Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 14

As we hit the halfway point in the series, we sort of get a status quo reset as the villainous cabal seems to have all the leverage and a timetable that says y'all just go sit down over there and wait. The creator keeps trying to make Scar and Lin Yao happen, but they just don't work for me, especially since the book overflows with so many more interesting characters (24 in this particular case, to be precise -- and yes, I'm counting Black Hayate).

In volume 14 the arrogance and greed of several of the main characters lands them all in way over their head. Colonel Mustang has discovered that the entire upper echelons of the military is complicit in the Fuhrer being a homunculus, what he thought was a winning hand turned out to be no where close and when he showed his cards he got his crew taken from him and split up, each sent in a different direction to the far corners of Amestris.

Ed got himself and Lin the prince of Xin swallowed whole by the homunculus Gluttony. The price he paid to free them is one he is still reeling from as it is one he swore he would never allow himself to pay. And, of course the end result was landing right in the middle of the homunculus' lair and face to show more face with their "father" a being with a face entirely too similar to their own father.

We learn a lot more about the homunculi, how they are formed when human based and when not, how they die, and a great deal about the extent of their powers. Unfortunately I think all of the characters bit off more than they could chew in this volume and the last and are now and will be dealing with the ramifications of that for some time to come. Whether they will recover or not or have to deal with their new limitations and losses remains to be seen. The only positive thing in the whole volume was finally one small light at the end of the tunnel for Ed and Al, but I will let you discover that for yourselves. show less

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"Last night's tome of choice was vol. 14 of Fullmetal Alchemist. Not exactly the loftiest of reading materials, but I've been buying the series since they released it in English and I've been really digging it. I'm far past the point where the anime diverged from the manga, so I really have no idea what's going to happen, which is nice. I hate when manga comes out after the anime based on it - the manga is usually better, but now the surprise is gone.

I vastly prefer the manga version of events to what happens in the anime. I found the anime to be too neat, too circular. Everything seemed to tie together, even things that shouldn't have, things that you could tell weren't supposed to. (I'm show more mostly thinking of Dante and Rose here.) While the manga does focus on its particular characters and there's a relationship to everything, it still feels open." show less

Enjoyable installment, but kinda felt like a transition book. (I have nothing against those. They happen. They just aren't my favorites.) I'm most interested in finding out what's going to happen with Lin. (Yes, I watched both anime series, but I forgot.)

Hoo boy. That was yet another crazy volume. I seem to be saying that a lot, but man. Father. Answers. Questions. Alchemy on a whole 'nother scale. Gross and weird and crazy homunculi.

Onward!

Chapter 54: The Fool's Struggle

Man this was a crazy chapter.

Meta:



An interesting point of view from Father:




FIGHT SCENES:




EYE BALLS!




Chapter 55: The Avarice of Two

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT'S INTERESTING!



Also, I'm getting some strong [b:Elantris|68427|Elantris (Elantris, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1475740953l/68427._SY75_.jpg|2908871] vibes from the non-locals still being able to use Alchemy. That's interesting.

Chapter 56: The Lion of the Round Table

Sometimes, you remember show more that Al is still just a kid.



And sometimes... in the most meta way possible.

Chapter 57: Scars of Ishval

And finally...



That. Man Father is weird. So many answers. So many more questions... show less