Fullmetal Alchemist: Volume 17

The above cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Set in Amestris, a country on an alternate-history Earth, Fullmetal Alchemist focuses on brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric.  The siblings were using a forbidden alchemical ritual to bring their dead mother back to life when it all went wrong.  Edward lost an arm and a leg, but Alphonse lost his entire body.  Edward grafted his younger brother’s soul into a suit of armor, and replaced his own missing flesh with “auto-mail” limbs.  Edward eventually became a state alchemist and continues to serve the Amestris state military.  In the meantime, he searches for the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary substance that can restore the brothers’ bodies.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 17, the homunculus Sloth manages to breach the impenetrable mountain fortress, Fort Briggs, the Amestrian military’s northernmost outpost.  The commander, General Armstrong, is displeased that the Elric brothers obviously know more about Sloth than they are telling her, but the brothers do help the General and her hardened regiment defend the fort.  Meanwhile, a visit from General Raven to Briggs sheds a little light on a centuries-old conspiracy.

THE LOWDOWN:  With its dense narrative, large cast, and involved mythology, Fullmetal Alchemist can seem like an imposing read for people new to the title.  Fullmetal Alchemist, however, is not a chore to read, as the title is highly engaging, enough so to make a new reader do outside research, if necessary, to grasp of this complex scenario.  A mixture of alternate-history science fiction, occult conspiracy, and military action, Fullmetal Alchemist also features art by creator Hiromu Arakawa that is both good and also strikes the right tone for this unique concept.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Already popular, Fullmetal Alchemist is one of those manga that is attractive to a broad spectrum of readers, so this title is worthy of at least being sampled by any fan of manga.

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