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Subject: Why is Contact Harvest and the Cole Protocol disliked so much?
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.

T4R.
Aside from Glasslands these seem like the two most hated books in the series. Is there a big problem with these books that I am missing? Because honestly the only negative thing I can think of in Contact Harvest is the scene at the end but that is such an inconsequential it seems odd to judge a whole book from it.

  • 01.17.2012 4:31 PM PDT

Until recently I had no idea there was a general dislike for Contact Harvest. I really loved it, Lighter than Some was a fantastic character, we got some cool backstory on the Prophets, and a first look at Mendicant Bias. Plus, you know, the REASON FOR THE HUMAN-COVENANT WAR. That was pretty important.

Cole Protocol I can understand, it wasn't as interesting as the other books and didn't contribute as much to the universe as it could have, but it wasn't bad by any means.

  • 01.17.2012 4:35 PM PDT

"I may not be perfect, but always been true."

It felt like it had too much military wording to me, mind you it's about the military but it was just ehh, too much in my opinion.

  • 01.17.2012 4:37 PM PDT

I thought Contact Harvest was great, save for the scene at the end. Cole Protocol I can kind of understand because sometimes it felt it dragged on and like Ganon said, it didn't really contribute that much to the universe. Also I thought the depiction of the Elites and their honor was pretty laughable at times.

  • 01.17.2012 4:38 PM PDT

Vengeance only leads to an ongoing cycle of hatred.

I loved The Cole Protocol. It's up there as one of my favorite Halo books. I don't really know why exactly. It just very much appealed to me.

I've struggled with Contact Harvest. I tried reading it twice, but both times I put it down and it just got away from me; didn't bother trying to read it again. The bit that I did read, I enjoyed. It's not like it's a boring book. I'm not really sure why I keep putting it down. Maybe I just need to read it when I have more free time and aren't too busy.

  • 01.17.2012 4:39 PM PDT

Old school Bungie, born and raised,
In the Septagon is where I spend most of my days.
Relaxin', maxin', posting all cool,
Talking about Halo, life and some school.
Got in one little argument, and the mods got scared,
they said "You're gonna get banned and your member title'll be bare!"

I strongly disliked Cole Protocol for two reasons

1. Everyone wanted to know why Grey team was "so deep they couldn't be recalled." Instead, they gave an annoying prequel that ended with a cliffhanger that asked the same question that wanted answered in the first place.

2. Annoying elements that just...pissed me off. Spare fuel in ODST drop pods? Those things as a whole have a tendency to fail and "dig" the operator their own grave. Now you tell me they have enough fuel to launch themselves out of their own crater and "hop" significant distances? No. If that were the case, that fuel would be used as an emergency backup in case of grav-chute failure. And it said it was used in case ODST's wanted to "hop" over to a new location. If you want precision landing, you don't use a brick launched from orbit, you use a ship, with maneuverability.

Also, using the mongoose as a club? That was just stupid.

There were only two redeeming qualities of the book. First, they finally gave an official statement on AI lifespans. And secondly, the portion where part of the asteroid cluster was launched into the Covenant facility. That was actually pretty elegant.

  • 01.17.2012 4:43 PM PDT

No u

I hated Contact Harvest. It just didn't have the pizzazz the others had. Least that's how I feel.

I did however like the Cole Protocol. I felt it was sort of a breath of fresh air. I'm awaiting the Second Gray Team novel. There better be one... Or there will be hell to pay.

[Edited on 01.17.2012 4:48 PM PST]

  • 01.17.2012 4:46 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.


Posted by: prometheus25
I strongly disliked Cole Protocol for two reasons

1. Everyone wanted to know why Grey team was "so deep they couldn't be recalled." Instead, they gave an annoying prequel that ended with a cliffhanger that asked the same question that wanted answered in the first place.

2. Annoying elements that just...pissed me off. Spare fuel in ODST drop pods? Those things as a whole have a tendency to fail and "dig" the operator their own grave. Now you tell me they have enough fuel to launch themselves out of their own crater and "hop" significant distances? No. If that were the case, that fuel would be used as an emergency backup in case of grav-chute failure. And it said it was used in case ODST's wanted to "hop" over to a new location. If you want precision landing, you don't use a brick launched from orbit, you use a ship, with maneuverability.

Also, using the mongoose as a club? That was just stupid.

There were only two redeeming qualities of the book. First, they finally gave an official statement on AI lifespans. And secondly, the portion where part of the asteroid cluster was launched into the Covenant facility. That was actually pretty elegant.

1. Fair enough. Maybe there is going to be a sequel or maybe they are going to be a plot point in a future novel. Who knows?

2. That is also a bit odd but maybe it was just spare fuel because they were dropping from in atmo rather than from orbit. Just my thought.

3. Better than trying to use it to drive through hundreds of grunts.

I loved the asteroid scene as well. It was definitely unique. Much better then dropping a few nukes in there.

  • 01.17.2012 4:58 PM PDT

"Find where the liar hides, so that I may place my boot between his gums!" - Rtas 'Vadum

I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.

  • 01.17.2012 4:58 PM PDT

Old school Bungie, born and raised,
In the Septagon is where I spend most of my days.
Relaxin', maxin', posting all cool,
Talking about Halo, life and some school.
Got in one little argument, and the mods got scared,
they said "You're gonna get banned and your member title'll be bare!"

Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.


That reminds me, what about that ornately designed pistol that was described several times? It played no role whatsoever. Why would something be introduced and just abandoned in a book like that?

  • 01.17.2012 5:05 PM PDT
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Five exclamations marks are a good signifier of an insane mind. As is trying to hide from Death in an airtight room. Silly wizard.


Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.

The Elites have always been an honor bound society. I think of it as proof that they are too war focused and lack skills related to anything but war. Glasslands really hammered that point home with the Elites being lost and confused. Some parts of it were over done but it gave Arby some much needed backstory.

  • 01.17.2012 5:05 PM PDT

Why are you here?

I don't know why, I liked them both.

  • 01.17.2012 5:06 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.


Posted by: prometheus25
Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.


That reminds me, what about that ornately designed pistol that was described several times? It played no role whatsoever. Why would something be introduced and just abandoned in a book like that?

Delgado's pistol?

  • 01.17.2012 5:09 PM PDT
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Five exclamations marks are a good signifier of an insane mind. As is trying to hide from Death in an airtight room. Silly wizard.


Posted by: Xd00999

Posted by: prometheus25
Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.


That reminds me, what about that ornately designed pistol that was described several times? It played no role whatsoever. Why would something be introduced and just abandoned in a book like that?

Delgado's pistol?

Maybe the author was trying to make us think it would be a Chenkov's gun and then surprises us by not having it do anything?

  • 01.17.2012 5:10 PM PDT

Old school Bungie, born and raised,
In the Septagon is where I spend most of my days.
Relaxin', maxin', posting all cool,
Talking about Halo, life and some school.
Got in one little argument, and the mods got scared,
they said "You're gonna get banned and your member title'll be bare!"

Posted by: Xd00999

Posted by: prometheus25
Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.


That reminds me, what about that ornately designed pistol that was described several times? It played no role whatsoever. Why would something be introduced and just abandoned in a book like that?

Delgado's pistol?


Yes. It was a symbolic device that represented the novel. Useless.

  • 01.17.2012 5:15 PM PDT
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Posted by: evilcam
Bobcast is paid in MILF blind dates.

I actually liked Contact Harvest and all the background info about the Covenant. The only part I didn't care for was the ending. It just seemed out of place and unnecessary.

[Edited on 01.17.2012 5:18 PM PST]

  • 01.17.2012 5:17 PM PDT

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein

Contact Harvest dragged like no other. Cole Protocol was okay, but not great.

  • 01.17.2012 5:27 PM PDT

I am a monument to all your sins

they weren't very will written, I hated the flood the most though.

  • 01.17.2012 5:28 PM PDT

Vengeance only leads to an ongoing cycle of hatred.


Posted by: Xd00999

Posted by: prometheus25
Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.


That reminds me, what about that ornately designed pistol that was described several times? It played no role whatsoever. Why would something be introduced and just abandoned in a book like that?

Delgado's pistol?

I liked Senora Sies. I thought it was a nice touch.

  • 01.17.2012 5:32 PM PDT

Expressing my strong liberal views without shame. Favorite quotes below:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"One starts to live when he can live outside himself."

- Albert Einstein


Posted by: Darthbill99
they weren't very will written, I hated the flood the most though.

In my opinion, if there is one book which deserves almost no hate, it's the Flood, because most people do not understand the restrictions Dietz was under; he was one of the few novelists that had been given an extremely rigid framework instead of just key points that had to be mentioned (i.e., he was required to follow the game).

To that extent, he did extremely well, especially with the segments of the novel not focused on Master Chief such as the ODST platoon, and Keyes.

  • 01.17.2012 5:32 PM PDT

"Find where the liar hides, so that I may place my boot between his gums!" - Rtas 'Vadum

Posted by: prometheus25
Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.

That reminds me, what about that ornately designed pistol that was described several times? It played no role whatsoever. Why would something be introduced and just abandoned in a book like that?

Nice try.

  • 01.17.2012 5:34 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.


Posted by: SEAL Sniper 9

I liked Senora Sies. I thought it was a nice touch.

While not that important to the story I thought it was a nice addition. It reminded me somewhat of Vera.

  • 01.17.2012 6:11 PM PDT


Posted by: anton1792
I thought that The Cole Protocol's depiction of the Sangheili was quite absurd. I am glad in a sense that Glasslands toned it down on that front. The things about never holstering an unbloodied weapon, or doctors being scum and villainy, or spilling blood meaning dishonour, and perhaps even death, made them look extremely impractical.


Yeah, as much as I liked the Cole Protocol, I think it over did it a bit with the Elites. While they be highly religious or whatever, they're not total idiots, the whole blood thing didn't make much sense, I mean if a whole culture is based around war, while there won't be too much of a focus on medical advances and what-not I don't think being a doctor or having medical expertise would really be a shameful thing in a warrior society. The whole thing about weapons didn't really make much sense either, but it at least made more (to me) than the whole losing your blood=equaling losing your honor.

  • 01.17.2012 6:32 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 really liked Contact Harvest, thought it was a fun read, with lots of interesting information on the beginning of the war, some backstory on Tartarus, as well as the good Johnson plot. I really liked it.


Cole Protocol, I thought was good, not great, but good. I think that it was an....interesting move to not show why or what Gray was doing, but I liked how they had some of Keyes earlier commands.

  • 01.17.2012 6:46 PM PDT

Old school Bungie, born and raised,
In the Septagon is where I spend most of my days.
Relaxin', maxin', posting all cool,
Talking about Halo, life and some school.
Got in one little argument, and the mods got scared,
they said "You're gonna get banned and your member title'll be bare!"


Posted by: anton1792
Nice try.


What?

  • 01.17.2012 6:47 PM PDT

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