: At any rate, maybe I should've read these books. I mean they have Brutes in
: them right? .... RIGHT?!... please....

Yes.

I'm halfway through Dictata, so far enjoying it.

There's still a lot of "The humans have a saying" or "as the humans say" in too many places that plagued the first book, but for me its balanced by the trip into Jackal culture.

I am digging the pirates.

So far, they have been portrayed exactly as I imagined them myself many years ago as a kid.

About the whole Halsey thing: (Haven't finished yet, so this is subject to change) I get that KT is trying to show the consequences of the Spartan Program in its early days and Halsey's role in it all. I really do. She just writes it terribly. It's like trying to watch or read the modern news of today- SO HARD to find unbiased reports. Too much personal interjection into the facts, making it hard for the individual to make up their own mind.

As I was reading last night, it just kinda dawned on me why it irked me at first and perhaps so many other people.

We've had what, like 5 or 6 books, a few games, and other extended fiction that for the most part has painted Halsey in a She's kind of a good person, ends justify the means, greater good, neutral light for 10 years in this franchise.

So I think it's fair to say that a lot of public opinion in the Halo Community pulls to that side of the spectrum.

KT's problem (aside from her pompous attitude) is that she's been trying to cram 10 years of the bad stuff people didn't think about (or didn't want to think about) down people's throats and they can't swallow it.

Maybe if things were spaced out more, it wouldn't hurt so much. Maybe.

The Spartan II's and III's are absolute 100% heroes.

They are also tragic pawns.

I'd love to romanticize the good ol days of the Heroic Spartans fighting the genocidal Aliens; But honestly, this stuff needs to be explored. There are consequences.

Aren't things so much easier to accept when enemies are so clear cut and different? When it really is just Good vs Evil? Unfortunately, real war is almost never like that.

I'll let you know if its worth your time when I'm done with it. I'm hoping that if I stick with it like I did the Forerunner trilogy, the last book will make up for the first two blah ones.