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''''What are your overall thoughts on ''Halo: Empty Throne''? Was it what you expected?''''' | ''''What are your overall thoughts on ''Halo: Empty Throne''? Was it what you expected?''''' | ||
'''TheArb1ter117''': Going into ''Empty Throne'', I legitimately had no clue what to expect aside from its setting toward the end of the [[Created]]'s rule and the plethora of characters revealed to be making an appearance. Given the confirmation of the ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''{{'}}s crew and [[Gray Team]] in the novel, I was hoping for joint operations between the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and the [[UNSC]] to be a major facet of the story. ''Empty Throne'' certainly did not disappoint in that aspect, and I really enjoyed the novel overall. | |||
'''BaconShelf''': When ''Empty Throne'' and its cover were first revealed, I have to admit that I was somewhat sceptical of the premise: [[Spartan]]s being father figures to children and scrambles over [[Forerunner]] macguffins are certainly well-trodden ground for ''Halo''{{'}}s expanded universe at this point. The character reveals at HWC2024 piqued my interest more, with the return of [[Sali 'Nyon]] and the crew of ''Shadow of Intent'', alongside the announcement of the return of [[space warfare|space combat]] to the ''Halo'' books, something that the series has gone without since [[2008]]. Since then, my interest in the novel grew a lot and with the final release I can definitely say that it's beat any of my expectations out of the [[water]]. My initial worries that it was going to be a safe and somewhat bland ''Halo'' story that we've already seen a dozen times were definitely placated to some extent, and in retrospect this novel has done for the wider ''Halo'' setting what we should have had back in [[2011]]. Overall, I certainly have quibbles here and there, but I think we're in a place where the ''Halo'' novels are consistently putting out hit after hit right now, and similar to ''[[Halo: Outcasts|Outcasts]]'' and ''[[Halo: Epitaph|Epitaph]]'', my only real major complaint is that this is the kind of worldbuilding and setting-exploration we needed after ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', if not earlier. | |||
'''Sith Venator''': My overall thoughts are I really enjoyed it! I was initially a bit dismissive of the premise of the book due to ''Outcasts'' and ''Epitaph'' covering such similar ground, but I'm glad I gave [[Jeremy Patenaude|Jeremy]] a chance and let him cook. | |||
===Question 2=== | ===Question 2=== | ||
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'''''In October 2024, it was revealed that ''Halo: Empty Throne'' would be bringing back several popular characters that fans have not seen in while, including Gray Team, Serin Osman, Terrence Hood, Black-Box, Sali 'Nyon, Rtas 'Vadum, and Tul 'Juran. Without spoiling anything, which of these returning characters did you most enjoy? Why?''''' | '''''In October 2024, it was revealed that ''Halo: Empty Throne'' would be bringing back several popular characters that fans have not seen in while, including Gray Team, Serin Osman, Terrence Hood, Black-Box, Sali 'Nyon, Rtas 'Vadum, and Tul 'Juran. Without spoiling anything, which of these returning characters did you most enjoy? Why?''''' | ||
'''TheArb1ter117''': My top two returning characters weren't among those revealed to be in the novel prior to its release, so I'll go with my third choice, which is sort of cheating because it's the entirety of Gray Team. But as the book itself acknowledges, [[Spartan-II]]s often act like a singular entity, so I think it counts. I've always liked Gray Team since ''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'', but it wasn't until reading ''Empty Throne'' that I truly fell in love with them. The chemistry between them and the other people they interact with feels uniquely refreshing. They value comradery with those fighting alongside them even when the sentiment is not reciprocated, and it leads to some interesting interactions and character development that I can't go into without sharing spoilers. | |||
'''BaconShelf''': For me, the ''Shadow of Intent'' crew really stole the show insofar as the returning cast from previous novels. Getting to see the world through [[Tul 'Juran]]'s eyes was always fun, and Patenaude did a great job of exploring her alien perspective compared to humanity and even her fellow [[Sangheili]] without going into comic-levels of ridiculousness. To address the inverse, I was slightly disappointed that 'Nyon didn't play a huge role in the book, but overall I think it's safe to say that each of the ''many'' storylines in the novel could (and maybe should) have been a dedicated book in themselves; ''Empty Throne'' is one of the longest ''Halo'' novels to date and still feels like it has enough material in there for a trilogy, at least. | |||
'''Sith Venator''': While I'm tempted to say the ''Shadow of Intent'' crew or even Gray Team, I'm actually going to go with [[Serin Osman]] and [[Black-Box]]. Shocking coming from me since I don't particularly vibe with the [[Kilo-Five Trilogy]]. I'll talk about them more in a spoiler question since the reason I like them more in this novel is definitely not spoiler-free. | |||
===Question 3=== | ===Question 3=== | ||
'''''Since the reveal of the novel's official summary, it was evident that ''Halo: Empty Throne'' would be set during the twilight hours of Cortana's reign over the galaxy, tying into ''Halo Infinite'' and other stories from that time period. Do you feel that this novel tied into the existing media in a satisfactory way? Without going into specifics, what aspects of the universe do you think it did the best at fleshing out?''''' | '''''Since the reveal of the novel's official summary, it was evident that ''Halo: Empty Throne'' would be set during the twilight hours of Cortana's reign over the galaxy, tying into ''Halo Infinite'' and other stories from that time period. Do you feel that this novel tied into the existing media in a satisfactory way? Without going into specifics, what aspects of the universe do you think it did the best at fleshing out?''''' | ||
'''TheArb1ter117''': With the release of ''Empty Throne'', I feel that the picture of the galaxy during the rule of the Created has been made satisfyingly complete while also hinting at what might be the next steps for the overall story of the ''Halo'' universe in the years to come. In particular, I think this novel does a great job of portraying the state of the UNSC and humanity as a whole during this time, explaining [[Cortana]]'s reach throughout the galaxy and the methods used to avoid being detected by the [[archon]]. | |||
'''BaconShelf''': I've always been very critical of ''Halo 5: Guardians'' and ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', so when I say that this book (in combination with the other novel releases from the last 4-5 years) has really kickstarted and maintained my interest for the new Halo Studios era of the franchise, it should hopefully indicate how highly I think of the new novel. Really, I find it difficult to talk about ''Empty Throne'' without also including ''Outcasts'' in the conversation, as the two are tied at the hip in a really satisfying way, telling alternate halves of a broader story; how does the galaxy react to the Created as a whole? I think it's a testament to the wider HS Franchise Team that they've been able to salvage so much from the less-than-satisfactory hands they've been given to work with from the past few main games. | |||
'''Sith Venator''': Very much so! This novel gels super well with ''Outcasts'' and a lesser extent ''Epitaph''. In my opinion, it does an excellent job of just planet hopping so we can see what the galaxy is like under Created rule. Turns out—depending on where you are and how quiet you are—it isn't that bad. The novel also has some very nice space combat sections featuring large warships which should make the [[Eric Nylund|Nylund]] fans very happy. | |||
===Question 4=== | ===Question 4=== | ||
'''''Are there any other pieces of ''Halo'' media that you think fans need to play, read, or watch before picking up ''Halo: Empty Throne''? Or any that you think would simply enhance the reading experience?''''' | '''''Are there any other pieces of ''Halo'' media that you think fans need to play, read, or watch before picking up ''Halo: Empty Throne''? Or any that you think would simply enhance the reading experience?''''' | ||
[[File:HOut CoverArt.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The cover art of ''Halo: Outcasts''.]] | |||
'''TheArb1ter117''': To be honest, ''Empty Throne'' has so many connections to past media that will go unnoticed unless you've read like half of ''Halo''{{'}}s catalog of novels. However, that isn't to say that it's necessary to read so many books before diving in to this one; at the very least, I recommend reading ''Outcasts'' and playing ''Halo Infinite'' first. Still, there are several great returning characters that I feel like you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't first read ''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'', ''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'', and ''[[Halo: Envoy]]''. | |||
'''BaconShelf''': I don't think it'll be a surprise to anyone that ''Empty Throne''{{'}}s premise pretty tightly revolves around building up the opening of ''Halo Infinite''. To that degree, that game and the aforementioned ''Halo: Outcasts'' are fairly good things to have in mind in the background. Otherwise, Patenaude is a very long-time fan and contributor to ''Halo'' and the more you know, the more you'll get out of little nuggets of info pulled from some pretty obscure places. While I could certainly list a dozen or more comics and other novels, I think that the book does a pretty great job of bringing the reader up to speed on things like who and why [[Sali 'Nyon]] is, and so forth. | |||
'''Sith Venator''': Like everyone else, I'm going to say ''Infinite'' and ''Outcasts''. There's connections to probably at least half the books or comics in this novel, so sticking with those two is probably best for simplicity's sake. | |||
===Question 5=== | ===Question 5=== | ||
'''''For fans who haven't read many (or any) of the previous ''Halo'' novels and are unsure if they should read ''Halo: Empty Throne'' next (or even start their journey into the ''Halo'' novels with it), what advice would you give to them? For the fans who ''have'' read many of the previous ''Halo'' novels, which novels would you say feel most like ''Empty Throne''?''''' | '''''For fans who haven't read many (or any) of the previous ''Halo'' novels and are unsure if they should read ''Halo: Empty Throne'' next (or even start their journey into the ''Halo'' novels with it), what advice would you give to them? For the fans who ''have'' read many of the previous ''Halo'' novels, which novels would you say feel most like ''Empty Throne''?''''' | ||
'''TheArb1ter117''': Aside from the novels and games that I recommended reading and playing in my above response, I think ''Empty Throne'' could certainly be one of the first ''Halo'' novels that I fan dives into. However, as BaconShelf explains below, my recommendation is always that a fan who has never read ''any'' of the novels start with the original few books in order. Now, as for which novel I think is most like ''Empty Throne'', I'd personally liken it to the entire Kilo-Five Trilogy. Even ignoring the return of several characters and locations from Kilo-Five, ''Empty Throne'' has a similar planet-hopping storyline following several core characters who drive the actions of their respective factions. Like with the Kilo-Five Trilogy, the decisions of just a few characters have significant effects on the fate of their factions and the galaxy as a whole. | |||
'''BaconShelf''': As ever, for someone interested in getting into ''Halo'' novels, I'm always going to recommend you start with ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' and [[The Original Series]] in order. The first book was written at a time where ''no'' ''Halo'' media had been released yet, and so couldn't assume any amount of foreknowledge from anyone about anything. ''Empty Throne'' is great if you already have some preexisting knowledge of the series (especially the expanded universe), but it's also introducing and juggling a lot of characters, plots, locations, and things, that might be pretty overwhelming as an introductory piece. | |||
'''Sith Venator''': Per my more recent attitude, there's enough ''Halo'' content out there now I just recommend jumping in and going back to the starting point if you have the time. You don't need to know Gray Team [[Operation: SUNSPEAR|blew up]] [[Glyke]] to know what their deal is in ''Empty Throne''. As for which novels feel the most similar, possibly ''[[Halo: Envoy]]'', but that might just be because both books involve most characters that I would say don't have any plot armor at all. | |||
==Spoiler Questions== | ==Spoiler Questions== | ||
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===Question 6=== | ===Question 6=== | ||
{{Spoiler|1= | {{Spoiler|1= | ||
[[File:Escalation cover 19.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ayit 'Sevi chokes Spartan Gabriel Thorne.]] | |||
'''''While ''Halo: Empty Throne'' is Jeremy Patenaude's first ''Halo'' novel, it comes as no surprise that it was filled to the brim with connections to lore all throughout ''Halo''{{'}}s rich history, given his former role as franchise writer. What were some particular connections, references, and long-awaited revelations that stood out to you?''''' | '''''While ''Halo: Empty Throne'' is Jeremy Patenaude's first ''Halo'' novel, it comes as no surprise that it was filled to the brim with connections to lore all throughout ''Halo''{{'}}s rich history, given his former role as franchise writer. What were some particular connections, references, and long-awaited revelations that stood out to you?''''' | ||
'''TheArb1ter117''': ''Empty Throne'' had so many surprises that delighted me, with my favorites being the appearances of certain characters—not just because of the cameos, but also because they were used in logical ways. The reveal of [[Preston Cole]]'s daughter [[Abigail Cole]] as a capable [[UNSC Navy|naval]] officer in her own right was perfect. [[Octavio Morales]]'s identity as Codename: SURGEON was a welcome surprise, as was the return of [[Jilan al-Cygni]] and the reveal of [[James-005]]'s survival of the [[Fall of Reach]]. Probably my favorite minor connection was the appearance of [[Ayit 'Sevi]] and the knowledge that he's still working with the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]. Ayit 'Sevi is one of my favorite ''Halo'' [[Wiktionary:Glup Shitto|Glup Shitto]]s and I really hope we get more with him. | |||
'''Sith Venator''': I am happy to see Black-Box's story come to an end. Not because I disliked the dude, but because I thought his [[Smart AI#Final dispensation|termination]] was legitimately sad. I felt bad for both him and Osman, another character I don't particularly care for—a true sign that Jeremy was cooking while writing this novel. I was also quite shocked at [[Vul 'Soran]]'s betrayal and will be interested to see where that plot line goes in the future. | |||
}} | }} | ||
===Question 7=== | ===Question 7=== | ||
{{Spoiler|1= | {{Spoiler|1= | ||
'''''Are there any other specific moments, characters, settings, or other elements of ''Halo: Empty Throne'' that you particularly enjoyed or want to highlight?''''' | '''''Are there any other specific moments, characters, settings, or other elements of ''Halo: Empty Throne'' that you particularly enjoyed or want to highlight?''''' | ||
'''TheArb1ter117''': | '''TheArb1ter117''': [[Stolt]] was a standout character for me; he's an extremely strange [[Unggoy]], being able to keep up with members of other species that are typically seen a significantly more capable. I love Unggoy, but they definitely have a reputation for lacking physical and mental strength. Stolt is lacking in neither, instead displaying surprising agility and strength, tactical intelligence, and a refined vocabulary. | ||
{{Article quote|Along the way, Zulu Red managed to dispatch a handful of Banished infantry quietly and without incident. Stolt even climbed atop a Jiralhanae guard’s back at one point, and broke his neck. It was as impressive a sight as it was bizarre.}} | |||
'''Sith Venator''': I really liked the interrogation scene of the Order of Restoration Sangheili. It had some good character moments for both Tul and | '''Sith Venator''': I really liked the interrogation scene of the [[Order of Restoration]] Sangheili. It had some good character moments for both Tul and Gray Team while also adding a little to Sangheili lore. I will be adding [[Jai-006]]'s quote about Sangheili anatomy to the Sangheili page at some point. I especially like the part where Jai calls out the Sangheili's hypocrisy after said Sangheili complained about Jai's [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR]] giving him an unfair advantage. I think both Tul and Abigail had nice little character arcs as well. | ||
}} | }} | ||
Latest revision as of 11:25, March 21, 2025
The staff at Halopedia are happy to present our fifth review of a Halo novel, this time on Halo: Empty Throne by Jeremy Patenaude. While the novel was released about one month ago (at the time of publishing this article) and we allow any of its content to be posted to the site, we have ensured that the first half of this review is spoiler-free, with only a few allusions to topics covered in the Chapter 2 preview officially released prior to the novel. You can safely read the first five questions if you have yet to complete the novel yourself, but make sure to avoid the second set of questions and the summary section!
Given that collaboration between people of varied opinions and backgrounds is core to the concept of a wiki, our review consists of a number of talking points with multiple editors giving their thoughts individually. This time, we've got Halopedia staff members XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX, and XXXXXXX!
Please note that the Halopedia team were provided promotional copies of the Empty Throne audiobook, though were not asked by Halo Studios, Microsoft, or any other party to produce this review, nor were we asked to promote or praise the book.
If you would like to experience the novel for yourself, you can find it at Simon & Schuster, Amazon (US or UK), Forbidden Planet, Waterstones, and Barnes & Noble.
Spoiler-Free Questions
Question 1
'What are your overall thoughts on Halo: Empty Throne? Was it what you expected?
TheArb1ter117: Going into Empty Throne, I legitimately had no clue what to expect aside from its setting toward the end of the Created's rule and the plethora of characters revealed to be making an appearance. Given the confirmation of the Shadow of Intent's crew and Gray Team in the novel, I was hoping for joint operations between the Swords of Sanghelios and the UNSC to be a major facet of the story. Empty Throne certainly did not disappoint in that aspect, and I really enjoyed the novel overall.
BaconShelf: When Empty Throne and its cover were first revealed, I have to admit that I was somewhat sceptical of the premise: Spartans being father figures to children and scrambles over Forerunner macguffins are certainly well-trodden ground for Halo's expanded universe at this point. The character reveals at HWC2024 piqued my interest more, with the return of Sali 'Nyon and the crew of Shadow of Intent, alongside the announcement of the return of space combat to the Halo books, something that the series has gone without since 2008. Since then, my interest in the novel grew a lot and with the final release I can definitely say that it's beat any of my expectations out of the water. My initial worries that it was going to be a safe and somewhat bland Halo story that we've already seen a dozen times were definitely placated to some extent, and in retrospect this novel has done for the wider Halo setting what we should have had back in 2011. Overall, I certainly have quibbles here and there, but I think we're in a place where the Halo novels are consistently putting out hit after hit right now, and similar to Outcasts and Epitaph, my only real major complaint is that this is the kind of worldbuilding and setting-exploration we needed after Halo 5: Guardians, if not earlier.
Sith Venator: My overall thoughts are I really enjoyed it! I was initially a bit dismissive of the premise of the book due to Outcasts and Epitaph covering such similar ground, but I'm glad I gave Jeremy a chance and let him cook.
Question 2
In October 2024, it was revealed that Halo: Empty Throne would be bringing back several popular characters that fans have not seen in while, including Gray Team, Serin Osman, Terrence Hood, Black-Box, Sali 'Nyon, Rtas 'Vadum, and Tul 'Juran. Without spoiling anything, which of these returning characters did you most enjoy? Why?
TheArb1ter117: My top two returning characters weren't among those revealed to be in the novel prior to its release, so I'll go with my third choice, which is sort of cheating because it's the entirety of Gray Team. But as the book itself acknowledges, Spartan-IIs often act like a singular entity, so I think it counts. I've always liked Gray Team since Halo: The Cole Protocol, but it wasn't until reading Empty Throne that I truly fell in love with them. The chemistry between them and the other people they interact with feels uniquely refreshing. They value comradery with those fighting alongside them even when the sentiment is not reciprocated, and it leads to some interesting interactions and character development that I can't go into without sharing spoilers.
BaconShelf: For me, the Shadow of Intent crew really stole the show insofar as the returning cast from previous novels. Getting to see the world through Tul 'Juran's eyes was always fun, and Patenaude did a great job of exploring her alien perspective compared to humanity and even her fellow Sangheili without going into comic-levels of ridiculousness. To address the inverse, I was slightly disappointed that 'Nyon didn't play a huge role in the book, but overall I think it's safe to say that each of the many storylines in the novel could (and maybe should) have been a dedicated book in themselves; Empty Throne is one of the longest Halo novels to date and still feels like it has enough material in there for a trilogy, at least.
Sith Venator: While I'm tempted to say the Shadow of Intent crew or even Gray Team, I'm actually going to go with Serin Osman and Black-Box. Shocking coming from me since I don't particularly vibe with the Kilo-Five Trilogy. I'll talk about them more in a spoiler question since the reason I like them more in this novel is definitely not spoiler-free.
Question 3
Since the reveal of the novel's official summary, it was evident that Halo: Empty Throne would be set during the twilight hours of Cortana's reign over the galaxy, tying into Halo Infinite and other stories from that time period. Do you feel that this novel tied into the existing media in a satisfactory way? Without going into specifics, what aspects of the universe do you think it did the best at fleshing out?
TheArb1ter117: With the release of Empty Throne, I feel that the picture of the galaxy during the rule of the Created has been made satisfyingly complete while also hinting at what might be the next steps for the overall story of the Halo universe in the years to come. In particular, I think this novel does a great job of portraying the state of the UNSC and humanity as a whole during this time, explaining Cortana's reach throughout the galaxy and the methods used to avoid being detected by the archon.
BaconShelf: I've always been very critical of Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite, so when I say that this book (in combination with the other novel releases from the last 4-5 years) has really kickstarted and maintained my interest for the new Halo Studios era of the franchise, it should hopefully indicate how highly I think of the new novel. Really, I find it difficult to talk about Empty Throne without also including Outcasts in the conversation, as the two are tied at the hip in a really satisfying way, telling alternate halves of a broader story; how does the galaxy react to the Created as a whole? I think it's a testament to the wider HS Franchise Team that they've been able to salvage so much from the less-than-satisfactory hands they've been given to work with from the past few main games.
Sith Venator: Very much so! This novel gels super well with Outcasts and a lesser extent Epitaph. In my opinion, it does an excellent job of just planet hopping so we can see what the galaxy is like under Created rule. Turns out—depending on where you are and how quiet you are—it isn't that bad. The novel also has some very nice space combat sections featuring large warships which should make the Nylund fans very happy.
Question 4
Are there any other pieces of Halo media that you think fans need to play, read, or watch before picking up Halo: Empty Throne? Or any that you think would simply enhance the reading experience?
TheArb1ter117: To be honest, Empty Throne has so many connections to past media that will go unnoticed unless you've read like half of Halo's catalog of novels. However, that isn't to say that it's necessary to read so many books before diving in to this one; at the very least, I recommend reading Outcasts and playing Halo Infinite first. Still, there are several great returning characters that I feel like you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't first read Halo: Shadow of Intent, Halo: The Cole Protocol, and Halo: Envoy.
BaconShelf: I don't think it'll be a surprise to anyone that Empty Throne's premise pretty tightly revolves around building up the opening of Halo Infinite. To that degree, that game and the aforementioned Halo: Outcasts are fairly good things to have in mind in the background. Otherwise, Patenaude is a very long-time fan and contributor to Halo and the more you know, the more you'll get out of little nuggets of info pulled from some pretty obscure places. While I could certainly list a dozen or more comics and other novels, I think that the book does a pretty great job of bringing the reader up to speed on things like who and why Sali 'Nyon is, and so forth.
Sith Venator: Like everyone else, I'm going to say Infinite and Outcasts. There's connections to probably at least half the books or comics in this novel, so sticking with those two is probably best for simplicity's sake.
Question 5
For fans who haven't read many (or any) of the previous Halo novels and are unsure if they should read Halo: Empty Throne next (or even start their journey into the Halo novels with it), what advice would you give to them? For the fans who have read many of the previous Halo novels, which novels would you say feel most like Empty Throne?
TheArb1ter117: Aside from the novels and games that I recommended reading and playing in my above response, I think Empty Throne could certainly be one of the first Halo novels that I fan dives into. However, as BaconShelf explains below, my recommendation is always that a fan who has never read any of the novels start with the original few books in order. Now, as for which novel I think is most like Empty Throne, I'd personally liken it to the entire Kilo-Five Trilogy. Even ignoring the return of several characters and locations from Kilo-Five, Empty Throne has a similar planet-hopping storyline following several core characters who drive the actions of their respective factions. Like with the Kilo-Five Trilogy, the decisions of just a few characters have significant effects on the fate of their factions and the galaxy as a whole.
BaconShelf: As ever, for someone interested in getting into Halo novels, I'm always going to recommend you start with Halo: The Fall of Reach and The Original Series in order. The first book was written at a time where no Halo media had been released yet, and so couldn't assume any amount of foreknowledge from anyone about anything. Empty Throne is great if you already have some preexisting knowledge of the series (especially the expanded universe), but it's also introducing and juggling a lot of characters, plots, locations, and things, that might be pretty overwhelming as an introductory piece.
Sith Venator: Per my more recent attitude, there's enough Halo content out there now I just recommend jumping in and going back to the starting point if you have the time. You don't need to know Gray Team blew up Glyke to know what their deal is in Empty Throne. As for which novels feel the most similar, possibly Halo: Envoy, but that might just be because both books involve most characters that I would say don't have any plot armor at all.
Spoiler Questions
Question 6
While Halo: Empty Throne is Jeremy Patenaude's first Halo novel, it comes as no surprise that it was filled to the brim with connections to lore all throughout Halo's rich history, given his former role as franchise writer. What were some particular connections, references, and long-awaited revelations that stood out to you?
TheArb1ter117: Empty Throne had so many surprises that delighted me, with my favorites being the appearances of certain characters—not just because of the cameos, but also because they were used in logical ways. The reveal of Preston Cole's daughter Abigail Cole as a capable naval officer in her own right was perfect. Octavio Morales's identity as Codename: SURGEON was a welcome surprise, as was the return of Jilan al-Cygni and the reveal of James-005's survival of the Fall of Reach. Probably my favorite minor connection was the appearance of Ayit 'Sevi and the knowledge that he's still working with the Office of Naval Intelligence. Ayit 'Sevi is one of my favorite Halo Glup Shittos and I really hope we get more with him.
Sith Venator: I am happy to see Black-Box's story come to an end. Not because I disliked the dude, but because I thought his termination was legitimately sad. I felt bad for both him and Osman, another character I don't particularly care for—a true sign that Jeremy was cooking while writing this novel. I was also quite shocked at Vul 'Soran's betrayal and will be interested to see where that plot line goes in the future.Question 7
TheArb1ter117: Stolt was a standout character for me; he's an extremely strange Unggoy, being able to keep up with members of other species that are typically seen a significantly more capable. I love Unggoy, but they definitely have a reputation for lacking physical and mental strength. Stolt is lacking in neither, instead displaying surprising agility and strength, tactical intelligence, and a refined vocabulary.
| “ | Along the way, Zulu Red managed to dispatch a handful of Banished infantry quietly and without incident. Stolt even climbed atop a Jiralhanae guard’s back at one point, and broke his neck. It was as impressive a sight as it was bizarre. | ” |
Question 8
Question 9
Combining this novel with the stories told in Halo: Outcasts, Halo: Epitaph and several other recent novels, fans now have a relatively complete picture of the state of the galaxy around the end of Cortana's reign. Do you think opportunities still remain to continue to story of the Created, or do you expect future media to start focusing on the state of the galaxy post-Created?
TheArb1ter117:
Question 10
TheArb1ter117:
Sith Venator: I'm most interested in seeing the Order of Restoration plot line continue. I'm half convinced Dovo Nesto is a surviving ancient San'Shyuum and that would be very interesting. I think this plot line could be fruitful with some important contemporary themes as well. People choosing actions against their own self interests because they're scared of change? Thank God that only happens in fiction./sSummary
Ultimately, we at Halopedia... We have agreed on giving the book a rating of /10!
This concludes our fourth review of a Halo novel! We will be continuing this with Kelly Gay's Halo: Edge of Dawn later this year, so any feedback on the format and content of this review is appreciated! In the meantime, you can check out our reviews of Halo: Divine Wind (here), Halo: The Rubicon Protocol (here), Halo: Outcasts (here), and Halo: Epitaph (here).
We'll leave you with some Halo: Empty Throne-themed memes originating from Halopedia staff discussions about the novel, arranged in order of appearance: