Halo: Smoke and Shadow

Kelly Gay

Nov 2016 · Halo Book 19 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

An original digital-first enovella set in the Halo Universe and based on the New York Times bestselling video game series!

Find. Claim. Profit. In a post-war galaxy littered with scrap, it’s the salvager’s motto. And with a fast ship and a lust for adventure, Rion Forge has certainly made her mark on the trade. When the discovery of a wrecked UNSC cruiser brings Rion’s past back to haunt her, stirring fresh hope into a decades-old wound, she’s hell-bent on finding answers: What really happened to her father and his ship, the Spirit of Fire? This digital-first enovella also contains the complete text of Kelly Gay's short story “Into the Fire,” originally featured in the collection Halo: Fractures.

Ratings and reviews

Feminist trash. All male characters are neutered, insulted, overly-emotional and dependent on the strong, independent wahmen that just don't need them and their mansplaining to get the job done. The lead character shows no emotional development and has a nearly endless string of luck. Every time she might need something, the plot swings in with macguffin after magic maguffin. Reliance on ideology and plot convenience to move a story forward is sorely disappointing. The premise of the story is great. So much potential. Sadly squandered. Also, it appears that the author doesn't understand space and time very well. The chronological progression left me feeling dizzy. Never deigned to tell me when, in fact, events were happening. I was left to piece it together. The Marine character does various things such a character would never do. Much like Luke Skywalker did in The Last Jedi. Both men were forced by writers to violate their own character. This novel reminds me of TLJ in many ways.

Lacking most of the military side that would be a core part of a halo book this story still manages to pull a short but interesting human tale from the same universe a few years after the halo 4 events. A little bit heavy on the emotional characterization for what the book series is used to, but creates a good opening for more stories to part from it.

Too short though, I literally am still scrambling from almost toppling over the edge of my seat from its abrupt cliffhanger. This little sliver of joy may mean these characters will be present or mentioned in Halo Wars 2. That, or a serious Blomkamp was pulled on us to have us create infinite possibilities of what could happen after with no continuation. Loved the references, returning namesake, the subtle nods/hinting and fresh view this story offers. Did I mention it was too short?

About the author

Kelly Gay is a USA TODAY bestselling author and the critically acclaimed creator of the Charlie Madigan urban fantasy series. She is a multipublished author with works translated into several languages. She is a two-time RITA nominee, an ARRA nominee, a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist, and a SIBA Book Award Long List finalist. Kelly is also a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council’s Fellowship Grant in Literature. Within the Halo universe, she has authored the widely lauded novels Halo: The Rubicon Protocol (a USA TODAY bestseller), Halo: Point of Light, and Halo: Renegades, the novella Halo: Smoke and Shadow, and the short story “Into the Fire,” featured in Halo: Fractures. She can be found online at KellyGay.com.