Reviews - Halo: Cryptum (Forerunner Saga, #1)

116 reviews for:

Halo: Cryptum (Forerunner Saga, #1)

Greg Bear

3.7 AVERAGE

slingsby93's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ahwellsbury's review

3.0

adventurous fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

thebadishradish's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“I don’t want your sadness.”

“It is the Mantle.”

Who knew the Halo 4 required reading would be so incredible?

diegogh's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

thebookslayer's review against another edition

1.5

adventurous informative tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

For all the wonder and speculation that was around the halos creators; the forerunner. Who would have ever though there back story could be so dry and flaky. Most of the book is also from a young human not a forerunner who is just walking and expationing/intermonologing for the majority of the story. But the other characters a unlikable in the same vain.

revbeckett's review against another edition

4.0

The first of the Forerunner trilogy 100,000 years before the video games’ events, the primary protagonist throughout is an average Forerunner called Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting (aka, Bornstellar). This first book is where we learn the most about Forerunner culture and religion. One of these vital aspects includes their caste system. From highest to lowest, they are Builders, Miners, Lifeworkers, Warrior-Servants, Juridicals, and Engineers. Builders are responsible for constructing architecture and infrastructure, which leads the reader to rightly assume they were largely responsible for building the Halo Array. Miners provide the materials needed for the Builders. Lifeworkers specialise in biology and medicine. Warrior-Servants, as the vocation suggests, make up the military. Juridicals are the legislative body, eminently presiding over cases violating the Mantle, which is the Forerunners’ religious creed of being responsible for all life in the galaxy. Engineers, the lowest class, maintain the infrastructure and machinery. Bornstellar is a Manipular, the Forerunner equivalent to an adolescent, who refuses his father’s wishes to become a Builder. He prefers to research an enigmatic, ancient alien race called the Precursors. With the help of some ancient humans, Chakas and Riser, he discovers a long ancient secret in the Cryptum that could threaten the galaxy. The book is a little confusing to read at first because there’s no Covenant or UNSC, but mostly because there’s a whole “new” alien culture you have to get used to. Bear doesn’t ease you into this new world; he just throws you right in and you have to stumble your way through it. It wasn’t until I had read the entire trilogy a second time that I finally understood what was going on.

mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition

3.0

Only read this one for the Endeavour - never even played Halo. I was expecting worse - in fact the first 10 pages were as bad as I expected. But then Bear pulled out a readable book - not a good one unfortunately. I didn't care for the character or setting or idea or technologies or aliens but at least the plot moved along and it wasn't overly thick. 2.5 of 5.