Weekend Reads

Halo New Blood

Simon and Schuster

Audio here.

4 stars

A novel by Matt Forbeck set in the Halo universe focuses on Halo 3's character Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck. This volume works as a bridge between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4 (the period after the Human-Covenant War, where the Master Chief is listed as MIA and the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) is in the process of forming a new generation of Spartans).

Buck PoV recounts his military career, including his time as an ODST leading the Alpha-Nine squad and his experiences during the Human-Covenant War. His complex relationship with Veronica and the discovery of traitors.

Perfect for fans with a deeper understanding of Edward Buck's character, his journey from an ODST to a Spartan-IV, and the challenges faced by the UNSC in the aftermath of the Human-Covenant War. It also provides insight into the SPARTAN-IV program and introduces elements that set the stage for Halo 5: Guardians, which will be released soon. As a game in October.

I bought a copy of Buffalo Hunter Hunter as an audiobook, and coincidentally won a copy as well with Aardvark. Don't miss this one.

5 plus

This vampire historical novel is a narrative nested inside another narrative. In the present, an author is writing about her grandfather having his journal, where he describes how he met a supernatural creature that wants to confess. But it's actually a testimony of cruelty towards indigenous people, a story of revenge and vampires. I was told the audio was amazing because of the different voices and the sound effects. I paired it with the book (I love to do that, read while listening), and it enhanced the experience to a 5 plus. It's long but reads well. Very well written. My favorite part was towards the end, and after that chapter, all is epic and even fun (with the present character), leading to a surprising conclusion.

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Audio here.