Book 2: The Visitor

[justgiz]

Right after starting this book, and being so soon after reading Book 1, i had a hard time wrapping my head around that it was a different character perspective. Couple times id still be picturing Jake doing the things.

[BabelFish42]

Right after starting this book, and being so soon after reading Book 1, i had a hard time wrapping my head around that it was a different character perspective. Couple times id still be picturing Jake doing the things.

Just wait till you read Megamorphs... the point of view switches each chapter.

[Menno]

In this book, Hork-Bajir are described as having spiked tails and blades on their foreheads. In #1, they had bladed tails and horns on their foreheads.

[Bookworm]

The Visitor was the first Animorphs book I've ever read. It's one of my favorite, along with The Departure and The Reaction..

[louli]

As for why they're treated differently, Rachel's temper is shorter, which makes her seem less steady. She externalizes her feelings while Jake internalizes his.

I think that was the main difference between the cousins at the beginning. Maybe Jake's inner strength is what made him seem like a natural leader to the other Animorphs.
I think there is another reason, too, that Jake was chosen as their leader; he was the link that connected that small group on the fateful walk through the construction site. Many of the Animorphs were mostly strangers to each other then, but Jake was already known, respected, and liked by all - cousin to Rachel, best friend to Marco, Cassie's crush, Tobias's "hero".

Generally, I don't like the titles in the whole series. And since they were often chosen by the editor after the book was written, they usually seem somehow not right.

Same here. Honestly, if I'd judged these books by their covers I would never have picked them up. The titles, the phrases on the front cover (almost always something about "change"), the cover illustrations - there are some illustrations I like but mostly the models on the front and the way they morph look nothing like I imagine them.
Oh, well. At least the books themselves are great.

[astrael]

I think the whole thing about Melissa and her parents touched Rachel personally. After the first time she spys as a cat and sees Melissa crying she says
she hates them. Totally. I think it reminded her about herself and her dad.

[lady_summoner]

This book is ok, but it is one of the more forgettable books to me. It does build nicely on the first book and gives more insight into the characters.

Did anyone else notice the short-term memory loss when Tobias was asking what the cat looked like? Rachel struggled to remember even though they just saw the cat in the picture with her and Melissa.

I think what distinguishes Rachel from Jake as a potential leader is that she is too-independent. To the point that she doesn’t always have confidence in her teammates. In Chapter 18, she actually says <They can't do anything.> when Jake tells her the other’s will be there soon. Whereas Jake replies to her with <Oh, really? Well, I bet they'll try. >

I love that Visser Three shows adoration for the cat. I can see Visser Three dreaming about taking over Earth with a hoard of cats around him. Lol

Why did Chapman/Iniss Two Two Six do nothing at home? I would think Yeerks would be super active outside of the pool.

[ARSbirds]

When I read it for the first time, I didn't pay much attention to the fact that Rachel and Jake are cousins. And less still to the fact they are very much alike: in the first book Jake mentions how he unreasonably explored the construction site, and in this one Rachel says "Jake is very much like me, he likes risk & excitement" (that's not an exact quote). So I've been wondering: if at the very beginning Rachel became the leader, would she become more Jake-like (=like Jake in later books) and would Jake be forced to become the dark warrior of the group and, in consequence, become more Rachelish?

The book is overall really interesting, as Rachel seems, well, more intelligent than in later books (particularly ghostwritten ones). It must have been the bear morph in 7 that damaged her so severely. In this book she's satisfied with the agility and grace of a cat whereas later she is always like "I need my raw bear strength, roar".

What bothers me is that she never says "Tom is my cousin too". Jake's motivation is Tom, but shouldn't that be part of Rachel's too?

[gh astly]

Well, Rachel was never very close to Jake's family to begin with, so it makes sense for her to not be as motivated by Tom.

[GIJO3]

I have just finished book #2 and am feeling more comfortable with the Animorphs and who they are. I was glad to learn that Chapman was not so bad a guy and that Melissa knows that she is cared for. I just like the Animorphs are waiting for the andalites to come. Starting book three tonight