ANIMORPHS #4
THE MESSAGE


STORY | BOOKS | CHARACTERS

 

SUMMARY

It all started with the dreams. But Cassie didn't pay much attention to them. She and her friends had all been having weird dreams ever since they'd first learned to morph. Maybe it was just some crazy side effect.

Then Cassie discovered that she and Tobias had been having the exact same dreams. Dreams about the ocean. And a strange feeling that someone is calling to them. Calling for help. Cassie, Tobias, Jake, Rachel, and Marco have to figure out if the dreams are a message -- or a trap. And if it is a trap, it could mean the end -- for everyone...

 

Released: October 1996
Pages: 151
Cover Art by David B. Mattingly

Front Cover (Hi-Res)Front Cover
Inside Cover (Hi-Res)Inside Cover

 

ADDITIONAL / ALTERNATE COVERS

Inside Cover Japanese Book Cover U.K Cover
     
U.S. Inside Cover
Japanese Cover
U.K Cover
     
German Cover French Cover  
     
German Cover French Cover  

 

bEWARE NEW READERS, SPOILERS AHEAD!

 

TRIVIA

  • ANIBASE: Originally Ax was supposed to be introduced in the second book. But once it became clearer that this was going to be a long-running series, K.A. decided to delay his enterance into the world of Animorphs.
  • ANIBASE: As a little in-joke, K.A. named the dolphins the Animorphs morph after the six main characters on the TV show Friends. Cassie morphed Monica.
  • We see the Frolis Maneuver being used for the first time in this book as Ax uses it to create himself a human form by mixing the DNA of Jake, Cassie, Rachel, and Marco. We later learn in the series that Elfangor once used the same morphing technique to create a human form for himself in The Andalite Chronicles as well.

    This technique isn't addressed or used much on the most part (other than by Ax) in the series, but #35: The Proposal focuses on Marco having trouble controlling his morphing ability due to stress, where he accidentally uses this technique to end up creating weird animal mixtures.
  • Jake is officially pronounced as "Prince Jake" in this book by Ax, and he is continued to be called this by Ax throughout the series, even though Jake insists that "It's just Jake".
  • Promotional Tie-In: This book featured a contest for Animorph fans (as seen in the U.S Cover) where they were asked to send in their responses on what type of animal they wished they could morph into and why. From the answers, 3 winners would be picked who would then be morphed into the animal of their choice and published within future books. The enteries were picked on October 1996, December 1996, and February 1997. The winners were published with their morphed pictures in the following books:
    Name
    Age
    Published In
    Morph
    Winner #1
    Alexandra
    11
    Leopard
    Winner #2
    Eric A.
    12
    Polar Bear
    Winner #3
    Andre H.
    12
    Jaguar

 

NEW PLOT ADDITIONS

CHARACTERS

This book introduced Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (or 'Ax') as the final member of the team. Ax is an Aristh (an Andalite cadet) who was left behind on the Dome Ship that crashed into the Earth's ocean while the Yeerks attacked above orbit. It was the same day that his brother Elfangor crash landed on Earth himself to give the Animorphs their powers. After Ax was rescued by the Animorphs, he declared to follow under "Prince Jake", and became bound by his Andalite duty to avenge his brother's death by killing Visser Three.

Click here to see Ax's full profile.

 

MORPHS

Jake Dolphin, and Seagull
Rachel Dolphin, and Seagull
Cassie Squirrel, Dolphin, and Seagull
Marco Dolphin, and Seagull
Tobias None.
Ax Tiger Shark, and Human (DNA combination of Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Marco)
   
Visser Three Mardrut

 

TERMS

Derrishoul Trees
Trees from the Andalite home world that look like stalks of giant asparagus.

Enos Ermarf
The Andalite phrase that describes a certain way that a lake curves forward into the grass, framed by derrishoul trees.

Mirrorwave Call
A special kind of thought-speak call that allows an Andalite to project throught-speak messages over great distances.

Frolis Maneuver
The combinations of 2 or more DNA to turn into one. Ax uses this technique to create a new human form for himself out of Jake, Cassie, Rachel, and Marco.

 

PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

Cassie to Dolphin Animation by David B. Mattingly Get Morphed Contest Rules  
     
Cassie Morph Animation David B. Mattingly
'Get Morphed'
Contest Rules
 

 

RELATED LINKS

K.A. Q&A Archives
Reading List and Anibase Download
Alien-English Dictionary

Submit Trivia or your most Memorable Quotes!

 

CREDITS

A big credit to Jeff Sampson for helping build and write the Anibase, which provided much of the inside information towards the series.

Thanks to Monster and JRTCMA for providing the Contest Rules Page!
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