A review by wasted
Halo: Primordium by Greg Bear
2.0
Skimming literature is a regrettable act. Even if a good friend humbly acknowledged skimming my amateur writings, I'd be disappointed.
Unfortunately, there is very little value in reading the first 24 Chapters of Halo: Primordium. Even skimming through to read about the Forerunner architecture wasn't rewarding. The entire first half of the book is from a deevolved human's perspective who naturally doesn't understand that construction (a logistic closely associated with the downfall of the human race).
Below is an example of a disheveled passage about a Forerunner platform with compounding confusion from the equally affect-less relationship building:
"A disk cut itself out of one side and descended to the platform. Again, I flinched - but it was just a disk, curved like the part of the wagon it had come from, blank on both sides. A series of smaller poles rose up around the outside of the disk, minus one, where, I supposed, we were expected to step up and get on.
…
'What do you think?' I asked.
…
She took my hand. 'I go where you go.' "
I attempted to look past these demoralizing sections and enjoy the lengthened human wanderings across Halo's habitats. There were interesting descriptions of the harsh valleys and cliffs but these were rare gems amongst the dirt fields.
In my opinion, this disjointed human-told story could have benefited by providing the reader more information related to The Librarian's plan and less about the grassy green hillsides. Compared to the exciting start of the third book, Halo: Silentium, events progress at a slow crawl. With only obscure bits of information from humanity's ancestor "geas" spirits, there is too much vagueness. I abhorred getting weary with the Lord of Admiral's dialogue - a true human warrior meant for better portrayal!
The Forerunner Saga is an absolute worthwhile read for every Halo fan. However, save time skimming by starting Primordium at Chapter 25 and conducting brief online research regarding the outcomes of the first half of the book. Don't forfeit and stop here - more interstellar mystique awaits towards the conclusion of the saga.
Unfortunately, there is very little value in reading the first 24 Chapters of Halo: Primordium. Even skimming through to read about the Forerunner architecture wasn't rewarding. The entire first half of the book is from a deevolved human's perspective who naturally doesn't understand that construction (a logistic closely associated with the downfall of the human race).
Below is an example of a disheveled passage about a Forerunner platform with compounding confusion from the equally affect-less relationship building:
"A disk cut itself out of one side and descended to the platform. Again, I flinched - but it was just a disk, curved like the part of the wagon it had come from, blank on both sides. A series of smaller poles rose up around the outside of the disk, minus one, where, I supposed, we were expected to step up and get on.
…
'What do you think?' I asked.
…
She took my hand. 'I go where you go.' "
I attempted to look past these demoralizing sections and enjoy the lengthened human wanderings across Halo's habitats. There were interesting descriptions of the harsh valleys and cliffs but these were rare gems amongst the dirt fields.
In my opinion, this disjointed human-told story could have benefited by providing the reader more information related to The Librarian's plan and less about the grassy green hillsides. Compared to the exciting start of the third book, Halo: Silentium, events progress at a slow crawl. With only obscure bits of information from humanity's ancestor "geas" spirits, there is too much vagueness. I abhorred getting weary with the Lord of Admiral's dialogue - a true human warrior meant for better portrayal!
The Forerunner Saga is an absolute worthwhile read for every Halo fan. However, save time skimming by starting Primordium at Chapter 25 and conducting brief online research regarding the outcomes of the first half of the book. Don't forfeit and stop here - more interstellar mystique awaits towards the conclusion of the saga.