As young boys, Edward & Alphonse Elric dabbled in alchemy to try to resurrect their dead mother. As a result, Ed lost one arm and one leg, while Al lost his entire body and had his spirit sealed into a suit of armor. Now, they are searching for the fabled Philosopher's Stone to restore what they've lost

The horrors of the Ishbalan extermination campaign had serious repercussions, which set the tone for the complicated dealings of present-day state politics. Lieutenant Hawkeye reluctantly tells Ed all the dreaded details of the role Colonel Mustang and the other state alchemists played in this tragic event

The brothers pursue fugitive May Chang to solve the mystery of why their alchemical powers were rendered inert while she and Scar continued to be able to wield them. Meanwhile, Scar enlists some unlikely help to delve into the secrets of his brother's alchemical knowledge. And the newest, most horrifying homunculus makes an appearance--!

When an alchemical ritual goes awry causing Edward Elric to lose limbs and his brother to become trapped in a suit of armor, Edward begins a quest to recover the one thing that can restore them, the legendary Philosopher's Stone

"In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical 'auto-mail' limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother's bodies...the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Betrayal and double-crossing are the order of the day. Greed, Pride and Envy prove to be formidable enemies, but one homunculus...

"Ed and Al come face to face with the 'father' of the homunculi, who just so happens to be a dead ringer for their own father, Van Hohenheim--a resemblance too uncanny for coincidence. And later, when the allure of immortality proves to be too much for Prince Lin of Xin, he lets Greed take over ... literally!"--P. [1] of cover

"As the battle for Central City rages on, Alphonse faces off against Pride and Kimblee with the aid of a Philosopher's Stone. Can he come up with a plan to take down these two dangerous foes? Meanwhile, Ed and his friends run into Envy below the city. When Roy Mustang learns the truth about Hughes's murder, will he be consumed by hatred and do the unthinkable?" -- from publisher's web site

Ed, Al, and Winry return to Central Command only to be greeted with bad news. Lietuenant Colonel Maes Hughes has been murdered and the suspect is Second Lieutenant Maria Ross. Meanwhile, the living suit of armor bearing the soul of serial killer "Barry the Chopper" breaks out of jail and goes on a rampage. The mysterious Homunculi must come out of hiding to deal with the mess

"Having consumed Gluttony's powers, Pride may now be too much to handle for Ed and his allies. Their only chance could be the help of Al and Hohenheim, but will Ed trust his estranged father long enough for their plan to work? And back at Central City, Mustang and his team have started their attack. But does the army have a dangerous trick up its sleeve?" -- from publisher's web site