The Halo universe is centered around its blockbuster games. Each game’s campaign spins a story that adds to this universe. Luckily for us fans of these stories, the universe also includes 32 Novels, 2 Novellas, and 2 Anthologies. Even if you aren’t a huge bookworm but are a fan of the game series, we highly recommend you give a few of the best Halo books a read. Maybe you will find yourself reading all the Halo books that the universe has to offer!
Table of Contents
Halo: Divine Wind by Troy Denning
Halo Divine Wind is my personal favorite and has a Goodreads review score of 4.24 out of 5. It is the third installment in the Ferrets series and I could easily include all three of them in this list of best Halo books. They follow the story of a detective called Veta Lopis, as she takes Ash, Mark, and Olivia, who are unique and young Spartan III’s, under her wing. The group becomes known as the Ferrets, an elite ONI covert investigation and infiltration squad. The squad is as close to a family as any of the war orphaned Spartan III’s could ever have hoped to have. They even refer to the over-protective Veta Lopis as mom on many occasions to her great irritation. I highly recommend starting from the beginning of this series and working your way to Halo Divine Wind.
Why Divine Wind is the Best of the Ferret Series
Halo Divine Wind itself takes place on the mysterious Forerunner Ark shortly after Cortana and the Created dispatched the Guardians to take control of the galaxy (Shortly after the events in Halo 5 and Halo Wars 2). The Ark, now drastically different after the events of Halo 3, is repairing itself and the destroyed Halo ring. The Ferrets have covertly infiltrated The Keepers of the One Freedom as rare human members. The Keepers are a remnant of the Covenant who are seeking to do exactly what the Covenant failed to do in Halo 3, activate the Ark and start the Great Journey. The Ferrets must do their best Master Chief impression and stop them.
This novel is a riveting page-turner you will struggle to put down till it’s finished. It is by far the most emotionally gripping book of all the Halo novels. Be prepared to care more about these characters and their fate than any others in the Halo universe on this roller coaster of a read.
Check out Halo: Divine Wind by Troy Denning on Amazon!
First installment in the Ferrets series:
Check out Halo: Last Light by Troy Denning on Amazon!
Second installment in the Ferrets series:
Check out Halo: Retribution by Troy Denning on Amazon!
Halo: Renegades by Kelly Gay
Of all the Halo books, the highest Goodreads score of 4.38 out of 5 belongs to Halo Renegades. This second piece of the Rion Forge series cannot be left out of the best Halo books. This series follows Rion Forge and her salvage crew on her ship, the Ace of Spades. The last name “Forge” should sound familiar because she is the daughter of the Halo Wars hero Sergeant John Forge. Rion Forge, throughout the series, is driven by the need for an answer. An answer about her dad’s disappearance, along with the rest of Spirit of Fire’s crew, following the events in Halo Wars.
Halo Renegades occurs during the Post-Covenant era shortly before the events of Halo 4. Rion Forge and her salvage crew are deep in the rush to collect post-war salvage and technology. What’s more valuable than any salvage that used to be UNSC or Covenant? That would be anything Forerunner and the race to find and profit from pieces of technology left behind by them is on. ONI wants a monopoly on all of the technology and will do anything to acquire it or deny it from all other parties. Ex-Covenant races, that long sought Forerunner artifacts, still continue their relentless hunt as well. So, when Rion Forge and the Ace of Spades make their go at some Forerunner tech, this novel quickly escalates into a whirlwind of action and drama.
What Makes Renegades Unique
What sets Renegades apart from the rest of the Halo books is how deep and relatable the characters become. Rion Forge’s pain and loneliness after losing a parent and loved one make you really feel for her and her struggles. Her crew rises to support her at every turn and you can’t help but root for them as the action unfolds. Everyone loves a colorful bunch of underdogs doing their best to thrive and survive as forces much larger than them make galaxy-altering plays at power. Halo Renegades will have you on the edge of your seat, couch, bed, or wherever you are choosing to read. Maybe be careful reading this on the rooftops of tall buildings.
Check out Halo: Renegades by Kelly Gay on Amazon!
First installment in the Rion Forge series:
Check out Halo: Smoke and Shadow by Kelly Gay on Amazon!
Third installment in the Rion Forge series-
Check out Halo: Point of Light by Kelly Gay on Amazon!
Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund
Halo the Fall of Reach, the one that started it all. Easily one of the best Halo books for its ability to create stunning mental imagery for the story it is trying to tell. It clocks in with a Goodreads review score of 4.25 out of 5. This novel for many, is what pulled them into the Halo novels. Written as a backstory for Master Chief and is at its core the origin story for the Halo universe. Throughout, you learn how Master Chief and the Spartans came to be in the Halo universe. This novel features many iconic characters other than Master Chief. Fan favorites such as Cortona, Dr. Catherine Halsey, Captain Jacob Keyes, Admiral Hood, and the members of Blue Team.
As an origin story, the events in the Fall of Reach span several years. All leading up to the first game Halo: Combat Evolved. You will learn how and why the Spartans were created. Even more interestingly, how Master Chief was molded into the hero humanity needed. From selection for the program, to boot camp, to the early battles with the Covenant, you will follow Master Chief and the UNSC’s finest as everything is set in motion for the later games. And yes, luck does have something to do with it.
Check out Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund on Amazon!
Halo: Silent Storm – A Master Chief Story by Troy Denning
Halo Silent Storm is a phenomenal first piece in a set of three standalone books detailing the adventures and heroics of none other than the Master Chief himself. It stands with a Goodreads review score of 4.27 out of 5. The book offers some of the deepest looks into the person who is Master Chief. It also gives some of the best battle scene descriptions in all of the novels. These qualities make Silent Storm one of the best Halo books. Want to know what else is great about this Halo book? You don’t need to have read any of the other books to pick this one up. Are you looking to pick one up for the first time? Want a second option besides The Fall of Reach? If so, then you need to give Silent Storm some consideration.
Silent Storm picks up at the very beginning of humanity’s war with the Covenant. They know very little about their new foe. However, they know one thing from the few engagements they have had with the Covenant. That humanity is in big trouble. Outnumbered by a foe with superior technology, they are desperate to find a way to even the scales. Follow Master Chief, Blue Team, and Sergeant Avery Johnson as they go on daring missions. Desperately, they look for an answer to give humanity a fighting chance against the Covenant. Hopefully, before every human world is turned to glass.
Check out Halo: Silent Storm by Troy Denning on Amazon!
Halo: The Thursday War by Karen Traviss
Halo The Thursday War is one of the most unique Halo novels. That’s why I felt it deserved a spot on this list. It has a strong score on Goodreads of 4.15 out of 5. What makes this novel so special is the rare look into the Sangheili (Also known as Elites) home world, Sanghelios. It takes a deep dive into the culture of this ruthless foe. This puts the book into a rare position to ask some unique moral questions. As the story progresses, you will start to see the Sangheili more as a people than a pack of ruthless aliens.
The Thursday War is the second book in the Kilo-Five trilogy. You’ll have to start with Halo: Glasslands to really dive into this book but all three of the pieces in the trilogy are worth the read. They center around an elite ONI special operations team led by a Spartan program washout Serin Osman. The story picks up after the events of Halo 3, with the Covenant defeated. Humanity must find its footing in a very different galaxy. As a result of this, Kilo-Five will find themselves in several predicaments. ONI is looking to strike a delicate balance of peace with the Arbiter and consolidating power to stay ahead of the Sangheili race as a whole. Now combine that with the human colonial insurrectionist movement picking back up now that the Covenant is gone. These books will have you wondering just how all the pieces will fall into place.
Check out Halo: The Thursday War by Karen Traviss on Amazon!
First installment in the Kilo-Five trilogy:
Check out Halo: Glasslands by Karen Traviss on Amazon!
Third installment in the Kilo-Five trilogy:
Check out Halo: Mortal Dictata by Karen Traviss on Amazon!
That completes our list of the best Halo books. We hope you enjoy these books and find yourself immersed in this vibrant universe. Now get reading and go finish the fight Spartan!