Laser Sharks

Book Review of
Ghost of Onyx (Halo)
by Eric Nylund
Let me begin by saying how much I do not like books based on video games. More often than not, they are as disappointing (if not more so) than movie adaptations of games. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved Mega Man 2 and Blaster Master from the WORLDS OF POWER collection, but I was also in 5th grade when I read them. I would not exactly call myself an amazing judge of quality at that age. But while those books were entertaining, the only video game books that I have ever really enjoyed reading (and would consider reading again) was the Doom series by Dafydd ab Hugh and Brad Linaweaver. It took a game with the basic premise of killing monsters while trying to get through a level and created an amazing story that gave you an understanding of why this guy (who ends up being a marine) was walking around killing all of these strange creatures/aliens. So after expressing my deep-seated dislike for most video game novels, I have to say that Eric Nylund’s Ghost of Onyx (Halo) was a VERY pleasant surprise.

The first thing I really liked about Nylund’s novel was the absence of Master Chief and the prescence of five other survivors of the SPARTAN-II program. Don’t get me wrong, I love Master Chief and am highly grateful for all of the things he has done to make the universe a safer place to live, but I have always wondered what happened to the remaining SPARTAN-II’s at the Battle of Reach (this is the battle the Pillar of Autumn is fleeing at the beginning of Halo). Nylund’s novel answered these questions with flying colors. The bulk of the story surrounds the SPARTAN-II Kurt, who disappeared years before the Fall of Reach. Kurt is abducted by the secret military organization Section III, so that he can train the next generation of Spartan soldiers, the SPARTAN-III’s, to face the expected onslaught of Covenant forces. With the help of Chief Mendez, the trainer of the SPARTAN-II’s, Kurt sets up a training camp on the mysterious alien planet Onyx, where the surviving orphans of Covenant attacks are brought to undergo intense military training so that they will be both physically and mentally prepared for their ascension to the ranks of the legendary SPARTANS. But one day something strange occurs and alien drones (similar to the Forerunner Sentinels) begin to appear on the planet and attack both students and military personnel. Shortly thereafter, the four remaining Spartans along with Dr. Halsey (creator of the SPARTANS) make their way to Onyx, while a fleet of UNSC ships and an armada composed of warring Covenant elites and brutes appear and chaos ensues in the skies above Onyx.
 
What are these mysterious drones? What attracted both the Covenant and UNSC to Onyx? What lies in store for our Spartan heroes, both old and new? If I answered these questions, then I would be a huge jerk and you wouldn’t have any reason to read this fantastic entry in the Halo series. So if you want something to satiate your Halo hunger until the release of Halo 3 later this year, pick up Ghost of Onyx (Halo).  As a Halo fan, I do not think you will be disappointed.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Mass Effect: Revelation
by Drew Karpyshyn

Lately I seem to be reading many science fiction books and I will try to share my impressions.  I am very much looking forward to the new Mass Effect game for Xbox 360.  It is an action RPG from BioWare, the same folks who made Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic .  This book is a prequel to the Mass Effect game and gives the back-story leading up to the game.

Mass Effect: Revelation  is a book with many of the standard sci-fi themes.  The protagonist is an elite solider named David Anderson. As expected, Anderson is and always has been the best at everything he has ever attempted.  As the best soldier in the galaxy, he is of course charged with going on a double secret mission to save the galaxy from the impending peril that is sure to ensue.  Of course, he must track down and protect the lovely young girl who alone possesses the knowledge to save the universe.  Oh and did I mention that he has romantic feelings for her but cannot act on them due to his sense of duty.  All very standard stuff for a sci-fi novel.  If you are looking for groundbreaking ideas and plot lines then this books is not for you.  The characters are all mostly one-dimensional and changed very little throughout the story.  There are very few surprises in the book.  In fact, the whole book feels unfinished.  It starts off strongly and then seems to fade into inconclusion. 

The biggest problem with the book is that it is a prequel.  This book would neither read nor sell well on its own, but with the upcoming game, and most likely another book, then the book becomes and interesting Act 1 of a broader story.  The book is actually an entertaining read, just seemingly standard fare.  There are some interesting ideas in the book.  One of the more fascinating ideas is that all of the races featured in the book obtained the advanced technology from the same long extinct race.  Each race had discovered the technology at different times with the humans being the most recent to the galactic civilization.  The humans had basically introduced themselves by starting a war with one of the other civilizations.  As a result, the humans were widely disdained in the galaxy.

I am willing to give this book a pass as being a prequel with more of an interesting story to follow because of Drew Karpyshyn’s other works. Karpyshyn penned the excellent story for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and has authored the story for the Mass Effect game as well.  I would recommend Mass Effect: Revelation  for anyone who is interested in the back story for Mass Effect the game or for anyone who is willing to accept that this is just really the opening act for a much grander story.

Popularity: 6% [?]