Halo: The Flood
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Halo: The Flood is the novelization of Halo: Combat Evolved written by William C. Dietz, following the book Halo: The Fall of Reach. This novel attained the Publisher's Weekly bestsellers list during May 2003.[1]
DATE: September 19, 2552 -September 23, 2552
Plot
It expanded on the game by detailing the actions of the Helljumpers and the Covenant, introducing the SpecOps Elite Zuka 'Zamamee who attempted various ploys to stop the Master Chief, but in vain, and had Jenkins aid Major Silva and Lieutenant McKay as well as the other Helljumpers even after his conversion to a Flood Combat Form by persuading a Helljumper leader to destroy the Truth and Reconciliation in order to prevent the Flood from reaching Earth and killing many.
The story also explored what happened to Captain Keyes after the Covenant invaded his ship. This part of the story was not featured in the game, which is why so many fans actually like this book, despite its criticism (see below).
Criticism
Some fans generally have a strong dislike for this particular novel stating that the Dietz's characterization of the Master Chief was too drastically changed from Eric Nylund's written portrayal of the character. The Chief, previously portrayed as a carefully guarded person, smiles freely and generally acts less like the Spartans did in the first book.
