Steampunk Reviews

Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 19

[openbook booknumber=”9781421525686″][rating:5/5]

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies… the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

Ed’s clever plan to take out an enemy leaves him severely injured… Can he cheat death? One of our friends discovers the ironic secret behind Scar’s brother’s transmutation notes. And Major General Armstrong meets with evil homunculus President Bradley. Whose side is she on again…?

Plus, the disturbing origin of Ed and Al’s immortal father finally revealed!

Wow, holy back story, Batman! We get some serious history on the fall of the city of Cselkcess and some very awesome implications for what that means for the history of alchemy as a whole. I love how all these pieces are falling into place and it shows that Arakawa has been planning a lot of the story from the beginning and it is totally awesome to see it all come into play bit by bit as this story unfolds. I also really like the use of Jewish mythology, and Kabbalah, as symbols and metaphors to help explain the roots of various parts of alchemy. It ends up working out really well and giving real depth and meaning to the “science” behind the world built here.

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Incarceron

[openbook booknumber=”9780803733961″][rating:5/5]

Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.

Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can’t remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He’s going to escape, even though most inmates don’t believe that Outside even exists. And then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia.

Claudia claims to live Outside – her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she’s doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return.

But they don’t realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know.

Because Incarceron is alive.

This book absolutely blew me away. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting going into yet another YA dystopian novel, especially one about prisons, but this wasn’t it. I was impressed by the depth and drive of the book and am glad this one joined the ranks.

Incarceron contains the story of a boy named Finn trapped in a prison where an entire colony of people have been kept for generations. Unlike the others though he has no memories of his youth there, instead he has flashes of a world completely unlike the prison, a world Outside that some in the prison don’t even believe exists. Meanwhile the warden of Incarceron lives in the outside world where people have deliberately chosen to live in a medieval time era, in the dark ages. His daughter Claudia feels trapped, by her skirts and her time, by her arranged marriage to the prince, by her father most of all who she both fears and loves. When Finn and Claudia both find a key that allows them to communicate they both immediately want to be free of their respective prisons, but doing so unearths more truths in their worlds of lies than either could have anticipated.

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Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 18

[openbook booknumber=”1421525364″][rating:5/5]

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies… the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

Automail engineer Wintry is captured and held hostage to force Edward to do her captor’s bidding. Hawkeye discovers the disturbing truth about President Bradley’s son. Out heroes have fortuitous and not-so-fortuitous reunions with old friends and enemies. And multiple intrigues and double-crosses ensue as some people plot to save the world while others scheme to destroy it.

The very first thing I noticed when picking up my copy of Volume 18 is how differently Ed is drawn on the cover. He is growing up! I also noticed throughout the volume that several of the characters are being drawn just a bit older than they were before. Many of their actions also belie their age with Winry and her enduring sunny view on things bringing up the rear, though even she grows quite a bit throughout the events that unfold in this volume.

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Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 17

[openbook booknumber=”142152161x”][rating:5/5]

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies… the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

A homunculus manages to breach impenetrable Fort Briggs, and the Elric brothers discover a terrible alchemical secret that pervades every corner of the world as they know it! Meanwhile, Major Kimblee and a ruthless General Raven make Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong an offer she can’t refuse…

Whose side is she on, really? And how far is she willing to go?

So many pieces of the puzzle fall into place with volume 17. We finally get some explanation on how the alchemy in Xing works and we even find out some history on how the alchemy in Amestris works. Several groups of people also finally figure out what Maes Hughes died for way back in volume 4. The time when all of the homunculis’ scheming finally comes to fruition is close and things are more dire than anyone could have thought.

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Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 16

[openbook booknumber=”9781421513812″][rating:5/5]

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies… the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

The brothers pursue fugitive May Chang to solve the mystery of why their alchemical powers were rendered inert while she and Scar continued to be able to wield them. Meanwhile, Scar enlists some unlikely help to delve into the secrets of his brother’s alchemical knowledge. And the newest, most horrifying homunculus makes an appearance…!

In volume 16 it is back to the action after the volume long flashback last time, but first there is going to be a change of scenery. The brothers want to pursue May and Scar to ask them about how the perform their type of alchemy, referred to as the purification arts. Things still start with a slow disengage from the heavy, raw and emotional revealings of the previous volume, but once the boys skip town things begin to take on a sense of urgency.

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