Contact Harvest (Halo) by Joseph Staten
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Book Reviews of Contact Harvest (Halo)
Book Review: First time writer? No way...
Summary: 5 Stars
The only thing that's hard to believe about this book is that it's Joseph Staten's first published novel. Yes, that's the same Joe Staten who helped develop the story for the mega-successful Halo series on which this book is based. This book shows all of the quality of a more seasoned writer, and is a fine addition for collectors and fans as well as Sci-Fi readers in general.
A short summary is that this is a prequel following the story of Sergeant Avery Johnson, the same cigar-chomping Marine who later aids Master Chief in the Halo series. It's also the story of mankind's first contact with the aggressive Covenant, fanatical space aliens who are hellbent on humanity's destruction when we encounter them in Halo. This book lets you see how the war started, as well as giving you a lot of excellent character background for the "Sarge" that players and fans have come to know and love.
The writing is excellent, with tons of great character detail and plenty of good action, although things are on a much smaller and more personal scale here compared to the massive space battles of later books and games. Staten's writing is excellent, and is certainly praiseworthy for any author, let alone as his debut title. Fans generally either place this entry as their very favorite Halo novel to date, or like me, as perhaps somewhere in-between Nylund's "Fall of Reach" and "Ghosts of Onyx", but certainly far ahead of William C. Dietz's generally weaker "The Flood".
You don't have to be a Halo fan to appreciate this book. If you've never touched one of the games, this is currently the best novel to introduce yourself to the universe, as it is a prequel to all the other works. If you are a Halo fan, you simply cannot live another day without this book, or you're living a day less rich than it could have been. This is an excellent title, and I hope we see many more from Joseph Staten.
Book Review: Where it all started
Summary: 5 Stars
All halo fans know the story, but do they know where it started? That is one thing curiously left out in the Halo games and in most of the books. This book, Contact Harvest, gives you the story of first contact with the covenant, and the beginning of a deadly war.
Avery Johnson, a popular character in the Halo games, makes his first appearance in the war on Harvest, a lowly planet on the edge of UNSC controlled space. Harvest is the UNSC's foremost supplier of food for all of its colonies, but is a distant trek away from any of the core planets. Although the UNSC does not know it, Harvest also falls close to the edge of Covenant controlled space, a terrifyingly powerful race, so far unknown to the UNSC. It all starts with a lone unarmed UNSC freighter that has trouble with its slipdrive and drops out of its travels in the middle of open space, right in the path of a covenant destroyer.
Why would anyone want to read this book? First, if you are a hardcore Halo fan, this is a must read for you. Anyone who has played the Halo games and enjoyed the story like me, should know where it all began. Yet another reason to read this is, even though you may not be a Halo fan like me, it is still an excelent read as a standalone Sci-Fi story. Lastly, It is a great look into a possible future over the next 200 years for our planet. It looks deep into the technologies that may inhabit our lives in the near future.
To close this up, Halo: Contact Harvest is an excelent read for anyone that is even remotly interested in Sci-Fi stories. As well, for any Halo fans out there, it is definently a good insight on the beginning of the Halo story. With my regards, i hope you have a good read.
Myles Shollenberger
Mrs. Bains 3rd block english class.
Book Review: Halo
Summary: 5 Stars
What would you do if your civilization was about to undergo a war with creatures you know nothing about? This is the question that many residents of Harvest, a farming colony of the UNSC, have to answer in HALO: CONTACT HARVEST, by Joseph Staten.
It is the year 2524 on a peaceful UNSC farming planet called Harvest. After a devastating bombing on Tribute, a planet in the middle of a harsh war between the UNSC and rebels known as the Insurrectionists, Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson and his fellow staff sergeant Byrne are transferred to Harvest. Neither of them know why they were moved to this peaceful planet after years of harsh combat with the Insurrectionists on other planets. Over time, a clever plot by Joseph Staten is unraveled and the two staff sergeants plunge into a new conflict with an incredibly large alien empire known as the Covenant. These two hard-nosed soldiers test their already bitter friendship in this thrilling futuristic war tale. This novel clearly emphasizes the need to put aside one's differences in order to protect those you love and care about.
I could not put down this compelling story; it is action-packed and is filled with twists and turns. I would recommend this book for anyone from 8th grade and above due to its high reading level and intense violence. If you are interested in a futuristic, band of brothers-like war novel, HALO: CONTACT HARVEST is best suited for you!
Book Review: I Forget its Halo (thats a good thing)
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to say that this book was amazing not entirly because of the story (which is really good) but because when I was reading it I forgot I was reading a Halo Novel and felt like i was reading a Tom Clancy - Deak Koontz Hybrid.
And that too is a good thing, intense militairy action with a slight not overdone sense of humor and the backup of the Halo trilogy. Joe Staten who is a longtime bungie employee has the authority to write this book and does it well.
But Like I say it does not read like Eric Nyland's "Ghosts of Onyx" in whcich i felt that the characters were not worth my mercy and that the story was medocure, Nyland seems to me like an immature writer. If you did not like the other Halo books I can recomend this highly as it has a good engaging story, equisisite pros and the right amount of humor. Id sayy the final acomplishment of this book was that it made me care about Sgt. Johnson.
Book Review: Great for a Halo Book
Summary: 5 Stars
If you ever wondered how the Covenant first came across humanity, then this is the book for you. You won't find any Spartan super soldiers in this story, but you will get great insight into the Prophets and learn how the three of them you see in Halo 2 came to power.
The book splits its time between the Covenant High Charity and the planet of Harvest. Harvest is the first planet that the Covenant attack on their campaign to exterminate humanity. It's a prequel to the first three Halo books and just as good as they are. You'll find characters that you like and can identify with and villains who aren't just cardboard cutouts with a one track mind. You'll be left wondering just who will survive this first encounter and who will perish.
Obviously this is not "great literature", but for a Halo book it's darned good. Considerably better than the Ghosts book before it. Give it a try.