I think the personal Halsey hate in the Kilo-Five trilogy* is largely Traviss's doing (she's never been known to be subtle or humble with regards to other people's franchises). 343i approved because it was an important direction, and because you sometimes just have to let authors write, but I don't think Kilo-Five is going to be the official line on Halsey - just one end of a polarized distribution.

The most recent "third-party" look at Halsey was in Spartan Ops, and I think it nailed the nuances of her character. On the one hand, she's clearly disdainful of others and plays loose with the rules accordingly. And her amorally-flavored utilitarianism is definitely disturbing. On the other hand, she is usually right, seeks knowledge and the betterment of humanity for its own sake (not a career pusher), and harbors a complex mix of pride, guilt, and love over her Spartans. Her hijacking Roland, realizing that John is alive, and subsequent slap captured so much about her...

I'm actually much more interested in Halsey's story than John's right now.

*disclaimer: I don't plan on reading any more Kilo-5 books until it is far enough in the past (EU-wise) to not seem anvilicious.