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I spent a year reading every Halo novel

It only broke me a little bit

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On July 30, 2019, I began my quest to read every Halo novel.

I probably should have played a Halo game before hopping into the expanded universe, but in true Unraveled fashion, I dove headfirst into a project without fully understanding what the consequences might be.

The biggest consequence of this project is that I’m now really into the Halo universe. It turns out that spending a year immersed in the lore of a game series makes you start to like it. Whether or not that’s a lesser form of Stockholm syndrome is beside the point.

The other consequence is much harder for me to handle: I can no longer talk about Halo like a normal human being. If you ask me something simple, like “Who is the Master Chief?” I can’t answer it without giving you 100,000 years of backstory and a quick rundown of intergalactic politics.

These books have changed me, and though I’m not sure if I like what I’ve become, I’m slowly accepting my new Halo-obsessed form.

If you want to watch more Unraveled, check out our playlist and subscribe to Polygon’s YouTube channel! And if you’re interested in my favorite books from the Halo series, check out Karen Traviss’ Kilo-Five Trilogy.


Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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