(previous comemnt deleted due to a typo)

In my opinion, one of the only things that the anime does better than the light novel and manga is go deeper into the fate of a torch while dealing with a disappearance of a friend, certainly explains that better than the books. Another plus is that you can actually SEE the battles without trying to imagine them using the description the light novels give you. It’s okay if you don’t want to invest in $100 on the anime though (even though the first opening is kickass). xD

The descriptions sort of got watered down in the American edition too, for example a three-lined description would be toned down into a one-lined description that sums up the meaning of original decription (or something close to it). Sort of gets you confused, but other than that it’s a almost solid translation.

Even though the manga is a good read, I recommend you follow the story through the light novel since the manga sort of… stops at some point (normal hiatus though).