The book was incredibly interesting especially the transitions between the San 'Shyuum and Sangheili. I have one problem because the book is marketed as an origin story for the downfall of the Covenant yet I feel like it was all really small-scale in nature.
What are your thoughts?
I think it was the origin of the downfall of the Covenant in so far as it shows that the deception and betrayal was always there, making the Covenant doomed from the start.
I think Broken Circle was one of the best novels produced from the Halo Universe to date, and the only thing I found disappointing about it is that because of the huge amount of content it covers, the Ussan’s ‘adventures’ could easily have been stretched into a whole series of books rather then just one novel (And maybe a board game)
I always think it would have been interesting if between fleeing Sangheilios and arriving at the Shield world, one of the Ussan’s transports could have sustained damage and made a forced landing on ancient Earth in Celtic Europe. Whilst repairing their ship, these Ussan’s could have had early contact with celtic tribes, and encounter that could have seen several early humans brought back with the Ussans to the Shield world, and resulting in a completely unique human ‘Ussan’ culture surviving into the modern Halo period.
Just my idea on possible ways the story could have been expanded.
It was good to see a book that breaks that Halo myth that humans are the only race in the galaxy capable of that magic word ‘innovation’, and that both Sangheili and San’Shyuum don’t just have a single ‘specialization’ but each member can cover a wide range of occupations. (We have Sangheili warriors, traders, scientists, technicians, etc etc)