Re: Shingeki no Kyojin 36 Discussion / 37 Predictions
That's the problem i just found the covers and a few images of them,
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I guess if you want to know a little more about what's in the novels, you could always check out the short summaries:
http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/product/top.php/1234641835
http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/product/top.php/1234642816
http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/product/top.php/1234643324
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P.S. I'm going to incorporate info from blogs and such in the following summaries also:
①The first novel (Shingeki no Kyojin, Before the Fall) is about a guy called Anheru (アンヘル) who works at a workshop creating protective gear/weapons for the scouting legion (the story was set before the 3D maneuver gear was invented). Anheru is a first class weapons craftsman, and therefore has direct access and also is involved in the ongoings within the scouting legion. In the story, people still didn't know about the weak points of the titans; the story is about Anheru beginning to work on the ultimate weapon/gear to fight the titans. So essentially we learn about how the 3D maneuver gear came about.
The reviews of this book so far I've read have been mixed. One blogger thought the book was a little disappointing because you don't get as much depth about what was described in the book blurb (though another blogger said the novel actually expands more, especially about the weapons, than is revealed so far in the manga), and also because the plot was more on the conventional side (there are more people pointing out this weak plot as well). Apparently the light novel isn't as..."strong" as the manga, but it would serve as a good complimentary read.
Another blogger talked about the main character, and how it was easy to empathise with Anheru (adding to the pros of the book). Additionally, the tense atmosphere in the manga was well established in the novel (for instance, like with Eren, Anheru's close friends get killed suddenly), according to the same blogger.
So, Mixed reviews overall.
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②The second novel is rather disconnected with the first (Shingeki no Kyojin, Before the Fall 2). Titans eat and then vomit once their human consummation capacity is breached. This novel is about a particular baby that (miraculously is alive O_O) is found crying in a mass of Titan vomit/ crying amidst the dead titan flames. The child is called "child of titan" (巨人の子) and is essentially hated by the people inside the walls. He also seems to grow unnaturally fast. In any case, this child Kyukuro (キュクロ) parts himself from his past/upbringing and gambles on the fate of humanity by enlisting in the scouting legion. So I suppose this novel would be about Kyukuro and his adventures in the scouting legion, lol.
I've read in a blog that the second book is more interesting than the first (in terms of pacing). Also, apparently one of the downsides to the novels is that it's hard to visualise the fight scenes with the titans unlike with the manga.
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③The third novel, (Shingeki no Kyojin, Before the Fall 3) is also about Kyukuro. Kyukuro gets his hands on the 3D manuever gear in order to defeat the titans. Although the gear is still imperfect and causes a troublesome incident for Kyukuro, he fights the titans. Whether it is because it is his fate to fight them, or it is because of his past, he fights against them.
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EDIT: I'm currently reading through some blogs about the novels, (e.g. this:
http://ameblo.jp/misogi0407/entry-11216188802.html ) so if I find more interesting stuff to note, I'll update this post.