The Encounter (Animorphs Graphix, #3) by Chris Grine, K.A. Applegate, Michael Grant Series: Animorphs Graphix #3
Published by Graphix
Published on October 4, 2022
Genres: 20th Century, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction, United States
Pages: 202
Format: Paperback
Source: my home library
Add to Goodreads
When Tobias and his friends were given the power to morph, they were also given an important warning: Never stay in a morph for more than two hours. But Tobias broke the time limit, and now he's trapped in the body of a hawk — forever.
When he discovers an important Yeerk secret, Tobias knows he has to do everything in his power to destroy it. But to do so, he'll have to contend with a part of himself that's wrestling for dominion. A part that isn't human.
For Tobias, the fight against the Yeerks is more pressing than ever — not just for humankind, but for his own humanity.
As a somewhat devoted fan of the original Animorphs series who once spent an entire day reading the Animorphs Wikipedia and learning absolutely nothing new, seeing Tobias’ story faithfully adapted into a beautiful graphic novel was a treat.
Not only does the graphic novel capture all the tense adventure of the original story, it updates some now outdated ‘facts’ – like if both Jake and Marco morphed a male wolf, they would fight for alpha dominance. I appreciate these little updates. I’ve read the source material so many times that I can tell you word for word exactly what has been changed, and I appreciate the hell out of changing incorrect ‘scientific’ facts.
The artwork is really lovely to look at, with a beautiful colour palette and incredible animal portraits, and true body horror with the morphing. Although I still think the fab five’s faces look too similar, I did notice the artistic impressions given to Tobias’ hawk mind slowly overtaking his own until he finds his equilibrium. Each page turned is like revisiting long-lost friends, rekindling the love I had for these characters and their epic battles against the parasitic Yeerks.
The graphic novel adaptations are a true to the enduring power of a series written in the 90s, and its ability to captivate readers across generations. Although the original story is intact, the graphic novels both manage to update and keep the timeless aspect of the books, rekindling the joy I feel when I reread the original books. The Encounter graphic novel was one of my few 5-star reads so far this year, in a year that has had many close encounters but very few home runs. It really reminds me of why this series had such a huge impact on me.
Whether you’re an Animorphs fan or not, or a graphic novel reader or not, I believe the Animorphs Graphix adaptations will ignite your imagination and pull on your heartstrings. I thoroughly recommend it.
Share this:
About Nemo
A lover of kittens and all things sparkly, Nemo has a degree in English Literature and specialises in reviewing contemporary, paranormal, mystery/thriller, historical, sci-fi and fantasy Young Adult fiction. She is especially drawn to novels about princesses, strong female friendships, magical powers, and assassins.
