ANIMORPHS #18 |
STORY | BOOKS | CHARACTERS
SUMMARY
Ax and the Animorphs are about to have a huge problem. It starts when they decide to morph mosquitoes in order to slip by some unsuspecting Yeerks. It ends with them stuck in Zero-space with no idea how they got there, no way to get back to Earth...and no oxygen.
Luckily, an Andalite scout ship finds them before it's too late. But now Ax is finally with his own people. And he doesn't know if he ever wants to go back to Earth...
Released: April 1998
Pages: 161
Cover Art by David B. MattinglyFront Cover (Hi-Res)
Inside Cover (Hi-Res)
ADDITIONAL / ALTERNATE COVERS
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Inside Cover |
German Cover | French Cover |
| bEWARE NEW READERS, SPOILERS AHEAD! |
TRIVIA
- ANIBASE: Animorphs has always included tons of fabricated alien words and expressions. But how, exactly, did K.A. Applegate come up with all these words? Here's what she said:
"Sometimes I come up with names just by playing with letters and sounds till I get something I like. Sometimes I'll take a word I see around me and alter it or reverse it. For example, the Andalite word nothlit come about because I happened to see the hotel name "Hilton" through my window. I just kept rearranging the letters until I got the word nothlit. Sometimes a word is deliberately evocative, meaning that is is supposed to make you think of other words. Visser is like that. It sounds a little like 'vicious' and a little like 'viceroy', and even a little like 'viscous'".
- The significance of the Leeran species makes an important return here for the Andalite-Yeerk War from when we last left them in #15: The Escape. Unfortunately, this book is the last that we hear of the Leerans ever again.
- The false blame that Ax takes for breaking The Law of Seerow's Kindness in favour of saving Elfangor's reputation to the Andalite people in #8: The Alien is brought up in this book once more, where Ax repeats his now fabricated story to the Andalite Captain in order to explain how the Animorphs got their powers.
- This is the first and only time in the series where an Andalite (a captain of a ship, no less) is working willingly along with the Yeerks without being a controller. It seems that he is not the only one as well, and it is hinted that there are even a few more Andalite double-agents roaming the galaxy. This plotline, however, is never explored or developed any further in the series past this book, but the Animorphs begin to have a general distrust towards other Andalites they meet in the future from this point on. This is shown more specifically in #38: The Arrival, #40: The Other, and throughout the end of the series.
- Captain Samilin-Corrath-Gahar mentions in this book that he is working alongside Visser Four. However, he is unseen in this book, and we don't hear about him again until Megamorphs #3: Elfangor's Secret, where he finally makes his first appearance.
- Orson Watch: The original sketch for the inside cover shows that Orson would have been in a framed photo in the back. (see below).
NEW PLOT ADDITIONS
CHARACTERS
ANIBASE: It's an Ax book, and he and the Animorphs end up on an Andalite ship, so we we now what that means: new Andalite characters! Samilin-Corrath-Gahar is the captain of Ascalin. Unfortunately he's also a traitor who's helping the Yeerks even though he isn't a Controller. More dedicated Andalites include the noble tactical officer, Hareli-Frodlin-Sirinial; the Ascalin's physician, Doctor Caaldwin-Ashul-Tahaylik; and the leader of the Andalite defense on Leera, Force Commander Prince Galuit-Enilon-Esgarrouth.
MORPHS
Jake Mosquito, and Leeran Rachel Mosquito. Cassie Mosquito, and Leeran. Marco Mosquito, and Leeran. Tobias Mosquito. Ax Mosquito, and Leeran Visser Three Kafit Bird
ALIENS
None.
TERMS
Ascalin
The name of the Andalite ship the Animorphs end up on after being dragged into Z-Space.Bright Hole
Leera's volcanic past created large, underground bubbles in the rock that contain phosphorescent minerals and bio-organisms. These holes light up and contain a great deal of amazing plant-life.Cha-Ma-Mib
The name of the/a Leeran god.City of Worms
The Leeran city that the Animorphs end up in. It looks like a giant, multi-colored scalloped shell sat on its open end, full of holes for entrances. Electric-blue worms swim around the city, creating an eerie halo and giving the city its name.Leera
The home world of the Leerans, it is mostly water with a few bare continents here and there. The Leerans make their home underwater in lavish cities.Residual Flux Field
What the Animorphs were caught in after being pulled into Z-Space. It's an elastic effect. The tiny mosquito morphs still left on Earth are acting like an anchor that the Animorphs are connected to by a theoretical rubber band. Eventually, they will snap back into the mosquito bodies.Yaolin
An Andalite curse word.
- Check the Alien-English Dictionary for more detailed terms and descriptions.
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
The morph for this book was also animated by David B. Mattingly, as part of the Sanctuary Screensavers. These were exclusive to all fans of the club for a limited amount of time.
Download this Sanctuary Screensaver, or
Watch it as a clip (will load on left).
RELATED LINKS
K.A. Q&A Archives
Reading List and Anibase Download
Alien-English DictionarySubmit 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.
| << Mission Archive < Previous Book | Next Book >> |
|---|
Disclaimer: Animorphs is the owned property of Scholastic and Katherine Applegate. This is a non-profit fan web project, and Hirac Delest is in no way claiming this franchise or its characters as its own. All product image and video content belongs to their respective owners and properties, unless or otherwise stated. If you use any of the original text or exclusive/archived content from this site, then please ask our permission first, and give this site full credit and a link back. If the info was received or provided from another site, then please be kind and give a link and credit back to them as well.