I just got through Pariah. I'd read a lot of comments on here saying that it was kind of a pointless, or uninteresting story.
I thought it was perfect. I was hooked on the idea of a not-so-perfect Spartan being the highlight of the story. Not to mention the augmentation defects.
The rebel sympathizing part could be sort of far-fetched, but if taken to account the UNSC's abandonment of him, I think enough disbelief can be suspended for the story to make sense.