As previously stated, Contact Harvest was not just the first book authored by Joseph Staten; it was his first attempt at any published work ever. I must admit, after reading the works of Eric Nylund I was skeptical about the skill and quality of writing Contact Harvest would bring. However, upon completion I was pleasantly surprised. Staten does an incredible job and to the untrained eye, he could easily pass as a veteran in the writing industry. There is far too much content to explain every aspect without providing the hated “spoilers” although Staten effectively reveals the inner workings of the Covenant theocracy. Most interesting was the explanation of how each Covenant species respectively ended up joining the Prophets and their misguided belief in the Great Journey. From the Brutes to the Elites, each species once lived within a completely different civilization entirely. Some were plagued by infighting and strife while others lived a relatively normal existence. It provides the readers with far more insight to the Covenant as a whole than any other Halo novel or video game ever published. It may sound strange but I found myself empathizing with some of the Covenant. The Prophets are skilled deceivers and extremely intelligent. The vast majority have taken what the Prophets have said at face value without question, blind faith if you will. To them, they are only doing what is best for the Covenant and to bring them one step closer to the grand Journey which the Prophets had so effectively indoctrinated them with.
Tor, the publisher of Contact Harvest, provided Mr. Staten with no nonsense editors. The book reads fluidly and transitions from one chapter to the next without a hitch. Unlike Nylund, Staten refrains from tangent filled explanations concerning the scientific feasibility of slipstream technology while babbling on about Dyson Spheres and a wide assortment of other theoretical technologies. For me, Nylund went out of his way to be most abstruse and detrimentally specific when a general description would have sufficed. Staten stays the more simplistic course without eliminating integral sections which reveal complex details pertinent to the conflict. As descriptive as he is, Staten has a knack for knowing when to further elaborate and when to stop and move on. Contact Harvest was written in a fashion that maintains the reader’s full attention and ends each chapter with yet another plot twist, in effect, begging you to read “just one more”. It is consistent with only a few rare occasions where a lull in the action is discernable. These rare occasions aside, the novel is fast paced with the last four chapters going down quickly. Impressed as I was, there were a few flaws and other happenings which I took issue with. Most are minor and only bring out the pedant within myself but these issues are far outweighed by all the positives the book brings to the reader. As such, I give Joseph Staten the benefit of the doubt and applaud him for a job well done.
With all 5 books in the Halo series read, I can say with all honesty that Contact Harvest is one of the best. All the gaps which were left behind as the novels progressed have been filled and you finish with a better understanding of why and how the Covenant and human conflict came about. Granted, Spartans and more specifically, Master Chief are all MIA but there is much more to the story than just super soldiers and their fight for all human kind. Every conflict, every confrontation has a catalyst and with Contact Harvest, the spark which set the flames of war ablaze is explained with much satisfaction. For fans of the Halo novel series I would definitely recommend this book as a purchase. At just over 400 pages, it is not long but neither is it too short. Most should walk away pleased with the end result as I did but I cannot speak for everyone. For those who have yet to read a Halo novel this would be the perfect time to jump on the bandwagon. With so many twists and turns is really takes you for a roller coaster ride. Joseph Staten did a tremendous job and I can only hope he is given the opportunity to author yet another Halo book in the future.
- Length: 9.0
- Content: 9.25
- Story: 9.75
- Conclusion: 9.0
- Overall: 9.25
