9466 were interesting, filling in a side of the struggle which the series has only touched on elsewhere. Despite the darkness, hope springs eternal. People who haven't read Animorphs probably wouldn't understand it, but I have, and I'm the reviewer here, so I gave it top marks. Those who follow the series have to read this book!

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Visser
(Animorph series)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: Edriss 526 is a very special Yeerk. It was she who first tracked down the planet called Earth, home of so many potential hosts for her parasitic species to infest. It was she who became the first human-Controller. It was she who set up the secretive invasion of Earth, a task now led by the Andalite-Controller Visser Three. But now, Edriss 526, also known as Visser One, stands on trial for treason before the Council of Thirteen. If found guilty, it could spell the end for her and her human host Eva. This is the story of the Yeerk invasion of Earth, told by the Yeerk who started it all. The first Yeerk to discover just how weak - and how strong - the human spirit is.
Note: This was published between Animorphs 35 and 36. While it's not necessary to read the books in order, references in later Animorphs books make more sense if you do!

REVIEW: Though a dark tale of deception, control and betrayal, It is nevertheless very good. The ending is not as upbeat as her other tales, and the rays of hope shine stark and bleak against the greater background. I almost wished she had told parts of it in more detail, perhaps from her companion Yeerk's point of view. There are a couple other aspects that I wanted elaborated on, but I can't complain. Another great story from author Applegate. I also must note that the cover on the hardback version is wonderfully shiny!

You might also enjoy:
Strange Happenings (Avi, YA Fiction - Fantasy anthology of transformations)
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card, Fiction - A child prodigy trains at an orbital station to defend Earth from alien invaders)
The X-Files: Fight the Future (Chris Carter, adapted by Elizabeth Hand, Fiction - Two FBI agents investigate alien invaders and a dark conspiracy)
The Tripods: When the Tripods Came (John Christopher, YA Fiction - Sci-fi, teens witness an alien invasion)
The Half-Human (Bruce Coville editor, YA Fiction - Fantasy anthology of half-humans)
The Watchers series (Peter Lerangis, YA Fiction - Stories of children in strange sitations)
2099 series (John Peel, YA Fiction - A computer-dominated future is threatened by conspirators with illegal technology)
The Visitors trilogy (Ron Philbrick, YA Fiction - After a UFO crashes, something strange possesses all the grown-ups of Harley Hills)

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The Ellimist Chronicles
(Animorphs series)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
****

DESCRIPTION: He is called the Ellimist, a seemingly immortal interstellar meddler, sworn enemy of the evil Crayak. He appears from nowhere, making the most unexpected offers in the most unexpected situations, and the Animorphs both respect and distrust his word. Though they recognize Crayak as an enemy, the Ellimist is far too much of an enigma to call a friend. He is known throughout the galaxy, sometimes feared, sometimes worshipped, sometimes hated, but never understood. Until now.
This is the story of the young Ketran named Toomin, with the "screen" name of Ellimist. He is a slacker, obsessed - like many his age - with his race's uninet and its many games. When his kind begins to develop an interstellar ship of their own, like those of the few offworlders to visit Ket, he never expects to be picked for even nonessential crew, but he is, thanks to an influential friend. He is about to begin a journey that will take him light-years and eons from the crystal sphere he calls home, as a gamer in a contest with the highest stakes the galaxy has ever known.
Note: This was published between Animorphs 46 and 47. While it's not necessary to read the books in order, references in later Animorphs books make more sense if you do!

REVIEW: As usual, Applegate delivers an unexpected story behind one of her more intriguing characters. This one gives grim shades of things to come in her Animorphs series, but one of the points of the book is that the struggle between Earth and the Yeerks is but a small part of a much greater and much older game. Overall, an excellent outing, even if it is shorter than her other "extra" stories.

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Alternamorphs - The First Journey
(Animorphs series)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
***

DESCRIPTION: This "choose-your-own-adventure"-style book stars you as an Animorph.�In this version, you are in the abandoned construction site with Jake and the others when Prince Elfangor's crippled ship lands. You are there when the Andalite warrior offers a handful of humans the power to fight the Yeerks. You become one of the Animorphs, a kid with the Andalite technology that allows you to become any animal you can touch. Do you have what it takes to fight the Yeerk invasion?
This book follows you, the rookie Animorph, through two adventures. The first puts you in the alternate version of the first book. The second is a follow-up on a later Animorph book. You choose your animal morphs, but choose with care, for - as the Animorphs quickly discover - the Yeerks are not the only threat you'll face.
Though part of the Animorphs series, this book exists on an independent timeline.

REVIEW: When I was younger, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure books (well, most of them, but that's another review for another time.) The basic idea was the same as this book: read the story, make a choice at a critical plot point, turn to the page indicated and read the results. I could read them over and over, getting a different story each time. They allowed for variable endings, happy and sad, and one "wrong" move didn't necessarily negate your chances of a reasonably satisfactory conclusion. Now, I know from the official web site that Applegate turns out one Animorph book a month, six months before the publishing date: an extremely fast turnaround time in the publishing industry, and a difficult pace to keep up. I know that "extra" projects like this book must be squeezed in around this schedule. Still, I would've appreciated it if she had drawn a little more from the masters of the Choose Your Own Adventure line of books. It was essentially a straight tale, with one answer being right and the others being dead ends. There was no incentive to read it more than once. It was also written to a distinctly lower (or shallower) audience than other Animorph books. The first tale races through the events of the first book, knowing that the reader has "been there, done that" and just wants to get to the end. The second was just as rushed and just as shallow, but at least it wasn't a rehash of what we'd already seen. I also found one pretty major editing flaw near the end of the first adventure. All in all, Alternamorphs was uninspiring, without much in the way of the series' usual charm. What it comes down to is either Applegate doesn't get the concept of alternate-ending books, or she just plain doesn't have the time to properly chart one out.

You might also enjoy:
Dragonology Pocket Adventures (Dugald A. Steer, YA Fiction - Four choose-your-own-story booklets in the Dragonology universe)
The Abominable Snowman/Journey Under the Sea/Space and Beyond/The Lost Jewels of Nabooti/Mystery of the Maya/House of Danger (Choose Your Own Adventure 1-6) (Box Set 1) (The original series, and still the best)

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Alternamorphs 2 - The Next Passage
(Animorphs series)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
****

DESCRIPTION: This is the second "Alternamorphs" book, a choose-your-own-adventure spin-off of the Animorphs series. In this book, you - not David - are the kid who finds Elfangor's blue box in the construction site. The box with the power to bestow the Andalite technology of morphing, used by Elfangor to create the Animorphs. The box that both Visser Three and the Animorphs will go to great lengths to retrieve. Will you do better than he did with the power and responsibility that comes with morphing?
Though part of the Animorphs series, this book exists on an independent timeline.

REVIEW: This was a much better book than the first Alternamorphs. It wasn't as simple as one choice being right and the other being immediately lethal. Once again, there are two adventures involved, both taken from previous Animorph books, but it didn't feel as trite as the last one. It also didn't seem quite as condescending, if I may use that term. True, it used the same premises as two previous stories, but it wasn't a total rehash. Still not quite at the level of complexity that some of the original Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books reached, but this story is one I am not hesitant to place in the same category as Applegate's other books.

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Everworld: Search for Senna
(Everworld series, Book 1 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: David, Christopher, April, and Jalil aren't exactly friends. David, the new kid in school, is a junior with a reputation for being tough. Christopher is on the basketball team, known for his wit and, since sophomore year, for being the boyfriend of Senna Wales, a mysteriously reclusive student. Outgoing April is Senna's half-sister, her exuberance more than making up for her sibling's quiet demeanor. Jalil is a teen driven by logic and self-preservation, with little room for mystery or pity. What binds them is Senna, about whom nobody seems to know much. Aloof, quiet, inscrutable, sometimes impossibly cruel and cold and sometimes irresistibly charming, she seems to belong to another world. She just might...
Drawn by forces they hardly understand, the four high school juniors come together to see Senna abducted from this world. Caught in the backwash of a powerful magick, they are pulled into a world where the rules of logic and reality do not seem to apply. Narrowly escaping from Loki, the Viking god of destruction, they find themselves lost and alone in a strange land, where gods of ancient Earth mingle and clash with gods from alien worlds. If they are ever to return home, they must find Senna before her enemies do - that is, if she doesn't turn out to be their greatest enemy herself.

REVIEW: I hesitated in marking this as a Kids/Young Adult book, even though that's where it's stocked in the stores. It is definitely aimed at an older audience than her sci-fi series Animorphs. After a confused and slow start, Everworld evolves into a fascinating tale with a neat concept. It is much grittier and darker than her other works, with characters who would almost be happier ripping each other's throats out than cooperating. In a neat plot trick, the teens find themselves spending time in both the fantastic Everworld and in the real world, where "copies" of themselves somehow continue to exist. This looks to be the start of a promising series.

You might also enjoy:
The Artemis Fowl series (Eoin Colfer, YA Fiction - A boy criminal mastermind pits his wits against the underground Fairy nation)
Mythology: A Visual Encyclopedia (Jo Forty, Nonfiction - Book on world mythology)
The Chrestomanci books and The Merlin Conspiracy (Diana Wynne Jones, YA Fiction - Magicians regularly travel between various worlds and times)
The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica (James A. Owen, YA Fiction - Three English men, destined to be famed authors, travel to the magical Archipelago of Dreams, inspiration for myth and story since prehistory)
The Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were (Michael Page and Robert Ingpen, Fiction - Compendium of imaginary places, people, gods, and more)
The Percy Jackson & the Olympians series (Rick Riordan, YA Fiction - Olympian gods still live, as do their immortal enemies)
Mysterious Places (Jennifer Westwood, editor, Nonfiction - Proof that you don't need to leave Earth to find bizarre places)
The 100 Cupboards trilogy (N. D. Wilson, YA Fiction - A boy discovers magical cupboard doors leading to other worlds)
The War of the Flowers (Tad Williams, Fiction - A man enters the fairy world, where magic parallels technology and a war with humanity is on the horizon)

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Everworld: Land of Loss
(Everworld series, Book 2 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: Trapped in a world of gods and monsters, the teens David, Christopher, April, and Jalil find themselves in the Americas (or Everworld's equivalent), fighting an Aztec war god and his bloodthirsty people. They still don't know where the elusive Senna is, and they are beginning to suspect that she is not quite as innocent as she tries to seem. If they live long enough to locate her, they will have many questions - not the least of which is how they return home.

REVIEW: I can't say much here without spoiling it and the first book, as Everworld is a serial-format story. Suffice it to say that it certainly lives up to the level of action and darkness set in the first installment. More about the unique nature and inhabitants of the world is slowly revealed, and character tension continues to keep things interesting. I look forward to the next book.

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Everworld: Enter the Enchanted
(Everworld series, Book 3 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: April, David, Jalil, and Christopher continue their travels through Everworld, this time in the lands inhabited by the tattered remnants of King Arthur's court. Galahad now leads the knights of the Round Table, fighting vainly to keep his former liege's ideals of a unified and peaceful Everworld alive. Though the teens have at last found Senna, they are still in imminent danger, as much from her as from other residents of the fantastic land. The Viking god Loki still pursues them, as does the wizard Merlin, each for their own unknown purposes.

REVIEW: Still a great series, with the plot continuing to thicken and the characters continuing to grow. Highly recommended. (These reviews may seem to be growing skimpy, but I hate spoiler-ridden reviews, and it gets harder to comment in any meaningful way without inadvertently spoiling some plot point.)

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Everworld: Realm of the Reaper
(Everworld series, Book 4 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: Jalil, Christopher, April, and David have been wandering for weeks through the surreal landscape of Everworld. They've lost Senna, they're low on food, and they are completely and thoroughly lost. Their wanderings take them at last to a strange city near a black river. Despite their own bad feelings about the place, they nevertheless investigate, only to find themselves captives in a city owned by Hel, a Norse goddess of the Underworld, whose greatest pleasure is torturing mortals. No one has ever escaped her clutches... at least, not while they are alive.

REVIEW: Another excellent installment in the Everworld series. This tale was better than the previous three, if such is possible. The world continues to grow in complexity, and Applegate delivers compelling yet disturbing updates on ancient mythos.

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Everworld: Discover the Destroyer
(Everworld series, Book 5 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: David, Christopher, Jalil, April, and Senna, whom they have temporarily relocated, escape the nightmarish world of Hel only to stumble upon the lair of Nidhoggir, the great dragon of the Underworld. In exchange for their lives, the teens agree to reclaim four treasures stolen from his hoard by leprechauns. Though the teens may snicker, Senna points out that there may be a reason such small, seemingly benign and helpless creatures have not only survived in Everworld, but have kept the immense beast Nidhoggir at bay. Finding Fairy Land is easy. Finding the stolen treasure may kill them.

REVIEW: Another splendid installment in the Everworld saga. Characters continue to grow, the plot continues to thicken, and the story continues to be captivating and unpredictable.

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Everworld: Fear the Fantastic
(Everworld series, Book 6 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: Christopher and the others narrowly escaped the arrows of the fairies and the flames of Nidhoggir. They have lost the ever-elusive Senna, but at least they're still alive. Now, they may have jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, for they have just run straight into the section of Everworld controlled by the evil alien god Ka Anor, whose diet is other gods and whose presence threatens the entirety of Everworld itself.

REVIEW: Another wonderful book in a marvelous series, which again I can't explore in detail here due to the spoiler potential. Applegate continues to give us a rich and unpredictable mythic world, and starts weaving in real-world complications. Great!

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Everworld: Gateway to the Gods
(Everworld series, Book 7 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: The Chicago teens have been through fire, flood, and Hell - literally - in their journeys through Everworld. Now, at last, they have come to a sanctuary of sorts: Mount Olympus, home of the mighty Zeus and the pantheon of Greek gods. April and the others know the respite won't last long, and it doesn't. Scarcely a day after their arrival they are told that Olympus is being sieged by the insectlike alien Hetwan, determined to feed the residents to their immortal-eating alien god Ka Anor. When the teens are thrust onto the front lines, the fate of the gods is in their hands.

REVIEW: Another wonderful installment in the Everworld series. Applegate's characters are definitely growing from their experiences, which is a nice change of pace from some series I've read and/or watched. The stories continue to be action-packed, interesting, and unpredictable in a good way.

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Everworld: Brave the Betrayal
(Everworld series, Book 8 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: Jalil and his companions leave Olympus with a mission, a mission that will take them to a witch far more dangerous and powerful than the manipulative Senna. To find her, they must cross a portion of Everworld controlled by ancient African deities, gods who dislike strangers who do not bear gifts.

REVIEW: Again, a surreal and fast-paced story, as unpredictable as ever, weaving in more strange elements from global folklore and Applegate's own imagination. A great installment in a great series.

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Everworld: Inside the Illusion
(Everworld series, Book 9 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: The teens - Jalil, April, David and Christopher and the witch Senna - have come through their ordeals with the African gods. At last, they arrive at Everworld's version of the Nile. They are seeking Senna's mother, an even more powerful magician than she, in order to fulfill a bargain with the alien Coo-Hatch. This will hardly be a happy reunion, even if there weren't angered gods and looting Amazons to deal with. Senna has never forgotten how her mystical mother dumped her on the doorstep of her normal father, abandoning her in a world full of mundane, magic-blind people, gifted with powers she barely understood. If there's one thing Senna excels at besides manipulating others, it's holding a grudge... that, and exacting revenge.

REVIEW: This is the first - and possibly last - story told from Senna's viewpoint. She is, as expected, quite manipulative, evincing very little in the way of ethics or conscience, but there is more to her story than we readers were initially aware of. I thought it meandered a trifle more than the previous Everworld books, possibly because the narrator kept herself separate from so much of the action and the other characters, but all in all it was equally imaginative and unpredictable. I do wonder if Applegate has a conclusion in mind for this series, and how many books she'll take to get there. Not that I'm complaining yet, but her Animorphs series could've benefited from fewer "filler"/ghostwritten books between mytharc advancement stories, and I don't think the far-more-serial Everworld stories would hold up as well with such treatment.

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Everworld: Understand the Unknown
(Everworld series, Book 10 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: The teens escaped Everworld's version of ancient Egypt, and now must cross the Mediterranean Sea to return to Mt. Olympus. The journey takes a turn for the worse when the sea god Neptune wrecks the vessel, drawing them down into the depths of his underwater city. Here, the mad god intends to keep them for his own amusement... or kill them.

REVIEW: As good as the other books in the series, only just starting to show a touch of wear on the formula. Enough new information is introduced in the overall story arc to keep things interesting, however. Shortly after this book came out, Scholastic announced that, because sales aren't what they want them to be, the Everworld series would be suspended after book 12. I suppose they wanted an Animorph-level mega-hit.

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Everworld: Mystify the Magician
(Everworld series, Book 11 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: Christopher and his companions (and Senna, whom nobody knows whether to call an ally or enemy) have escaped the wrath of the Greek and Roman sea gods, washing up on the shore of Everworld's version of Ireland. Almost immediately, they find themselves in danger, but not from the horrid giant who initially attempts to devour the trespassers. Shortly after the teens' arrival, the giant is slain by a weapon no Everworld god or mortal has ever known, or could ever have developed: a machine gun. It looks like Senna is about to step up her campaign to rule the land of gods and magic, but can four Chicago teens with little more than the clothes on their backs stop her?

REVIEW: All I can say about this is: wow! Amazing! Incredible! And so sad, that Scholastic terminated the series after the next book! Every time I'm sure Applegate has kicked it into the highest gear she possibly can, she manages to ratchet the story up to a new level of tension, excitement, and interest. I wish sales had picked up enough for the publishers to relent and let Everworld finish its proper course.

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Everworld: Entertain the End
(Everworld series, Book 12 of 12)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
*****

DESCRIPTION: The gateway between the real world and Everworld has been closed, but not before a new evil has been introduced to the land. The "Sennites," fringe-militant types packing real-world armaments, are cutting a swath of destruction through Everworld's version of Ireland. Stranded and leaderless in a land of gods and magic, they nevertheless have decided to continue their former leader's dreams of bloody conquest, and even the bows of the fairy archers are no match for machine guns and mortars. April and her companions, with the assistance of Merlin, the elfin queen Geowynne, and her half-human daughter Etain, must now deal with this threat before Ka Anor gets wind of the Sennites and recruits them for his own destructive purposes. With the gate closed, the teens are no longer traveling at ease between the real and normal worlds. Soon, one of them (the real-world self or the Everworld self) will fade. The time has come at last for friend and foe alike to choose which side - and which world - to be on.

REVIEW: Due to Scholastic's premature cancellation of this series, Book 12 is the last we will see of Everworld. I want more, but I'm happy with what I have, too. Just enough is resolved that one can walk away feeling somewhat satisfied, but enough potential exists for more works if Scholastic ever gets its head on straight (or Applegate finds a new publisher.) I know I'd love to read more Everworld adventures, if they're up to this caliber.

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Remnants: The Mayflower Project
(Remnants series, Book 1 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: It has been coming since the earliest days of human history. Now that it's almost here, nothing can stop it. The asteroid is sixty-seven miles across, dwarfing the rock that took out the dinosaurs. Our most powerful weapons wouldn't put a dent in it. When it hits, it's going to be over, for humanity and quite possibly the planet itself. While Earth may be doomed, there is one last, desperate light of hope on the horizon for the human race: the Mayflower Project, a hastily thrown-together collection of experimental equipment on a retrofitted space shuttle. The target is a star that NASA thinks may have a habitable planet orbiting it. Nobody knows for sure - but then, nobody knows if the hibernation beds will work, or if the calculations are remotely accurate, or even if the experimental solar sails that are supposed to get them there will deploy. Only eighty berths are available on this flight, which is most likely just as doomed as Earth is, but it's the only hope left for the species. Naturally, nobody who knows about the Mayflower wants to be left behind. The clock is ticking... is it already too late?

REVIEW: Just when I was going into action withdrawal from the end of Animorphs... just when I was getting depressed over the termination of Everworld... Applegate comes to the rescue with a new series, and it shows every sign of living up to her previous high standards. There are several characters of varying ages, none of whom are dull or deadweight, and there's plenty of action in this fast-paced story. I'm looking forward to the Mayflower's planetfall in Book 2.

You might also enjoy:
The Tripods: When the Tripods Came (John Christopher, YA Fiction - Sci-fi, teens witness an alien invasion)
The Watchers series (Peter Lerangis, YA Fiction - Stories of children in strange sitations)
Field Guide to the Apocalypse (Meghann Marco, Nonfiction - A tongue-in-cheek guide to surviving and preventing various global disasters, based on Hollywood's examples)
Life as We Knew It (Susan Beth Pfeffer, YA Fiction - A teen's diary chronicles life after a planetary disaster)
The Visitors trilogy (Ron Philbrick, YA Fiction - After a UFO crashes, something strange possesses all the grown-ups of Harley Hills)

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Remnants: Destination Unknown
(Remnants series, Book 2 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: It has been five hundred years since Earth was destroyed by a meteor. Five hundred years since the desperate, untested Mayflower Project launched on an aging shuttle, carrying the last eighty humans in the galaxy in a state of hibernation. Now, the shuttle has landed, and the survivors are awakening to a world so bizarre that they wonder if they might still be in their deathlike sleep. The landscape is split between a riot of Impressionistic color and a stark, black and white wasteland. The shuttle itself landed in an impossible way: on its, tail, in takeoff position, rather than on its belly. Jobs, 2Face, Mo'Steel and the others can't make sense of any of it, but they have no choice but to try. This is their home now, for as long as they can manage to survive.

REVIEW: In a word, bizarre. Applegate comes through with some very peculiar, even creepy concepts and interestingly human characters, in a plot that is, once again, unpredictable in a good way. This is a very wild ride she's set us on. I hope we actually get to see it through to the end.

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Remnants: Them
(Remnants series, Book 3 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The survivors of the Mayflower group are now divided, both teams heading toward a great structure taken from an artist's interpretation of the Tower of Babel: its existence in this bizarre landscape is all the proof they need that something very, very strange is going on. All know that they are not on some planet, but a spacecraft of impossible proportions. Furthermore, there is a new alien species to contend with - the "Blue Meanies" - in addition to the malicious "Riders" who already killed one Remnant. The majority of the Mayflower survivors, in the group with the power-hungry Yago, the military woman Tamara and her unnatural baby, and the girl 2Face who is struggling to avoid being labeled a freak (and therefore expendable), see the tower as a defensible structure, the logical place to establish a base of operations. The rest, including the computer geek Jobs, the wild Mo'Steel and his mother, the refined Violet Blake and the nearly comatose (yet disturbingly powerful) boy Billy Weir, believe there is a greater significance to the Tower than just a high point in the landscape. Indeed, there may be an ulterior motive for the entire recreated environment they are in, ripped off from a seemingly random assortment of old Earth artists. The Riders may not be the only things trying to kill the humans off before they can uncover the secrets of the Tower.

REVIEW: The story is moving ahead at a very brisk pace, with a major climax at the end of this book that leads to significant changes in the world and the power structure of the Remnants. It looks like this story won't fall into the "holding pattern" that dominated a fair portion of the run of her other series, Animorphs. More like a serial, it has a definite direction and isn't so much an episodic formula as a story broken into several books. Much is revealed, but more mysteries are presented. I'm still looking forward to Book 4.

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Remnants: Nowhere Land
(Remnants series, Book 4 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The few surviving humans have discovered some interesting things about the strange place where the Mayflower Project shuttle landed. It is actually a ship of alien build and colossal proportions, and they are not the only residents. Now, with the destruction of the warped environment the ship's possibly-insane computer created for them, they are truly on alien ground, stuck in the habitat of the hostile creatures nicknamed the Riders. To survive here, they must stand together. Still, forces threaten to divide the group of remnants against each other, forces being encouraged by at least one outside source.

REVIEW: Still good. Still bizarre. Still a very interesting, wild ride, even if I can't get much more descriptive without risking spoilers.

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Remnants: Mutation
(Remnants series, Book 5 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The Remnants have been beset by troubles since they first emerged from the Mayflower shuttle. They have since learned that the different environments of the great ship are all controlled by the onboard computer, known as Mother, and that "she" may not be quite as benign and helpful as she was originally designed to be. If they could find a way to communicate with it, perhaps they have a chance to live, but just reaching the "bridge" may kill them. Besides, who among them can speak to a mad machine?

REVIEW: What more is there to say? Applegate continues to astound, amaze and impress.

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Remnants: Breakdown
(Remnants series, Book 6 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: Young Billy Weir and Mother, the malfunctioning supercomputer whose generated environments have been as deadly as they have been surreal, have met at last in a battle of wills. The humans simply want a chance to live without being hunted by Riders or the artificial environments themselves. Mother wants new ideas, and to be rid of the recently-returned Blue Meanies, descendents of the former maintenance crew that used to keep her sane. Power-hungry Yago makes Mother an offer she can't refuse. In exchange for power, Yago will help her wage war on the Meanies.

REVIEW: Almost too much happens here, but it's still a thrilling ride. I wonder how much longer she can keep up this pace.

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Remnants: Isolation
(Remnants series, Book 7 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: It's all-out war aboard the great ship run by Mother, the insane supercomputer. The Blue Meanies are fighting the Riders and the Squids, all of whom are against the humans after Mother forced them into war under Yago's leadership. Now, the group is split again, one half following Tamara and the unnatural Baby, and the other following 2Face. Both are heading for the same place: the bridge, the heart of the ship, where ultimate control of Mother will be decided. Wherever that may be...

REVIEW: I think the biggest problem with the Remnants series is that it isn't really a series. It's one story broken into many books, much moreso than most serials. Things would read more smoothly if more books were packaged between the same covers. Otherwise, the action just keeps getting more intense.

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Remnants: Mother, May I?
(Remnants series, Book 8 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The Riders, the Blue Meanies, and the humans have called an uneasy truce, the latter living in an environment crafted specially to their own desires by Mother and Billy. Given the sudden power to do anything and live anywhere that they desire, however, the Remnants have drifted into stagnant dreamworlds of their own design... most of them, at least. Yago, still affected by his contact with Mother, secretly meets with rogue Meanies as a new messiah. 2Face still plots to lead the humans against the other races, believing only one will ultimately survive. Jobs still uses Mother's great instrument arrays to search the galaxy for a new Earth to call home. He may have found one... the old one, actually. Getting there will require a course change for the great ship, which violates the terms of the compromise between the species. From this distance, he can't even tell if anything is left on the meteor-devastated planet. Is a return to Earth worth dying for?

REVIEW: Still going strong, Applegate is all over the map here, moving the story forward while kicking up the intensity several notches. I hope she doesn't draw things out too much longer; eventually, it's going to burn itself out.

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Remnants: No Place Like Home
(Remnants series, Book 9 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The Remnants' course change of the great ship shattered the fragile peace between the three species on board. Now, a new enemy makes itself known: the last missing survivors of the Mayflower, taken from the other humans in the early hours of their revival by unknown forces and kept hidden until now. The question is no longer whether the shattered remains of Earth are worth reaching. The question is, will any humans be left alive when the ship gets there.

REVIEW: Applegate seems to be gearing up for a finale in the next two or three books. So far, the quality is remaining fairly consistent, though I still say she should have more books between a single set of covers; it's one story, somewhat forced into a serial format.

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Remnants: Lost and Found
(Remnants series, Book 10 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: The last survivors of the Mayflower have at last, despite violent opposition from the two other alien races aboard Mother and even a trio of mutated humans who have not rejoined with the group for their own unknown reasons, returned to the asteroid-shattered remains of Earth. Any hope of humanity's survival is quickly dashed, as the planet is a half-frozen, half-sunbaked rock with thin air, lessened gravity and no rotation. Jobs wants to try to retake Earth, but the others are in shock, their last hopes destroyed. There are those aboard the ship who don't care what condition the planet is in. They just want the Remnants off Mother - for good.

REVIEW: Just when life aboard Mother was threatening to get stale, Applegate throws in more twists and developments. As usual, a wild ride that has me waiting eagerly for the next installment.

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Remnants: Dream Storm
(Remnants series, Book 11 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
*****

DESCRIPTION: Jobs, Mo'Steel, Violet and most of the Remnants were on the ruined surface of Earth when Yago - aided by the Troika, the three humans who have kept separate from the rest of the survivors - marooned them by overpowering Mother. They have little water, almost no food, and no hope of survival beyond a few days. After all, nobody survived the Rock five hundred years ago... or did they?

REVIEW: Just when things couldn't get any worse for the Remnants... I wonder if we'll be seeing Mother again next book. Even if the ship doesn't come back, there is plenty to keep the characters occupied here.

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Remnants: Aftermath
(Remnants series, Book 12 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
****

DESCRIPTION: After being abandoned on the remains of Earth and escaping a psychotropic storm, the Remnants find themselves among the last vestiges of humanity. The Alphas, descendants of scientists who hid in buried biospheres when the Rock hit, grow food in underground caverns. The Marauders, consisting of defective Alphas and a few descendents of survivors of the Rock, live on the surface and procure water. Trade between them is tense, but necessary for their mutual survival.
Mo'Steel has become the leader of the Marauders through an act of self-defense, and is now charged with leading the tattered band to the Dark Zone and the territories of the rumored Beasts. Unknown monsters aren't the only enemy waiting for a sign of weakness in the Remnants. Marauders and Alphas alike distrust these newcomers, and on this Earth, there is no room for the unwanted.

REVIEW: I clipped this a point because it felt stretched for some reason. I did enjoy it, but it seemed that less happened in this book. I do hope the author has an ending in mind, as I detect the faint whiff of a series being stretched overlong. As I said before, Applegate (or Scholastic) should really put more of these books between the same covers.

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Remnants: Survival
(Remnants series, Book 13 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
****

DESCRIPTION: After Jobs, Mo'Steel and the rest were abandoned on Earth, Tate was left aboard Mother in the company of Yago and the Troika, the mysterious trio of Amelia, Duncan and Charlie. The Troika's plans to "evolve" involve using their lackey Yago to devour the rest of Mother's inhabitants. Tate included...

REVIEW: It looks like Applegate's definitely headed into the home stretch, here, which is a good thing. Another interesting and unpredictable story, here, filled with action on various levels. The length is telling at this point, however; the energy's definitely feeling more strained.

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Remnants: Begin Again
(Remnants series, Book 14 of 14)
K. A. Applegate
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Sci-Fi
***

DESCRIPTION: Mo'Steel, Jobs, and the other Remnants are still alive, a part of the wandering Marauder band. The Marauder seer, Sanchez, insists they have been called to gather at the sacred Source, and so they have traveled there through great hardship... only to find that the Source is, impossibly, the alien ship Mother. Here is a chance to bring life back to the blasted Earth, or destroy what little life still clings to it.

REVIEW: This is the final book in Applegate's Remnants series, which she once stated was going to be her last-ever series. One particular line may refer to her thoughts on series writing in general, or hint at lingering dismay over the cancellation of Everworld. In any event, I felt cheated. Nothing was explained, and Applegate jumps right over what should have been a great and interesting moment in her rush to get the series over with once and for all. I also felt that several characters ended up as deadweight, so the time spent developing them was wasted. For that matter, several plot elements ultimately came to nothing. On the whole, Remnants could've been a little shorter and the ending a little punchier. I hope to see more sci-fi/fantasy books by Applegate sometime in the future, though, as I enjoy her writing style. I would especially like to see how she handles a nice, single-volume sci-fi or fantasy story.

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