Halo: Ghosts of Onyx Book

Three books, two games, and one graphic novel collection into my journey through the "Halo" saga, and I can confidently say: I'm in. I'm so. Freaking. In.

There's so much about this universe that's great, from the deep, carefully laid-out mythology, to the satisfying way that the broader story flows and builds upon itself across mediums, to the oh-so-tangible world-building and construction - this FEELS like a universe that you could live in. "Ghosts of Onyx," Eric Nylund's third (and in my opinion, best) Halo-novel, takes all of these great trappings and wraps them around a story that's thematically interesting and genuinely compelling, filled with characters that we actually come to like and care about. The fact that not one of the "Halo" novels I've read thus far has felt like a cash-in, but rather, a distinct piece of canon that expands and develops the underlying lore of the series, is a testament not only to Nylund's storytelling capabilities, but also to the creative ambition of the team over at Bungie; they fact that they were actually willing to dig into and broaden their universe through their tie-in media - as opposed to just tell simple, easy-to-swallow stories that exist solely to cash in on the brand name - is beyond impressive.

I'm beyond bummed to see that - at least for now - this looks to be the last full-length "Halo" novel that Nylund's written, but I'm also excited to see what other writers will bring to such a well-honed and distinct universe.

Onward to Halo 3.