The Halo live-action series debuted on Paramount+ today! You can watch the first episode of this long-awaited series right now. I look forward to checking it out myself. To get you in the mood, read on for my thoughts on the fourth book in the Halo novel series: Ghosts of Onyx.
Publisher’s Summary
The New York Times best-seller – part of the expanded universe based on the award-winning video game series Halo!
The 26th century. Once considered clandestine, the Spartan-II program has now gone public. Tales of armored supersoldiers fending off thousands of Covenant attacks have become the stuff of legend. While the Master Chief defends a besieged Earth and the myriad factions of the Covenant continue their crusade to eliminate humanity, an ultra-secret cell of the Office of Naval Intelligence known as “Section Three” devises a plan to buy the UNSC vital time. It will need hundreds of willing soldiers, though – and one more Spartan – to get the job done.
The planet Onyx is virtually abandoned and the perfect place to set this new plan in motion. But when the Master Chief destroys Halo, something is triggered deep within Onyx: Ancient Forerunner technology stirs, and fleets of UNSC and Covenant vessels race to claim it and change the course of the Human-Covenant War. But this reawakened and ancient force may have plans of its own….
My Thoughts
Halo: Ghosts of Onyx is the first audiobook in the Halo series that’s narrated by someone other than Todd McLaren. Jonathan Davis narrates this time out, and he does a fine job. Firing up Ghosts of Onyx on my Downpour app, I found his voice to be pleasing and less militaristic than McLaren’s. One thing they both share is the ability to perform in a way where they ensure that the story always remains at the forefront of the listener’s mind, not the narrator’s voice.
Being a Halo book, Spartans and Covenant abound. However, this time the locale is the planet Onyx, a practically abandoned domicile. Furthermore, Ghosts of Onyx is an excellent introduction to the Spartan Three program. I’d argue that this is the best Halo book in the series thus far. The ambiance, the mood, Davis’ deft ability to seamlessly switch between voicing different species — it’s all there. If you’re a Halo fan looking to soak up as much Spartan lore as possible, buy this audiobook on Downpour today.