Yes friends, I do. I recently purchased and read all the way through another HALO book.
There is a problem though: this book has HALO in big bold letters on every side of it, making it impossible to pass off as something else. This is unfortunate, because see, I'd rather no one know I'm reading a Halo book, but these guys are determined to out me. The pictures may not convey it, but that is some big-ass lettering. It is a larger than normal jacket, bigger than standard paperback size by about an inch both ways, which may somewhat explain it. Pretty long too, clocking in at 526 pages for 12 stories, a few poems and pieces of art.
Once again, I just have to say that I really enjoyed it and if any of you enjoyed other Halo books or are interested in the fiction, it's definitely worth a look. Legends has been showing some pretty bad material recently, but Evolutions proves that you can do short, contained stories in the Halo universe well.
Key Stories
The Mona Lisa
A terrific, occasionally terrifying novella detailing a team of UNSC marines investigating a derelict prison ship in the wreckage of Installation 04. Yes, it's essentially Aliens in the Halo universe- which itself was ripped pretty closely from the Aliens universe- but it's still a great story with a fantastic ending.Dirt
The story of a Colonial Marine from Harvest and his odyssey through the Human-Covenant war. Written by Tobias S. Buckell, who was responsible for the less than stellar Halo: Cole Protocol, this one showcases his talents much better and spins an enjoyable tale.Headhunters
A piece about two Spartan-IIIs on a mission deep behind enemy lines. There's some fun interplay between the two Spartans as they carry out their commando raids on this unnamed, Covenant-controlled moon. Interesting characters who flow nicely back and forth, punctuated with an action scene or two.The Impossible Life and Possible Death of Preston J. Cole
Written by Halo vet Eric Nylund, this piece focuses on Admiral Cole, a character who has been referenced occasionally but never really too deeply explored. It provides some information on the pre-war Insurrection as well as a sweeping picture of the war with the Covenant and the toll it takes on Cole. Rad title too.I know there are lots of people who brush off Halo, but I really enjoy it's story, and the expanded universe stuff is only showing us more interesting corners of the world. If you're interested by the Halo story but have never really picked up any of this stuff, I'd recommend you at least take a look at Fall of Reach before Halo: Reach comes out. It tells the story of the Spartan-II program and is actually a pretty good read (for a videogame book). If you can't find it at your local library, it's about five bucks at a bookstore- it's worth taking a chance on if you like the Halo story. If you decide you like that, there's plenty more, and this newest offering only hints at greater things to come.
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