 My fourth novel this year. I'm catching up. It will also be the last Halo book for a while.
Halo Cryptum is part one of the Forerunner trilogy, a promising prequel to the Halo universe. Bear creates a universe where humans and Forerunners co-existed and fought each other. The human race bumped into the Forerunners as they were reaching out, fleeing the Flood. The conflict ended badly for the human race as it was reduced to a segregated and primitive state by the Forerunners. We learn this story through the eyes and ears of Bornstellar, a young forerunner, a Manipular, who is restlessly driven to Erde-Tyrenne where he opens the Cryptum of the Didact a member of the Promethean Warrior class. Gradually the manipulations of the Librarian are revealed, a Lifeshaper and wife of the Didact who tries to stop the threat of the Flood and the answer the Builder class created: the Halo installation. Bear tells us the story of the the Forerunners, a caste based society, who are ruled by the Mantle, a belief system which tasks them with the plight to protect and promote life. As a result the Forerunners believe to be above other races, even to such an extent that they will stop others to rise on their own merits. Will this Forerunner Order withstand the Floods Chaos? Halo: Cryptum written by Greg Bear ISBN 9-780330-545624 Find it on Amazon.com - Find it on Amazon.co.uk  First Strike flashes back and forth on the timeline of the first two books to launch itself into an exciting third part.
It picks up the story with the remaining Spartans on Reach who try to survive the relentless Covenant attacks whilst digging themselves deeper and deeper into Reach until they finally bump into doctor Halsey. It flash-forwards to the Master Chief after the destruction of Halo and tells us how he gets back to Reach with a small number of survivors onboard a captured Covenant flagship. Reach wasn't completely glassed as the Covenant were still looking for something hidden under the surface of the planet. Forerunner artifacts to be precise. On Reach, Master Chief Spartan-117 aka John sets out to find the remainder of his team and after re-uniting with doctor Halsey and the remaining Spartans and rescuing Admiral Whitcomb they secure the artifact. When they learn that the position of Earth has been compromised a daring plan is executed to stop the Covenant en route. The great thing about Nylunds books is that he goes much further than the story arc of the games. He fills in the gaps, expands the Halo universe and tells us thrilling stories whilst giving a face and a voice to both the united earth forces and their foes, the Covenant. written by Eric Nylund ISBN 9-781841-494227 Find it on Amazon.com - Find it on Amazon.co.uk  The book of the award-winning game. And unfortunately in this case it's a bit too literally.
I had finished the game (the Anniversary Edition) just recently and it's awkward to read what you did in the game retold step by step. Even the scenery is described exactly as in the game in many cases to an absurd degree. Yes, Dietz did give the Covenant soldiers names and voices. He let them play some minor parts as he did with the remaining ODST Helljumpers and the crew of the Pillar of Autumn. But it's nothing but scratching the surface to tell the story from three different points of view: Master Chief; the Covenant and the crew of the Pillar of Autumn. After having read the Fall of Reach, this episode was a bit disappointing. Surely it allows non-gamers to experience the story, but gamers could as well replay the game on a higher difficulty and get a lot more satisfaction. The book plays on safe and it feels as if Dietz was kept on a leash when he was commissioned to write the book. In fact he wasn't, he did exactly what he was supposed to do. Halo: the Flood written by William C. Dietz ISBN 978-1-84149-421-0 Find it on Amazon.com - Find it on Amazon.co.uk  I'm a bit of a Halo fanboy. It all started with Halo 3 on the XBox360, after which I tackled Halo Reach and recently finished Halo Combat Evolved, the Anniversary Edition. There's still a box with Halo 3 ODST shrink wrapped waiting for a go... soon now, very soon.
I love the Halo games. It's a fast paced FPS with a descent and intriguing story board to drive every installment to its surprising conclusion. Being new to the Halo universe, Halo 3 was a bit of a shock but the tantalizing experience made me wanting for more. After finishing Halo Reach I dug into Amazon to find some books that hopefully would satisfy my hunger and tell me the background stories on Master Chief, the Spartan program, Cortana, the Covenant, the Flood and all the other characters and story lines that intertwined in the different episodes. So I started with the first book "Halo the Fall of Reach", written by Eric Nylund. And there it was, carefully laid out, filling all the gaps and answering the numerous questions I had. Nyland did a wonderful job in creating a believable Halo Universe in which he tells us how little John was taken from his home world to be transformed into John-117 better known as Master Chief. The shady Spartan program, initially conceived as a means to control rebellious worlds, turns out to be humanity's best hope against the ruthless invasion of the Covenant. The book ends where Halo Combat Evolved, the first game starts, on board of the Pillar of Autumn with the Halo world in sight and the Covenant at its tail. By then, the Spartan program is reduced to one man, John-117 better known as Master Chief. Time to put that book down and grab a controller. Halo: the Fall of Reach written by Eric Nylund ISBN 978-0-7653-6729-7 Find it on Amazon.com - Find it on Amazon.co.uk |
AboutJanuary 2012. I solemnly promise myself to read at least one book per month. It doesn't really matter what, as long as I r.e.a.d! Archives
October 2012
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
