The Fall of Reach tells the origin story of Master Chief Spartan 117. This version is a re-print which takes the original version, supposedly corrects some of the mistakes and adds new content.
If, like me, you already have the original version and are wondering if it's worth buying this as well ... I am undecided.
I have read the original about 5 or 6 times, have the rest of the books in the Halo series too, I've played all the games on X-Box and X-Box 360 and am a HUGE Halo fan. When I heard this was being re-released with corrections and new content, I was hoping it would be re-written so that it would fall in line with the story told by the game, Halo Reach. Sadly, it does not. There are some glaring discrepancies between the two story lines which could so easily have been corrected (I'll put them at the end of the review just in case you would/would not like to know what they are).
Furthermore, the new version still contains errors (i.e. it seems like they have run a spell check but did not proof read the book so, while there are no spelling mistakes, you come across the odd word that is out of place ... but at least you can guess what the word is supposed to be).
I am undecided about the new content. It is basically a series of random excerpts, letters, memos, etc stuck on at the end of the book. I have only read them once, and while some of them feel like they tie in with other parts of the Halo storyline, I cannot pinpoint how or where. There are also a few pictures dotted about the book too.
If you are new to Halo, or have never read the books before, I cannot recommend the series enough. The Fall of Reach, together with Contact Harvest are my personal favourites. The Flood is also a good read as it closely follows the events from the first Halo game (Halo: Combat Evolved). If you have not read or do not own the original version of Fall of Reach, this is the version for you as, I guess, it is the most complete version. If you have already read or own the original version then hopefully what I have written above can help you decide whether or not to get this version too.
****** SPOILER ALERT ******
There are a few discrepancies I noticed between the book Fall of Reach and the game Halo Reach. They are as follows:
* The Pillar of Autumn - In the book, The Pillar of Autumn is constructed in space dock and this is where Captain Keyes first enters it. In the game, the Autumn is planetside.
* Cortana - In the book, Cortana is already on board the Autumn whereas in the game, Noble 6 brings Cortana to Captain Keyes, who then flies her to the Autumn.
* The Spartans - In the book, all bar one of the remaining Spartans (it says in the book that one of them was unable to be recalled due to the mission they were on at the time ... I think this could either be Jorge, who is part of the Halo Reach storyline ... or Kurt as he is off on the Spartan 3 program ... read "Ghosts of Onyx") come aboard the Autumn before going off on their respective missions. In the game, there is no mention of these Spartans ... apart from...
* Spartan in stasis??? - On one of the final cutscenes of the game (where Captain Keyes' pelican boards the Autumn), you can pan the screen to the right and you'll get a glimpse of a Spartan in a stasis chamber. Now, I guess this is supposed to be Master Chief. If it is, this does not appear to tie in with the book as, per the book, the Chief does not go into stasis until after his mission to detroy a NAV database, which takes place after the Autumn first launches.
I have a thoery ... a very thin theory ... so thin it's anorexic ... but ... could it be that the Autumn does originally start off in space dock with all Spartans and they go off on their respective missions. Then, somehow, after picking up the Master Chief and Linda (which could mean the Spartan in stasis is Linda), the Autumn has to go planetside so that Cortana can be uploaded with some vital information that is too risky to be transmitted in case the Covenant intercept it. Cortana gets taken to Dr Halsey who uploads the information to her, gives her to Noble 6 who then returns Cortana to Captain Keyes. The Autumn then takes off and does a slipspace jump to Halo.
The way the book was written, the above does not seem possible ... but at least it would help bring some continuity back.
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3.5 Listed “Acceptable” Arrived Damaged
Love this book, always have (specifically the 2010 Definitive Edition) and needed a replacement because mine has been, well-loved let’s say. Wanted a new paperback version just like the old one, and the listing said Used-Acceptable, but the heavy damage is pretty far from acceptable in my eyes. Won’t be returning however, too much of a hassle, and the inside still has every page. Just a petty complaint because the cover is so ugly
Top reviews from other countries
Cristiano Colangelo
Bellissimo avvicente e ben scritto
Reviewed in Italy on June 2, 2024
Daniel Melo
Mucho mas que en la version animada
Reviewed in Mexico on April 25, 2018
