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Subject: Did anyone get Halo Cryptum?

Dumb people are just blissfully unaware of how very dumb they are.

I did and i loved it. Who here read it and though it was good?

  • 03.11.2011 8:03 PM PDT

Friends before pixels.


Posted by: Sgt monkey41
I did and i loved it. Who here read it and though it was good?
I actually just finished it about...5 minutes ago. I LOVED IT.

  • 03.11.2011 8:10 PM PDT

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"Ignorance is a plague."

Close, but the plague killed those infected with it, and the ignorant are still alive.
I wish ignorance was a plague.

I will read it as soon as it is available at the library.

  • 03.11.2011 8:21 PM PDT

-blam!- Was that actually blammed out? Or did I just type it? You'll never know.

I did. Didn't really like it.

  • 03.11.2011 8:24 PM PDT
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UWG Great group, you should check it out.

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Posted by: dahuterschuter
I did. Didn't really like it.
What didn't you like about it? I loved every part of it...

  • 03.11.2011 8:26 PM PDT

Hey, now!

This is officially either the greatest or worst thing to ever happen to Star Wars. I'm going with the former.

I thought it was ok, but it seemed to be trying too hard. It seemed like it was trying to have too many revelations in it. Not one of my favorite Halo novels.

  • 03.11.2011 8:28 PM PDT

-blam!- Was that actually blammed out? Or did I just type it? You'll never know.


Posted by: The Highwayman48

Posted by: dahuterschuter
I did. Didn't really like it.
What didn't you like about it? I loved every part of it...


The story. Thought it was very unimaginative. It didn't really have any good ideas, which is disappointing given the huge amount of potential for awesome there is in the Haloverse.

  • 03.11.2011 8:39 PM PDT
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YES! I can't wait for the other two novels to come out. What the hell was that prisoner? I believe its the Gravemind. It said it spoke with wisdom and frightened the Humans who attempted to communicate with it. It was left by Precursors and they created the Flood so... yeah.

[Edited on 03.11.2011 8:41 PM PST]

  • 03.11.2011 8:40 PM PDT
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Honestly, the only book in the Halo series worse than Cryptum (and mind you, they aren't exactly the cream of the crop here) was The Cole Protocol.

It's not that I didn't like it, it's just that the story and characters had absolutely nothing worthwhile in them.

However, I will admit that the "revelation" information was VERY interesting, and probably the only reason I finished it.

  • 03.11.2011 8:45 PM PDT


Posted by: dahuterschuter

Posted by: The Highwayman48

Posted by: dahuterschuter
I did. Didn't really like it.
What didn't you like about it? I loved every part of it...


Thought it was very unimaginative.


That's the exact reason why its good: imagination.

It totally changed the universe in new and unexpected ways.

Though mind you, in a three part dramatic structure, the first one is more of like a set up, then things get juicy and interesting in part 2.

In order from best to worst in a usual three part story, I usually see it as

2 then 3 then 1

Cryptum was just the starting point, the introduction, and the one where we were mind -blam!- ed into oblivion. That way, Greg Bear has a lot to work with in the next two books. It was actually a really smart move.

So consider this one the revelation one, not the story one, and in that sense its perfect.

[Edited on 03.11.2011 8:56 PM PST]

  • 03.11.2011 8:56 PM PDT

Friends before pixels.


Posted by: Last Fooolish
YES! I can't wait for the other two novels to come out. What the hell was that prisoner? I believe its the Gravemind. It said it spoke with wisdom and frightened the Humans who attempted to communicate with it. It was left by Precursors and they created the Flood so... yeah.
**SPOILERS**

I qoute, "We meet again, young one. I am the last of those who gave you breath and shape and form, millions of years ago.
"I am the last of those your kind rose up against and ruthlessly destroyed.
"I am the last Precursor.
"And our answer is at hand
."

[Edited on 03.11.2011 9:02 PM PST]

  • 03.11.2011 9:02 PM PDT

-blam!- Was that actually blammed out? Or did I just type it? You'll never know.


Posted by: ROBERTO jh
That's the exact reason why its good: imagination.


I suppose we're going to have to have a gentleman's agreement to a peaceful disagreement then to avoid a massive debate over the plot, characters and ideas introduced in the novel.

  • 03.11.2011 9:05 PM PDT

Posted by: Ushan
Because Muslims surgically implant organic bombs in their testicles, which in turn will be injected into women during sex, which will grow into BABY BOMBS!

Posted by: Tibetz
Honestly, the only book in the Halo series worse than Cryptum (and mind you, they aren't exactly the cream of the crop here) was The Cole Protocol.

It's not that I didn't like it, it's just that the story and characters had absolutely nothing worthwhile in them.

However, I will admit that the "revelation" information was VERY interesting, and probably the only reason I finished it.
I agree 100%.

  • 03.11.2011 9:06 PM PDT

You know you are running a hard course when your ears pop during the meet.-me

It was pretty good, but not Greg Bear's best work. It seemed like he was trying to write for a younger level than he does when he naturally writes. Eon for example, is really hardcore sci-fi. It goes into a lot more depth about everything and just has longer paragraphs, more descriptions, more characters with a lot of inner dialogue for each one. Four or five of the guys from Eon are more memorable than Bornsteller.

I blame this on a number of things. First, Greg wrote Cryptum in 1st person. I didn't expect this. God I hope it wasn't because the games are in 1st person lol I'd lose respect for him. The real problem (I think) was that Bear had to get a lot of the details he made approved. Writing in another universe is hard, and he has only it done twice, once in Star Wars and once for Foundation. Also the stoic forerunners didn't make for incredibly intriguing characters.

I still liked it though. If Halo books of this caliber that expand the universe can be released more frequnently I'm all for it.

  • 03.11.2011 9:12 PM PDT


Posted by: dahuterschuter

Posted by: ROBERTO jh
That's the exact reason why its good: imagination.


I suppose we're going to have to have a gentleman's agreement to a peaceful disagreement then to avoid a massive debate over the plot, characters and ideas introduced in the novel.


Agreed.

I myself didn't expect much from a story standpoint tbh, for the same reasons I listed above. When I heard it was going to be a trilogy, I expected some mixed feelings on the first one simply because the first isn't usually the best one.

Parts 2 and 3 should be better though.

  • 03.11.2011 9:55 PM PDT

I had no frigging idea what the hell was going on half of the time, and didn't much care about the stuff I understood. The book was very complex, very boring, and didn't feel like Halo in the slightest.

[Edited on 03.12.2011 2:02 AM PST]

  • 03.12.2011 2:01 AM PDT
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ZedFish's Forerunner Rickroll.

Posted by: Tibetz
Honestly, the only book in the Halo series worse than Cryptum (and mind you, they aren't exactly the cream of the crop here) was The Cole Protocol.
See, I thought Cryptum was the best of the Halo books, because as you said, they aren't that special.

The writing in most of the Halo books is generally riddled with mistakes and lackluster in writing style.
Cryptum didn't have this.
I thought it was well-written, imaginative, and gripping; with a good plot.

The only standout feature of the other Halo books is the story that they collectively tell. The canon in them is great, but it's rather poorly pulled off. Cryptum has a great story, with great writing, and that bumps it to the top of my list.

[Edited on 03.12.2011 2:39 AM PST]

  • 03.12.2011 2:38 AM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Posted by: ZedFish
Posted by: Tibetz
Honestly, the only book in the Halo series worse than Cryptum (and mind you, they aren't exactly the cream of the crop here) was The Cole Protocol.
See, I thought Cryptum was the best of the Halo books, because as you said, they aren't that special.

The writing in most of the Halo books is generally riddled with mistakes and lackluster in writing style.
Cryptum didn't have this.
I thought it was well-written, imaginative, and gripping; with a good plot.

The only standout feature of the other Halo books is the story that they collectively tell. The canon in them is great, but it's rather poorly pulled off. Cryptum has a great story, with great writing, and that bumps it to the top of my list.


I agree. I found the first-person narrative much more refreshing than Nylund's books and it felt much more personal in that sense because we're viewing Forerunner history through the eyes of a Forerunner.

I loved every page of the book, the description and writing was beautifully pulled off by Greg Bear. I found the characters very interesting too, there were a lot of great twists and we finally saw some of our theories out to rest.

Overall, my new favourite Halo novel.

  • 03.12.2011 4:10 AM PDT
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"Time was your ally human. But now it has abandoned you. The Forerunners....have returned. And this tomb... is now yours". - The Didact


Posted by: ajw34307
Posted by: ZedFish
Posted by: Tibetz
Honestly, the only book in the Halo series worse than Cryptum (and mind you, they aren't exactly the cream of the crop here) was The Cole Protocol.
See, I thought Cryptum was the best of the Halo books, because as you said, they aren't that special.

The writing in most of the Halo books is generally riddled with mistakes and lackluster in writing style.
Cryptum didn't have this.
I thought it was well-written, imaginative, and gripping; with a good plot.

The only standout feature of the other Halo books is the story that they collectively tell. The canon in them is great, but it's rather poorly pulled off. Cryptum has a great story, with great writing, and that bumps it to the top of my list.


I agree. I found the first-person narrative much more refreshing than Nylund's books and it felt much more personal in that sense because we're viewing Forerunner history through the eyes of a Forerunner.

I loved every page of the book, the description and writing was beautifully pulled off by Greg Bear. I found the characters very interesting too, there were a lot of great twists and we finally saw some of our theories out to rest.

Overall, my new favourite Halo novel.


Same here

  • 03.12.2011 4:31 AM PDT

I enjoyed it. It was a nice change from the Halo fiction we were used to, and I thought Bear did a great job of portraying the Forerunner's civilisation. I had always imagined them as peacefu omnipotent entities, but the book gave a much more real image of a race doing whatever is necessary to maintain their dominance which is needed to keep the galaxy safe.

-SPOILERS-
Just to clear something up, what exactly happens to Didact at the end of the book? I didn't quite understand it, and haven't got around to re-reading the ending.

  • 03.12.2011 4:37 AM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Posted by: walshypru
I enjoyed it. It was a nice change from the Halo fiction we were used to, and I thought Bear did a great job of portraying the Forerunner's civilisation. I had always imagined them as peacefu omnipotent entities, but the book gave a much more real image of a race doing whatever is necessary to maintain their dominance which is needed to keep the galaxy safe.

-SPOILERS-
Just to clear something up, what exactly happens to Didact at the end of the book? I didn't quite understand it, and haven't got around to re-reading the ending.


Later during the novel, the Didact performs a mutation on Bornstellar which allows him access to the Domain. Before the Didact is executed by Faber, he transfers all his memories, thoughts and knowledge to Bornstellar which makes him Didact 2.0.

  • 03.12.2011 4:40 AM PDT

Don't upset Achronos or you'll end up with a dog's head in a jar in your mailbox.
-----------------------------------------------------------
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Interesting.. I'm not sure why I haven't picked the book up yet, been a bit skeptical but I guess I shall order it next week. Thanks guys, the book better deliver.. or have I just set myself up with higher expectations? Lol.

[Edited on 03.12.2011 4:43 AM PST]

  • 03.12.2011 4:43 AM PDT


Posted by: ajw34307
Posted by: walshypru
I enjoyed it. It was a nice change from the Halo fiction we were used to, and I thought Bear did a great job of portraying the Forerunner's civilisation. I had always imagined them as peacefu omnipotent entities, but the book gave a much more real image of a race doing whatever is necessary to maintain their dominance which is needed to keep the galaxy safe.

-SPOILERS-
Just to clear something up, what exactly happens to Didact at the end of the book? I didn't quite understand it, and haven't got around to re-reading the ending.


Later during the novel, the Didact performs a mutation on Bornstellar which allows him access to the Domain. Before the Didact is executed by Faber, he transfers all his memories, thoughts and knowledge to Bornstellar which makes him Didact 2.0.


Ahh, that's kind of what I thought. I got a bit thrown off by the 'execution' bit because the events of the Halo 3 terminals obviously hasn't happened yet. Bornstellar 'absorbing' Didact explains it though.

  • 03.12.2011 4:58 AM PDT

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I quite loved it. As much as I absolutely fell in love with the more concentrated story of Halo 2, these grand space operas are what really attract me to Halo.

My only problem with Cryptum is that I finished it in 2 days, which is bizarre as I am a fairly slow reader. It seemed really thin compared to prior novels, but good non the less.

  • 03.12.2011 5:32 AM PDT

"I Prefer Warm Halo, Sauted in Awesomesauce"

I loved it, the ending blew my mind. Really can't wait for book two.

  • 03.12.2011 5:33 AM PDT

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