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Subject: Does anyone else think Eric Nylund is a much better writer?
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Nylund had more chances at being creative on his own. He wasn't restricted much by the game's story.

The Flood, on the other hand, was restricted as to what the book could tell. Most of the parts dealing with the "in-game" aspects were boring. You can't really make a compelling story about a soldier who runs through the Halo ring killing everything that moves. But I found the parts describing scenes that were not in the game to be much more interesting, oddly enough.

  • 06.30.2006 8:54 PM PDT

Dietz's writing is more happy-funny, while Nylund pays more attention to the little details and aspects which make the Spartans superior to the rest of the UNSC.

  • 06.30.2006 9:06 PM PDT

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Posted by: stacyk
Lets be honest, None of the books are exactly shakespear are they? The standard is about the same as some of the fan fics. I don't think anyone who hasnt played the game would enjoy them.
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Hear hear. Nylund is a better writer, comparatively, but none of the Halo novels are exactly masterpieces of literature. (or even science fiction, for that matter) I think it shows how much the average Halo fans reads when they were hailed by some parts of the Community as works of great literature.
Which is not to say that I didn't enjoy reading them.

  • 06.30.2006 9:27 PM PDT
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Now that I'm thinking about it. Why did Bungie/Microsoft decide to switch authors for the Flood? I guess if they were not written in chronological order, it would make sense but if Reach was written first, why change authors for the Flood one and then back to Nylund for First Strike?

O_o, you gotta be kidding me. They didn't decide anything. They dont [scout] for [people] to write literature, [people] approach them.

  • 06.30.2006 9:31 PM PDT
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I read the Fall of Reach and enjoyed it.

I began reading The Flood, made it to page 8, and never read it again. It was too close to the game. It was a waste of time.

Nylund's writing style is better than Dietz's, too. Nylund focused more on story rather than battle, which I liked. I loved how he described the hunter's foot-print on the dead jackal.

[Edited on 6/30/2006]

  • 06.30.2006 9:59 PM PDT

Its a theory you idiot it doesnt have to make sense

Do you belive in love at first sight? Or should i walk by again?

Eric nylunds been through war so he actually knows what to write about so i totally agree with you



I'm not saying the other guys bad though its just erics better

  • 06.30.2006 11:08 PM PDT
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Posted by: Couger
Yet Diets calls the SR a "Sniper's Rifle" he does it several times in The Flood and it annoyed the hell out of me!


Actually, It is called a "Snipers' Rifle". Because, It is a Snipers' weapon, Snipers use it. Therefore, it is there Rifle.

If I'm not mistaken, Dietz was in the Military. (Marines)
EDIT: Yes, he was. He was with the Navy and Marine Corps as a Medic.
He knows what I Snipers Rifle is...

(and yeah, I thought that it was Sniper Rifle too, until I had a Marine correct me...

[Edited on 6/30/2006]

  • 06.30.2006 11:40 PM PDT
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Yes, Nylund is teh 1337. I hope he writes the rest of the novels.

  • 07.01.2006 12:26 AM PDT

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Posted by: Evil Fluffy
Yes, Nylund is teh 1337. I hope he writes the rest of the novels.


I 2nd the notion.

  • 07.01.2006 12:33 AM PDT
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Dietz is so terrible in how he handles the MC's character that it almost makes me wince; it's that bad. "I wish I knew you Sarge, you must have been one hardcore son-of-a-[slang for female canine]". I'm amazed Bungie actually let him abuse the character like that.

Nylund not only describes the characters in a way that makes them feel perfect extensions of their game counterparts (Cortana acts like Cortana, The Chief speaks concisely and when needed, as he does in Halo). And the world he describes is much more immersive due to the description of the technology. Not to mention his action sequences are much more entertaining and well written. Again, Dietz manages to make these things a bland affair. "This was followed up by x rounds from an assault rifle and it was over".

I could go on, but other than some mistakes in Nylund's books, they're very very well written, and feel as if they belong in the Halo universe. "The Flood" just doesn't fit.

  • 07.01.2006 6:14 AM PDT

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I agree. I thought that Eric Nylund was much better. Now thats not to say that I still didn't enjoy the other book.

  • 07.01.2006 8:50 AM PDT
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Posted by: Unuca
Posted by: TDTealc
its not evn just about his proofreading skills. Its about him being plain wrong about everything. like you think someone would catch onto things like major mistakes he makes.
in First Strike he describes the chief landing on the covenant flagship in a LONGSWORD but then later someone on his team is told to go and check out the PELICAN. Like that is a MAJOR mistake. Dietz is less mistake ridden because all he had to do was play halo.
......On easy, i might add.


You say plain wrong about everything? Examples, please.

And when they landed on the Covenant flagship, there were two UNSC ships. A pelican and a longsword, one after another.


The pelican was vaporized before it even got to the Ascendant Justice.

  • 07.01.2006 8:59 AM PDT

Posted by: Zeph
O_o, you gotta be kidding me. They didn't decide anything. They dont [scout] for [people] to write literature, [people] approach them.


I would be interested to learn how you know this. It is entirely possible that offers were made by various writer but it's not like Nylund/Dietz weren't chosen from a pool of candidates. Nylund's abilities were obviously noted because he wrote two of the three currents with another in the works.

Don't be so cheeky if you can not substantiate a claim.

[Edited on 7/1/2006]

  • 07.01.2006 9:34 AM PDT
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Posted by: Unuca
Posted by: TDTealc
its not evn just about his proofreading skills. Its about him being plain wrong about everything. like you think someone would catch onto things like major mistakes he makes.
in First Strike he describes the chief landing on the covenant flagship in a LONGSWORD but then later someone on his team is told to go and check out the PELICAN. Like that is a MAJOR mistake. Dietz is less mistake ridden because all he had to do was play halo.
......On easy, i might add.


You say plain wrong about everything? Examples, please.

And when they landed on the Covenant flagship, there were two UNSC ships. A pelican and a longsword, one after another.

no there werent. the pelican exploded.... they sent it ahead as a 'fire ship'.

  • 07.10.2006 8:24 AM PDT
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i think he did a good job considering the amount of freedom he had over the story he had to include the parts with the chief and they werent that good but i thought the rest was alright

  • 07.10.2006 8:47 AM PDT
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Posted by: SpoonGuard
I am certainly glad there is a book that covers the events of Halo1. I just dont like the way it was pulled off. But like I said before, the flow felt like I was still playing through the game on easy mode.

Nylund also seems to focus more on the 'science' side of science-fiction. A lot of his descriptions of technology and evens are much more detailed and concise than what Dietz does.

Now that I'm thinking about it. Why did Bungie/Microsoft decide to switch authors for the Flood? I guess if they were not written in chronological order, it would make sense but if Reach was written first, why change authors for the Flood one and then back to Nylund for First Strike?


There was an interview on Eric Nylujnd and he said that if he wrote it, it may be too similar/same or too differant from the game or something.

  • 07.10.2006 9:07 AM PDT
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Posted by: Dark Wolf00
Posted by: BobBQ
Deitz's writing may be less interesting than Nylund's, but it has fewer spelling errors and outright bloopers.
I'll have to agree on that point. After re-reading TFoR, I saw a lot of grammar errors.

Blame his editor.

  • 07.10.2006 10:02 AM PDT
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Go Read the part where deitz covers the first flood mission. that is spine-tingling good in my opinion. (i do have an active imagination) But maybe some of you guys didn't get that far. (not insult, just saying it sounds like some of you guys dropped it. You kind of have to get used to Deitz style, but remember... His book has alot of great evidence not that 'catchable' in the game precluding to certain events, personalities, etc.

[Edited on 7/10/2006]

  • 07.10.2006 10:09 AM PDT
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i gotta say that the marines point of view throughout deitz the Flood was some of the best of the halo books. Even though i enjoyed no other part of that book......

  • 07.10.2006 10:24 AM PDT
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My opinion:

Nylund is far better.

  • 07.10.2006 11:30 AM PDT
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I like Nylund a whole lot better...

That might be just because I read The Fall od Reach first, then the next one was just... different.

  • 07.10.2006 11:41 AM PDT
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Yeah.... I would say I like Nylund's writing a lot better. Not that William Dietz was bad or anything... Just that Nylund had a better feel for the series and Halo in general.

  • 07.10.2006 12:32 PM PDT
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page 103 halo the flood... more mistakes. of two jackals, one falls off cliff yet dietz says a marine shoots 'each one' 'to remember him by'. why cant his editor cathch these things?

  • 07.18.2006 4:26 PM PDT
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I wouldnt say he's a better writer, i think he did fine for what little he had to work with. I mean he had to follow the game, the game was meant to be played not read.

  • 07.18.2006 5:02 PM PDT

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I think it's hard to judge Dietz writing since he had to follow a script and had little creative license.

  • 07.18.2006 5:25 PM PDT

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