The Familiar

by Katherine Applegate and K.A. Applegate

Book Overview

Animorphs RM is an exciting series for young adult readers about five teens who are given the power to morph into any animal they touch and then to absorb its DNA. This power is granted them by a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0439115159
• ISBN13: 9780439115155
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 143 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Intense and Terrifying

This was an extremely tense and fast-paced book. After a horrific failed battle in which Jake makes the call to leave two Animorphs behind, Jake wakes up the next morning and finds everything changed. He's suddenly "at least ten years older" in an UNfamiliar world. This book is similar to the alternate, possible reality books of #7 "The Stranger," the beginning of Megamorphs #3, and Megamorphs #4. Jake finds himself in New York City with everything changed-everyone is a Controller, including Andalites. It has the nightmarish aspects of 1984 as well as provoking humor of human society becoming merged with Yeerk society (the bits about pills and clinics and the advertising boards, for example). I'd say this is an especially dark book, almost a warning of the future. Jake sees his worst fears played out: he was responsible for everyone getting caught since Tom finally figured it out. He finds out that he's responsible for Rachel's death and for turning Cassie, Marco, and Ax into Controllers. The confusing aspects of this book is when he has hallucinations that we don't know are real or not. He sees the walking corpses of the enemies he's killed and is shocked that Cassie is a jaded terrorist, accepting violence. There are few light-hearted moments in this book as Jake is purposely forced to run through the gauntlet for some mysterious end or experiment by a different, perhaps even higher power than the Ellimist or Crayak. It's a terrifying book and one almost wishes for the end since it is quite painful at times. At the end of this book, readers can only hope that Jake can learn from his futuristic experiences.

The Familiar

The people that gave bad reviews on #41 are evil ! Well, okay, that's opinion. But anyway, I absolutely loved The Familiar. The way KA Applegate can create a futuristic Animorphs is amazing. I thought that The Familiar is one of the best books in the series, because it has so much glory in it. The auther fashioned this book to be not JUST #41. She fashined it to be a great , never to be forgotten book. True, the ending is a completely unexpected one -- but doesn't that make it all the more exciting? The Familiar is one of the best books in a long time since August. Now that's worth it.

Read the other reviews before reading this one, it'll help!

Although Animorphs are considered appropriate for ages 9-12, older children can certainly appreciate them. I'm 14 and have been reading Animorphs for about 4 years, and have noticed that it's difficult to comprehend some of the books if you're younger than 12. Judging by the previous reviews, this book is definitely one of them. The purpose of this review is to fill in some areas left void by the other reviewers, so read them prior to my review. First of all, the point of the book is to express a simple universal concept: love. The Animorphs have been forced to make difficult choices, but they continue to have a sense of morality. They realize that they cannot become totally ruthless. They need values and principles, or the world is not worth saving. Don't take this statement entirely literally, just be patient and you'll figure it out. The ending is easy to understand if you read the story carefully. Jake discovers the extent of his love for Cassie. An exciting new development is a being like the Ellimist, but different. I believe this book uses an idea similar to what was used in #7 "The Stranger", so read that too. It will also make the ending clearer when you read this book (And you should definitely read it! ). Be sure to read Megamorphs #4, because it relates to the book when Jake tells of his most terrifying dream, and at other points in the story. The new "being" in #41 could be interconnected with what is foreshadowed about Cassie during Megamorphs #4... that will make possible an interesting future plot. Anyway, this was one of my all-time favorite Animorph books, along with #s 4, 7, 19, 26, all the Tobias books, Megamorphs 3 and 4, and Visser (During which KAA implies that Marco is now either 12 or 15 years old, depending on what she means by "adolescence." Don't pay attention to the numerous hints about their age, they never add up.) But this is DEFINITELY a must-read, one of the best in the series. Don't miss it!

definately a head-spinner..

The book The Familiar, by K.A. Applegate was a book that turned my head, K.A.'s books just keep getting better adn better. It all started after a battle, Jake was tired of fighting, tired of making the calls. when he goes to bed, he wakes up the next mornig, only something's wrong... the Yeerks have taken over Earth! and he's 25! Somehow Jake has been pushed forward in time, into a world where he has few allys, and has no idea what's going on. Will Jake return to his rightful time? will he even survive this misfortune? The Familiar keeps you on the edge of your seat, and when it's over, the reader is forced to stop and think... These books (the Animorph series)are both fun to read and full of morals and press the idea that there is no good or evil, black and white, just shades of grey. I would definately recomend this book to anyone who has ever been touched by the struggles of right and wrong.

Excellent Plot Development

Once again, K.A. Applegate marvels us in her latest book in the best selling series, "Animorphs". In this novel, Jake finds himself all grown up in a future world which is in control of by Yeerks. Not knowing where his friends are, or what happened, he struggles to remain sane in his surroundings. Again, K.A. Applegates gives us very realistic characters who have much depth, and are very intriguing. This book is reccomended for all ages.