Animorphs is a book series about a group of six teens protecting the world from an alien invasion. The series does push what's acceptable in the Young Adult genre. Tobias is trapped in red-tailed hawk morph by the end of the first book and doesn't regain his ability to morph until later on in the series. And even then he still has to stay in hawk morph to be able to continue the fight.
There's also the Taxxons. The race is cursed with a hunger that can never be satisfied which causes them to eat anything that bleeds. That includes other Taxxons and themselves. I mean...how the heck did I survive my childhood?
Oh and let's not forget to mention the David Trilogy (#20-#22) where the Animorphs were tasked with something horrible. They had rescued David from the Yeerks and decided to enlist him in the war. But they ended up trapping him in morph because he had turned traitor.
But there is only one Animorphs book where one of the main cast is mentally and physically tortured: Animorphs #33 The Illusion.
While each Animorphs book does have a 'previously on' section so you can start anywhere in the series, I would recommend you read the entire series. If you don't then you miss out on the full impact of the books. However, if you really don't want to read the entire series there are still a few books to read so you can fully understand how terrifying Animorphs #33 is.
Animorphs #1 The Invasion just so you understand how everything started. It's one thing to read about how Elfangor dying was sad. It's another thing to read about Visser Three eating him alive. It's one thing to read about Tobias being trapped in morph. It's another thing to read how much Jake was saddened by the realization.
Animorphs #3 The Encounter so you understand how Tobias managed to deal with being trapped in morph. It's one thing to read about how he found some kind of peace about being a hawk. It's another thing to read about how him killing for the first time made him try to commit suicide.
Animorphs #13 The Change so you can understand how Tobias got his ability to morph back. The book's plot is about how a powerful being called the Ellimist uses Tobias to lead two Hork-Bajir to freedom. The whole impact of the Ellimist basically lying to Tobias doesn't really work by reading a summary.
Animorphs #23 The Pretender so you can understand Tobias' views on finding out Elfangor is his father. It's one thing reading that's the case. It's another to read about Tobias' intense emotions upon finding that out.
Now back to Animorphs #33 The Illusion...in the book it's revealed that the Yeerks are testing the Anti-Morphing Ray. The weapon causes someone in morph to demorph. The Animorphs need to hide the fact they're human or else they'll lose an advantage in the war. So they need to get rid of the threat so the Yeerks will continue to believe they're Andalite bandits.
The plan the Animorphs come up with is to fool the Yeerks into thinking their Anti-Morphing Ray does not work. While Tobias has regained his ability to morph, he stays in hawk morph so he doesn't loose his ability to fight. This means he is the only one that can successfully fool the Yeerks.
Tobias agrees to volunteer so that the plan can go forward.
Ax allows for Tobias to acquire him and there is a nice scene between the two due to them being related. After that scene there is a much darker one. Tobias allows himself to be captured by the Yeerks and demorphs from his Andalite morph. To the alien slugs this, of course, looks like he's an Andalite morphing a red-tailed hawk.
To add to the torment of being physically and mentally tortured, Sub-Visser Fifty-One's host reminds Tobias of Rachel. The similarities are what causes Tobias to stop Rachel from killing her at the end of the book. To make a very long story short.
Now while the whole book is traumatizing, there was one moment that caused me to put the book down when I re-read it as an adult. I don't know how I forgot but I had. I must have stared into space for a few minutes at least as my brain accepted the words.
That moment was when Tobias pooped due to the torture. That happened in a book aimed at young adults. That happened to one of the main cast and my favorite character in the entire series. Just...how was the book able to be published with that moment intact? Why did no one throw a fit over it? How could I ever forget that happened?
Maybe kids are just stronger than some adults think.So if you're trying to figure out how to add Animorphs into your Halloween celebration: read Animorphs #33 The Illusion to yourself or others.
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