Halo, Books 1-3 (The Flood; First Strike; The Fall of Reach) Reviews

• Impressive "fleshing out" of a wonderful game series

  
  By A39KJOCZGCM8P1 on 2004-10-14
  I've gone on record in the past of having disliked the first book in this series. I take it back. After having played the original Halo through to the end more than 10 times now, I now find these books irresistable.
  
  Halo Book One - The Fall of Reach
  
  The first book of this trilogy details the formation of the Spartan II/Mjolinar program, including the origination of the characters Master Chief, Captain Keyes and Cortana. "Fall of Reach" fleshes out the backstory. How did the Covenent happen upon humanity in the first place? What were our first encounters with the Covenent like? What does "glassing a planet" entail? And what is it that the Covenent is after?
  
  The last question isn't answered completely, but this first volume does provide some tantalizing details that might give you a clue. You do, however, find out exactly what the Pillar of Autumn was up to prior to ending up in orbit around Halo.
  
  Eric Nylund does a great job of injecting some humanity into the Spartans (yes, there's more than one) and some drama and strategy into fight scenes with the Covenent. If you find yourself liking this book, you may want to pick up Nylund's "Signal to Noise" or "A Signal Shattered". No matter how good Nylund's military sci-fi is, his hard sci-fi is better.
  
  Halo Book Two - The Flood
  
  Normally, I'd say "skip this" if you've already played the game. And if you have played through the game, then the plot points in this novel won't lend you any surprises. It is, however, a testament to William Dietz's prowess as an author that even Halo veterans such as myself can pick up this book and still be interested in the subject matter. As with "Fall of Reach", "The Flood" fleshes out the Halo universe even further. Not only do you follow Master Chief as he combats the Covenent, the Flood and Guilty Spark 243 on the Jovian-orbiting ringworld of Halo, but you get up close and personal with some of the ODSTs (Helljumpers, who will play a large part in Halo 2), marines and non-coms who are aiding Master Chief in the fight. You even get to see the fight from the Covenant point of view.
  
  William Dietz was a fine choice for creating this novelization. Already an excellent military sci-fi author, he does great work here in turning a potentially lackluster novelization into something interesting and special.
  
  Halo Book Three - First Strike
  
  I don't really want to ruin this one for Halo fans. The most important thing about this book is this - it acts as a bridge between the events of first Halo game and Halo 2. "First Strike", again by Eric Nylund, picks up right where first game ended - with Master Chief and Cortana stuck in a non-FTL bomber in the dead space surrounding the remains of Halo. I won't give away anymore except to say that Halo 2 is set-up perfectly here.
  
  The most impressive thing about the Halo books is this - the amount of backstory created for the Halo universe is stunning. If you've read anything about the new Halo 2 release and have read these novels, you'll understand what I mean. Plot points and military types from the first novel are being incorporated into or mentioned in Halo 2, ie - the aforementioned ODSTs. I have no idea WHERE this backstory came from - either from the imaginations of Dietz and Nylund or the impressive minds working at Bungie. It doesn't matter. Reading these books and playing these games, you become intimate with a well thought-out alternate universe. And its a great one to spend time in.
  
  November 9th can't come soon enough!
  
  Hopefully William Dietz is on the business end of that Halo 2 novelization, and this set will include four books in the future.
  
  

• fantastic storyline.. highly addictive reading ..... the orgin of master chief

  
  By A4G51W9PC7TJL on 2005-12-19
  i just got these 3 books yesterday...and i had time to sit down and read all three of them in a single day its a page turner for sure..highly addictive reading...these books flesh out all the backstory on the master chief and the spartins...yes he was one of a group of super soldiers :)..these books also tell us about the war with the covenant and how it came to start and what the covenant is actually looking for on the planet halo.... if your a sci fi reader or just like a good story loaded with action grab these books..oh and the box set is great for desktop display...cant wait to the halo movie that is going into production.. cheers
  
  

• Best Sci Fi/Military book

  
  By A3098ISKN4J1WG on 2004-12-02
  As a member of the US military, it is hard to find fictional military stories that combine sci-fi and a good solid storyline. These are the kind of books that I have been searching for. Worth the time to read and the money to buy.
  
  

• A lot of fun

  
  By A3ACVKFF6XL001 on 2004-11-14
  If you love the Halo Game these are a great set of books. It tells of the adventures and creation of the Master Chief. Any Halo fan should get this.
  
  

• Didn't Disappoint. Definately Recommended!

  
  By A30N14KII2GD5J on 2006-04-13
  Having experienced HALO: Combat Evolved and studying up a bit on the backstory I decided to risk a few bucks on these novels based on what previous reviewers have said. What did I think? Well, as a very picky and details oriented fan of military fiction and sci-fi I was pleasantly surprised and very entertained by these novels. The space combat scenes in The Fall of Reach and First Strike are simply fantastic. The action is believeable and creative. The technology imployed, whether Human, Covenant or other never seems too far-fetched. The Flood is a bit of a change of pace, as I had expected from reading other reviews, but it was no less entertaining or fun and intriguing. Also, the human stories are fascinating. While only a few characters are really developed in-depth they are dynamic in ways that the games could never get across. I personally found myself captivated by Jacob Keyes, Cortana, and especially everyone's favorite cyborg: John, Spartan 117.
  
  All in all this is a great series of novels and they add a wondrous wealth of knowledge and depth to the HALO universe. It's what I wish more military sci-fi stories could be. If you're not yet a fan of HALO, but you like military sci-fi then this is a great place to test the waters of the HALO universe. If you're already a fan and haven't read these books you're cheating yourself. These authors and the people at Bungie studios have created a tale full of adventure, mystery and a good share of hidden treasures.
  
  
  Revelation (John) 1:17
  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
  
  
• Halo Books
  By on 2005-02-10
  I am still reading The Fall of Reach, but this is a cool book. It tells everything leading up to Halo 1 and even tells you about the start of the Spartan expiriment and tells you about their training and everything else.It also tells you about humans first encounter with the Covenant.Anyone who wants to know more about Halo will think this book is awesome.
  
  
• A big no no
  By on 2005-03-26
  With all due respect for the authors, I have to say that these stories (Stories! Not novels) seem to be written by 5th grade students. Yes, the spelling was corrected when the books were published, but the description, dialogue, and overral quality offered is very poor. I've read some parts of every book and it's really hard to understand what is going on. It seems as if the writers were really inspired and concentrated on what the text means more than how the text is presented.
  
  Don't forget the fact that since the books were written by different authors there are many plot holes that make the story very hard to understand and will leave you saying "But why...". These books were only written to make some quick cash out of the portion of the growing Halo fan base that knew how to read and write.
  
  Conclusion: Don't buy if you know how to write & read properly. Otherwise you'll lose IQ points.
  
  If you want a novel were the battles are described so well that they make your blood boil of enthusiasm, read "If I forgot you, Jerusalem" by Pierre Barret & Jean Noel Gurgand.
  
  
• Trilogy
  By A1KB7T8Y77TVH1 on 2005-09-07
  This trilogy really is worth concidering if you are a fan of the story, and like explosions, gunfire and space bound tactics and battles. The story is well devised, and well written. There are a few typos, but nothing that matters.
  
  
• 5 stars
  By A1E671M84ZKBIV on 2005-12-22
  This is not meant to be helpful to you, I am simply giving this item a rating.
  
  
• Books flesh out the details of the amazing "Halo" series
  By A2FSXPELAW152D on 2006-06-02
  At first, I was hesitant to pick these titles up for the simple fact that, while I am a "gamer," I'm not real big on sci-fi reading. I also feared that these books might add up to little more than fodder to lure more money out of the pockets of die-hard "Halo" fans by pandering to the already fanatical following the game has produced.
  And I was wrong.
  Halo's story successfully crosses the media lines in three amazing books that actually enriched my appreciation of the games.
  I used to like the fact that the Master Chief was that quintessential tough guy: mysterious and unbeatable, eternally resourceful and cool-headed, cold and battle-hardened. And, if you've played the games, then you know the gimmick: you never see his face.
  Well, these books unmask our beloved Spartan 117, literally and figuratively. Initially, I was a little jaded that these authors took it upon themselves to encroach upon the intergalactic man-of-mystery, but it wasn't long before I warmed up to learning his history and fighting his battles from a third-person perspective that's actually more "first-person" than even the game can offer. I learned to appreciate the depth of the human inside the helmet.
  I also enjoyed learning about the other Spartans and the tight fraternal bonds they forge with each other: bred and trained for battle, loyalty and duty, though essentially ostracized, feared and misunderstood by their "normal" human counterparts; there are several points when it's said that the other marines see the Spartans as being as alien as the alien race their fighting against.
  Most interesting, however, are the stories you get that the games never touch upon. There's many story-lines and characters introduced here that the games don't even mention, for obvious reasons- primarily because the games came out first. The first book takes place before (and sets up) the first game; the second book is pretty much the first game verbatim, from beginning to end, and the third is the detailing of events between the end of the first game and beginning of the second, Halo 2. In a lot of ways, it seems as if this console-to-page transition is similar to the efforts made a couple years back with the Matrix titles. In order to get the whole Matrix story, aside from the three films, one had to play a Matrix video game, watch a direct to DVD title and read Matrix books, all of which acted as vital arcs in the circle of events throughout the saga. Halo's last book, "First Strike" introduces a lot of loose ends that are left to dangle even throughout the second game. And we thought Halo 2's cliff-hanger ending couldn't get any worse! Now, I'm positively chompin' at the bit with anticipation of Halo 3.
  I'd say these titles work on a number of levels. Most importantly, I believe that the success of these games and books somehow asserts and validates gaming as a rapidly growing and infections new form of entertainment capable of holding its own next to blockbusting movies and New York Times best-selling novels; video games aren't just "for the kids" anymore. The story-telling and intrigue found in a game can be just as compelling, if not more so, than most of the rubbish Hollywood churns out anymore- not to mention that you get to participate and enjoy a sense of achievement as the stories unfold.
  I don't know if anymore books are in the making; perhaps they're waiting for Halo 3, but there's still a lot of story to tell, so I certainly hope I get the chance to read on.
  
  
• Great!
  By on 2005-02-28
  I thought that since this book was based on a video game, it would just be a little flick to make a little mula, but Eric Nylund is a greater writer and keeps you guessing wwith the Halo series!
  
  
• Halo:The Best of the Best
  By A1NJOR2PUQECV3 on 2004-10-26
  I borrowed a set from a friend and it was awsome. I couldn't find it anywhere else.
  
  
• The Price is Right
  By A3U7FC9GVAOE76 on 2005-02-16
  Halo is a very good PC game. The game is what made me get into PC first person shooters. I have beaten the game many times over and over. The free multiplayer is great as well, I like the shield recharge ability. Gives a sense of temporary invincibility. Now the first book gives intro to Spartans, while the second concentrates on Halo, and the third is after Halo. Overall I like this collection and would recommend it. Just look at the price you pay for a very entertaining collection. Its not just for fans of the game, but does somewhat help to understand that there are a lot of military terminology tossed around. Just buy and read them all. I'm itching to play Halo 2 now, but on a PC since I don't own an XBox. Oh the long wait...
  
  
• Halo - the Untold Story
  By A162AKJ5X2INF2 on 2005-08-02
  Before I say anything I should mention that I'm a tremendous fan of the Xbox game on which this series is based. These books are a must-have if you were captivated by the awesome story and atmosphere that is Bungie's hit series Halo. Some minor Spoilers are below.
  
  This boxed set includes The Fall of Reach (prequel to the game), The Flood (novelization of the game), and First Strike (epilogue to Halo 1 and lead-in to Halo 2).
  
  Here's my opinion of each book in this box set.
  The Fall of Reach - if you watched the opening scene of Halo 1 and wondered about the origins of the Master Chief, Captain Keyes, Cortana, the Covenant and its various species, or Earth's colony Reach, this book gives you a fantastic backstory that gives greater depth to the characters you already know, and introduces some new ones.
  
  The Flood - So you think that because you've played the game you can skip this novelization? I think not. The Flood includes scenes (and a covenant species) from Halo that were cut from the final version of the game. Ever wonder where all of those human dropships in the game refueled and made camp? You'll find answers here. Writer William Dietz manages to make a simple novelization more complex and enjoyable than you may think.
  
  First Strike - After the Master Chief and Cortana destroyed the Halo ringworld, how did they manage to get home without a faster-than-light vehicle in order to warn Earth about the Covenant threat? And why was the fleet that attacked Earth in the Halo 2 videogame so small? Writer Eric Nylund manages to tie up all the loose ends from the Halo videogame and book and give us a great lead-in to the events of Halo 2.
  
  These books by themselves are excellent and have a lot to offer to any sci-fi buff, and they make excellent companions to the videogame.
  
  
• The Fall Of Reach Is Awsome!
  By A3ERU005ES1IHT on 2005-09-06
  I've read some of the other reviews here. Good thing I did that after I started reading the first book in this series so my reading wasn't influenced by the opinions of others. I didn't read this book with a critical journalist's eye like some negative reviewers have done. I didn't care about grammer and typos and what not.
  
  I find the writer's description of the awesome space battles and the master chief's wild fights with the aliens truly nice. I got pure enjoyment out of reading this book, with my heart racing just following the hot adventures of John who later became the Master Chief.
  
  Though I've read many books, I've never sat down and read a science fiction novel until now. I use to believe that I wouldn't enjoy a book based on a video game. I stand corrected. This book is a page turner.
  
  . A warning to you commuters, who like to read while riding the train to work, be careful while reading this book for you might pass your stop. It has happened to me.
  
  
  
• They are Halo books.Ya!!!
  By on 2005-09-14
  I love them cause they are Halo books! Can't wait till they make the movie!
  
  
• Skeptical... but then I bought the trio
  By AZB5MWXJAHI93 on 2006-06-15
  When I too first noticed that someone had endeavored to write books for the game I just thought that they wanted to skim some money from the top of Bungie's profits. I had a change of heart though as I decided to purchase these books. When I finished all three, I realized that it had only taken me 6 days. I dove into the first book (The Fall of Reach) and was surprised by the creativity of the author as he unraveled the journey of the noncoms. Even though I had already played both games, I still wondered if the MC and Cortana would make it. My heart raced with theirs as the story unfolded. I couldn't believe the mind of this genius. I was a little disappointed with The Flood, though this author had a few more parameters to which he had to stay within. I was impressed with his creativity outside of what the MC encountered though, and I still enjoyed the book. Before I started reading First Strike I wondered if it would be the middle ground between Halo 1 and 2. I was rewarded my hope when I first started the book. The detail, situations, and most impressively the creativity that ensued soon had me enraptured, making this book my favorite. I wanted to go and start Halo 2 all over again just so that I could continue the story. I am waiting in anticipation for the next Eric Nylund Halo creation Ghosts of Coral to be released so that The carnage may begin again.
  
  
• Awesome
  By ATS304ANONRT6 on 2007-07-21
  For anyone who is a fan of the Halo video games, this would be the best $[...] you'll spend outside of the games themselves. I've just finished the first book after 2 days of reading. I couldn't stop, and I'm one of those kids who HATES BOOKS! I cant stand them, but the fact that it was halo drove me to figure out the story line. It really puts you in the game and explains everything up to them finding the Halo ring. Besides, it's about $15, just have your parents buy them. Tell them your buying books and they'll be more than happy. I'm 19 with a great job and nice paychecks and my mom saw me reading for the first time since 1st grade and she offered to buy me The Ghosts of Onyx and Contact Harvest, as well as Gravemind.
  
  
  
• A Must-Have for any Halo Fan.
  By A1J7A7ERBKW2SB on 2005-01-13
  This trilogy expands upon the Halo saga and I have to say that I was suprised at how good it was. Don't get me wrong - it probably won't win any awards, but it was all very thorough and meticulous in its detail and attention to the intricacies of the Halo games. All I have bad to say is that it opens as many questions as answers (quite a few of each). Of course this can hardly be argued as a weakness but I sure hope this isn't all we're going to see. I'm not going to ruin any surprises but there seems to be a signifigant event or events not covered at the end of First Strike (which is assumed to lead right into Halo 2). I can only hope that these points will be covered in either the next game or in this fabled Halo movie I keep hearing about. Anyway - definitely an enjoyable set of books!
  
  
• Most definitely worth way more than the cost
  By A14J8FFG9TT9U8 on 2005-02-04
  when I first ordered this series, I had my doubts as to whether or not the book would live up to the games standards. however, i think it went beyond. I only read the first book, the fall of reach, but it was personally my favorite book I ever read by a LONGshot. I think even someone who has never even heard of the game might enjoy it, but it would definitely be more appreciable by one who is familiar to the game. im not going into details because i dont want to spoil anything, but for any halo lover, this bookis a must buy.
  
  
• Who is the master cheif?
  By A3RTSBBD04S1FI on 2005-04-10
  this book rules because you find out who th emaster chif is. sorry about the misspellings.
  
  
• Are we ready?
  By A1ZMP2ZY5I7VO1 on 2005-05-16
  Eric Nyland has created three very interesting books that i just couldnt put down! Int he first book: Reach, the last planet before earth, has been wiped out. Our ships made a last stand but in the end failed to protect Reach. The last surviving ship was forced to flee into space. When they exited "Slipstream" space (folding space to travel great distances in a short period of time), we came across an alien ring. We landed here in search of security but soon realized that this ring was built by an alien race from thousands of years ago to house "it". We went underground to get supplies to fix the badly damaged ship in hopes to escape back to earth. Then the crew opened up a few doors that were locked for a reason, and let "it" out. They had let out a horror that they could not escape, run, or hide from. "It" is the most lethal force in the universe... we're not ready, "it" is. Want to find out what happens? Read "The Flood" by Eric Nylund. And don't miss the other books in this series!
  
  
• Great books
  By A3PXTSP2NYAR9I on 2005-09-20
  I am a big fan of the halo video games, and I wanted to know what happened before the first game and in between the games. These books are great novels. I read them all in less than a week. I just couldn't put them down. I was going to buy them from bungie and the were going to be $29 with shipping so I looked around and I found them here for much cheaper. Great books, great price.
  
  
• Entertaining reading for fans
  By A1JDUIHWSAU0JD on 2006-01-30
  These books are by no means great literature.
  
  That said, they are some of the most entertaining books I have read of late. They are very engrossing books (probably more for me as a fan of the video game than for a casual reader) and they are fast-paced with plenty of action.
  
  Being based on an action video game in the "shoot 'em up" style, this series of novels has planty of sci-fi warfare and a lot of military tactictal dialogue (which, though made up, tries to add to the authentic combat feel of the books). There is abundant action and more than a little gore which may put off fans of a more cerebral science fiction style.
  
  As I said, I am a fan of the game and I enjoyed the different perspective with which this approaches the events depicted in Halo: Combat evolved. It shows you the thought process of a man who was taken as a child and made into an ultimate fighting machine (Almost literally, as his combat suit makes him seem more of a cyborg than a human)
  
  The novels do step outside the combat zone, and the massive war between humans and the "Covenant", an alien alliance bent on the destruction of humanity. They delve into concepts of religious fanaticism, social hierarchy (certain races of the covenant have higher status than others), and the effects of extended periods of combat on a soldier.
  
  The most important theme explored in these books is the idea of the "Spartan Program". This was the secret program that created the books' main character "The Master Chief". The program was designed to create the ultimate soldier. It involved kidnapping 75 slected six-year-olds and replacing them with clones so their parents would be unaware. The children were then trained to become stronger, faster and smarter than any other soldier. They also went through several severe medical processes that enhanced their bone strength and vision, and made them into virtual superhumans.
  
  There is significant debate throughout the stories over whether it was right to take these children. There were many of the seventy-five who did not make it through the training. None of the children had a choice in the matter, and they were robbed of a "normal childhood".
  
  This moral debate is as philosophical as these books get, though. In the end what they are is an exciting series of novels with abundant action, and a fast paced story line that will appeal to any science fiction or action fan.
  
  If you like the game you will like these books. If you are unfamiliar with the game...you may still like these books
  
  
• Joys of reading
  By A36ZZM8MREDUSX on 2006-03-21
  It's been YEARS since I've sat down and read a book for enjoyment mostly because of my University, but I did purchase these books simply because I Loved the game, and let me just say that these books have brought back the joy of reading to me, I had stopped reading books because I read so many textbooks in college and they suck the life out of me. But I must say that these books have changed me for the better. The stories are entralling, and my imagination has been sparked back into action. These books are a must buy.
  
  
• The whole story explained
  By A2UHUZIH65VNAC on 2006-11-04
  I bought this for my son. He and I love playing the Halo game on X-Box and he wanted to read about the whole story before the time when the game began.
  He enjoyed it very much and liked the way it complemented to game
  
  
• Expanding Halo
  By A125GTMC24Q8M0 on 2007-08-06
  A very nice series that delvs into the very heart of the Halo games story, and fills out what you need to know.
  
  1: The Fall of Reach
  It is a good start to the whole story. You learn about the spartans (the group the master chief is part of) came into life, and how the war with the Covenant started... partly it is still not quiet clear. You get a good detail of the events years before the the halo game, and what happend just before it starts.
  
  2: The Flood
  A good recollection of the game, you trace the master chiefs moves as he did in the game, but get more of his thoughts and feelings as he battles across Halo.
  In adition to telling the game again, you also get the story of the marines and the Covenant that you incounter several times in the game, and their fight on the ring. The book in this way closes a lot of holes produced by the game expirience, and sets your mind at ease and in ways makes the game better to think about.
  
  3: First Strik
  Happens directly after Halo has been destroyed by the master chief, and his struggle to find a way back to friendly territory. This book is the most surprising if you have read the others, you are constantly being thrown over by plot twist that you will hate and some you will love.
  
  The books are overall great there are some things that still bug me personally. There are some Deus ex Machina (God in the machine), which saves the character from death or some other ill event. Though this is needed for the book, it some times deminishes the muthos that the books create in the start about the spartans.
  But you would have to read the book to know what I mean.
  Plus the books are very fast to read, so you have to absorb much information very fast and keep track of what happens now.
  
  
• Welcome to Halo
  By A17QWJEEELWETQ on 2007-08-15
  Sometimes it's hard to get caught up into something a few years after that something has become a big thing in today's society. The big thing I'm referring to is the Halo series. Many times it's easy to just say the heck with it and pick up on the next big something so that a few years from now, you won't feel so out of touch. However, being a Halo fan doesn't require you to be a member of some special club, no. It requires you to be you and only you.
  
  If you're a newbie to the Halo empire, you've probably already played both Halo games and fully understand why it's considered the best FPS game out there. There is more to the Halo story, however. Lots more to be exact. There's the backstory into how the Master Chief came to be. The novels are the true backbone into the Halo universe.
  
  The Halo Books are a breath of fresh air in creative sci-fi writing. With critical plot points now discovered, any fan of the Halo series can fully appreciate the official guide into the world of Halo and uncover why the Master Chief is such a stoic, determined character. Why the Covenant is such a strong, menacing force to be reckoned with. And why Cortana is such a brilliant A.I. The style of writing is creative and complex. With military terminologies galore, the story stays on course throughout and doesn't distract you with back and forth plot twists. Hey, if you're like me and don't know squat about military ranks, just forget about them and continue reading on. As an amateur writer, one thing I found extremely helpful were the timestamps at the beginning of each chapter. As a writer, the attention of your audience is what counts the most. Both authors Nylund and Dietz dance back and forth between stories in each chapter. Timestamps help you stay on course.
  
  Overall these novels are a great read and should help you become a bigger fan of Halo all together. With more novels on the way and the release of 2 more Halo games, the casual fan should have more the reason to catch up to all the hoopla on Halo.
  
  
• halo box set
  By on 2005-01-25
  In my opinion these books are the best things in gameing since extra controllers
  
  
• Love the Game? Get the book!
  By AQ5QWN607LF4P on 2005-06-01
  If you think the game RAWKS! and think combat movies are cool, then you won't be disappointed. I was skeptical at first. How good could some books about a video game be? I finished the first in 3 days and needed more. It's really cool to see the backstory of the game. I'm on the second book now, and it's not a narrative of the video game. I don't want to give too much away, but it tells about the resistance set up by the marines on halo, and let's you see the story from the marines' side and the Covenant's side. If you love the game, get the books!
  
  

• Ghosts of Onyx (Halo)
• Contact Harvest (Halo)
• The Halo Graphic Novel
• Mass Effect: Revelation
• Halo 3 Original Soundtrack (2-CD Set)