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. . . .

Bungie, Halo, Xbox, and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Used under license. (c) 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved

Average Customer Review: ( 293 customer reviews )
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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!

47 of 52 found the following review helpful:

HALO IS A HELLUVA READ!Nov 13, 2001
By Apollo Reader
I dont even play computer games but the novel intrigued me in its presentation and book cover. Now, I have heard of this game and its new system coming out and I have tried a few game/novels out and have not been impressed - UNTIL NOW! Eric Nylund's writing is great and I already have two other books from him since I read this novel. Mr. Nylund's story telling and bigger than life characters in this book make it clearly above and beyond just a game book. The story starts out with a woman named Dr. Halsey who is creating a super soldier for the future war that is coming in the guise of an alien race that seems unstoppable and unknown to earthlings in any way shape or form. Dr. Halsey and her accomplice Jacob Keyes take a dozen children from orphanages and make them into super beings thru endless surgeries, drugs, and a battle school that is far superior and secret than normal military. The leader, and main character comes from a boy/man they call number 117, or John. John is not the strongest or the fastest, but he has the mind of a leader. The reader then goes on a journey thru these poor kid's boot camp and watch them fail as well as conquer their own fears and others prejudice. This insight and character development, mixed with great action sequences is what saves this novel from being just another fast written game book for the boys. The author's writing style is made for this type of novel and it shows in every space battle as well as groundside wars as well. This novel goes thru about 25 years or so, so you get to follow the kid's growth, as well as some of the other normal humans rise and falls thru the years. The aliens are introduced slowly and revealed for who and what they are in a way that keeps the reader wanting to read more to find out - very smart! If you love military space opera with lots of great action with lots of great characters written in - then you will find that this is not just another game novel - I can't wait for the new book!

17 of 19 found the following review helpful:

Great book even if you don't play the gameNov 28, 2001
By Chainsawash "rustygrisw"
As many people have said, most books of this type (based on a game) seem to be quickly written and rather unexciting. This book is the exception to the rule. I was rather apprehensive going into this book but found myself hooked very quickly. From the training of the new breed of 'supersoldiers' to the fantastic space and ground battles this book never slows down. The characters are wonderfully well developed, the action is intense and exciting (loved the battle for Sigma Octanus), and the book as a whole is perfectly paced (you'll never say 'it was good, but slowed down a bit in the middle'). If you are planning on playing the game (I'm halfway through it myself) this book is a must read. Even if you don't plan on playing Halo but are a fan of military sci-fi action this book will satisfy. I will also be seeking out Nylunds other novels.

16 of 18 found the following review helpful:

Customer Review of Halo: The Fall of ReachNov 06, 2001
By Edward C. Hallex II
Written as a prequel to the upcoming Xbox game, Halo, you couldn't ask for a better source of background and timeline information with this book. The book borrows heavily from information known about the game, but everything is a completely original story. For example, the same enemy types that appear in Halo are frequently mentioned in the book, which gives a more profound sense of "constant struggle" between the human race and the deadly and ruthless alien species known as the Covenant. I feel this will really make the game an even more immersive experience; by reading this book, you're getting to know a lot of information that you otherwise wouldn't know while playing the game. Caught on a plotline twist or snag? Maybe if you read the book you would understand it a bit more.

The book itself is very well written, and it keeps you immersed in the story page-to-page. The only thing I can really criticize is the fact that some action sequences can get a little repetitive and drawn-out (such as space battles between the humans and the Covenant). It's not enough to make you want to stop reading, though.

I got this book Friday (Nov. 2nd), and finished it Sunday night (Nov. 4th), and it's well over 300 pages. That's how good it is. Of course, you may not be quite as interested in the story if you're not anticipating the game - but if you are, this is a definite must-read. I'd suggest to anyone who is looking for the best Halo experience on Xbox come Nov. 15th, get this book as soon as possible, and read the entire thing through before starting the game. I doubt a whole lot from the book will leak into the game, but you never know.

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:

A great read...no matter your platform affiliationDec 21, 2001
By Timothy Capehart "Review-a-holic"
I am a die-hard PS2 man. I don't plan to get an X box (now if someone wants to GIVE me one...). I don't like military science fiction--Starship Troopers was excrutiating! (I had to read it for a class). I am not a fan of FPS games (I like RPGs & survival Horror and weird stuff). And unlike some of my fellow reviewers, I have never heard of Eric Nylund (sorry Eric).

Despite all that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read a LOT, and it's rare a book will hang on to me when I have other things to do...this one made me late getting back from lunch because I just had to finish the chapter and kept me up too late, so the kiddies had a tired librarian for storytime.

All I'm saying is this is well wrought, fun science fiction. It is WELL worth the tiny price and your time. Comparison to the excellent Hugo/Nebula award-winning Ender's Game is NOT unwarranted. So BUY it already! :-)

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