A box set of the first three Halo novels.
The Halo novels are books that have expanded heavily on the Halo universe.
Development[edit]
The Halo novel project was initiated with the intent of establishing an "expanded universe" for future content. Contrary to popular belief, the project was overseen by Microsoft Game Studios Franchise Development Group and not by Bungie Studios (though they were given a significant degree of creative control).[1][2] The relationship between Bungie and Microsoft was somewhat rocky at this time,[3] with the former resenting Microsoft's creative interference in the Halo story and nearly having the first novel, Halo: The Fall of Reach, canceled.[4]
Although the novels have always been considered canonical,[5] the stories they told were generally regarded as distinct from the Halo games' stories in some respects, with both games and the "expanded universe" forming their own standalone narratives.[6] Additionally, there were sometimes creative differences between Bungie and the novels' authors;[4] for example, Bungie's writing staff disliked the notion of Avery Johnson's immunity to the Flood introduced in Halo: First Strike[5] and retconned the circumstances of his survival in the Halo Graphic Novel. However, Bungie would nonetheless introduce several elements originating from the novels into their games; an example of this are the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and the orbital defense platforms.[4] Following the advent of 343 Industries and their philosophy of expanded connectivity between Halo media, the writing process of the novels has become more extensively intertwined with the planning of the stories of the games and other fiction.[7]
The first three novels were published by Del Rey Books. Microsoft Studios' next publishing partner was Tor Books, which published all Halo novels from 2006 to early 2014. The three initial Halo novels were reissued by Tor in 2010. While mostly unchanged, the new versions feature additional content and several alterations. In 2014, 343 Industries entered a contract with Gallery Books as the publisher of subsequent Halo literature.[8]
List of novels[edit]
The Original Series[edit]
- Main article: The Original Series
Gray Team series[edit]
- Main article: Gray Team series
The Forerunner Saga[edit]
- Main article: The Forerunner Saga
Kilo-Five Trilogy[edit]
- Main article: Kilo-Five Trilogy
Alpha-Nine series[edit]
- Main article: Alpha-Nine series
The Ferrets series[edit]
- Main article: The Ferrets series
Rion Forge & Ace Of Spades series[edit]
- Main article: Rion Forge & Ace Of Spades series
A Master Chief Story[edit]
- Main article: A Master Chief Story
Title
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Cover
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Author
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Audio book narrators
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Publication
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Summary
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Halo: Silent Storm
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Troy Denning
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Scott Brick
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2018
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Sees John-117 and some SPARTAN-IIs trying to gather information about the Covenant in the first year of the Human-Covenant War, and the insurrectionists' attempts to stop their mission.
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Halo: Oblivion
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Troy Denning
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Scott Brick
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2019
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Sequel to Silent Storm, sees John-117 and some SPARTAN-IIs trying to capture a Covenant frigate, while Fleetmaster Nizat 'Kvarosee tries to kill them.
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Halo: Shadows of Reach
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Troy Denning
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Sean Patrick Hopkins
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2020
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Taking place one year after the events of Halo 5: Guardians, sees Blue Team returning to Reach to recover assets hidden in Dr. Halsey's abandoned laboratory on CASTLE Base that could be humanity's last chance against Cortana and the Created.
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Battle Born: A Halo Young Adult Novel Series[edit]
- Main article: Battle Born: A Halo Young Adult Novel Series
Individual novels[edit]
Individual novellas[edit]
Anthologies[edit]
Title
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Cover
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Author
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Audio book narrators
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Publication
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Summary
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Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
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Eric Nylund, Tobias Buckell, Karen Traviss, Robert McLees, B.K. Evenson, Jonathan Goff, Kevin Grace, Frank O'Connor, Eric Raab, Fred Van Lente, Jeff VanderMeer and Tessa Kum
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Steve Downes, Holter Graham, Frank O'Connor, and Jen Taylor
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2009
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When humanity expanded beyond the safety of Earth to new stars and horizons, they never dreamed what dangers they would encounter there. When the alien juggernaut known as the Covenant declared holy war upon the fragile human empire, millions of lives were lost—but, millions of heroes rose to the challenge. In such a far-reaching conflict, not many of the stories of these heroes, both human and alien, have a chance to become legend. This collection holds eleven stories that dive into the depths of the vast Halo universe, not only from the perspective of those who fought and died to save humanity, but also those who vowed to wipe humanity out of existence.
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Halo: Fractures
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Tobias Buckell, Troy Denning, Matt Forbeck, Kelly Gay, Christie Golden, Kevin Grace, Morgan Lockhart, John Jackson Miller, Frank O'Connor, Brian Reed, James Swallow, Joseph Staten
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Scott Brick
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2016
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Launch once more into galaxy-spanning conflict and legendary heroism…shards of an ever-expanding journey where human and alien alike find their finest hours in facing their greatest challenges. These scattered stories span untold millennia, from the age of the ancient custodial race known as the Forerunners…to the aftermath of the Covenant’s bloody war against humanity…and even the shocking events surrounding the resurrection of the mysterious Guardians. Halo: Fractures explores mythic tales of bravery and sacrifice that blaze brightly at the very heart of the Halo universe.
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Box sets[edit]
Sources[edit]
Halo novels
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Individual novels
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Individual novellas
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Anthologies
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Other
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Italics indicate items yet to be released.
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