Halo: The Forerunner Saga: Book 3: Silentium SPOILERS!

In March of this year (2013), Greg Bear polished off the Forerunner Saga and combined their fate to what was revealed in the games Halo 3, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and Halo 4 in those hidden terminals. This time, extinction is the name of the game. Synopsis: In the last years of the Forerunner empire, chaos rules. The Flood--a horrifying shape-changing parasite--has arrived in force, aided by unexpected allies. Internal strife within the ecumene has desperately weakened Forerunner defenses. Too little, too late, the legal rate of Juridicals is only now investigating possible crimes by the Master Builder and others. Evidence-gathering agents known collectively as Catalog have been dispatched to collect testimony from the Librarian and both Didacts: the Ur-Didact, treacherously abandoned in a Flood-infested system, and the Bornstellar Didact, who accompanies the Librarian as she preserves specimens against the dire possibility of Halo extermination. Facing the imminent collapse of their civilization, the Librarian and the Ur-Didact reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished Precursors and the Flood. the Precursors created many technological species, including humanity and the Forerunners. But the roots of the Flood may be found in an act of enormous barbarity, carried out beyond our galaxy ten million years before. Because of that barbarism, a greater evil looms. Only the Ur-Didact and the Librarian--husband and wife pushed into desperate conflict--hold the keys to a solution. Facing the consequences of a mythic tragedy, one of them must now commit the greatest atrocity of all time--to prevent an insane evil from dominating the entire universe.

The novel opens with a top secret investigation report from the ONIRF (Office of Naval Intelligence Research Facility) Trevelyan in which they plan to reconstruct the scattered fragments, some from 343 Guilty Spark and some from the Halos and the Ark. [Each chapter is in First Person POV (I voice) and presented as Strings and a name: String 1 Senior Juridical.] The Master Juridical demands that Haruspis grant him access to the Domain, which Haruspis does AFTER the Domain requests that Haruspis does so; the knowledge of the Domain burns into the Senior Juridical's mind. Above Erde-Tyrene, the first of three Catalog meets with the Librarian and IsoDidact (Bornstellar); the Flood attack and IsoDidact rushes off to battle, asking Catalog to guard his wife. During this, Librarian tells Catalog the tale of her early years with the Ur-Didact. From that, Catalog learns that just after the Forerunner-Human war, when their greatest enemy--Forthencho, Lord of Admirals--surrendered, Ur-Didact met the Primordial on Path Kethona and how the Old Council became corrupt under Faber's--the Master Builder--influence. The Old Council was unconcerned with the Flood and their Graveminds and thus wanted the Humans to suffer. The Builders on the Old Council demanded to build the Ark and the Halo array as a final resort against the Humans, but Ur-Didact demanded to build the Shield Worlds and Requiem--the greatest Shield World; Faber, by then, had nigh-complete control over the Warrior-Servants, and thus denied Ur-Didact his request. The Librarian asked her husband to place himself in exile in a Cryptum. Faber wanted to get rid of the Librarian and she, knowing of that, proposed to the Old Council to start an expedition to find out the origins of the Flood. They let her.

She arrives at Path Kethona in Audacity and begins to learn the truth. In a ship, Ur-Didact, aided by Sharp-by-Lightning, fight to survive behind enemy lines above Uthera Midgeerrd, with the second Catalog--who was damaged by Faber. Ur-Didact and the others discover Precursor artifacts in the Burn. With the Flood about to consume them, Ur-Didact and 2nd Catalog remain alive to destroy the ship. Continuing her story, the Librarian and crew discover Precursor structures in a village on Charum Hakkor and their knowledge of the Forerunner extermination of the Precursors. The Librarian suspects something on Path Kethona and knows she will find answers there. Amazed by the stuff on Path Kethona, the Librarian and crew discover the Digon, an old sect of Forerunners; the Librarian talks with Glow-of-Old-Suns and learns a bit about their history. Back with Ur-Didact, Catalog learns of both conversations Ur-Didact had with the Primordial, in which it's revealed that the Primordial is the Gravemind of all Gravemind's. Ur-Didact assumes that the Flood wanted to save the Humans for last and that his wife betrayed him to aide the Flood in preserving Humanity; he travels further into the derelict ship and is touched by a Flood. String 14 is contaminated and is sequestered for forensic examination and is thus not included in this record. The Librarian learns that since the Precursors didn't choose the Forerunners to inherit the Mantle, and so decided to purge the galaxy of Precursors; they turned into the Flood as revenge and the Librarian vows to continue that purge. Strings 16 through 20 contain descriptions of opposition--by this, I assume Bear means war--though in 17, 05-032 Mendicant Bias returns for a bit.

In String 21, Faber gives his testimony, which includes how he lies to the Master Juridical about sending Ur-Didact, Catalog, Sharp, and one other into the Burn just so he could rescue them and be a hero. Faber denies wanting to be a hero and doesn't see any problem with Ur-Didact coming back, even with IsoDidact. He's tricked into stating that he was aware that Flood had taken over ships but backtracks when Master Juridical claims that he refused to do anything about it. Mendicant Bias talks to Catalog about how he talked with Gravemind. String 25 contains five fragments of different events, the fifth being that Catalog is NOT immune to the Flood/Gravemind logic plague, as was 05-032 Mendicant Bias, and, as such, the Juridical Network has been suspended and Forerunners are advised to not access. Ur-Didact, on his homeworld Far Nomdagro, orders Catalog to send Bornstellar to him as soon as he lands with the Librarian. All three meet, and so do all three Catalog. Ur-Didact and IsoDidact don't fully match up anymore; Ur-Didact, angry, turns on the Librarian and IsoDidact, calling Librarian an enemy sympathizer because she loves her Humans. He tells Bornstellar that the Mantle isn't to be inherited by the noble, but to be taken by the strong. The Librarian attempts to calm him down, but he reacts and tells her that the Humans unleashed the Flood on countless civilizations and then to the Forerunners and tells Bornstellar and Librarian to look at what the Flood has done to him. Their gathering is broken as Bornstellar returns to orbit to ready Audacity while Ur-Didact takes as sphinx to the other side of Far Nomdagro. Ur-Didact yells at Bornstellar for wanted to use the Halo arrays and storms off, saying that the Librarian is his (Bornstellar's) because she chose his way, nor Ur-Didact's way.

The Librarian tells Bornstellar that Ur-Didact does this because of what the Flood and she did to him, though she remains uncertain as to what exactly pushed her husband over the edge. At the Ark, IsoDidact prepares the Halo arrays. On Installation 07, Ur-Didact uses the Composer to kill some humans and makes them the Promethean guards that the Master Chief fights in Halo 4. The Librarian, in conversation with Monitor Chakas, rants that her husband always kills the humans (her children). Monitor Chakas, upon return to the Ark, becomes slightly infected with the logic plague. IsoDidact learns of Ur-Didact's Composer and how he used it on the humans; they become the Promethean Knights. On Requiem, the Librarian confronts Endurance-of-Will and learns that Ur-Didact plans on using his new Prometheans to kill the Flood, then kill the Humans and every other suspect species until all bow to the new Forerunner Empire with Ur-Didact at its head and claim the Mantle. Revealing that she knew that Ur-Didact would've married her if they'd not met, the Librarian manages to convince Endurance-of-Will to help her stop Ur-Didact's insane plan.The Librarian confronts her husband; Ur-Didact tells her that the Humans deserve death for bringing the Flood to the Forerunner planets. The Librarian subdues him; she and Endurance place him in a combat Cryptum on Requiem. She tells Endurance that what she leaves will serve to protect Requiem and visitors and that the Ur-Didact mustn't control the Prometheans. She states that he will violate the Mantle in order to seize it, unless he's held back and allowed to find himself again. The Librarian gives Endurance the memory recording (the one John-117 encountered in Halo 4).

The Librarian and Catalog leave Requiem for Erde-Tyrene because she's broadcast to all Forerunner ships that she'd found a cure for the Flood. Monitor Chakas watches over IsoDidact as they head to the lesser Ark. After a slight peaceful lull, IsoDidact sends Chakas on his way, giving it control of Installation 04; Monitor Chakas is renamed 343 Guilty Spark by IsoDidact. Before Guilty Spark leaves, IsoDidact asks it if the choice to detonate the Halo rings were his choice, would he do it? Guilty Spark doesn't answer and IsoDidact believes that with the compartmentalization that will happen to Guilty Spark, the monitor won't remember any of this (this, of course, it false: see Halo: Combat Evolved). Offensive Bias returns to tell IsoDidact that 05-032 Mendicant Bias asked him (Offensive Bias) to return to the Ark to help it. On Erde-Tyrene, the Humans are dispersed, and the Librarian appoints Chant-to-Green as the next Lifeshaper. In the morning, Forthencho and three human warriors appear before the Librarian and tells her that the Domain is the Organon. He tells her that the rings have fired. She asks Catalog to stand witness as they send this information over the Juridical network. IsoDidact fires the rings, saying "Forgive us." String 39 ends the novel with 343 Guilty Spark, alone on Installation 04, thinking about the question and decides that it's not his decision as it's been done but the effects are off. He beings to succumb to the logic plague.

For the first time, I actually like Greg's final (for now) Forerunner novel. He manages to capture the epic of Halo. Great characterizations, wonderful scenes/strings, and decent pot development. A sad yet wonderful ending to the Forerunners. I can't wait to see what Tor and the Halo publishing teams have planned next.

Book Review: The Source of Magic: A Xanth Novel SPOILERS!

In 1979, Piers Anthony published the second novel in his epic Xanth saga. This time, Bink's magic is working against him and only his journey with friends can solve it and discover the Source of Magic. Synopsis: As a ruler of a country steeped in enchantment, King Trent was naturally curious about the source of its magic. It made sense to order Bink, the only one of his subjects immune to supernatural harm, to undertake a quest to discover the wellspring of Xanth's uniqueness. From the beginning, Bink and his companions, Chester the centaur and Crombie, the soldier transformed into a griffin, were harried by an unseen enemy determined to thwart them. Even the power of the Good Magician Humphrey, together with Bink's protective talent, scarcely saved their lives. Then when Humphrey and Crombie turned against him, all seemed lost. but Bink's ingenuity and luck prevailed and he reached his goal. The King's orders had been carried out... But the King had not expected Bink's next act--to destroy utterly the magic of Xanth!

The novel opens with Bink, harrowed by an upset pregnant Chameleon (in her intelligent/ugly phase), attend the party that Queen Iris is hosting. Despite not wanting to attend, Bink was given no choice by Iris because Trent refuses to participate. Bink meets Chester and Crombie, as well as a sword that's trying to kill him, and they enter the party. The theme is illusionist masquerade and the person who guesses the most people wins; Millie the ghost wins the contest and she is granted one wish and she chooses to return to her body and life. Bink, like the rest of the partygoers, searches for her hidden body and stumbles upon Trent in the library. Trent's dilemma is that he hasn't touched another woman since his wife and child died; Bink suggests that Iris use her ability to make them both appear to be different people to get around his problem. Trent thanks Bink, then leaves him to his hunt; Bink finds a leathery book, but the binding is flesh (the body wasn't transformed but topologically shaped). Bink realizes this is Millie's body and brings it downstairs--Iris has made herself absent as has Trent--and the doctor helps restore Millie to life, naked.

When a zombie tries to clothe her and Crombie yells at it, it crashes into the cake and the picklepuss gets loose; Trent and Iris, appearing as different people, rush in. Iris uses her ability to put clothes on Millie, herself, and Trent. Trent demands that Bink attend him and that Iris should choose another date for Millie and have him look like Bink. Trent, realizing how disruptive Bink's powers just were, has him resume his mission to find the source of magic in Xanth and that Crombie--magicked into a griffin--and Chester shall attend him. On their way to Good Magician Humphrey's castle to enlist his help, they are set upon by nicklepedes and a dragon. Finally, they get through his defenses and talk to him; Humphrey agrees to accompany them on their quest. Chester wants to know his magic talent, but Humphrey doesn't want to supply it and asks Chester to, in case he discovers it for himself before their quest is up, to pick another question; they bring along a golem named Grundy to serve as translator. Beauregard is frightened by the end of Xanth. During their travels, they encounter a vegetarian ogre, a village full of women, and a sorrowful siren and her sister a lonely gorgon who think men leave awkward statues when they see her.

Beauregard is released from his year of service to Humphrey because of Grundy who tries to have emotions. This succeeds when the group's life is in peril and he cares for them. They enter the Region of Madness and trek into the lake of the Cursed Fiends. Humphrey places himself, Crombie, and Grundy in a glass vial. They find a vortex and jump in. Bink and Chester become separated from the group; Bink and Chester encounter a nymph named Jewel who places jewels into the rocks so people can find them when the time is right. Jewel leads them to see Beauregard and the demons; Beauregard leads them to where the glass vial is. It's revealed that the person trying to kill Bink is some kind of demon. Grundy pulls them to shore and Humphrey reveals to Bink that he and Crombie work for the enemy--the brain coral--and that he should leave. After a fight that leaves Chester and Crombie wounded, Bink manages to subdue them. Humphrey leads Bink to the source via the brain coral's instructions.

The source of magic is the Demon Xanth--more specifically: X(A/N)^TH, who has been isolated according to the rules of a complex inter-Demon game. Bink wills the Demon free, satisfying the game's rules for his release and X(A/N)^TH (the Demon) quickly and violently leaves Xanth (the land), taking all his magic with him. In the confusion that follows, Humfrey is lost and Bink returns to the surface, with help from Jewel, to find a much more mundane Xanth. On his way back to the king, Bink meets Chester's mate Cherie. She convinces him to return with her to find Chester and Humfrey. They arrive to find that X(A/N)^TH has just returned (for "an eon or two") while he re-strategizes in light of changes to the Demon game that have occurred while he was in isolation, thus returning magic to the land of Xanth and ending what will later be called the time of no magic. X(A/N)^TH provides Grundy a real body, rescues Humfrey and Chester; and after testing his mettle, is persuaded to give Bink a reward for releasing him. The party returns home, where Bink learns that his newborn son has already manifested the magician-class talent of making inanimate objects speak.

A very well rounded novel, with several horrible puns and great descriptions. Piers Anthony continues to capture the magic of fantasy and the superb pacing needed to handle a series so indubitably embedded with puns and fun.

Book Review: Halo: Primordium SPOLIERS!

In January 2012, Greg Bear wrote another entry in the epic Halo: The Forerunner Saga, which detail the life of Chakas after Cryptum left off and sometimes during the era of the Master Chief. Set both before and after Halo 3, Primordium details how Chakas became one of the most memorable game characters. Synopsis: In the wake of the apparent self-destruction of the Forerunner empire, two humans--Chakas and Riser--are like flotsam washed up on very strange shores indeed. Captured by the Master Builder and then misplaced during the furious battle in space, Riser and Chakas now find themselves on an inverted world where horizons  rise into the sky and where humans of all kinds are trapped in a perilous cycle of horror and neglect. They have become both research animals and strategic pawns in a cosmic game whose madness knows no end--a game of ancient vengeance between powers who seeded the galaxy with life, and the Forerunners who expect to inherit their sacred Mantle of duty to all living things. In the company of a young girl and an old man, Chakas begins an epic journey across a lost and damaged Halo in search of a way home, an explanation for the warrior spirits rising up within, and for the Librarian's tampering with human destiny. This journey will take them into the domain of a powerful and monstrous intelligence who claims to be the last Precursor, and who now has control of both this Halo and the fate of the Forerunners and humans alike. Called the Captive by Forerunners, and the Primordial by ancient human warriors, this intelligence may control the fate of not only Chakas, Riser, and the rest of humanity, but of all sentient life.

The novel opens with a small passage from 343 Guilty Spark who tells the humans of how events came to be. The book is set primarily on the "rogue" Halo ring Installation 07, used by 05-032 Mendicant Bias during the events of Halo: Cryptum. It follows the journey of the humans Chakas and Morning Riser, former companions of Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting. After crash-landing on the Halo ring during Mendicant Bias' assault on the capital, they discover it has been used by the Master Builder's researchers to conduct research on humans. They are forced to make their way across the embattled Halo installation, with human companions Vinnevra and Gamelpar facing the Flood and rogue A.I. constructs on the way, while the Precursors' ancient plan of vengeance against the Forerunners is revealed. During their journey, they find their way into the Palace of Pain, the lair of the ancient entity known as the Timeless One, which has unleashed the Flood on the Master Builder's researchers on the installation. Despite the 300-some odd pages, this is the vast majority of the story. The novel comes to a climax with the Bornstellar-Didact (IsoDidact) killing the Primordia and Chakas, dying, gets his memories placed in a Monitor. 

The novel is decent, great fun to read, but awfully long when things could've been shortened. Really, this novel felt like a novella attachment to Cryptum rather than the lengthy page count it needed to be. Still, I'd recommend this to long-time Halo fans.