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A review by robliophile
Halo: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Part of my 2021-2022 Halo Timeline-order read-a-thon series.
Joe Staten's foray into the novelization of Halo came at a great time in the series: With Halo 3 well on its way and the extended universe (EU) having covered everything else from pre-first contact to the end of the war, it was time to delve into how the Human-Covenant War all began.
To Joe's credit, multiple lenses are cast on the start of the war: An Unggoy (the lowest caste of the Covenant's hierarchical empire) whose deep faith is challenged in the face of the discovery of humankind; a clever and enterprising tribe of Jiralhanae well-positioned to set history; the politically fraught heart of the Covenant Empire as seen through the eyes of its to-be leaders; and most importantly, the human and A.I. characters who are the staple of most of Halo's EU, who shepherd us through those uncertain early days of first contact.
The read is engaging and rewarding for both lore enthusiasts and character-driven readers alike, and although I have read this book multiple times, it is always a pleasure to return to.
Joe Staten's foray into the novelization of Halo came at a great time in the series: With Halo 3 well on its way and the extended universe (EU) having covered everything else from pre-first contact to the end of the war, it was time to delve into how the Human-Covenant War all began.
To Joe's credit, multiple lenses are cast on the start of the war: An Unggoy (the lowest caste of the Covenant's hierarchical empire) whose deep faith is challenged in the face of the discovery of humankind; a clever and enterprising tribe of Jiralhanae well-positioned to set history; the politically fraught heart of the Covenant Empire as seen through the eyes of its to-be leaders; and most importantly, the human and A.I. characters who are the staple of most of Halo's EU, who shepherd us through those uncertain early days of first contact.
The read is engaging and rewarding for both lore enthusiasts and character-driven readers alike, and although I have read this book multiple times, it is always a pleasure to return to.