A compilation of cover art for all of theHalo novels released between 2001 and early 2024.

TheHalonovels are books that have expanded heavily on theHalo universe. This page documents the various novels, their series', and their orders.343 Industries also maintains an official, regularly-updated guide to the novels of theHalo series, which can be accessedhere.

Development[edit]

A box set of the first threeHalo novels.

The Halo novel project was initiated with the intent of establishing an "expanded universe" for future content. Contrary to popular belief, the project was overseen byMicrosoft Game Studios Franchise Development Group and not byBungie Studios (though they were given a significant degree of creative control).^[1][2] The relationship between Bungie and Microsoft was somewhat rocky at this time,^[3] with the former resenting Microsoft's creative interference in theHalo story and nearly having the first novel,Halo: The Fall of Reach, canceled.^[4]

Although the novels have always been considered canonical,^[5] the stories they told were generally regarded as distinct from theHalo games' stories in some respects, with both games and the "expanded universe" forming their own standalone narratives.^[6] Additionally, there were sometimes creative differences between Bungie and the novels' authors;^[4] for example, Bungie's writing staff disliked the notion ofAvery Johnson's immunity to theFlood introduced inHalo: First Strike^[5] and retconned the circumstances of his survival in theHalo Graphic Novel. However, Bungie would nonetheless introduce several elements originating from the novels into their games; an example of this are theOrbital Drop Shock Troopers and theorbital defense platforms.^[4] Following the advent of343 Industries and their philosophy of expanded connectivity betweenHalo media, the writing process of the novels has become more extensively intertwined with the planning of the stories of the games and other fiction.^[7]

The first three novels were published byDel Rey Books. Microsoft Studios' next publishing partner wasTor Books, which published allHalo novels from2006 to early2014. The three initialHalo novels were reissued by Tor in2010. While mostly unchanged, the new versions feature additional content andseveral alterations. In 2014, 343 Industries entered a contract withGallery Books as the publisher of subsequentHalo literature.^[8]

List of novels[edit]

The Original Series[edit]

Main article:The Original Series

The Original Series v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: The Fall of Reach	Eric Nylund	Todd McLaren	October 30, 2001	Details theSPARTAN-II program, theCovenant attack onReach, and how theUNSCPillar of Autumn escaped toHalo.	Releases after August 3, 2010 contain an adjunct section.
Halo: The Flood	William C. Dietz	Todd McLaren	April 1, 2003	The novelization ofHalo: Combat Evolved. Also features a number of additional subplots which expand onthe events onInstallation 04.	Releases after October 13, 2010 contain an adjunct section.
Halo: First Strike	Eric Nylund	Todd McLaren	December 2, 2003	Fills in the gap betweenHalo: Combat Evolved andHalo 2, explaining the Master Chief's return to Earth and the survival of a number of characters fromReach and Halo.	Releases after December 21, 2010 contain an adjunct section.
Halo: Ghosts of Onyx	Eric Nylund	Jonathan Davis	October 31, 2006	FollowsKurt-051, the training of theSpartan-IIIs onOnyx, and thethree-sided battle for the planet in2552.	N/A

Gray Team series[edit]

Main article:Gray Team series

Gray Team series v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary
Halo: The Cole Protocol	Tobias Buckell	Jonathan Davis	November 25, 2008	IntroducesGray Team and details the backstories ofJacob Keyes andThel 'Vadam.
Halo: Envoy	Tobias Buckell	Scott Brick	April 25, 2017	FollowsMelody Azikiwe on a diplomatic mission onCarrow, while searching for a way to rescue Gray Team from captivity.

The Forerunner Saga[edit]

Main article:The Forerunner Saga

The Forerunner Saga v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: Cryptum	Greg Bear	Holter Graham	January 4, 2011	Describes the experiences of theForerunnerManipular known asBornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting andthe Didact during theForerunner-Flood war.	Aglossary was released to help understand terms in this novel.
Halo: Primordium	Greg Bear	Tim Dadabo	January 3, 2012	Details the story of a human known asChakas and his odyssey acrossInstallation 07.	N/A
Halo: Silentium	Greg Bear	Euan Morton	March 19, 2013	Recounts the twilight years of the Forerunner civilization, theUr-Didact's descent into insanity, and the firing of theHalo Array.	An epilogue/coda forHalo: Silentium was released calledRebirth.

Kilo-Five Trilogy[edit]

Main article:Kilo-Five Trilogy

Kilo-Five Trilogy v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary
Halo: Glasslands	Karen Traviss	Euan Morton	October 25, 2011	Details the state of theHalo universe after the end of theHuman-Covenant War and serves as a follow-up toGhosts of Onyx.
Halo: The Thursday War	Karen Traviss	Euan Morton	October 2, 2012	Continues the story ofKilo-Five and humanity's involvement in theBlooding Years.
Halo: Mortal Dictata	Karen Traviss	Euan Morton	January 21, 2014	Focuses on theVenezian rebel movement threatening Earth and the terroristStaffan Sentzke's connection to Kilo-Five'sNaomi-010.

Alpha-Nine series[edit]

Main article:Alpha-Nine series

Alpha-Nine series v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: New Blood	Matt Forbeck	Scott Brick	March 2, 2015	Explores the story of the Gunnery SergeantEdward Buck and his squadAlpha-Nine during and after the Human-Covenant War.	The Gallery Books release onMarch 15, 2016 features a coda at the end connecting the novel toHalo 5: Guardians.
Halo: Bad Blood	Matt Forbeck	Scott Brick	June 26, 2018	Sees SpartanEdward Buck reform his old squadAlpha-Nine to undertake a daring mission following the rise ofCortana'sCreated.	N/A

The Ferrets series[edit]

Main article:The Ferrets series

The Ferrets series v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary
Halo: Last Light	Troy Denning	Scott Brick	September 15, 2015	A detective story followingBlue Team andSpecial InspectorVeta Lopis as they investigate murders on ahuman colony which harborsForerunner technology. TheFerrets are officially formed as a team
Halo: Retribution	Troy Denning	Scott Brick	August 29, 2017	Returns toVeta Lopis and theFerrets on a joint mission withBlue Team to identify the assassin of AdmiralGraselyn Tuwa.
Halo: Divine Wind	Troy Denning	Aida Reluzco	October 19, 2021	Sequel toHalo: Shadows of Reach. FollowsVeta Lopis and theFerrets in their attempts to stop theKeepers of the One Freedom, theDhas Bhasvod's Covenant andIntrepid Eye from firing theHalo Array with the help of theUNSCSpirit of Fire and the indirect help of theBanished.

Rion Forge & Ace Of Spades series[edit]

Main article:Rion Forge & Ace Of Spades series

Rion Forge & Ace Of Spades series v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: Smoke and Shadow	Kelly Gay	Scott Brick	November 28, 2016	FollowsRion Forge on her quest to discover the fate of herfather and his ship, theUNSCSpirit of Fire.	"Part One Into The Fire" is featured in the compilationHalo: Fractures asInto the Fire.
Halo: Renegades	Kelly Gay	Justine Eyre	February 19, 2019	Sequel ofHalo: Smoke and Shadow. FollowsRion Forge and theAce of Spades's crew in their journey to find Rion's father and theSpirit of Fire, while they are pursued byONI andCovenant remnants.	N/A
Halo: Point of Light	Kelly Gay	Scott Brick, Tim Dadabo	March 2, 2021	Sequel ofHalo: Renegades. FollowsRion Forge,Spark and theAce of Spades's crew as they are pursued byONI while trying to complete theLibrarian's plan.	N/A

A Master Chief Story[edit]

Main article:A Master Chief Story

A Master Chief Story v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: Silent Storm	Troy Denning	Scott Brick	September 4, 2018	Sees John-117 and some SPARTAN-IIs trying to gather information about the Covenant in the first year of the Human-Covenant War, and the insurrectionists' attempts to stop their mission.	N/A
Halo: Oblivion	Troy Denning	Scott Brick	September 24, 2019	Sequel toSilent Storm, sees John-117 and some SPARTAN-IIs trying to capture aCovenant frigate, whileFleetmasterNizat 'Kvarosee tries to kill them.	N/A
Halo: Shadows of Reach	Troy Denning	Sean Patrick Hopkins	October 20, 2020	Taking place one year after the events ofHalo 5: Guardians, sees Blue Team returning to Reach to recover assets hidden in Dr. Halsey's abandoned laboratory onCASTLE Base that could be humanity's last chance against Cortana and the Created.	The Walmart Edition of this book featured an adjunct that contained the shortSacrifice.
(No image yet) Halo: Edge of Dawn	Kelly Gay	(Not released yet)	2025(Not released yet)	(Not released yet)	(Not released yet)

Battle Born: A Halo Young Adult Novel Series[edit]

Main article:Battle Born: A Halo Young Adult Novel Series

Battle Born: A Halo Young Adult Novel Series v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: Battle Born	Cassandra Rose Clarke	Original: Therese Plummer 2024 re-release: Ryan Do, Caitlin Kelly, Lee Osorio, and Angel Pean.	January 1, 2019	Sees a group of four teens and a Spartan supersoldier surviving during theBattle of Meridian.	The Gallery BooksMarch 26, 2024 release features an adjunct with the shortsFree Frontier Education: The Sundered Legion andGlassed.
Halo: Meridian Divide	Cassandra Rose Clarke	Original: Therese Plummer 2024 re-release: Ryan Do, Caitlin Kelly, Lee Osorio, and Angel Pean.	October 1, 2019	Sequel toHalo: Battle Born, follows Saskia, Dorian, Evie, and Victor in their return to Meridian and monitor the Covenant's efforts to retrieve an ancient Forerunner artifact.	The Gallery BooksApril 30, 2024 release features an adjunct with the shortMeridian Homecoming.

A Halo Infinite Story[edit]

Main article:A Halo Infinite Story

A Halo Infinite Story v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary
Halo: The Rubicon Protocol	Kelly Gay	Scott Brick	August 9, 2022	Follows members of theUnited Nations Space Command as theyfight back against theBanished onInstallation 07.

Individual novels[edit]

Individual novels v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary
Halo: Contact Harvest	Joseph Staten	Holter Graham,Jen Taylor	October 30, 2007	FollowsSergeant Avery Johnson and features the events leading up tofirst contact with the Covenant atHarvest and the beginning of theHuman-Covenant War.
Halo: Broken Circle	John Shirley	Scott Brick	November 4, 2014	A story told from the perspective of severalSangheili andSan'Shyuum characters during both the beginnings of theCovenant and theGreat Schism.
Halo: Hunters in the Dark	Peter David	Scott Brick	June 16, 2015	Follows a jointhuman-Sangheili expedition tothe Ark in the post-war era.
Halo: Legacy of Onyx	Matt Forbeck	Scott Brick	November 14, 2017	FollowsMolly Patel as she adjusts to her new life living inside theOnyx Forerunnershield world and deals with a looming threat from theServants of the Abiding Truth.
Halo: Outcasts	Troy Denning	Scott Brick	August 8, 2023	FollowsArbiterThel 'Vadam and SpartanOlympia Vale as they seek out a rumored ancient artifact capable of liberating their peoples from Cortana and the Created's rule.
Halo: Epitaph	Kelly Gay	Keith Szarabajka	February 27, 2024	Follows theUr-Didact after the events ofHalo 4 andHalo: Escalation'sThe Next 72 Hours arc.
Halo: Empty Throne	Jeremy Patenaude	Scott Brick	February 18, 2025	Follows the UNSC's attempts to steal the Domain from Cortana through an ancient access point on a seemingly insignificant human colony.

Individual novellas[edit]

Individual novellas v •d •e
Novella	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: Saint's Testimony	Frank O'Connor	Scott Brick	July 27, 2015	Explores the world ofsmart AIs through the eyes ofIona as she attempts to prevent her own decommissioning.	This story is present in theHalo: Fractures anthology.
Halo: Shadow of Intent	Joseph Staten	Scott Brick	December 7, 2015	Focuses on a conflict betweenTem'Bhetek, a vengeful San'ShyuumPrelate, andShipmasterRtas 'Vadum several months after the Covenant War.	This story is present in theHalo: Fractures anthology.

Anthologies[edit]

Anthologies v •d •e
Novel	Author	Audio book narrator	Publication date	Summary	Notes
Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe	Various (anthology release)	Steve Downes, Holter Graham,Frank O'Connor, andJen Taylor	November 24, 2009	When humanity expanded beyond the safety of Earth to new stars and horizons, they never dreamed what dangers they would encounter there. When the alien juggernaut known as the Covenant declared holy war upon the fragile human empire, millions of lives were lost—but, millions of heroes rose to the challenge. In such a far-reaching conflict, not many of the stories of these heroes, both human and alien, have a chance to become legend. This collection holds eleven stories that dive into the depths of the vast Halo universe, not only from the perspective of those who fought and died to save humanity, but also those who vowed to wipe humanity out of existence.	In2010, this compilation was split into two Volumes, with an extra story in both. Volume I containingSoma the Painter, and Volume II containingWages of Sin. These stories are not contained in releases after.
Halo: Fractures	Various (anthology release)	Scott Brick	September 20, 2016	Launch once more into galaxy-spanning conflict and legendary heroism…shards of an ever-expanding journey where human and alien alike find their finest hours in facing their greatest challenges. These scattered stories span untold millennia, from the age of the ancient custodial race known as the Forerunners…to the aftermath of the Covenant’s bloody war against humanity…and even the shocking events surrounding the resurrection of the mysterious Guardians. Halo: Fractures explores mythic tales of bravery and sacrifice that blaze brightly at the very heart of the Halo universe.	N/A

Box sets[edit]

• Halo Box Set, the box set featuring the three firstHalo novels byDel Rey Books.
• Halo Boxed Set, featuring the first three novels byTor Books.

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

• Halo Waypoint - Official Halo Book Guide - an officially-published list ofHalo novels.

• Novels
• Lists