I found a light read more and more worth recommending as I continued, to the point of it becoming an obvious science-fiction book to recommend. The biggest reason, I think is the refreshing return of appreciating the audience’s intelligence, giving them what the entertainment they want, while carving a niche of new characters and modifying the formula and factions of a long established setting
Halo: Divine Wind turns the interesting notion of religious fanaticism being perpetrated by an alien race against humanity in on itself in some ways. What happens when the jihad fails? What is the interplay between zealotry, desperation, and personal codes of conduct? The description of human cultists among the Covenant and Banished (each great enemies of the human species trying to bring them to extinction) is, compared to another science fiction setting, quite restrained and an existential threat.
All life in the galaxy can be eradicated with the press of a button, and that button can be pressed by members of our own people blindly believing a superweapon to be salvation. Constant war needs to be fought, purely for humanity to have any chance of survival. Decades of eventual victory have only given rise to the mercenary Banished tribes, and now hybrid groups of extremists still devoted to an omnicidal delusion.
While grandiose in philosophy, in reality these question boil down to the schemes and quest of a handful of military operators, attempting to adapt to the shifting nature of war. The war for information, the battle for communication, barbs and weapons and codes to access caches and vehicles, hearts and minds.
Veta Lopes presents humanity as collected, innovative and without scruple. Dedicated and physically and technologically disadvantaged, but cutting and clever with human attachments that grow in the face of tragedy. A sense of history has been built with her antagonist, one not even realising his ultimate enemy; and I would argue Castor is a sign of the incredibly interesting direction some of Halo has taken depending upon the writer. The Brutes have been given Roman gladiatorial motifs, the Spartan IIIs have been remembered for this story and their chemical dependencies give an interesting ticking clock to the superhuman beings; and these ideas are merged but also contain new factions which explore trappings of the past, at least five factions are entirely at cross purposes at all times within the plot.
I enjoy a religious antagonist going against the species stereotypes, and showing true religious virtues of contemplation, honesty and charity with others. I enjoy reading a book where all POV characters are truly a joy to read. The use of gambits winds up being less of a heist, mystery, certainly not a science fiction shooter but a suspense thriller. There are no idiot protagonists of antagonists, each being logical, intuitive, guessing and puzzling the effects and motivations of others. Halo literature seems to be centralised on the process of thought and expanding comprehension. In the architecture of worlds, space, artificial constructs, AI. But also what happens when various types of war machine become subject to rumination?
Inslaan ‘Gadogai for examples goes from being an intriguing cynic with a fair bit of wit, to considering a backstory that adds a great deal of empathy and absolutely links with the Elite societal traditions first established in works like The Cole Protocol. The audience can go beyond confusion and appreciating his interesting cynicism, to sympathising with where he stands when the character barely understands themself.
It's a very good story which has the iconic Spartans continue their supporting role for most Halo literature, being individuals of interest but secondary to the average human’s powers of induction and use of military strategy, to see the speciesism entirely set aside as a story conflict in favour of people fighting for their own temporal power, backed by their personal ideals.
In a time where many argue the Halo IP is or has gone off the cliff, Troy Denning is trying his very best to tell his own story, keep the reader curious, and also keep them entertained. There is no fat in this novel whatsoever, and I cannot say that of much I have read. It carries on at a jog, all the cast wonders about what will happen, and light hints at the future and engaging antagonists (including the reveal of something very intriguing which is placed right in the cover) do the setting and reader a deal of good.
I used to be shocked that Halo: Fall of Reach predated the actual Combat Evolved game, and now many can agree that the books seem to be a contender as the true ‘lore’ or ‘updates’ of the setting. The best praise I can give is to suggest the author have a place in the writing when it comes to the next game in the series. They certainly deserve it.
Reference: Denning, T. Halo: Divine Wind. Titan Books, London. 2021.
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