Ghosts of Onyx (Halo) by Eric Nylund Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Ghosts of Onyx (Halo)
Book Review: Eric Nylund dropped the ball
Summary: 2 Stars
I was very disappointed with this book. The first and third halo books were wonderful and I was really looking forward to a plot line described at the end of the third book -- a plot line wherein the members of the covenant began to see themselves as being used and rebelling against the prophets.
That plot line all but disappeared in Onyx -- which was apparantly going to be called "Coral" at some point in the game/book/creative process. It was only briefly mentioned in passing and the way it appeared in the book seemed pretty far fetched given the way the covenant members acted in earlier books.
Instead of pursing that tantalizing detail we just get endless repetitions of one kind of battle after another. Of course such things happen in the game -- and that's enjoyable in a game (up to a point) -- but in a book, more plot development is needed.
I got the feeling that Nylund just cranked this one out to get it over with.
Perhaps there will be more games and more books, but I won't be buying anymore.
Book Review: Every true fan of Halo should read these books...
Summary: 5 Stars
Quite simply these books are a real treat for us who really enjoy playing the game. It gives a real foundation to the characters in the story and gives invaluable background information that is both enjoyable and interesting to follow through the books.Book Review: Fantastic Read!
Summary: 5 Stars
Please be forewarned, there is very little of Cortana or the Master Chief in this book. The plot deals more with what's going on elsewhere during Halo 2.
With that said, this book was a great read. I find the whole idea of the Forerunner, their technology, and their fate to be very fascinating. Personally, I think the Forerunner are just futuristic versions of us, but that's just me.
Anyway, while the Forerunner are a huge part of the Halo Universe, they seemed to have disappeared entirely, leaving their legacy behind in vast (beautiful) structures and highly-advanced technology.
This book does a little exploring as to what their intentions were, what they were capable of, and what possibly could have happened to them.
Aside from Cortana and MC, most of the characters have returned, or storylines have been tied up for those who haven't. Halsey and Mendez are present, Lord Hood makes a small appearance, and some of the main Spartan IIs are back.
This novel also introduces the new Spartan IIIs, who are almost as bada** as our beloved IIs.
I wasn't too pleased that Cortana and MC weren't present, but once you start reading, you get over that quick.
Think of this book as setting the stage for the final chapter of this story-line, and also some character development for the Forerunner - who will no doubt make an apperance before all is said and done.
Book Review: Further broadening the Halo universe
Summary: 5 Stars
In keeping with the draw of Nylund's other two Halo books, this one is equally difficult to put down. The language, as before, isn't groundbreaking in any sense, but its the story that drives the reader page after page. Some old names from Blue Team and the original Spartan II program resurface, while many new ones are introduced.
One point of note, to avert potential dissapointment, is to realize the story moves away from the Chief to focus on other concurrent events. It only makes references now and then to the Chief's progress in his own corner of the galaxy to set a time reference. That being said, the new protagonists have plenty of their own charisma to make the reader satisfied with minding their plights.
The one quible I have is the length. From the outside, the book's dimensions match those of the previous three. The indside, however, shows text that has been double spaced where they used to be single, in an effort to fluff the book into fulfilling a certain thickness. This gives a sense of being gipped, like delivering a medium size pizza in an extra large box. But no gripes about the pizza itself. Every bite is worth it.
Book Review: Ghosts of Awesomeness
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, Nylund did it again. in my opinion, this is the best Halo book to date. Basically, this book is about Generation III Spartans. Throw in a few Sentinels and your good to go. I won't give away to much of the plot, but I will say this:
The Spartan II project was so successful, Doctor Hasley(not sure if that's the way to spell her name) and company decide to make some more. The UNSC choose the planet Onyx for the training facility, and then realize they're fatal mistake. Again, I'm not gonna give away to much, so I'll just say that their are a lot of Sentinels, Spartan III's, and even a few Spartan II's(no Master Chief however), which makes for quite a few battles. The book has a good plot, and there are a lot of good character study's, new characters, and some very of cinematic-feeling battle scenes.
The end of this book is spectacular, and in my opinion, the best of any Halo book.
I would have liked this book to be longer(its only 3 or 400 pages long), as I read through it in about day, and some of the plot seems squished together,but its still a very worthwhile read.
9.0/10.0