I think you might be right. It was simple, straightforward, and didn't really try to shake up the universe with a perspective that would make Halo seem totally unrecognizable to fans both long-term and new.

: Forbeck also does a fantastic job of finally introducing us to the Spartan-IV
: program in a way that helps us to understand exactly how it evolved
: (technologically and bureaucratically) out of the preceding programs, in
: ways that a comic just couldn't do. There was one particular passage in
: the book where the three different Spartan programs were summarized using
: comparisons to Titans, gods, and demigods, and I think that's the clearest
: and most concise (official) description of the differences between the
: programs that we've gotten to date, and I really appreciated it. Forbeck's
: writing showed an understanding of the Spartans that I found to be
: refreshing after so long with the Traviss Spartans (which I also enjoyed,
: in spite of focusing overly much on their vulnerabilities).

I think it was really interesting to see a lot of fan criticisms of SPARTAN-IV included as canon with people like Buck as our in-universe voice. You see comments on the effectiveness of capability, doctrine, and organization. I don't think we'd ever get that without someone as critical and reluctant as Buck.

: I also think he managed to nail Buck's voice really well. I could absolutely
: hear Nathan Fillion as I was reading, barring a few non-conversational
: bits that are of course inevitable in a first-person story of this length.

: More than anything, I think New Blood felt like a true sequel to ODST with
: the way it brought all the characters back into play and expanded upon
: their relationships, but it also helped to tie in to the new post-war
: universe. Things were explained much more clearly and concisely here than
: in the Kilo-5 trilogy, to the point where I think I would recommend this
: short novel as a follow-up to Halo 3 moreso than the aforementioned
: (although Glasslands is of course necessary for getting everyone out of
: the dyson sphere).

: The only real difference I noticed was that Forbeck didn't excel at action
: sequences as Nylund did, and some of his stretched on overly long. The
: recap of ODST was nice for people who might not have played that game (I
: think this novel actually stands amazingly well on its own), but was
: indeed a little bit too long, as others have said.

The action was definitely basic as could be. No real flair or memorable moments beyond the obvious two that truly set them apart from anything else.

: Mickey's betrayal didn't feel right, although I could certainly see it
: working if there was a little more explanation given to his thought
: process prior.

I think it made a lot more sense when Commander Musa talked about the saboteurs aboard the training station. Looking back at the mildly sophisticated network of explosives aboard made sense given Mickey's expertise. Having Mickey be framed just tied that all together for me. How Mickey's betrayal was handled in the end was very strange and that's what's keeping me from understanding him to the fullest extent possible.

: Vergil and Sadie were not necessary and felt pointlessly shoehorned.

Yeah, definitely. They framed the mission they were on but were an otherwise pointless mention in the greater context of the story. Their presence, among others, offered nothing that a faceless character wouldn't have done just as well. I mean, it's nice that we know the two of them are still kicking given recent trends, but I think we could have waited for something more substantial.