Editing Halo: Silentium

|name=Halo: Silentium

|image=[[File:Silentium_cover_front.jpg|200px]]

|publisher=[[Tor Books]]

|publication=[[2013|March 19, 2013]]

|length=

|ISBN=

{{Article Quote|In the last years of the [[Forerunner]] empire, chaos rules. The [[Flood]] — a horrifying shape-changing parasite — has arrived in force, aided by [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|unexpected allies]]. Internal strife within the [[ecumene]] has desperately weakened Forerunner defenses.<br>Too little, too late, the legal [[rate]] of [[Juridical]]s is only now investigating possible crimes by the [[Faber|Master Builder]] and others. Evidence-gathering agents known collectively as [[Catalog]] have been dispatched to collect testimony from the [[Librarian]] and both Didacts: the [[Ur-Didact]], treacherously abandoned in a Flood-infested system, and the [[IsoDidact|Bornstellar Didact]], who accompanies the Librarian as she [[Conservation Measure|preserves specimens]] against the dire possibility of [[Halo Array|Halo]] extermination.<br>Facing the imminent collapse of their civilization, the Librarian and the Ur-Didact reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished [[Precursor]]s and the Flood.<br>The Precursors created many technological species, including humanity and the Forerunners. But the roots of the Flood may be found in an [[Forerunner-Precursor war|act of enormous barbarity]], carried out beyond [[Milky Way|our galaxy]] ten million years before...<br>Because of that barbarism, a greater evil looms. Only the Ur-Didact and the Librarian -- husband and wife pushed into desperate conflict -- hold the keys to a solution.<br>Facing the consequences of a mythic tragedy, one of them must now commit the greatest atrocity of all time — to prevent an insane evil from dominating the entire universe."''<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765323982/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=heaprcom05-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creativeASIN=0765323982 '''Amazon.com official book description''']</ref>}}

'''''Halo: Silentium''''' is the third and final novel in ''[[The Forerunner Saga]]'' by [[Greg Bear]]. It is the sequel to ''[[Halo: Primordium]]''. It was released on March 19, 2013, with an audio edition released simultaneously.<ref name="delay">[http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/10/22/Tor-Books-Updates-Release-Date-of-the-Third-Halo-Novel-by-Legendary-Science-Fiction-Author-Greg-Bear.aspx '''Tor Books updates release date of the third Halo novel by legendary science fiction author Greg Bear''']</ref>

==Synopsis==

{{Spoiler}}

In the opening chapter, a [[Juridical|Senior Juridical]] sent under the orders of the [[Master Juridical]] meets the AI [[Haruspis]], who is the guardian of the [[Domain]]. He demands to be granted access to classified information pertaining to the [[Precursor]]s and crimes against the Mantle, but Haruspis refuses him, telling that no one has such authority. The AI only allows him inside when the Juridical tells him he ''does'' have authority to delete him, but the Juridical is quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge the Domain forces into him. The guardian of the Domain grimly notes that the Domain has refused him, because it is coming alive, and it is not happy.

Over a thousand years earlier, shortly before the Ur-Didact went into exile, he and the Librarian gathered together at their estate on the world of [[Nomdagro]]. An associate of Haruspis visits their home and helps guide the Ur-Didact in the [[Cryptum]]'s preservation process. This is where the signs between the two drifting apart due to humanity become apparent.  

After his exile, things continued to deteriorate on the Forerunner political scene. To remain seen as an asset to the Master Builder, the Librarian proposed an expedition to a local galaxy known as [[Path Kethona]] to learn about the Flood's origins. Legend dictated that 10 million years ago, ancient Forerunners journeyed to Path Kethona, but actual records detailing this journey had long since vanished. The Old Council approved of this venture and ten years later, the ship ''[[Audacity]]'' was completed and sped towards Path Kethona. The crew consisted of the Librarian, a Builder named [[Keeper-of-Tools]], a [[Miner]] named [[Clearance-of-Old-Forests]], and two Lifeworkers named [[Chant-to-Green]] and [[Birth-to-Light]]. Arriving at Path Kethona, the crew of ''Audacity'' would find it seemingly completely devoid of life. However, they discovered that Precursor architecture existed this far out of the Milky Way. Amongst the artifacts was a vast fleet of ancient Forerunner vessels of war. The Librarian and her crew scanned the Forerunner vessels and found nothing of true interest; any records inside had been destroyed thousands of years ago, as they were uploaded in binary.

Eventually, the Librarian, Keeper and Chant discovered a planet with a civilization of primitive Forerunners confined to the planet and lacking any form of advanced technology. Despite the protests of the crew, the Librarian decides to encounter the natives in person. They poke and prod her in curiosity; eventually, an old female, Glow-of-Old-Suns, bites her. However, this has a practical purpose: the microbes in her mouth allow the Librarian to understand the natives and opens up their history for her. The Librarian queries Glow-of-Old-Suns about the origins of her people and is taken to a valley where she learns that the history of the natives is contained within a vast growth of moss - an organic Domain. By accessing this information reserve, she would learn that Warriors drove the Precursors to Path Kethona during the Forerunners' genocidal campaign against their creators ten million years earlier, and that the planet's inhabitants were descendants of Forerunners exiled there as punishment for refusing to partake in the destruction of the Precursors.

Back in the present, we are reunited with the Ur-Didact as he emerges from a stasis-bubble on a broken-down Builder hulk drifting in a Burn, the designation for a Flood infected star system. Also on-board is a former Promethean named [[Sharp-by-Striking]], another Catalog and a Builder named [[Maker-of-Moons]]. We learn Sharp lost favor with Faber and Maker was going to give Catalog testimony against Faber, so all three found themselves on the broken ship as well. Their destination is a Flood-infested world called [[Uthera Midgeerrd]]. Eventually a Precursor artifact with slithering star roads appears and threatens to destroy the ship. The Ur-Didact, willing to confront whatever lies in the Precursor artifact, remains on the ship while the others escape; only Catalog stays to accompany him.

The Ur-Didact and Catalog are captured by the Gravemind and the Ur-Didact's sanity is severely shaken by the resulting encounter. Speaking to Catalog, the Gravemind then reveals the true nature of the Precursors. They did indeed reject Forerunners for the Mantle and intended for humans to hold it. The Forerunners did not accept this and drove the Precursors from the galaxy and beyond. Some Precursors survived by going dormant, others became powder that could regenerate their old selves in time, but time rendered it defective and it only created sickness and disease. The Precursors vowed that none of their creations would rise against them again and that all life would suffer and be in perpetual agony, through their new form as the Flood.

 

On the greater Ark, [[Omega Halo]] is there in anticipation for a Flood assault. [[Offensive Bias]] stands at the ready, but a power struggle ensues between the IsoDidact and other Forerunner commanders who think the Ur-Didact should instead lead them. The Master Builder manages to regain control for him and the IsoDidact by revealing that the Ur-Didact is being used as a pawn for the Gravemind; after Faber had recovered him, the Ur-Didact conveyed him a sadistic message from the Gravemind which had absorbed Faber's family.

At the lesser Ark, the remaining six Halos are assigned their monitor caretakers in preparation for their distribution across the galaxy, [[Installation 07]] having been deployed years prior. The IsoDidact has a brief conversation with Chakas, in which he gives him his new designation, [[343 Guilty Spark]], and assigns him to [[Installation 04]]. The IsoDidact then asks Chakas if he would fire the rings, were it his choice, but receives no response.

On Requiem, the Librarian sneaks aboard with the ''Audacity'' by trailing behind the ''Mantle's Approach''. Requiem's defenses also view her as a friendly and let her in. The Librarian uncovers the Ur-Didact's plans with the [[Promethean Knight]]s and finds one Promethean left uncomposed, [[Endurance-of-Will]]. Endurance, a former love interest of the Ur-Didact, is convinced to help the Librarian take down the Ur-Didact and seal him in a Cryptum. Once done, the Librarian tasks Endurance to watch over the Didact for as long as she can. As she leaves Requiem for Earth, the Librarian is confronted by a large group of Knights and wonders if Endurance chose to become one herself.

The Librarian then draws the Flood towards Earth to allow the IsoDidact to fire the seven Halo rings. She sends Chant-to-Green off to the lesser Ark with the planet's remaining humans and passes her title of Lifeshaper on to Chant while remaining on Earth herself. During her last days on Earth, the Gravemind sends down ancient human essences, including the Lord of Admirals, to reveal that the Domain was created by the Precursors as the collection of wisdom from over 100 billion years of knowledge and that is was ingrained in Precursor architecture for safekeeping. In short, the Domain is the mythical [[Organon]]. Sadly, the Librarian realizes that the Halos will destroy all of this, and that without the Domain, the Ur-Didact will spend the eons to come in complete silence, dwelling on his own madness and rage. As she watches the [[Portal at Voi|Portal]]'s construction, she sincerely hopes humanity will one day inherit the Mantle.

At the lesser Ark, the IsoDidact activates the rings and asks for forgiveness. In the end, 343 Guilty Spark reflects on the Halos working their power throughout the galaxy. In that instant, he receives the first signals of a young, previously-unknown civilization, which is swiftly extinguished by the Array's pulse. Compartmentalization processes then erase large portions of Spark's memory and he forgets his old life.

A code to a hidden audio epilogue, titled ''"Rebirth"'', is included in the form of Forerunner symbols featured in some of the chapter headings for the novel. The code can be used on [[Halo Waypoint]] to unlock a forty-minute narration by Greg Bear, describing the [[reintroduction]] phase from the perspective of [[Riser]]. Having survived the destruction of the greater Ark, Riser, [[Vinnevra]] and other humans are relocated on Installation 00 among many other species, where Forerunners watch over them until they are returned to their homeworld. At Riser's request, [[Florian|his people]] are relocated on a series of islands. Riser meets with the IsoDidact one last time before the Forerunners leave and the humans begin settling in their new home. Days after, a new code was revealed, adding 5 additional minutes to Epilogue, describing the trial to Mendicant Bias after the Battle of Maginot Sphere<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3YLl2NLVFA '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''The Trial of Mendicant Bias'']</ref>.

==Characters==

===Forerunners===

*[[Boundless (Forerunner)|Boundless]] {{1st}}

*[[Carrier-of-Immunity‎]] {{1st}}

*[[Celebrator-of-Birth‎]] {{1st}}

*[[Growth Through Trial Change]] {{1st}}

*[[IsoDidact]]

 

===Artificial intelligences===

*[[343 Guilty Spark]]

*[[Haruspis]] {{1st}}

*The [[Warden]] {{mo}}

 

===Humans===

*[[Riser]]

On February 11, 2013, an announcement was released on [[Halo Waypoint]] that in the weeks leading up to the release of ''Silentium'' Tor Books and 343 Industries would be sending out encrypted communications via halowaypoint.com bulletins and forums, which will allow fans to unlock additional content. There will also be embedded data in the text of the ''Halo: Silentium'' paperback and e-book editions.<ref>[http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2013/02/11/Halo-Fans-Can-Unlock-Additional-Content-and-Gain-XP-with-the-Release-of-Halo-Silentium.aspx '''Halo Waypoint Blogs''': ''Halo Fans Can Unlock Additional Content and Gain XP with the Release of Halo Silentium'']</ref> Players can unlock this content in the [[Halo Waypoint#Classified|Classified menu]] at Halo Waypoint. The unlocked contents are 20,000 experience points for multiplayer and an audio video called "''Rebirth''", a story narrated by Greg Bear and acts as an epilogue for ''Silentium''. It tells the story of [[Riser]] and his last encounter with the IsoDidact. Days after, a new code was revealed, adding 50,000 XP, a new emblem (Overachiever), and 5 additional minutes to Epilogue "Rebirth", which consist of a trial made ​​by the Forerunners survivors and Riser to Mendicant Bias after the latter's defeat in the Battle of Maginot Sphere.

*[[Wiktionary:Silentium|"Silentium"]] is [[Latin]] for "silence", "stillness", "inactivity" or "cessation", which reflects the effect of the Halo Array's galaxy-wide activation on the Forerunner civilization and life in the galaxy.

*The preliminary cover art, illustrated by [[Nicolas Bouvier|Nicolas "Sparth" Bouvier]], depicts a vast Forerunner structure with a [[Cryptum]] floating in the center and several ships flying by, while the final cover art depicts the Didact observing a hologram of a Cryptum and his wife, the [[Librarian]]; the preliminary cover image remains in the background, although the Cryptum in the background is absent. The original cover illustration was used to promote the novel without giving spoilers as to the appearance of the Forerunner characters, which was not revealed until ''[[Halo 4]]''. The final cover art was done as a collaboration between Sparth and ''Halo 4'' concept artist [[Gabriel Garza]].<ref>[http://sparth.tumblr.com/post/37282071285/greg-bear-silentium-book-covers-we-actually-had '''SPARTH''']</ref>

*The novel was originally set to be released on January 8, 2013,<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/07/11/Tor-Books-Reveals-Title-Cover-Art-And-Release-Date-of-Third-Halo-Novel-By-Greg-Bear.aspx '''Tor Books reveals title, cover art, and release date of the third Halo novel by legendary science fiction author Greg Bear''']</ref> but the release was later delayed to March 19,<ref name="delay"/> as additional time was required to make the story of the novel fit seamlessly with that of ''Halo 4''.<ref>[http://www.gregbear.com/blog/display.cfm?id=6817 '''Greg Bear Discussion Board''': ''Halo: Silentium'']</ref>

File:Halo Silentium carousel main.png|Full final jacket artwork.

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