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Attack on Titan: Before the Fall Light Novels #1
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall
Before the fall, and before the trials of "the Titan's son" Kyklo, a young smith by the name of Angel Aaltonen grappled with the giants as only a craftsman could...
The first of the three-part Before the Fall light novels, whose second and third installments have been adapted into a manga of the same name, this prequel of prequels details the origins of the devices that humanity developed to take on the mysterious Titans.
The first of the three-part Before the Fall light novels, whose second and third installments have been adapted into a manga of the same name, this prequel of prequels details the origins of the devices that humanity developed to take on the mysterious Titans.
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2011
64 people are currently reading
1481 people want to read
About the author
Hajime Isayama
700 books4,691 followersJapanese name: 諫山創
Hajime Isayama (諫山 創 Isayama Hajime, born 1986) is a Japanese manga artist from Ōyama, Ōita. His first and currently ongoing serial, Attack on Titan, has sold over 22 million copies as of July 2013. He has mentioned Tsutomu Nihei, Ryōji Minagawa, Kentaro Miura, Hideki Arai and Tōru Mitsumine as artists he respects, but stated that the manga that had the biggest influence on him was ARMS.
Hajime Isayama (諫山 創 Isayama Hajime, born 1986) is a Japanese manga artist from Ōyama, Ōita. His first and currently ongoing serial, Attack on Titan, has sold over 22 million copies as of July 2013. He has mentioned Tsutomu Nihei, Ryōji Minagawa, Kentaro Miura, Hideki Arai and Tōru Mitsumine as artists he respects, but stated that the manga that had the biggest influence on him was ARMS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 18, 2014
On my Amazon account:
Wow. This is a prequel to Attack on Titan, about 70ish years "before the fall", and our main character, Angel Aaltonen, a craftsman, has been given a job to make a new weapon. He creates what we now recognize as the 3D maneuver gear, out of "Iron Bamboo."
Unlike the Survey Corps in the anime/manga we regard as the "heroes" these Survey Corps are reckless and are a huge factor in causing tragedy to the people of Wall Maria. They always go outside the walls, doomed to fail. Angels' friend is in the Corps, so Angel shows conflicting feelings regarding the Corps.
For nearly half the book, we follow him as he makes the new weapons, explains how they are made, and basically a lot of other things are fleshed out and reveal their origin before we knew them in the current manga. The next part is when Angel witnesses a Titan's power, and then later, when a crazy band of people who worship the Titans open the gates...well shit goes down. Recall episode 1?? Like that. Except the Titans are described so vividly, almost human, that I can say that I thought these were scarier than the ones in the anime.
If you're a fan of AoT, you will LOVE this. If you don't know what this is, I recommend watching the first episode to get a feel for it, then maybe try this. Also, if you really want to get into light novels, this is a perfect opportunity to do so, if you are okay with horrifying stories and some gore.
I do have to mention however:
The dialogue can sound very...what's the word? Unnatural? Clunky? Confusing? It's very rare that we know exactly who is talking to whom unless you have been paying attention. I read A LOT, so I can safely say that there were many times where I had no idea who was speaking, and had to go back and reread sometimes.
Wow. This is a prequel to Attack on Titan, about 70ish years "before the fall", and our main character, Angel Aaltonen, a craftsman, has been given a job to make a new weapon. He creates what we now recognize as the 3D maneuver gear, out of "Iron Bamboo."
Unlike the Survey Corps in the anime/manga we regard as the "heroes" these Survey Corps are reckless and are a huge factor in causing tragedy to the people of Wall Maria. They always go outside the walls, doomed to fail. Angels' friend is in the Corps, so Angel shows conflicting feelings regarding the Corps.
For nearly half the book, we follow him as he makes the new weapons, explains how they are made, and basically a lot of other things are fleshed out and reveal their origin before we knew them in the current manga. The next part is when Angel witnesses a Titan's power, and then later, when a crazy band of people who worship the Titans open the gates...well shit goes down. Recall episode 1?? Like that. Except the Titans are described so vividly, almost human, that I can say that I thought these were scarier than the ones in the anime.
If you're a fan of AoT, you will LOVE this. If you don't know what this is, I recommend watching the first episode to get a feel for it, then maybe try this. Also, if you really want to get into light novels, this is a perfect opportunity to do so, if you are okay with horrifying stories and some gore.
I do have to mention however:
The dialogue can sound very...what's the word? Unnatural? Clunky? Confusing? It's very rare that we know exactly who is talking to whom unless you have been paying attention. I read A LOT, so I can safely say that there were many times where I had no idea who was speaking, and had to go back and reread sometimes.
October 25, 2014
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall is the light novel prequel to the popular television franchise. The "fall" the title refers to is that of Wall Maria when the Colossal and Armored Titans smash it in and cause the slaughter at the beginning of the first volume of the manga/episodes of the series.
The story begins about seventy years before the manga starts, or about a few decades after the Titans appeared and almost wiped out humanity. The remnants of Mankind took refuge behind the walls and humanity seems content to slowly waste away in the "safety" of their prison.
In this environment, there are numerous factions that are all vying for control in the government and terrorist elements trying to disrupt the government for one reason or another. The story introduces us to Angel Aaltonen, a craftsman whose job it is to create and supply arms to the military, especially the Survey Corps. The Survey Corps. job, as readers of the manga/viewers of the anime will know by now, is the agency tasked with exploring the outside world and trying to find some way to defeat the Titans.
Of late, this is a job that is getting harder and harder to do. For one thing, there are constraints placed on the Survey Corps. by those who want to use their success or failure on any given mission for their own political ends. This essentially means that the Survey Corps. are allowed to conduct missions, but without the complete support necessary, resulting in casualties that don't have to happen. This keeps the "conservatives" (who favor sealing humanity forever behind the walls) and the "reformists" (who favor the Corps. mission) at a standstill and equilibrium so no side gains power over the other.
A string of bad incidents and tragedies has shifted power to the conservatives and it looks like the end of the Survey Corps. and of any further attempts to leave the walls. This is not just a disaster to humanity in general as they shut themselves in to slowly decline and constantly have to eke out a bare existence (including horrific measures against citizens by the government as we see in the manga) but it also means that many military members and craftsmen who depend on their business will be out of jobs.
This obviously affects Angel and his fellow craftsmen, but what affects him more is when some folks close to him are devoured by Titans. Now, Angel is determined to stop the plans to seal off humanity from the rest of the world and save the Survey Corps. by proving common knowledge wrong. He will prove that Titans CAN be killed.
What I liked about the story is that it had actions, yes, but like the manga, it had a human touch to it. The tragedies that occurred, the fear of the humans, and the sense of love, loss, and other emotions came through on the page. But here the human touch was even more in-depth given the format. I appreciated a little more of the human side, which is harder to bring out in a manga than in a light novel.
I love Attack on Titan, which is surprising, given that such violent stuff doesn't normally appeal to me. But in the midst of the action/fantasy/sci-fi/whatever genre, that the story is, there is a real human side and explorations of questions about the worth of fighting for what is necessary, about the wages and results of war, and stories of sacrifice and camaraderie amidst the violence.
I personally hope we find some more information in future stories about Angel, Maria, and the rest.
Highly Recommended.
The story begins about seventy years before the manga starts, or about a few decades after the Titans appeared and almost wiped out humanity. The remnants of Mankind took refuge behind the walls and humanity seems content to slowly waste away in the "safety" of their prison.
In this environment, there are numerous factions that are all vying for control in the government and terrorist elements trying to disrupt the government for one reason or another. The story introduces us to Angel Aaltonen, a craftsman whose job it is to create and supply arms to the military, especially the Survey Corps. The Survey Corps. job, as readers of the manga/viewers of the anime will know by now, is the agency tasked with exploring the outside world and trying to find some way to defeat the Titans.
Of late, this is a job that is getting harder and harder to do. For one thing, there are constraints placed on the Survey Corps. by those who want to use their success or failure on any given mission for their own political ends. This essentially means that the Survey Corps. are allowed to conduct missions, but without the complete support necessary, resulting in casualties that don't have to happen. This keeps the "conservatives" (who favor sealing humanity forever behind the walls) and the "reformists" (who favor the Corps. mission) at a standstill and equilibrium so no side gains power over the other.
A string of bad incidents and tragedies has shifted power to the conservatives and it looks like the end of the Survey Corps. and of any further attempts to leave the walls. This is not just a disaster to humanity in general as they shut themselves in to slowly decline and constantly have to eke out a bare existence (including horrific measures against citizens by the government as we see in the manga) but it also means that many military members and craftsmen who depend on their business will be out of jobs.
This obviously affects Angel and his fellow craftsmen, but what affects him more is when some folks close to him are devoured by Titans. Now, Angel is determined to stop the plans to seal off humanity from the rest of the world and save the Survey Corps. by proving common knowledge wrong. He will prove that Titans CAN be killed.
What I liked about the story is that it had actions, yes, but like the manga, it had a human touch to it. The tragedies that occurred, the fear of the humans, and the sense of love, loss, and other emotions came through on the page. But here the human touch was even more in-depth given the format. I appreciated a little more of the human side, which is harder to bring out in a manga than in a light novel.
I love Attack on Titan, which is surprising, given that such violent stuff doesn't normally appeal to me. But in the midst of the action/fantasy/sci-fi/whatever genre, that the story is, there is a real human side and explorations of questions about the worth of fighting for what is necessary, about the wages and results of war, and stories of sacrifice and camaraderie amidst the violence.
I personally hope we find some more information in future stories about Angel, Maria, and the rest.
Highly Recommended.
November 3, 2014
La traduzione poteva essere migliore se revisionata decentemente, in più momenti mi è sembrato di non stare nemmeno leggendo un libro in italiano.
January 19, 2015
As one of the few people who has watched the anime Attack on Titan and does not really love it, I must admit that I enjoyed this novel more than I expected I would. What most surprised me about the novel is that it's different. Attack on Titan often feels like a string of battles that replicate previous battles, but Before the Fall volume 1 gives new information about the world of AoT as well as less annoying main characters. Before you kill me, let me say that not all AoT characters are annoying--Mikasa's cool and I am a big Levi fan. But I don't like Eren or Jean and I can hardly distinguish the minor characters, for the simple reason that the creators sacrifice character development for intense screaming and violent character deaths that are supposedly intended to make us cry in despair and horror, but which get old very quickly.
In contrast to the anime, which is so consistently intense that it's not intense anymore at all, Before the Fall displays a society of fairly content people. There is corruption and poverty a-plenty, and yet it doesn't pretend that people are incapable of summoning a shred of happiness even in desperate situations like the anime does. The main character is a weaponry craftsman named Angel, and it's nice to get the perspective of someone who is not a soldier. He doesn't initially care about the Titans. He doesn't have a reason to worry about them as they have never gotten within Wall Maria, and his image of them is hazy due to a lack of information. The situation changes when radical Titan Lovers take the gate by force and let in a Titan, causing thousands of casualties. Angel pledges to use his skill as a craftsman to find a way to defeat the Titans.
The novel is, in summary, the origin story of the 3-D Maneuver Gear. It was quite interesting to learn the circumstances under which the indispensable weapon was created and tested and eventually turned the tides of the war between humans and Titans. It was also great that there wasn't an unnecessary amount of screaming in the book, though that is probably due in part to the fact that reading "Aaah" in a book is not as effective as hearing an actual scream. It is also great to have a character whose loved one dies but is not reduced to a crying, screaming mess. That is how most people would react if a loved one is killed by a monster, but it still gets old quickly. Instead, this character retains a quiet dignity, continuing her job of protecting people. Angel also shows a remarkable sense of duty, and is less bland and annoyingly intense than Eren. Though Angel's personality is somewhat that of a generic anime hero, at least I find myself rooting for him instead of being annoyed by him. And it's a pretty nice underdog story, considering that he is a craftsman and fighting people and Titans is not part of his job description, yet he works hard and does remarkably well.
Unfortunately, the novel does follow the AoT tradition of being very predictable. Obviously, we already know the Titans' weakness as well as what Angel's invention turns out to be, so that isn't a problem. The real problem is that it is, as always, completely obvious who is going to die.
Despite some minor problems, the novel is a pretty interesting read and is a nice break from the constant, repetitive Titan battles offered by the anime. Would definitely recommend for fans of the series.
In contrast to the anime, which is so consistently intense that it's not intense anymore at all, Before the Fall displays a society of fairly content people. There is corruption and poverty a-plenty, and yet it doesn't pretend that people are incapable of summoning a shred of happiness even in desperate situations like the anime does. The main character is a weaponry craftsman named Angel, and it's nice to get the perspective of someone who is not a soldier. He doesn't initially care about the Titans. He doesn't have a reason to worry about them as they have never gotten within Wall Maria, and his image of them is hazy due to a lack of information. The situation changes when radical Titan Lovers take the gate by force and let in a Titan, causing thousands of casualties. Angel pledges to use his skill as a craftsman to find a way to defeat the Titans.
The novel is, in summary, the origin story of the 3-D Maneuver Gear. It was quite interesting to learn the circumstances under which the indispensable weapon was created and tested and eventually turned the tides of the war between humans and Titans. It was also great that there wasn't an unnecessary amount of screaming in the book, though that is probably due in part to the fact that reading "Aaah" in a book is not as effective as hearing an actual scream. It is also great to have a character whose loved one dies but is not reduced to a crying, screaming mess. That is how most people would react if a loved one is killed by a monster, but it still gets old quickly. Instead, this character retains a quiet dignity, continuing her job of protecting people. Angel also shows a remarkable sense of duty, and is less bland and annoyingly intense than Eren. Though Angel's personality is somewhat that of a generic anime hero, at least I find myself rooting for him instead of being annoyed by him. And it's a pretty nice underdog story, considering that he is a craftsman and fighting people and Titans is not part of his job description, yet he works hard and does remarkably well.
Unfortunately, the novel does follow the AoT tradition of being very predictable. Obviously, we already know the Titans' weakness as well as what Angel's invention turns out to be, so that isn't a problem. The real problem is that it is, as always, completely obvious who is going to die.
Despite some minor problems, the novel is a pretty interesting read and is a nice break from the constant, repetitive Titan battles offered by the anime. Would definitely recommend for fans of the series.
December 10, 2015
I can't quite say I "really liked it" to give it 4 stars, but Attack on Titan fans looking for more background on the origins of certain technology and techniques or of the Survey Corps, will definitely want to give this series a shot.
This is a prequel and a "light novel" which from what I can tell may mean that it's an illustrated novel (but not fully illustrated like a manga or graphic novel). This is not to be confused with the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall manga, which follows Kyklo, "the Titan's son" --however, some characters that appear in that manga, appear here in this book.
The main reason why I didn't rate this 4 stars is because for me, it was very slow. Also, the writing was quite ... formal at times. I'm not sure if that's just translation issues or that's just how Japanese novels are. I've not read any other Japanese novels translated into English to compare ...
Regardless, it's interesting to get a little bit of backstory such as the discoveries of the Iceburst Stone which is used for the ODM/3DMG gas or the Iron Bamboo which creates the blades and canisters the soldiers use. As far as I know, since these prequels and tie-ins are all published by Kodansha, they are a part of Attack on Titan's "canon" or timeline officially ...
This is a prequel and a "light novel" which from what I can tell may mean that it's an illustrated novel (but not fully illustrated like a manga or graphic novel). This is not to be confused with the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall manga, which follows Kyklo, "the Titan's son" --however, some characters that appear in that manga, appear here in this book.
The main reason why I didn't rate this 4 stars is because for me, it was very slow. Also, the writing was quite ... formal at times. I'm not sure if that's just translation issues or that's just how Japanese novels are. I've not read any other Japanese novels translated into English to compare ...
Regardless, it's interesting to get a little bit of backstory such as the discoveries of the Iceburst Stone which is used for the ODM/3DMG gas or the Iron Bamboo which creates the blades and canisters the soldiers use. As far as I know, since these prequels and tie-ins are all published by Kodansha, they are a part of Attack on Titan's "canon" or timeline officially ...
July 16, 2015
Pertama kalinya baca yang berkaitan dengan Attack on Titan.
Baiklah, saya buka-bukaan(???) aja di sini.
Saya baca novel ini versi terjemahan Indonesia yang masi abal-abal dan belum diedit :v
Jadi, jujur, saya pengen gigit-gigit bukunya pas baca saking gak enaknya dibaca :v
Enw, semoga editornya bisa memperbaiki dan memoles (ini yang penting!!!) hasil terjemahan itu. Saya sempet baca satu bab bahasa Jepangnya, dan memang terjemahannya gak salah.
Iya, gak salah, TAPIIIIII "feel"-na jadi bener-bener ilang. BENER-BENER!! Gak berasa baca novel, serius. Karakter Anhell (entah gimana ejaan yang bener), ilang gitu aja. Apalagi pas adu mulut sama temen sesama ahli senjata Xenophon (entah gimana ejaan yang bener), kurang berasa "wah", gitu. Aku kuciwaaaaaa .__________.
Oh iya, saya BUKAN fans Shingeki no Kyojin.
Saya bahkan sama sekali belum pernah baca dan nonton komik dan anime ini. Saya baca light novel ini cuma karena kebetulan ada kesempatan (atau, lebih tepatnya, saya bilang "terpaksa karena pekerjaan" *plak*). Juga karena kebetulan saya lagi pengen baca novel, bukan komik.
Jadi, bisa dibilang pendapat saya ini murni(?) tanpa perasaan "fanatik" kayak fans *mulai lebai*
Baiklah, saya buka-bukaan(???) aja di sini.
Saya baca novel ini versi terjemahan Indonesia yang masi abal-abal dan belum diedit :v
Jadi, jujur, saya pengen gigit-gigit bukunya pas baca saking gak enaknya dibaca :v
Enw, semoga editornya bisa memperbaiki dan memoles (ini yang penting!!!) hasil terjemahan itu. Saya sempet baca satu bab bahasa Jepangnya, dan memang terjemahannya gak salah.
Iya, gak salah, TAPIIIIII "feel"-na jadi bener-bener ilang. BENER-BENER!! Gak berasa baca novel, serius. Karakter Anhell (entah gimana ejaan yang bener), ilang gitu aja. Apalagi pas adu mulut sama temen sesama ahli senjata Xenophon (entah gimana ejaan yang bener), kurang berasa "wah", gitu. Aku kuciwaaaaaa .__________.
Oh iya, saya BUKAN fans Shingeki no Kyojin.
Saya bahkan sama sekali belum pernah baca dan nonton komik dan anime ini. Saya baca light novel ini cuma karena kebetulan ada kesempatan (atau, lebih tepatnya, saya bilang "terpaksa karena pekerjaan" *plak*). Juga karena kebetulan saya lagi pengen baca novel, bukan komik.
Jadi, bisa dibilang pendapat saya ini murni(?) tanpa perasaan "fanatik" kayak fans *mulai lebai*
July 2, 2015
LN Before The Fall ini merupakan prekuel dari komik laris Attack on Titan, Vol. 1, berkisah tentang proses penciptaan alat manuver tiga dimensi (3D Maneuver gear) yang digunakan oleh Eren dkk untuk melawan Titan. Juga proses penyelidikan kelemahan Titan.
While its manga was full packed action thriller, this prequel felt slow and boring, mungkin karena dialog dan narasinya yang childish, dangkal, dan aneh. Bagaimana bisa memahami cerita dan karakternya kalau dialognya aja gak jelas siapa ngomong apa! Belum lagi narasinya yang enggak enak banget deh dibaca. Entah karena terjemahannya atau memang begitu dari sononya... (-.-)"
(yakali manusia bisa menoleh 360derjat...)
While its manga was full packed action thriller, this prequel felt slow and boring, mungkin karena dialog dan narasinya yang childish, dangkal, dan aneh. Bagaimana bisa memahami cerita dan karakternya kalau dialognya aja gak jelas siapa ngomong apa! Belum lagi narasinya yang enggak enak banget deh dibaca. Entah karena terjemahannya atau memang begitu dari sononya... (-.-)"
(yakali manusia bisa menoleh 360derjat...)
October 14, 2015
Duh,
Feel-nya ga dapet. Ya mungkin karena ini adalah cerita para pembuat mesin penakluk Titan yang kurang lebih sudah diekspos di komik originalnya... dan bakal tau jalan cerita dan endingnya kayak gimana. Lalu untuk terjemahannya, kurang bagus, beberapa kata yang sepertinya diterjemahkan secara apa adanya berdasarkan kata di bahasa Inggris tanpa diubah sesuai bahasa Indonesia yang cocok.
Feel-nya ga dapet. Ya mungkin karena ini adalah cerita para pembuat mesin penakluk Titan yang kurang lebih sudah diekspos di komik originalnya... dan bakal tau jalan cerita dan endingnya kayak gimana. Lalu untuk terjemahannya, kurang bagus, beberapa kata yang sepertinya diterjemahkan secara apa adanya berdasarkan kata di bahasa Inggris tanpa diubah sesuai bahasa Indonesia yang cocok.
July 14, 2015
Actually pingin kasih 3 bintang, tapi terjemahannya itu.... so literal sampe bikin pala pening +_+
January 4, 2020
Attack on Titan -Before The Fall-
, sesuai judulnya, mengambil setting 70 tahun sebelum Distrik Shiganshina diserang oleh Titan Kolosal dan Titan Armor. Volume pertama menceritakan tentang Angel, seorang ahli mesin (begitulah ia disebut, meski saya menganggap ia lebih cocok dipanggil sebagai pandai besi dibanding ahli mesin) yang muda dan jenius. Lucunya, saya sudah terlebih dahulu membaca volume kedua dan ketiga dulu saat saya masih duduk di bangku sekolah menengah, sedikit bingung karena volume kedua seperti ‘awal’ dari ceritanya, meskipun sebenarnya bukan.
Angel adalah seorang lelaki berwajah pucat dengan rambut pirang seperti penduduk pada umumnya. Ia memiliki wajah suram yang kerap kali menjadi bahan ejekan. Tidak punya orangtua, ia besar di panti asuhan bersama kedua temannya—Solm dan Maria. Keduanya mengabdi pada negara: Solm berada di pasukan penyelidik, sedangkan Maria bertugas di pasukan penjaga/garrison regiment. Pada saat itu, tidak ada maneuver tiga dimensi yang kita ketahui dari serial Attack on Titan yang menampilkan Eren dan Mikasa. Pasukan penyelidik hanya keluar dari gerbang untuk menyelidiki titan di luar dinding, selalu pulang dengan anggota yang terus berkurang usai ekspedisi berakhir. Mereka miskin informasi tentang titan dan sekadar mengetahui bahwa titan memakan manusia—juga tidak mengetahui cara mengalahkan mereka.
Awalnya, Angel samasekali tidak tertarik dengan titan, karena tugasnya sekadar menyiapkan senjata bagi pasukan militer. Namun, setelah melihat sosok titan dengan mata kepala sendiri, rasa ingin tahunya mencuat ke permukaan. Bersama dengan Xenophon—rekan kerjanya—ia mengolah bahan baru yang disodorkan kepala bengkel kepadanya, bambu kurogane dan batu hyobaku. Selanjutnya, kedua bahan inilah yang akan menjadi cikal bakal maneuver tiga dimensi.
Plotnya menarik, namun perjalanan dari keseluruhan ceritanya membosankan. Angel yang mudah tertarik pada sesuatu memang menjadi bumbu tersendiri, tetapi selain itu letak adrenalin hanya muncul saat kemunculan titan. Ditambah lagi, karena dalam bentuk novel, kengerian yang harusnya dirasakan pembaca berkurang drastis (berbeda dengan ketika menonton anime-nya, kita akan diliputi rasa takut selagi menikmatinya). Adegan pertarungannya dengan Jorge (komandan pasukan penyelidik saat itu) juga dirasa berlebihan dan tidak masuk akal. Keberuntungan Angel yang selamat tiap kali menghadap marabahaya juga, sangat mengikuti aturan-tokoh-utama pada umumnya, tidak mengherankan. Saya tidak merasakan debar ketertarikan seperti saat membaca volume kedua dan ketiganya. Namun, buku ini tetap apik untuk dibaca, bagi yang ingin memahami lebih dalam sejarah ditemukannya maneuver tiga dimensi dan letak kelemahan para titan. 3.2 dari 5 untuk Ryo Suzukaze!
Angel adalah seorang lelaki berwajah pucat dengan rambut pirang seperti penduduk pada umumnya. Ia memiliki wajah suram yang kerap kali menjadi bahan ejekan. Tidak punya orangtua, ia besar di panti asuhan bersama kedua temannya—Solm dan Maria. Keduanya mengabdi pada negara: Solm berada di pasukan penyelidik, sedangkan Maria bertugas di pasukan penjaga/garrison regiment. Pada saat itu, tidak ada maneuver tiga dimensi yang kita ketahui dari serial Attack on Titan yang menampilkan Eren dan Mikasa. Pasukan penyelidik hanya keluar dari gerbang untuk menyelidiki titan di luar dinding, selalu pulang dengan anggota yang terus berkurang usai ekspedisi berakhir. Mereka miskin informasi tentang titan dan sekadar mengetahui bahwa titan memakan manusia—juga tidak mengetahui cara mengalahkan mereka.
Awalnya, Angel samasekali tidak tertarik dengan titan, karena tugasnya sekadar menyiapkan senjata bagi pasukan militer. Namun, setelah melihat sosok titan dengan mata kepala sendiri, rasa ingin tahunya mencuat ke permukaan. Bersama dengan Xenophon—rekan kerjanya—ia mengolah bahan baru yang disodorkan kepala bengkel kepadanya, bambu kurogane dan batu hyobaku. Selanjutnya, kedua bahan inilah yang akan menjadi cikal bakal maneuver tiga dimensi.
Plotnya menarik, namun perjalanan dari keseluruhan ceritanya membosankan. Angel yang mudah tertarik pada sesuatu memang menjadi bumbu tersendiri, tetapi selain itu letak adrenalin hanya muncul saat kemunculan titan. Ditambah lagi, karena dalam bentuk novel, kengerian yang harusnya dirasakan pembaca berkurang drastis (berbeda dengan ketika menonton anime-nya, kita akan diliputi rasa takut selagi menikmatinya). Adegan pertarungannya dengan Jorge (komandan pasukan penyelidik saat itu) juga dirasa berlebihan dan tidak masuk akal. Keberuntungan Angel yang selamat tiap kali menghadap marabahaya juga, sangat mengikuti aturan-tokoh-utama pada umumnya, tidak mengherankan. Saya tidak merasakan debar ketertarikan seperti saat membaca volume kedua dan ketiganya. Namun, buku ini tetap apik untuk dibaca, bagi yang ingin memahami lebih dalam sejarah ditemukannya maneuver tiga dimensi dan letak kelemahan para titan. 3.2 dari 5 untuk Ryo Suzukaze!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2020
Tengo sentimientos encontrados.
A pesar de lo fan que soy de la saga, la novela no ha conseguido atraparme del todo.
No digo que esté mal, simplemente creo que no era el momento, quizá hace años habría sido todo un acierto. A estas alturas de la serie sé tantas cosas de la saga que este libro no ha captado mi interés.
Además, no hay nada de cameos porque es 70 años antes de la caída, con lo que poco detalles se podrían añadir (a no ser que vieras al abuelo de Armin yendo a comprar el pan XD)
También me ha costado la prosa, no está mal porque es sencilla y se entienden las situaciones y descripciones, pero me parece que atrae poco emocionalmente hablando. También creo que se debe a hacer la traducción del japonés: debe ser MUY complicado, así que entiendo esa parte. Mis dieces al traductor.
Los personajes me han parecido un poco planos, no tienen características o peculiaridades que los diferencien entre ellos. Si te pones a perfilar sí tienen detalles, pero en general son muy similares entre sí.
PERO. A pesar de que lo esté poniendo todo un poco mal XD, no es del todo cierto. La historia entretiene, y te sientes como "en casa" al estar en un lugar que ya conoces. Además, es curioso la forma en como al final desarrollaron el equipo de maniobras y de las cosas que ocurren en Shinganshina por aquel entonces. Incluso sobre la poquísima información que tenían sobre los titanes y como funcionaba el gobierno.
Así que es una historia entretenida y curiosa de leer.
Si os gusta la saga, os animo a echarle un ojo!
PD: Cada vez que Angel (el prota) se desquiciaba o dramatizaba, me daban ganas de decirle "Uffff esto no es nada, chico... " XDDDDDDD
A pesar de lo fan que soy de la saga, la novela no ha conseguido atraparme del todo.
No digo que esté mal, simplemente creo que no era el momento, quizá hace años habría sido todo un acierto. A estas alturas de la serie sé tantas cosas de la saga que este libro no ha captado mi interés.
Además, no hay nada de cameos porque es 70 años antes de la caída, con lo que poco detalles se podrían añadir (a no ser que vieras al abuelo de Armin yendo a comprar el pan XD)
También me ha costado la prosa, no está mal porque es sencilla y se entienden las situaciones y descripciones, pero me parece que atrae poco emocionalmente hablando. También creo que se debe a hacer la traducción del japonés: debe ser MUY complicado, así que entiendo esa parte. Mis dieces al traductor.
Los personajes me han parecido un poco planos, no tienen características o peculiaridades que los diferencien entre ellos. Si te pones a perfilar sí tienen detalles, pero en general son muy similares entre sí.
PERO. A pesar de que lo esté poniendo todo un poco mal XD, no es del todo cierto. La historia entretiene, y te sientes como "en casa" al estar en un lugar que ya conoces. Además, es curioso la forma en como al final desarrollaron el equipo de maniobras y de las cosas que ocurren en Shinganshina por aquel entonces. Incluso sobre la poquísima información que tenían sobre los titanes y como funcionaba el gobierno.
Así que es una historia entretenida y curiosa de leer.
Si os gusta la saga, os animo a echarle un ojo!
PD: Cada vez que Angel (el prota) se desquiciaba o dramatizaba, me daban ganas de decirle "Uffff esto no es nada, chico... " XDDDDDDD
January 14, 2022
If you're a fan of Attack on Titan, you definitely have to read the prequel, Before the Fall Part 1 and 2. It's not as dark or action-packed as the main Attack on Titan series but it's still a fun read as it answers how the 3D Maneuver Gear was developed and how the Survey Corps were able to discover how to kill the Titans.
Before the Fall is divided into two parts: part 1 (novel) focuses on Angel Aaltonen, the developer of the 3D Maneuver Gear; then part 2 (manga) focuses on Kuklo, a boy labeled as the Titan's son and the first soldier to use the 3D maneuver gear. You can read the manga of part 2 here: Shingeki No Kyojin-Before the Fall
Side note: I highly recommend you read Before the Fall after you watched Attack on Titan anime series. You'll find this boring if you don't know the main story of Attack on Titan.
Before the Fall is divided into two parts: part 1 (novel) focuses on Angel Aaltonen, the developer of the 3D Maneuver Gear; then part 2 (manga) focuses on Kuklo, a boy labeled as the Titan's son and the first soldier to use the 3D maneuver gear. You can read the manga of part 2 here: Shingeki No Kyojin-Before the Fall
Side note: I highly recommend you read Before the Fall after you watched Attack on Titan anime series. You'll find this boring if you don't know the main story of Attack on Titan.
June 21, 2025
this is a novelized spin-off (almost prequel, though you certainly shouldn't read it before the first 10 main series manga volumes) taking place 50 years before the fall of wall maria in the attack on titan universe.
January 13, 2021
Read this because it is anime year and I got it when I got the rest of the Attack on Titan catalogue.
I had hopes that reading this manga (along with its associated materials) would make me happy and also fulfill my goal of becoming an anime guy.
This is a weird book because it appears to be about humanity trying to learn whether titans can be killed and also about the development of a couple pieces of titan-killing technology, but everything they learn in the book is also explained in the first volume of the manga.
This was not bad, especially for a spinoff novella, but it was also not good.
I am now reading one of the other Attack on Titan books I own and it is at least 30% better.
I had hopes that reading this manga (along with its associated materials) would make me happy and also fulfill my goal of becoming an anime guy.
This is a weird book because it appears to be about humanity trying to learn whether titans can be killed and also about the development of a couple pieces of titan-killing technology, but everything they learn in the book is also explained in the first volume of the manga.
This was not bad, especially for a spinoff novella, but it was also not good.
I am now reading one of the other Attack on Titan books I own and it is at least 30% better.
February 10, 2023
Le roman est bon. C'est intéressant d'apprendre comment l'équipement tridimensionnel à été inventé, comment il a été découvert que la nuque est le point faible des titans, comment le premier titan à été tué.. mais je trouve le roman trop lent, et qu'en dehors de ces informations, il n'apporte rien à l'œuvre original. Se passant seulement quelques années avant, il aurait été agréable d'y retrouver des personnages de l'œuvre original, mais ce n'est malheureusement pas le cas. Dommage.
May 31, 2019
คาดหวังความสนุกในนิยายไว้ค่อนข้างมาก เพราะนี่เป็นภาคต้นกำเหนิดของเครื่องเคลื่อนย้ายสามมิติ และวิธีการฆ่าไททั่น
แต่ก็มีแอบผิดหวังเล็ก ๆ ถึงแม้ช่วงต้นจะมีการบิ้วได้ดี ถึงความสิ้นหวังที่ต้องเจอกับไททั่น แต่หลังจากนั้นกลับทำได้เรื่อย ๆ มาก ความสนุกอยู่แค่พออ่านได้เพลิน ๆ เท่านั้น และประเด็นที่สำคัญของเรื่อง ก็ไม่ได้ทำให้เราว้าวอะไรมากมายเลย
อ่านตั้งนานหลายปีแล้ว แต่พึ่งนึกขึ้นได้ เลยเขียนรีวิวครับ
แต่ก็มีแอบผิดหวังเล็ก ๆ ถึงแม้ช่วงต้นจะมีการบิ้วได้ดี ถึงความสิ้นหวังที่ต้องเจอกับไททั่น แต่หลังจากนั้นกลับทำได้เรื่อย ๆ มาก ความสนุกอยู่แค่พออ่านได้เพลิน ๆ เท่านั้น และประเด็นที่สำคัญของเรื่อง ก็ไม่ได้ทำให้เราว้าวอะไรมากมายเลย
อ่านตั้งนานหลายปีแล้ว แต่พึ่งนึกขึ้นได้ เลยเขียนรีวิวครับ
May 1, 2025
An enjoyable prequel set decades before the Attack on Titan series begins. I was happy to find this book because I wanted to actually read some of the world of AOT, and this was cool start and beginning to when the equipment for the ODM gear was being made. It was a little slow at times, but still a fun read.
November 2, 2018
I can’t actually the kid they call the titans son actually went out side the gate to go see if he is actually one of the titans and so that he can prove he is not a titans son because he doesn’t even look like one of those things called titans
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2021
Interesting read and plot. It tells the story of Angel Aaltonen, the developer of the first generation of ODM Gear. It leaves off a few years before the Before the Fall Manga picks up. It was interesting learning how exactly Angel injured his eyes and how he discovered the Titan's weakness.
February 9, 2024
Manusia yg terkurung dlm tembok, yg cuma tahu Titan itu abadi, tidak bisa mati akhirnya menemukan titik terang. Dgn diciptakan alat manuver 3D dan kelemahan Titan, cerita Attack on Titan yg selama ini kita kenal pun akan dimulai.....
September 28, 2025
took me forever. I wished we had this as an animated episode. i found the dialogue very long winded. it read more like a Manga or something. not sure. I liked the ideas and the story itself was fine though. still an interesting read for the AoT universe!
April 5, 2018
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall was okay. I really didn't care for it that much. It didn't really grab my attention. I even wished there was a little bit more titan action in it as well.
January 15, 2021
Read this before I watched the anime great back story to the manga too!
January 28, 2021
It provides little the way of character development and story arch, but it does provide some good backstory for the main series and the world at large.
April 21, 2021
It's OK I guess but the way the book never stated who was speaking even during group conversations made my eyes bleed. Fans only
April 1, 2024
Molto interessante
August 25, 2025
A look into the earlier days and how people dealt with Titans from scratch.
November 13, 2015
MEDIA TOTALE: 8
Storia: 8,5
3= remake fatto malissimo di una storia già fatta
4= remake fatto male di una storia già fatta
5= storia già fatta piu volte con niente di positivo
6= storia classica senza ne pregi ne difetti particolare
7= storia classica con qualche pregio particolare
8 = storia nuova con parametri classici
9= storia nuova con parametri innovativi
10= storia nuova con parametri rivoluzionari
10lode= invenzione del genere o dello stile
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sviluppo: 7
3= non riesci nemmeno a finire di leggere il primo capitolo
4= interrompi
5= lento da voler solo che finisca
6= lo concludi
7 = va migliorando anche se un po scontato
8= va migliorando con qualche colpo di scena
9= colpi di scena e cambi di impostazione
10 = game of thrones. Non riesci a inquadrarlo
------------------------------------------------------------------
PERSONAGGI : 7
Vengono descritti in base al tipo di manga. Personalità (psicologia,Carattere,sviluppo), Ruolo, qualita,
Primari:
2=potrebbe essere un albero
3= le caratteristiche del personaggio danneggiano gravemente l'intera storia
4= personalità antipatica data la sua incoerenza con il manga, principi morali discutibili, sviluppo quasi inesistente,danno manga
5= il personaggio non riempie pienamente il ruolo di primario
6= ha una personalità coerente con lo stile/ambiente/situazione del manga senza pregi, classico
7= personalità coerente e classica ma che soddisfa le condizioni del manga valutandolo positivamente
8= personalità coerente con caratteristiche particolari da visualizzarlo immediatamente,presenta un buon sviluppo.
9=personalità dinamica positiva con pregi e ottimi sviluppi con una psicologia propria/realistico
10=personalità spiccata ad amarlo con caratteristiche innovative/realistiche ,rispetta alla perfezione il ruolo di primario con numerose qualità. Personaggio dinamico positivo e fedele ai suoi principi
Angel Aaltonen= 7
Capo Fabbro = 7
-------------------------------------------------------------
Secondari (MEDIA 7,75):
Il ruolo cambia in base al tipo di manga e la situazione. Può andare in aiuto al protagonista come per alleggerire la nostra lettura.
3: Idem
4:non svolge in nessun modo il ruolo di secondario
5: Svolge il ruolo da secondario che non influisce in nessun modo con la storia
6: Svolge il ruolo secondario senza ne pregi ne difetti particolari
7: Svolge il ruolo con pregi che danno un buon proseguimento
8: Pregi e personalità particolari che danno valore al manga
9: Presente spesso nel racconto con personalità e pregi che valorizzano il manga
10:svolge il ruolo da secondario perfettamente e ha una personalità cosi ben riuscita da metterlo in confronto al primario.
Maria: 7
Charlie: 8,5
Nuovo Capo Sourvey corps: 8,5
Aiutante Fabbro: 7
-----------------------------------------------------
Antagonista (Razza dei titani): 9
3: Idem
4: In nessun modo fa la parte dell'antagonista
5: Non lo fa pienamente
6: Antagonista senza pregi e difetti classico
7: Pregi che migliorano il ruolo e il proseguimento
8: Pregi e personalità particolari che danno valore al manga
9:Presente spesso nel racconto con personalità e pregi che valorizzano il manga
10: svolge il ruolo da antagonista perfettamente e ha una personalità cosi ben riuscita da metterlo in rivalità al primario.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Scontro: 8
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rapporti: 9
Dialoghi=0-3 (2)
Relazioni =0-3 (3)
Paesaggio= 0-3 (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Finale: (8)
Storia: 8,5
3= remake fatto malissimo di una storia già fatta
4= remake fatto male di una storia già fatta
5= storia già fatta piu volte con niente di positivo
6= storia classica senza ne pregi ne difetti particolare
7= storia classica con qualche pregio particolare
8 = storia nuova con parametri classici
9= storia nuova con parametri innovativi
10= storia nuova con parametri rivoluzionari
10lode= invenzione del genere o dello stile
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sviluppo: 7
3= non riesci nemmeno a finire di leggere il primo capitolo
4= interrompi
5= lento da voler solo che finisca
6= lo concludi
7 = va migliorando anche se un po scontato
8= va migliorando con qualche colpo di scena
9= colpi di scena e cambi di impostazione
10 = game of thrones. Non riesci a inquadrarlo
------------------------------------------------------------------
PERSONAGGI : 7
Vengono descritti in base al tipo di manga. Personalità (psicologia,Carattere,sviluppo), Ruolo, qualita,
Primari:
2=potrebbe essere un albero
3= le caratteristiche del personaggio danneggiano gravemente l'intera storia
4= personalità antipatica data la sua incoerenza con il manga, principi morali discutibili, sviluppo quasi inesistente,danno manga
5= il personaggio non riempie pienamente il ruolo di primario
6= ha una personalità coerente con lo stile/ambiente/situazione del manga senza pregi, classico
7= personalità coerente e classica ma che soddisfa le condizioni del manga valutandolo positivamente
8= personalità coerente con caratteristiche particolari da visualizzarlo immediatamente,presenta un buon sviluppo.
9=personalità dinamica positiva con pregi e ottimi sviluppi con una psicologia propria/realistico
10=personalità spiccata ad amarlo con caratteristiche innovative/realistiche ,rispetta alla perfezione il ruolo di primario con numerose qualità. Personaggio dinamico positivo e fedele ai suoi principi
Angel Aaltonen= 7
Capo Fabbro = 7
-------------------------------------------------------------
Secondari (MEDIA 7,75):
Il ruolo cambia in base al tipo di manga e la situazione. Può andare in aiuto al protagonista come per alleggerire la nostra lettura.
3: Idem
4:non svolge in nessun modo il ruolo di secondario
5: Svolge il ruolo da secondario che non influisce in nessun modo con la storia
6: Svolge il ruolo secondario senza ne pregi ne difetti particolari
7: Svolge il ruolo con pregi che danno un buon proseguimento
8: Pregi e personalità particolari che danno valore al manga
9: Presente spesso nel racconto con personalità e pregi che valorizzano il manga
10:svolge il ruolo da secondario perfettamente e ha una personalità cosi ben riuscita da metterlo in confronto al primario.
Maria: 7
Charlie: 8,5
Nuovo Capo Sourvey corps: 8,5
Aiutante Fabbro: 7
-----------------------------------------------------
Antagonista (Razza dei titani): 9
3: Idem
4: In nessun modo fa la parte dell'antagonista
5: Non lo fa pienamente
6: Antagonista senza pregi e difetti classico
7: Pregi che migliorano il ruolo e il proseguimento
8: Pregi e personalità particolari che danno valore al manga
9:Presente spesso nel racconto con personalità e pregi che valorizzano il manga
10: svolge il ruolo da antagonista perfettamente e ha una personalità cosi ben riuscita da metterlo in rivalità al primario.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Scontro: 8
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rapporti: 9
Dialoghi=0-3 (2)
Relazioni =0-3 (3)
Paesaggio= 0-3 (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Finale: (8)
May 26, 2015
First of all, I had no idea what a "light novel" was until I bought this. I've read the first two volumes of the manga, so I already knew the premise of what this book was going to be about. However, reader beware, this particular story is not included in the manga. Rather, this is a "prequel" to the prequel, i.e. it takes place before the events of the manga.
The story takes place seventy years before the events of the Attack on Titan manga, and follows the story of Angel Aaltonen, a young weaponsmith who has been tasked with creating a new weapon out of the newly-discovered Iron Bamboo, which eventually leads to his creation of the famous 3D-Maneuver Gear that has been a huge facet of the Attack on Titan franchise.
While the story itself is compelling, I've had to question the science behind it...but it's Attack on Titan--the science behind a lot of the story doesn't make a lot of sense anyway, so I've had to suspend my disbelief a bit.
One big problem that I ran into while reading this is the dialogue. They don't tell you who's saying which line to whom, which can get really confusing (especially if there are more than two people having a conversation). Some of the prose was a bit clunky too, but I think that mostly has to do with the translation from the original Japanese.
On a personal note, I can't really say it's my favorite. Though, as a fan of Attack on Titan, it's worth a try. I don't *highly* recommend it, but for fans curious about the backstory behind the early days of the Survey Corps and the gear they use in the AoT manga, I say go ahead and give it a read. 3/5 stars.
The story takes place seventy years before the events of the Attack on Titan manga, and follows the story of Angel Aaltonen, a young weaponsmith who has been tasked with creating a new weapon out of the newly-discovered Iron Bamboo, which eventually leads to his creation of the famous 3D-Maneuver Gear that has been a huge facet of the Attack on Titan franchise.
While the story itself is compelling, I've had to question the science behind it...but it's Attack on Titan--the science behind a lot of the story doesn't make a lot of sense anyway, so I've had to suspend my disbelief a bit.
One big problem that I ran into while reading this is the dialogue. They don't tell you who's saying which line to whom, which can get really confusing (especially if there are more than two people having a conversation). Some of the prose was a bit clunky too, but I think that mostly has to do with the translation from the original Japanese.
On a personal note, I can't really say it's my favorite. Though, as a fan of Attack on Titan, it's worth a try. I don't *highly* recommend it, but for fans curious about the backstory behind the early days of the Survey Corps and the gear they use in the AoT manga, I say go ahead and give it a read. 3/5 stars.
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