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Attack on Titan: Before the Fall Light Novels #2-3
Attack on Titan: Kuklo Unbound
The second prequel novel to Attack on Titan—and the basis for the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall manga series!
In this novel we are introduced to Kuklo, who is found as a baby crying in a mass of Titan vomit, amidst dead Titan corpses. Called “a child of Titan” and essentially hated by the people inside the walls, Kuklo despite his horrible beginnings and a single-functioning eye, also seems to grow unnaturally fast. He parts himself from his past and gambles on the fate of humanity by enlisting in the Survey Corps. And here with his strength and determination Kuklo survives and thrives.
But to accomplish his goals he must get his hands on the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment. Although the gear is still imperfect and causes a troublesome incident for him, whether it is because it is his fate—or because of his past—he finds he is able to fight against the Titans.
In this novel we are introduced to Kuklo, who is found as a baby crying in a mass of Titan vomit, amidst dead Titan corpses. Called “a child of Titan” and essentially hated by the people inside the walls, Kuklo despite his horrible beginnings and a single-functioning eye, also seems to grow unnaturally fast. He parts himself from his past and gambles on the fate of humanity by enlisting in the Survey Corps. And here with his strength and determination Kuklo survives and thrives.
But to accomplish his goals he must get his hands on the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment. Although the gear is still imperfect and causes a troublesome incident for him, whether it is because it is his fate—or because of his past—he finds he is able to fight against the Titans.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
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About the author
Hajime Isayama
692 books4,725 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 20, 2015
Attack On Titan: Kuklo Unbound is the second and third of the prequel novels to the AoT manga series. They take place many decades before the regular series begins with the breach and loss of Wall Maria. The English version combines the two novels into one.
The story begins briefly in the midst of the preceding volume, and then jumps about ten to fifteen years (my best estimate) to the time of the "current novels". As the story starts, an infant is found alive in the Titan vomit, having somehow survived the death of his mother. Dubbed "the Titan's son", the boy is sold from master to master and put on display. Beatings, malnourishment, and a hellish existence follow. Until one fateful day, that is...
One day, a wealthy man purchases the boy for his son, Xavi, to beat up to bolster Xavi's confidence so he can prepare to enter the military. Every day is an agonizing beating for the savage Titan's son, named "Kuklo". But one day he meets the kind-hearted sister of Xavi, Sharle.
Sharle takes it upon herself to teach the boy about the outside world and so on. They develop a close bond bordering on childhood love when a series of events force them to flee land eventually force Kuklo to join the re-constituted Survey Corps.
Of course, Kuklo is fine with this, to an extent, as he wants to forever sever the psychological connection that his life has given him to the Titans. With the aid of Cardina and Rosa (who is the daughter of Maria and the late Solm from the previous book) he goes about doing this.
This is like the previous book, and unlike the comics, in that the focus on characterization is much more deep. Don't get me wrong, the manga is big on characterization and not just action, but there is only so much a comic medium can do when it comes to exposing the inner workings of characters. Just as manga is more vivid in the descriptiveness of the world and characters, so prose shows their inner thoughts far better.
I have to say that I loved Cardina. He was snarky and a bit sour at times, but all in good fun. He sort of played the role of Kuklo's lancer and became the closest thing, other than Sharle, that Kuklo has to family or loved ones. The development of their friendship was awesome.
Rosa was cool as as well. Her relationship with Kuklo was kind of like Annie's to Eren's decades later. Well, if Annie were a good guy that is (though we still don't know what the goals of the Titan Shifters' village is, and these are child soldiers in the main manga story, so what their alignment is, we don't know).
Finally, Sharle's friendship, goodness, and developing (I assume) romance with Kuklo was sweet and fun to read. On the subject of romance (or the potential thereof), Angel and Maria from the previous book are living together and Rosa calls him "uncle". Now whether they are just friends or are married or live together or what is happening, I don't know. I like to think they are married. It would be a sweet resolution to their arcs of the first book.
The book was a little more relaxed and laid-back. Not as intense as the manga series in Eren, Mikasa, and Armin's time, so that lent itself to a narrative that was different, but not a whit less fun. In some ways, it was more fun. The adrenaline rush of terror was absent, but the slow terror and dark feel of the setting was heightened.
There is one cool (POTENTIAL) spoiler. Such as references to an outside community that is a myth known only to the nobility.
I have to say that this is possibly my favorite AoT story to date. Well this and the previous one. But they are different enough from the main story that takes place years later in-universe that it's hard to judge such things.
About the only thing I disliked was the inclusion of some of the cheesier (but brief) shonen tropes that not even the original manga had. Other than that, this was a masterpiece of a light novel and one I greatly, greatly enjoyed.
The story begins briefly in the midst of the preceding volume, and then jumps about ten to fifteen years (my best estimate) to the time of the "current novels". As the story starts, an infant is found alive in the Titan vomit, having somehow survived the death of his mother. Dubbed "the Titan's son", the boy is sold from master to master and put on display. Beatings, malnourishment, and a hellish existence follow. Until one fateful day, that is...
One day, a wealthy man purchases the boy for his son, Xavi, to beat up to bolster Xavi's confidence so he can prepare to enter the military. Every day is an agonizing beating for the savage Titan's son, named "Kuklo". But one day he meets the kind-hearted sister of Xavi, Sharle.
Sharle takes it upon herself to teach the boy about the outside world and so on. They develop a close bond bordering on childhood love when a series of events force them to flee land eventually force Kuklo to join the re-constituted Survey Corps.
Of course, Kuklo is fine with this, to an extent, as he wants to forever sever the psychological connection that his life has given him to the Titans. With the aid of Cardina and Rosa (who is the daughter of Maria and the late Solm from the previous book) he goes about doing this.
This is like the previous book, and unlike the comics, in that the focus on characterization is much more deep. Don't get me wrong, the manga is big on characterization and not just action, but there is only so much a comic medium can do when it comes to exposing the inner workings of characters. Just as manga is more vivid in the descriptiveness of the world and characters, so prose shows their inner thoughts far better.
I have to say that I loved Cardina. He was snarky and a bit sour at times, but all in good fun. He sort of played the role of Kuklo's lancer and became the closest thing, other than Sharle, that Kuklo has to family or loved ones. The development of their friendship was awesome.
Rosa was cool as as well. Her relationship with Kuklo was kind of like Annie's to Eren's decades later. Well, if Annie were a good guy that is (though we still don't know what the goals of the Titan Shifters' village is, and these are child soldiers in the main manga story, so what their alignment is, we don't know).
Finally, Sharle's friendship, goodness, and developing (I assume) romance with Kuklo was sweet and fun to read. On the subject of romance (or the potential thereof), Angel and Maria from the previous book are living together and Rosa calls him "uncle". Now whether they are just friends or are married or live together or what is happening, I don't know. I like to think they are married. It would be a sweet resolution to their arcs of the first book.
The book was a little more relaxed and laid-back. Not as intense as the manga series in Eren, Mikasa, and Armin's time, so that lent itself to a narrative that was different, but not a whit less fun. In some ways, it was more fun. The adrenaline rush of terror was absent, but the slow terror and dark feel of the setting was heightened.
There is one cool (POTENTIAL) spoiler. Such as references to an outside community that is a myth known only to the nobility.
I have to say that this is possibly my favorite AoT story to date. Well this and the previous one. But they are different enough from the main story that takes place years later in-universe that it's hard to judge such things.
About the only thing I disliked was the inclusion of some of the cheesier (but brief) shonen tropes that not even the original manga had. Other than that, this was a masterpiece of a light novel and one I greatly, greatly enjoyed.
February 6, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been following the manga for this series so when I found a copy of this book at my local bookstore, I just had to pick it up. Kuklo is by far one of my favourite characters in the entire series and my mind went through so many emotions while I read this novel. What the manga left out, this book covered, which really pleased me. I love the relationship between Sharle and Kuklo; I could really grasp Sharle's different emotions for Kuklo and her brother, Xavi (more so than when I read the manga). The tension between Kuklo and Xavi was also really interesting, and how Kuklo ended up forgiving Xavi in the end because he knew that in order to start his life anew (as a human and not as the 'Titan's son') he should forgive those that have wronged him in the past. I have so much respect for Kuklo as a character because he never once backed down when faced with both internal and external struggles, which is a quality I admire in both fictional characters and non-fictional people.
All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is fan of the series, whether they be a casual or hardcore fan. Five stars, hands down.
All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is fan of the series, whether they be a casual or hardcore fan. Five stars, hands down.
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January 19, 2021This one is considerably better than the first Attack on Titan novella because it gives new information.
It is about a kid who is imprisoned for much of his life, escapes, then learns to fight titans.
Overall, it is not very good. This is my opinion. I would not read it again and I would not have read it the first time if it wasn't anime year and I hadn't dedicated myself to consuming all official Attack on Titan media.
I had a good time reading this. It was very short. Once again, this is not very good. Not worth reading unless it is part of a meaningless and unfulfilling challenge you have given yourself.
This book has made me want to downgrade my review of the previous Attack on Titan novella because this one was much better but is still only a 3/5. I will not update my previous review because I do not want to.
It is about a kid who is imprisoned for much of his life, escapes, then learns to fight titans.
Overall, it is not very good. This is my opinion. I would not read it again and I would not have read it the first time if it wasn't anime year and I hadn't dedicated myself to consuming all official Attack on Titan media.
I had a good time reading this. It was very short. Once again, this is not very good. Not worth reading unless it is part of a meaningless and unfulfilling challenge you have given yourself.
This book has made me want to downgrade my review of the previous Attack on Titan novella because this one was much better but is still only a 3/5. I will not update my previous review because I do not want to.
December 19, 2019
The second and third volumes of Before the Fall provide a good background and prequel material on how the attack on titans truly began.
October 6, 2015
I've been getting into the Attack On Titan manga recently, so when I found this, I had to pick it up.
The story is almost classic, an abused boy rises to the occasion, betters himself, and shows the world what he's made of. Only with Titans eating people and flying through the air with vertical maneuvering equipment. I especially appreciated the drawings :D
It was just hard to read from time to time, and I'm not sure why. I adored the story, but there were nights when I could only get through ten pages at a time, and not because they were boring. I would just look up and see that it had taken me a half hour or forty-five minutes to read those pages, longer than usual for me, so then it would be time for bed :S I think this might've had something to do with the book being a translation. Maybe that was it, or in the way you could kind of tell that the book was written with a manga in mind. I don't know which came first, the Kuklo Unbound novel or the manga, but there were plenty of parts that seemed like they would fit better in a drawing on a panel.
Regardless, I never set the book aside and forgot about it because I needed to know what would happen with Kuklo, and as one of the first to master the equipment, coming to be respected by his peers as a "Titan's Son" and even his origins of being swallowed while in his mother's womb and being vomited up, then chained to the floor and treated like an animal for the first twelve to fifteen years of his life made me want to stick with him. This was an awesome character, and I had to know what happened with him. Any fan of the series should enjoy this book. I might pick up the mangas as well just to see if there were any spots I missed or didn't get from the read through :D
4 stars, a must read for fans of the series. Others might want to check out the manga or the anime first to know what's up and how things work and look.
The story is almost classic, an abused boy rises to the occasion, betters himself, and shows the world what he's made of. Only with Titans eating people and flying through the air with vertical maneuvering equipment. I especially appreciated the drawings :D
It was just hard to read from time to time, and I'm not sure why. I adored the story, but there were nights when I could only get through ten pages at a time, and not because they were boring. I would just look up and see that it had taken me a half hour or forty-five minutes to read those pages, longer than usual for me, so then it would be time for bed :S I think this might've had something to do with the book being a translation. Maybe that was it, or in the way you could kind of tell that the book was written with a manga in mind. I don't know which came first, the Kuklo Unbound novel or the manga, but there were plenty of parts that seemed like they would fit better in a drawing on a panel.
Regardless, I never set the book aside and forgot about it because I needed to know what would happen with Kuklo, and as one of the first to master the equipment, coming to be respected by his peers as a "Titan's Son" and even his origins of being swallowed while in his mother's womb and being vomited up, then chained to the floor and treated like an animal for the first twelve to fifteen years of his life made me want to stick with him. This was an awesome character, and I had to know what happened with him. Any fan of the series should enjoy this book. I might pick up the mangas as well just to see if there were any spots I missed or didn't get from the read through :D
4 stars, a must read for fans of the series. Others might want to check out the manga or the anime first to know what's up and how things work and look.
December 30, 2019
Attack on Titan has been a series I have always wanted to get into, either the show or the manga, but have never had a chance to. I decided to check out this novel because it looked interesting.
The first half was really good.
The second half felt like it had a different writer/translator.
I get that they were probably released in two parts. Actually, they BETTER have been released in two parts, because the second half constantly recapped what had happened in the first half. On page 244, the book informed us that the main character was missing an eye. Like...duh? We have known for 200 pages. And there are many many other things like that, including summing up whole plots as if we hadn't already read them. Even in a series, way too much time was spent on recapping.
Also, just the way things were written/translated became stupid and watered down. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot at things, which didn't happen at all in the first part of the book.
Kuklo is an interesting character, and I liked seeing him become a hero toward the end, but it all started to feel cheap.
4 stars for the first half, barely 2 stars for the last half.
The first half was really good.
The second half felt like it had a different writer/translator.
I get that they were probably released in two parts. Actually, they BETTER have been released in two parts, because the second half constantly recapped what had happened in the first half. On page 244, the book informed us that the main character was missing an eye. Like...duh? We have known for 200 pages. And there are many many other things like that, including summing up whole plots as if we hadn't already read them. Even in a series, way too much time was spent on recapping.
Also, just the way things were written/translated became stupid and watered down. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot at things, which didn't happen at all in the first part of the book.
Kuklo is an interesting character, and I liked seeing him become a hero toward the end, but it all started to feel cheap.
4 stars for the first half, barely 2 stars for the last half.
May 20, 2015
While this plays a bit fast and loose with the amount of time it covers and underuses some of the characters, Kuklo Unbound is an exciting, interesting book that can be read with or without prior AoT knowledge, although if you've read the manga and the previous light novel, you will get more out of it. Suzukaze is a more skillful author than many of the other light novel authors who have been translated into English, and Kuklo is a sympathetic character. I'm not a huge fan of the franchise, but this book I truly did enjoy.
More detailed review to appear on The Anime News Network.
More detailed review to appear on The Anime News Network.
April 13, 2016
Really amazing. It tells the story of the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment and the Scout Regiment before they could take on Titans. You should read this if you are into Attack on Titan. SCOUTS MOVE OUT! (Salutes Attack on Titan way)
May 17, 2016
The novel version of the manga.
January 15, 2019
Attack on Titan: Before the fall -manga tekstimuodossa.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews