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Eric Nylund
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Halo: First Strike (Halo, 3) Audio CD – Unabridged, July 15, 2008

by Eric Nylund (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,656 ratings
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Halo has been destroyed, and the threat it posed to sentient life neutralized. But victory has come at a terrible cost for the UNSC. Thousands of valiant soldiers fell in the battle to prevent the alien construct from falling into the enemy's clutches. Now, everything depends on the Spartan known as the Master Chief. Yet even with the aid of the artificial intelligence Cortana, the Master Chief will be hard-pressed to rescue survivors and evade the Covenant ships patrolling the remains of Halo in debris-strewn space. Ahead lies a dangerous voyage home through a gauntlet of Covenant forces. For the sake of all, the Master Chief and his war-torn squad must not only survive but take the fight to the enemy with a decisive first strike.
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Tantor Audio
  3. Publication date
    July 15, 2008
  4. Dimensions
    6.4 x 1.1 x 5.3 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    140010114X
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1400101146
  7. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The narration by multitalented Todd McLaren...is flexible and intense." ---Library Journal Audio Review

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tantor Audio; Unabridged CD edition (July 15, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 140010114X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400101146
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.1 x 5.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,656 ratings

About the author

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Eric Nylund

Eric Nylund

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Eric Nylund is a New York Times bestselling and World Fantasy Award nominated author of sixteen novels including HALO: THE FALL OF REACH and the LitRPG novel, HERO OF THERA.

For 15 years, Nylund's day job was making video games. He attended the 1994 Clarion West Writer's Workshop and has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry and a Master's degree in theoretical chemical physics. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family on a rain-drenched mountain.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
2,656 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book great, fun, and easy to read. They say the story is full of action, suspense, and thrilling. Readers describe the writing quality as well-written, detailed, and smooth. They also mention the pacing is fast and the book is an amazing intro to an amazing series.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityAction storyWriting qualityPacingCharacter developmentEntertainment valueImage quality
85 customers mention "Readability"85 positive0 negative

Customers find the book amazing, fun, and satisfying. They say it's better than the games and a great feeling reading the book.

"...bits where there's just too much going on at once, this is an overall very good book...." Read more

"Absolutely amazing, this is Nylund’s follow up book to the fall of reach...." Read more

"It was incredibly satisfying knowing what happened to Red team on reach, the unanswered question of how Sargeant Johnson got off Halo, and what..." Read more

"...This is a universe to explore. And explore you should. Simply superb!" Read more

47 customers mention "Action story"41 positive6 negative

Customers find the story gripping and exciting. They say the writing keeps them involved in the saga. Readers also mention the storyline is cohesive and thrilling to read.

"...This story is absolutely full of action, aliens, military combat and of course the superhuman feats of the Spartan II warriors...." Read more

"...The story is full of action and suspense, with tense situations and brilliant writing that sets the mood perfectly...." Read more

"...The action seriously never lets up, yet at the same time the pacing is perfect. Also, you get even deeper into Master Chief's head...." Read more

"...I love these books. Sad at times but it is about war. Very exciting and fun read." Read more

29 customers mention "Writing quality"27 positive2 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written, easy to read, and smooth. They appreciate the detailed and understandable writing. Readers also like how well the battles are described and new information and secrets are revealed.

"...story is full of action and suspense, with tense situations and brilliant writing that sets the mood perfectly...." Read more

"...This novel and all of the others in the Halo universe are fantasically written and are very easy reads...." Read more

"...Nylund is a GREAT author and he starts this series off on a GREAT note...." Read more

"I greatly enjoyed this book, it was written well and as a Halo fan this book (and the others in the series) was a very good expansion to the..." Read more

10 customers mention "Pacing"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fast-paced and easy to read. They say it's an amazing intro to an amazing series.

"...level of quality you'll find in Fall of Reach, but it is a good addition to the series...." Read more

"...The action seriously never lets up, yet at the same time the pacing is perfect. Also, you get even deeper into Master Chief's head...." Read more

"So in a nutshell, this is an amazing book and an amazing intro to an AMAZING series...." Read more

"I think this Is my favorite of the three in the series. Fast passed and you can't put it down." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the character development a real strong point of the book. They also say the author is a very good general fiction writer and it shows in the plot.

"...Nylund continues to do stellar work, writing good characters and better action sequences...." Read more

"...Infact I think character development is a real strong point of this book compared to Nylund’s first book...." Read more

"...In fact, there is some real character growth here. And it's handled very genuinely...." Read more

"...The author is a very good general fiction writer and it shows in good plot and characters." Read more

5 customers mention "Entertainment value"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fun, interesting, and unique. They say it keeps them entertained and is a joy to experience. Readers mention the book has action, drama, and even comedy very well.

"...This team of characters are all very interesting, unique, and a joy to experience...." Read more

"...tells a truly awesome story and blends the action, drama, and even comedy very well...." Read more

"...is not as creative as The Fall of Reach, it's still a good story, and a fun, quick read.I read it when I was younger, and really enjoyed it...." Read more

"...He stated that this book kept him entertained and now wants to read more Halo books" Read more

5 customers mention "Image quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the imagery expressive and great. They also appreciate the crisp, clean pages.

"I loved this book. Great look into the master-chief and his comrades. Wish the seller would have described the condition of the book better." Read more

"...the Master Chief does impossible, dangerous things, and looks good while doing it." Read more

"This is a competent good that does a great job of painting the picture of the battles. It did not keep me as engaged as Fall of Reach however...." Read more

"...The story line is cohesive, the imagery is expressive and the suspense is great. Another great read!" Read more

No es original
3 out of 5 stars
No es original
No es original first strike era un poco más alto la portada viene un poco más corta (no cubre la página por 1mm)Las portadas aunque están bien detalladas son muy opacas, la impresión es buena por un momento pensé que eran originales hasta que compare la altura de los logos.
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Top reviews from the United States

AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024
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If you are devoted to the story of halo then this book helps the sequence of events between halo 1 and set conditions for halo 2
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JJCEO
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the top science fiction books that I have read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2017
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I love Sci-Fi books and I have read them for over 60 years. I have read thousands of Sci-Fi books. This book, written by Eric Nylund, is one of my favorites of all time. Just as a note, I don't play the Halo game so my review is only about the quality of the book.

This story is absolutely full of action, aliens, military combat and of course the superhuman feats of the Spartan II warriors. This is a team of warriors that know no fear and each one can fight like a thousand other soldiers combined. Trained since the age of 6, genetically mutated and enhanced they have become the strongest military force in the galaxy. Coupled with a super smart Artificial Intelligence, AI named Cortana, they are unbeatable. Put them into their Mjolnir Assault Armor and they are almost virtually invincible.

This book cames after the story about The Flood. Eric Nylund is the best author to write any of the Halo books. His books are by far the best stories and they are just superb Sci-Fi. I won't ruin the plot of the book as to many other reviews have already done that but if you love Halo stories this is one of the books you must read. I liked the book so much I purchased the Kindle version, then the large paperback version for my library and then the audio CD version to listen to in my car. I have read or listened to the book 5 times already.

If you love super heroes you will love the Master Chief and what he does in this book. Get it, you will love it.

I really liked this story and I have read it twice and listened to it twice on Audio and I enjoyed it every time!

I feel that this story is one of the best military Sci-Fi books ever written. Eric Nylund is in my opinion the best author in the Halo saga series of books.
23 people found this helpful
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Providential
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not the best
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2011
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Eric Nylund has proven himself as a stellar author helming Halo novels, including his first and perhaps best work, The Fall of Reach. I don't feel that First Strike quite lives up to the level of quality you'll find in Fall of Reach, but it is a good addition to the series. To date, First Strike is still the last book in the main story arc of the Halo universe, following Master Chief. Ghosts of Onyx is technically further on in the timeline, but it deals mostly with characters that do not appear in the games.

First Strike Happens between the games Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, from how Master Chief survived his encounter with Halo to how he gets to the beginning of Halo 2. There's a lot of adventure to be had along the way, from cramped hallway firefights to interstellar battles between multiple spaceships. You'll get lots of new information about the universe, such details on the operations of ONI and a glimpse into the secret lives of Covenant Engineers. Nylund continues to do stellar work, writing good characters and better action sequences.

First Strike came dangerously close to falling off the rails with a few overly complicated plot points. Keeping spoilers to a minimum, part of the plot revolves around Master Chief and friends gaining posession of a crystal that alters time and space. During one space battle in particular, ships aren't where they appear to be and technology stops working in normal ways. This makes things very messy for the crew, and for the reader. Nylund is a really gifted writer when it comes to action sequences, but I don't think any author could fully accomplish juggling everything that's at play here. Things are just too jumbled, and the story suffers as a result.

Aside from the bits where there's just too much going on at once, this is an overall very good book. I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of the game rather than fans of the novels. It's clear that Bungie wasn't settled about what they were doing for the second game by the time First Strike was going to press. Because of this, Nylund ties up all his loose ends. The ending of the book wraps everything up in such a neat package, that even if there are more books to come in the timeline, they can safely ignore the events of this book and pick up elsewhere. Things are just a little too neat when it's all said and done, which would make this a very forgettable read if you're not playing the game.

This is also not the best entry point for the series. If you're new to the Halo universe, you should either play the original Xbox game, or read The Fall of Reach. Fall of Reach serves as a prequel to the first videogame, and is notable for being one of the better books in the line. Fall of Reach is good enough that I recommend it to readers regardless of whether they play videogames or not.

If you want to continue on in the series, you would read First Strike before playing Halo 2 (or reading Ghosts of Onyx, which overlaps with Halo 2). It is not necessary to read First Strike to appreciate anything else in the Halo universe, and it doesn't even add much when read between playing Halo 1 and Halo 2. In this respect, First Strike ties The Flood for being one of the most expendable works in the series. Speaking of which, do not skip playing Halo: Combat Evolved in favor of reading The Flood, which is generally agreed to be one of the least well-written of the novels.

Highly recommended to Halo series completionists, First Strike comes weakly recommended to general sci-fi readers who may or may not play the games.
8 people found this helpful
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jeremy
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic exploration of Spartans in action
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024
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Overall, I highly recommend this book if you feel the Spartans have been under developed when everything usually centers around 117. This felt like it could have been the plot of an entire game in the core 1-3 halo games. I wish it was, maybe one day, but honestly, halo lives on in these books. Loved it.
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SaucerOfPigz
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic character development and a solid sequel!
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2019
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Absolutely amazing, this is Nylund’s follow up book to the fall of reach. it takes place just after the events of that book and Dietz’s entry into the series titled The Flood. The book mostly revolves around the chief and a ragtag band of survivors making their way back to earth aboard a captured covenant ship. This team of characters are all very interesting, unique, and a joy to experience. Infact I think character development is a real strong point of this book compared to Nylund’s first book. The fall of reach jumped around between alot of different characters and was stretched over quite a large time period. First strike focuses on only the few survivors of reach and halo and covers only a small portion of time allowing us those important moments of down time where we get to see these characters interact. The only real gripe I have with the book is Nylund wastes multiple chapters introducing more spartans only for them to get killed off soon after. I think such insignificant characters don’t really need any real backstory aside from their first name. Thats only a minor complaint however and honestly its me nitpicking more than anything, which is why this book gets 5 stars from me.
8 people found this helpful
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Jessica
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived in perfect condition
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
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Arrived in perfect condition and uplifted my spirits. This book fills my heart with joy and reunited me with my long lost passion: reading. Once I learn how to read this book will change my life.
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Top reviews from other countries

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5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente servicio
Reviewed in Mexico on October 1, 2024
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Llegó en tiempo y forma. Excelentes condiciones aunque no viene con protección extra
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O produto quebrou facilmente, minha namorada usou por 2 dias e não estava tão justo quando ele estourou, seria possível um reembolso ou envio e outro produto?
5.0 out of 5 stars Otimo
Reviewed in Brazil on August 16, 2024
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Jay in CDA
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Canada on July 7, 2024
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Bought for my son who loved it.
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Nick Kephalas
5.0 out of 5 stars Good story.
Reviewed in Germany on July 18, 2022
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This books tells how Master Chief managed to get to Earth and if you really like the Halo lore, it will fill in the gap between Halo Combat evolved (or the novel Halo: The Flood) and Halo 2 and will anwser many of your questions.
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Richard Latham
5.0 out of 5 stars Lorefully beautiful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2021
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An incredible book that fleshes out the lore between Halo: CE and Halo: 2. I definitely prefer this copy over the new one, the classic art style is still as gorgeous as it was almost 20 years ago. A must buy book for any Halo fan that appreciates lore outside the games.
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