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Fullmetal Alchemist: Light Novels #2
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Abducted Alchemist
Train lines are being destroyed in a series of terrorist strikes. At the same time, a string of kidnappings targeting those related to the military takes place. However, nobody is harmed. Civilian anger mounts with each passing day, and the authorities seem powerless to catch the insurgents. Roy suspects that the two crimes sprees are connected, but he's having a tough time convincing his superiors in Central Command. Edward and Alphonse join in on investigations to catch the terrorists but soon finds themselves in the middle of a kidnapping, too.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2003
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950 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 10, 2020
After another unsuccessful investigation into Philosopher's Stone rumors, Edward and Alphonse Elric wait for a train. Strangely, when one finally arrives, it's hours late. They're also surprised to see Roy Mustang and Jean Havoc among the passengers, dressed in civilian clothes. They soon learn that there has been a lot of recent terrorist activity on the train tracks. The terrorists announce their bombing target 20-30 minutes in advance, enough time for civilians to get to safety but too little time for the military to do anything to stop them. It's terrorism without terror - civilians are more inconvenienced than anything, and they've directed their annoyance towards the ineffectual military.
Although he hasn't been able to find any proof yet, Roy suspects that the bombings are somehow connected to a string of kidnappings. The kidnappers abduct a child from a family with a connection to the military, demand and receive a ransom, and let the child go free, completely unharmed. As Ed and Al continue their own work, they accidentally stumble across something that may be key to both of Roy's investigations.
This is the second Fullmetal Alchemist novel I've read, and the first that I don't think was turned into a filler episode in the original anime, so the story was entirely new to me. It was decent - not something I'll necessarily want to reread, but it felt like something that could happen in the Fullmetal Alchemist universe, was a relatively quick and light read, and the characters mostly acted and spoke like themselves.
Ancy, the child Ed and Al encountered, was like literally every child they've ever met in the series, sweet and cute. There was a funny running joke involving Ed calling Roy "Dad" that, for a very brief moment, dipped into "Roy as Ed's father figure" territory. Havoc drove a car badly, multiple times. Ed went up against a couple dozen terrorists and managed to hold his own with alchemy and an entire building (although he forgot that some parts of buildings are load-bearing and really shouldn't be messed with). There were no alchemists in the terrorist group, but there was a guy named Gael who was ridiculously strong and fast.
It wasn't the most exciting story, overall, but it had some good stuff in it, especially in the second half. Roy and Ed had some great scenes together. The one thing that was a little off was the bit where a woman called Ed a "wee bonnie squire" to Al's "knight in shining armor" (78) and Ed didn't even twitch.
This is the last of the Fullmetal Alchemist novels that I have on hand, but I'd still like to read the rest.
Extras:
A few black and white illustrations throughout, an afterword by Makoto Inoue, and an afterword/illustrated interpretation of the "you have a son?" scene by Hiromu Arakawa. Also, one full-color illustration.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Although he hasn't been able to find any proof yet, Roy suspects that the bombings are somehow connected to a string of kidnappings. The kidnappers abduct a child from a family with a connection to the military, demand and receive a ransom, and let the child go free, completely unharmed. As Ed and Al continue their own work, they accidentally stumble across something that may be key to both of Roy's investigations.
This is the second Fullmetal Alchemist novel I've read, and the first that I don't think was turned into a filler episode in the original anime, so the story was entirely new to me. It was decent - not something I'll necessarily want to reread, but it felt like something that could happen in the Fullmetal Alchemist universe, was a relatively quick and light read, and the characters mostly acted and spoke like themselves.
Ancy, the child Ed and Al encountered, was like literally every child they've ever met in the series, sweet and cute. There was a funny running joke involving Ed calling Roy "Dad" that, for a very brief moment, dipped into "Roy as Ed's father figure" territory. Havoc drove a car badly, multiple times. Ed went up against a couple dozen terrorists and managed to hold his own with alchemy and an entire building (although he forgot that some parts of buildings are load-bearing and really shouldn't be messed with). There were no alchemists in the terrorist group, but there was a guy named Gael who was ridiculously strong and fast.
It wasn't the most exciting story, overall, but it had some good stuff in it, especially in the second half. Roy and Ed had some great scenes together. The one thing that was a little off was the bit where a woman called Ed a "wee bonnie squire" to Al's "knight in shining armor" (78) and Ed didn't even twitch.
This is the last of the Fullmetal Alchemist novels that I have on hand, but I'd still like to read the rest.
Extras:
A few black and white illustrations throughout, an afterword by Makoto Inoue, and an afterword/illustrated interpretation of the "you have a son?" scene by Hiromu Arakawa. Also, one full-color illustration.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
June 10, 2021
Bizarrely positive attitude towards the military considering the source material? That aside it was pretty entertaining even as an adult reading a book intended for children. No regrets.
June 29, 2025
Hehe, I recently finished this, and it was fun seeing the banter between Edward and Roy
(Father and son relationship 100%!! 😭💗💗)
(Father and son relationship 100%!! 😭💗💗)
November 9, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Fullmetal Alchemist takes place in the fictional country of Amestris which is heavily based on the Industrial Revolution. Amestris is a unitary state under the rule of a parliamentary republic, run by state alchemists that serve the king utilizing the mystifying arts of alchemy. Alchemy is the power to alter the physical world utilizing its natural elements, performing magic and miracles in the form of science. Alchemy follows the law of equivalent exchange, you must sacrifice something that is of equal value to what you create. You must sacrifice a life to create a life, you must extinguish one flame to ignite another, you have to sacrifice one home to build another, etc...
After being abandoned by their father as children and subjected to watching their mother die, Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse once attempted to utilize the power of alchemy to bring their mother back from the grave, ignoring the dangers of creating a life by offering something of equal value. Edward loses an arm and a leg while Alphonse loses his entire body; his soul placed in a hollow suit of armor that can't feel the touch of others. As neither of them sacrificed their lives in their entirety, the exchange failed and the boys created an abomination in place of their dead mother.
After burning their own home down and dealing with the abomination they created, Edward and his brother enlist themselves in the military to atone for their sins and learn more about the many secrets of alchemy; potentially learning how to recover their original bodies in the process. While serving in the military, the brothers begin to realize how the wonders of alchemy can be abused for nefarious purposes. Immortal life can be gained by sacrificing hundreds of innocents souls, wars can be staged and foreign nations can be annihilated under false charges, human experimentation aided by alchemy can lead to unnatural mutations, the world of alchemy is more dark and dangerous than either of them could've bargained for.
Fullmetal Alchemist grew on me the longer I read it. When I first started reading, it seemed like it was going to be generic shounen material, but it gets deeper and darker the further it goes on. The way it handles political and religious corruption, the dangers of advanced states abusing their technology and resources at the expense of foreign nations caught in the turmoil, and the sad futility of revenge are all very well done.
The characters all bear the weight of what alchemy is capable of. Edward and Alphonse carry the burden of abusing alchemy for selfish purposes. Their master Izumi loses her womb after attempting to resurrect her dead child. Scar takes many lives after his entire country is desecrated and gets trapped in a pointless cycle of revenge. Roy and Riza endure the regret of committing brutal war crimes for the sake of protecting their own nation. Alchemy creates and destroys in equal measure and no one is free from the consequences of tipping the balance.
The fight scenes are flashy and exciting without being too over-the-top because of the dangerous limitations that alchemy involves. The law of equivalent exchange keeps the power scaling in check and adds plenty of tension to the action. The female characters are especially well done, all of them are strong and unique in their own way. The lead heroine Winry being a skilled mechanic, Riza being an honorable warrior of the military, Olivier Armstrong as cold and vicious as the snowy fortress she guards, and that's just a few of them.
The villains are an interesting parody of the seven deadly sins. Each of them represent the darkness and regrets of each of the main characters and they can only be conquered by coming to terms with their own flaws and sins. The characters having to overcome their personal demons to take on the greater demons trying to overthrow the world from the shadows made the struggles of every single person in the story feel personal. Every character, no matter how minor had their moments to shine. Everyone had a vital role to play and the camaraderie between friend and foe alike never felt cheesy or forced.
Unlike most shounen series I've read, the final arc was my favorite. A lot of long-running shounen series have a habit of being dragged out, losing touch with what made them great or breaking their own rules in messy, plot-hole-filled final arcs that leave a lot to be desired. Fullmetal Alchemist has no lose ends, all characters have complete arcs where they learn and grow from their dark pasts, the romance and comedy are handled well without relying on cheap fanservice, the action scenes are great but they don't overshadow the plot and the final chapters tie everything together beautifully. It's not my favorite manga by any means as I usually tend to favor seinen, but it's definitely one of the greatest stories to ever come out of the shounen demographic in my opinion. The ending is a tearjerker but it left me in good spirits.
***
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Fullmetal Alchemist takes place in the fictional country of Amestris which is heavily based on the Industrial Revolution. Amestris is a unitary state under the rule of a parliamentary republic, run by state alchemists that serve the king utilizing the mystifying arts of alchemy. Alchemy is the power to alter the physical world utilizing its natural elements, performing magic and miracles in the form of science. Alchemy follows the law of equivalent exchange, you must sacrifice something that is of equal value to what you create. You must sacrifice a life to create a life, you must extinguish one flame to ignite another, you have to sacrifice one home to build another, etc...
After being abandoned by their father as children and subjected to watching their mother die, Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse once attempted to utilize the power of alchemy to bring their mother back from the grave, ignoring the dangers of creating a life by offering something of equal value. Edward loses an arm and a leg while Alphonse loses his entire body; his soul placed in a hollow suit of armor that can't feel the touch of others. As neither of them sacrificed their lives in their entirety, the exchange failed and the boys created an abomination in place of their dead mother.
After burning their own home down and dealing with the abomination they created, Edward and his brother enlist themselves in the military to atone for their sins and learn more about the many secrets of alchemy; potentially learning how to recover their original bodies in the process. While serving in the military, the brothers begin to realize how the wonders of alchemy can be abused for nefarious purposes. Immortal life can be gained by sacrificing hundreds of innocents souls, wars can be staged and foreign nations can be annihilated under false charges, human experimentation aided by alchemy can lead to unnatural mutations, the world of alchemy is more dark and dangerous than either of them could've bargained for.
Fullmetal Alchemist grew on me the longer I read it. When I first started reading, it seemed like it was going to be generic shounen material, but it gets deeper and darker the further it goes on. The way it handles political and religious corruption, the dangers of advanced states abusing their technology and resources at the expense of foreign nations caught in the turmoil, and the sad futility of revenge are all very well done.
The characters all bear the weight of what alchemy is capable of. Edward and Alphonse carry the burden of abusing alchemy for selfish purposes. Their master Izumi loses her womb after attempting to resurrect her dead child. Scar takes many lives after his entire country is desecrated and gets trapped in a pointless cycle of revenge. Roy and Riza endure the regret of committing brutal war crimes for the sake of protecting their own nation. Alchemy creates and destroys in equal measure and no one is free from the consequences of tipping the balance.
The fight scenes are flashy and exciting without being too over-the-top because of the dangerous limitations that alchemy involves. The law of equivalent exchange keeps the power scaling in check and adds plenty of tension to the action. The female characters are especially well done, all of them are strong and unique in their own way. The lead heroine Winry being a skilled mechanic, Riza being an honorable warrior of the military, Olivier Armstrong as cold and vicious as the snowy fortress she guards, and that's just a few of them.
The villains are an interesting parody of the seven deadly sins. Each of them represent the darkness and regrets of each of the main characters and they can only be conquered by coming to terms with their own flaws and sins. The characters having to overcome their personal demons to take on the greater demons trying to overthrow the world from the shadows made the struggles of every single person in the story feel personal. Every character, no matter how minor had their moments to shine. Everyone had a vital role to play and the camaraderie between friend and foe alike never felt cheesy or forced.
Unlike most shounen series I've read, the final arc was my favorite. A lot of long-running shounen series have a habit of being dragged out, losing touch with what made them great or breaking their own rules in messy, plot-hole-filled final arcs that leave a lot to be desired. Fullmetal Alchemist has no lose ends, all characters have complete arcs where they learn and grow from their dark pasts, the romance and comedy are handled well without relying on cheap fanservice, the action scenes are great but they don't overshadow the plot and the final chapters tie everything together beautifully. It's not my favorite manga by any means as I usually tend to favor seinen, but it's definitely one of the greatest stories to ever come out of the shounen demographic in my opinion. The ending is a tearjerker but it left me in good spirits.
***
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February 19, 2017
Hooray, I'm done! I'm glad I decided to stick it out with this book because once I got to roughly the midway point, I really started to get immersed. The beginning was really slow, however; I would have either written it differently or cut some parts out. But still, for one who s not Arakawa, the author did a good job portraying the characters.
May 23, 2018
I'd put this story at about a three and a half star rating. I enjoy it a lot and consider it a fun supplement to the Fullmetal Alchemist universe.
The villain's motivations (and moral distinction from the military) are not as nuanced as they could be. Furthermore, the story places Amestrian power structures in too favorable a light for the problems we know the country has. I didn't expect the light novels to delve with FMA's grittier, reflective side. I would have loved the story to point out that the villain DID have a point hating the military, that the military IS something to question in Amestris rather than always defender. However, I didn't mind too much that this story lacked such nuance, knowing that many other areas of FMA official materials handle the grit of these problems - and even other light novels from Makoto Inoue handle the military's role in Amestris with more balanced nuance.
What's truly enjoyable about the story - and the very reason I picked it up - is the humor. When I first heard the premise of Ed being mistaken for Roy's son, I found it waaaaay too amusing to pass up... and was not disappointed with what I read. Not to mention this book showed me I had been bereft of an incredible thing in my life: Colonel Mustang passive aggressively making and throwing paper airplanes.
I picked the book up for lighthearted laughter and an overall "have fun" adventure, and that's EXACTLY the sort of story I read.
The villain's motivations (and moral distinction from the military) are not as nuanced as they could be. Furthermore, the story places Amestrian power structures in too favorable a light for the problems we know the country has. I didn't expect the light novels to delve with FMA's grittier, reflective side. I would have loved the story to point out that the villain DID have a point hating the military, that the military IS something to question in Amestris rather than always defender. However, I didn't mind too much that this story lacked such nuance, knowing that many other areas of FMA official materials handle the grit of these problems - and even other light novels from Makoto Inoue handle the military's role in Amestris with more balanced nuance.
What's truly enjoyable about the story - and the very reason I picked it up - is the humor. When I first heard the premise of Ed being mistaken for Roy's son, I found it waaaaay too amusing to pass up... and was not disappointed with what I read. Not to mention this book showed me I had been bereft of an incredible thing in my life: Colonel Mustang passive aggressively making and throwing paper airplanes.
I picked the book up for lighthearted laughter and an overall "have fun" adventure, and that's EXACTLY the sort of story I read.
September 25, 2022
This FMA novel like the previous one is a stand alone novel, meaning it is a side story that seems like it could be read before the previous one with no issues. That is unusual with the light novels I am familiar with. Not an issue.
Ed and Al are traveling various parts of the Country looking for the Pholosopher's stones. They come across Mustang on a train. Various children of wealthy people are being kipnapped and trains usually carrying military supplies are being attacked are they related?
Ed and Al are traveling various parts of the Country looking for the Pholosopher's stones. They come across Mustang on a train. Various children of wealthy people are being kipnapped and trains usually carrying military supplies are being attacked are they related?
September 18, 2022
this was a really fun read! i think it’s a little harder to write action in novel form because if you miss a little bit you can get confused later on however.
full metal alchemist has such an expansive world to the point where i was not only shocked to see these books were a thing but that they were selling them in my local waterstones!
also the ongoing joke of roy and edward calling each other dad and son was so cute i WONDER if anyone is gonna do anything about it
full metal alchemist has such an expansive world to the point where i was not only shocked to see these books were a thing but that they were selling them in my local waterstones!
also the ongoing joke of roy and edward calling each other dad and son was so cute i WONDER if anyone is gonna do anything about it
November 17, 2023
Man, I remember my days on Deviantart looking up father-and-son esque pictures of Roy and Ed. When I bought this book in middle school, and discovered the plot, it made me so happy. I wish that more creators permitted fans to publish stories because, as evidenced here, there are talented writers who understand the referenced story. The pacing was good, and the author perfectly captured the essence of each character. I want to find this author's other published FMA writing, and read them all!
February 16, 2020
The story was pretty good. I enjoyed the kidnapping and bombing plots. The characterizations come through a little off, I think because the character's humor in the manga does not translate well in words. The Gael character is good and relatable to the manga humor. The Colt character doesn't build enough and doesn't have enough backstory or depth to mean much.
May 27, 2023
i love everything fma and am headfirst into my annual obsession with it. BUT. the writing is a little wack. like very simple? or some words just don’t make sense/ sound good? “the gaps gaped” — i’ll read the other books in tbis series but i guess i know what to expect now? anyways love fma mwuah mwuah mwuah
September 1, 2023
***vrijdag 1 september 2023***
⭐3, it was okay
Some parts were repetitive but make sense when you know what a light novel is.
Enjoyable for what it is. And it's funny to read the author's note. They hoped to make people smile because they enjoyed this world so much. I did so mission accomplished.
⭐3, it was okay
Some parts were repetitive but make sense when you know what a light novel is.
Enjoyable for what it is. And it's funny to read the author's note. They hoped to make people smile because they enjoyed this world so much. I did so mission accomplished.
October 23, 2024
Esse volume traz uma história policial, envolvendo mais o grupo do Mustang junto com os irmãos. Gostei bastante disso, não me lembro de ter muitas colaborações entre eles no decorrer do mangá a não ser no final - apesar de achar estranho o Roy chamando o Edward de apenas Ed, não creio que ele faz isso na série, mas nada que atrapalhe.
É uma história divertida, facilmente algo que estaria na série, mesmo como filler, é uma boa leitura pra quem é fã.
É uma história divertida, facilmente algo que estaria na série, mesmo como filler, é uma boa leitura pra quem é fã.
December 15, 2017
It was a decent book, nothing spectacular but if you're a fan of FMA and in the mood of a quick read then this will do the job just fine.
August 15, 2018
Edward Elric and Roy Mustang investigate a series of strange terrorist bombings, in which no one is injured, and a possible connection to a string of kidnappings. The plot is crisp with decent turns, though it is a little simplistic. The themes of public perception, consequences, and revenge are skimmed over (it is a light novel, after all), but their brief address is an interesting side note.
Characters are portrayed well, and fit their canon selves. The prose is simple but serviceable, and occasionally uses very nice metaphors and similes. The action sequences are where the prose really stands out and works the best, but unfortunately, dialogue becomes a little cheesier. A few jokes fall flat, but the book maintains a light and funny tone throughout, and it works well.
While the editing could use some work (there's the occasional awkward sentence, and Hawkeye's rank keeps changing mysteriously), and the novel overall is not as nuanced and complex as the source material, it's enjoyable, with plenty of gags and action to keep things flowing. The Abducted Alchemist a humorous and short little addendum that feels it belongs in the world of FMA.
Characters are portrayed well, and fit their canon selves. The prose is simple but serviceable, and occasionally uses very nice metaphors and similes. The action sequences are where the prose really stands out and works the best, but unfortunately, dialogue becomes a little cheesier. A few jokes fall flat, but the book maintains a light and funny tone throughout, and it works well.
While the editing could use some work (there's the occasional awkward sentence, and Hawkeye's rank keeps changing mysteriously), and the novel overall is not as nuanced and complex as the source material, it's enjoyable, with plenty of gags and action to keep things flowing. The Abducted Alchemist a humorous and short little addendum that feels it belongs in the world of FMA.
November 20, 2020
J'aime toujours autant l'univers de FMA et chui ravie de lire les light novels<3 on y retrouve le suspens, l'humour et l'action des mangas originaux<3
March 21, 2021
4.5
I had a lot of fun with this one! Ed and Roy making each other’s lives hell is very pleasing to me.
I had a lot of fun with this one! Ed and Roy making each other’s lives hell is very pleasing to me.
February 25, 2022
3.5*
This was a quick but fun read.
The dad Roy stuff was great.
This was a quick but fun read.
The dad Roy stuff was great.
May 20, 2022
This is what I was hoping for in these light novels, a fun story early in the Elric's journey. It hit all the high points. Even a cute little girl for them to save. Highly recommended.
December 12, 2022
i watched the anime of full metal but reading the books are way different and i like it
May 17, 2023
Unfortunately I did not enjoy this one as much as the first one. But it's always nice to revisit this world and its incredible characters.
January 30, 2024
the story of this is so silly and lovable T^T I miss roy and ed so much 3
June 17, 2025
Not the most groundbreaking story in the Fullmetal Alchemist world, but it's not terrible. If you really like the series, give it a read.
Writing: 2/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 2/5
Total: 8/15
Writing: 2/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 2/5
Total: 8/15
July 10, 2016
When this book first came it, I adored it. I was barely into the manga which was still far from being finished, and the second anime hadn't been created at all. Seeing more of Ed and the others was such a pleasure, I ate these light novels up.
While the first novel's plot has always bothered me, I loved this one. Ed being mistaken as Roy's son was hilarious, and Roy having to fight with his team about him not being a father always cracks me up. Especially since they know how deep his affection for Riza goes, even if they can't acknowledge it cuz it's illegal for them to be together officially (they'll be court martialed).
The only thing that bugged me, now that I've read all of the manga and seen both anime twice, is the end. Roy can pinpoint his flames to someone's eyes. There's no way the final fight with Gael would've gone that way. It would've ended with him walking in the room. He's so brilliant at his alchemy, that's why the first fight with Scar went so badly, because Scar would've been dead without the rain. Of course, that wasn't revealed until Roy faced Envy in the manga, long after the first anime stopped running and these novels were all out in Japan. But that brought it down from 5/5 to 4.5/5 stars for me.
While the first novel's plot has always bothered me, I loved this one. Ed being mistaken as Roy's son was hilarious, and Roy having to fight with his team about him not being a father always cracks me up. Especially since they know how deep his affection for Riza goes, even if they can't acknowledge it cuz it's illegal for them to be together officially (they'll be court martialed).
The only thing that bugged me, now that I've read all of the manga and seen both anime twice, is the end. Roy can pinpoint his flames to someone's eyes. There's no way the final fight with Gael would've gone that way. It would've ended with him walking in the room. He's so brilliant at his alchemy, that's why the first fight with Scar went so badly, because Scar would've been dead without the rain. Of course, that wasn't revealed until Roy faced Envy in the manga, long after the first anime stopped running and these novels were all out in Japan. But that brought it down from 5/5 to 4.5/5 stars for me.
September 8, 2016
Based on the manga "Fullmetal Alchemist" by Hiromu Arakawa, Makoto Inoue describes the ongoing journey of the Elric brothers. Continuing on, Edward and Alphonse look desperately for the Philosopher's Stone, a blood stone said to be able to solve their..."problems." Considered "geniuses" for their ages, Edward joined as a "dog of the military" yet Alphonse couldn't, now that he'd been forced into a vintage armor owned by the father, Hohenheim, who'd left quite early.
Here though, in the second volume, the military finds trouble calming the civilians. Kidnappers cause the military trouble and civilians do not find militarymen trustworthy when a number of victims disappear. Colonel Mustang, militaryman who recruited Edward Elric, finds a connection in the crime. Edward soon finds himself having to work with Mustang who ticks him off like an explosive. Although Edward agreed to helping with the military issues in order to find hope, he seriously disliked the Colonel. Yet in the end, everything worked out fine between the military and civilians.
Here though, in the second volume, the military finds trouble calming the civilians. Kidnappers cause the military trouble and civilians do not find militarymen trustworthy when a number of victims disappear. Colonel Mustang, militaryman who recruited Edward Elric, finds a connection in the crime. Edward soon finds himself having to work with Mustang who ticks him off like an explosive. Although Edward agreed to helping with the military issues in order to find hope, he seriously disliked the Colonel. Yet in the end, everything worked out fine between the military and civilians.
March 12, 2010
Second only to Full metal Alchemist: The Ties that Bind, this was a great read and something that could have been included in the first anime series.
When the story starts, Edward and Alphonse Elric are still searching for the Philosopher's Stone, when they meet Roy. From that point on the Elric brothers get involved in an ongoing terrorist investagation.
My only complaint is that Hawkeye is a Lt., but the author, or maybe it was the translator, since I read the English version, called her Captain in a few sentences and dialogue.
Overall, as was said before, this was a great read second only to The Ties that Bind.
When the story starts, Edward and Alphonse Elric are still searching for the Philosopher's Stone, when they meet Roy. From that point on the Elric brothers get involved in an ongoing terrorist investagation.
My only complaint is that Hawkeye is a Lt., but the author, or maybe it was the translator, since I read the English version, called her Captain in a few sentences and dialogue.
Overall, as was said before, this was a great read second only to The Ties that Bind.
April 10, 2016
This was a fun read, but the first couple of chapters, where the situation is established, drag a little bit. I was particularly disappointed that alchemy plays no role in the storyline until the final battle. This wouldn't be a concern if it had been unneeded, but it was odd to me that Ed didn't propose using his alchemy to repair the train tracks in chapter 1. No explanation is offered as to why it would be impossible or unfeasible. However, the strength of the story is really in the character interactions. The author caught everyone's personalities as they are in the original manga (and subsequent anime) perfectly, and there are a number of hilarious exchanges throughout the story.
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September 8, 2010I wouldn't call this masterful, but I enjoyed it DESPITE, might I add, a GLARING translation error through half of the book with regard to Riza's rank.
It contained an emotional arc about Roy's awkward psuedo-paternal relationship with Ed and Al, Riza generally owning Roy everywhere with bonus Meaningful Subtext, Team Mustang shenanigans, and Ed being a hilarious troll. I could not ask for much more!
It contained an emotional arc about Roy's awkward psuedo-paternal relationship with Ed and Al, Riza generally owning Roy everywhere with bonus Meaningful Subtext, Team Mustang shenanigans, and Ed being a hilarious troll. I could not ask for much more!
April 6, 2014
Eh...I'm a big fan on FMA but compared to the light novels I've read so far (The Land of Sand and this one), I have to say that this one is my least favorite. I just feel like the plot was repetitive, predictable, and boring. I just hope the next light novel goes back to being entertaining like the first one...
June 11, 2025
fun little read that digs deeper into the universe we know and love. first light novel I’d read where it hadn’t been adapted into source material (the first novel was included in 2003). enjoyed the storyline and pacing, you can tell Inoue really gets into the source material to write the characters as true as possible
edit: after finishing all light novels - i’d say this one was my favorite!
edit: after finishing all light novels - i’d say this one was my favorite!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews