Customer Reviews

Halo: The Fall of Reach

5 star:		(128)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I enjoyed the book it feels in the for what is not know in the video game. But in the video game if u here hit by plasma form a plasma rifle it would not damage u severly unilke the end of the book when the master chief goes one on one with and elite and a elite would not go down so easily in the game. In the book the weaponry used such as the MA5B assult rifle would be able to out grunts with one round a peice in the game the amount of amunition that would be used to kill a grunt would be more. The book also has some false in formation where they say that they made the MJOLNIR capable of deflecting needler rounds even though in the game they are not deflected. I also find it hard to belive that the spartans whent so long with out their sheild in the game halo that it what u rely on the most is your sheild. If the armor is armor then why do u take damage from a round even with ou the sheild. Another part is the book several marines were trying to get to the HQ and trying to out run the covenant at the same time, on the way a banshee sees and begins to engage the marines fleeing in their M 12 LRV or warthog and were following a stream a plasmar ound hit the jeep and the book says that the jeep would have been a gonner if it wasn't for the water that was below them. All im tryin to say is that the book doesn't keep up with what is the reality of the game. If that master cheif was so fast and then how do the marines last that long a gainst the covenant and u still struggle and if ur so fast and u piss off marines on the game when they oben fire they still hit u. The book is good it has plenty of action it fills u in on alot, enjoy it and just dismiss the false reality of the book. AN if ya wanna hit me up u can at spartan130@hotmail.com

Most cross-media tie-ins are disastrous--just look at all of the videogames based on movies that are absolutely horrible, or at the very least, completely disappointing.

Not so with Eric Nylund's Halo books. The developers at Bungie did an amazing job on what could have been just another plotless shoot-em-up, showing creativity of design, atmosphere, and character, but they couldn't jam all the backstory into the opening of the game. Nylund fills in the holes very deftly. While there are elements of sci-fi pillars like Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Card's Ender's Game, Nylund still manages to craft nuance into the building-a-soldier formula.

While there are some annoying typos and continuity gaffes (two junior-grade lieutenants stand and salute a non-commissioned officer, for one) the books stand out from the cross-media dreck we're usually stuck with. They are easily good enough to stand on their own without the game itself.

If you like Halo, order these immediately.

If you like military sci-fi, ditto.

If not, order them anyway. You may just be surprised at what you find.

The Fall of Reach is a prequel telling the story of humanity's war against a technologically superior race called the Covenant, a mysterious race on a religious crusade to destroy humanity. The story focuses on the hero of the Halo Xbox game and his fellow Spartans, enhanced human beings bred as soldiers for humanity's military and the best chance the humans have for victory in the losing war against the Covenant. The events in the book directly lead into the events in the game.

Even without playing the game, it's a pretty good book by itself. The sci-fi universe created by Bungie (the makers of the game) which Nylund expands on is detailed and believable. Nylund's descriptions of space battles and futuristic militaries are excellent, as well as his portrayals of the human military strategy and tactics while fighting against a superior enemy. The book flows well and is an easy read.

But the book is raised to a new level if you play the game alongside reading the novel. Nylund's otherwise average character development and background instead become outstanding insight into the life of the game's hero and opens your eyes to the bigger picture of the Halo universe. You become truly immersed, which makes both the book reading and video game experience that much more rich.

Sci-fi nitpickers will criticize some of the technological aspects of the Halo universe (for example, it is 500 years in the future where humans have mastered faster-than-light travel and true artificial intelligence, yet soldiers and ships still use solid ammo as their primary weapons), but those issues are minor. Nylund is still able to suspend disbelief. And it doesn't hinder the overall good story.

Overall, good book by itself. But I recommend you play the game as well. If you enjoy the game, then this novel is a must read! I can't wait until the sequel for both!

I was always a fan of Halo, loved the game, waiting in anticipation for Halo 2 to come out this November 9th.

However, during the summer one has alot of time on his or her hands. Such was the case with me.

Coming off the Ender Wiggin Quarter (if you haven't read Ender's Game, Speaker For The Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card, your missing out on one hell of a series!), I was looking for something else to ease my summer time boredom.

I found what I was looking for with the Halo Series. At first, I was slightly skeptical since I could not fathom the possibility that a video game might be turned into a half decent read. Even after looking at the reviews from Amazon, I wasn't entirely convinced but figured what the hell and went ahead and ordered Books 1-3 in the Halo Series. After reading Halo: Fall of Reach, I was glad I turned out to be very very wrong about Halo's ability to be turned into a fascinating book. If you were a fan of the video game you'll love Fall of Reach. One of Nylund's best books, chapters spaced out nicely, tons of action that make the pages turn themselves for hours on end.

Fall of Reach is about the creation of the Spartan program (which is what the Master Chief is). Fall of Reach is centered mainly around filling in the gaps between pre-Halo and Halo itself. The whole storyline is truly fascinating for military buffs, science fiction fans, and video game series fans alike.

If there is one series you pickup this summer, make it the Halo series. You won't regret it!

I am a big fan of Halo, but I never really cared for reading the books! Then, this summer, I got really bored and I had nothing to do, so I ordered the Books via Amazon, and I was SOOOO happy with how it turned out! You learn everything and much more about the Spartans and Master Chief.

The most interesting parts of the book are the first and last! In the first part you learn a lot about how the spartan IIs came to be, and in the last you learn how they die!

Also, more information the game could not offer is shown! Such as, how human regenerating shields came about! Or how Captain Keyes became a Captain!

Listen, if you liked playing the game, you'll love the book! The battles are awsome and the ideas in the book are cool too! Enjoy!

This book rocks. period. The fall of reach is a prologue to the game Halo. For you guys who don't know what that means, it is the story that leads up to Halo (for X-box) So that means you don't have to have played the game Halo to understand this book. Eric Nylund did a great job writing this book. This is my first book by him and my favorite. He is a great action/battle writer and just kicks ---.

The Guide to all the halo books:

Halo the fall of reach- the story leading up to Halo the game

The Flood- This is the actual story of Halo, not the best, but id read if you cant get your hands on Halo for X-box

The First Strike- This is the story connecting Halo to Halo 2

There, hope thats all helpful info

This book is awesome!!!! The author put lots of details and blood into the story and talks about John (master cheifs0 and his life before the game. I wont tell you anymore because you need to buy the book!! Also if you want a fun book and impress you friends buy this book!! I cant wait intill i get the other Halo books!!! :-)

Here is a quick timeline on where FAll of Reach fits in:
The Fall of Reach >>> HALO + The Flood >>>First Strike >>> HALO 2 (Nov 9th 2004)
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The Fall of Reach: Planet Reach is one of major Human Colonies and the Humans are confident that it will not fall to the Covenant. Its one of the Inner colonies and is basically second to planet EARTH. It has SUPER-MAC orbital defence guns and hundreds of UNSC ships patrol the space around planet REACH-It cannot fall...but it does.
This books introduces most of the terms and charachters, so is a must read. sort of "read this first"
__________
HALO (Xbox game): you have to play the game to find out what happens. Believe it or not the game has a very strong storyline to it.
__________
The Flood: Ok, you cannot play the game because you don't have $200 to invest, read all about it in "The Flood". This one tells you what really happens on HALO. plus a lot more...
There are things in this book that are not in the game. Also this is the only book that tells the Covenant part of the story. So you get to know Covenant Elite names, like Zuka Zamamee the Elite, Gagaw the Grunt and Yayap the Grunt.
___________
First Strike: After you have played the game or read "The Flood" you would want to know what happens before HALO 2. So "First Strike" fills the gap.
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HALO 2 (Xbox game): Comes out Nov 6th 2004...I hope they release a book for it.
Hope this helps

As the bloody Human-Covenant War rages on Halo, the fate of humankind may rest with one warrior, the lone SPARTAN survivor of another legendary battle . . . the desperate, take-no-prisoners struggle that led humanity to Halo--the fall of the planet Reach. Now, brought to life for the first time, here is the full story of that glorious, doomed conflict.

While the brutal Covenant juggernaut sweeps inexorably through space, intent on wiping out humankind, only one stronghold remains--the planet Reach. Practically on Earth's doorstep, it is the last military fortress to defy the onslaught. But the personnel here have another, higher priority: to prevent the Covenant from discovering the location of Earth.

Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers seem to have little chance against the Covenant, but Reach holds a closely guarded secret. It is the training ground for the very first "super soldiers." Code-named SPARTANs, these highly advanced warriors, specially bioengineered and technologically augmented, are the best in the universe--quiet, professional, and deadly.

Now, as the ferocious Covenant attack begins, a handful of SPARTANs stand ready to wage ultimate war. They will kill, they will be destroyed, but they will never surrender. And at least one of them--the SPARTAN known as Master Chief--will live to fight another day on a mysterious and ancient, artificial world called Halo. . . .

My son used this book for a book report project at school. He loved the book so much he read the whole thing in two days. I would caution other parents that this book does have adult language,however, it was so exciting and engaging I couldnt help but love it. I will definately buy the other "Halo" books for him as well.