Halo: Edge of Dawn: A Master Chief Story

Halo #37

by Kelly Gay

An original novel set in the Halo universe—based on the New York Times bestselling video game series!

An original novel set in the Halo universe by USA TODAY bestselling author Kelly Gay.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Military Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

Published December 16, 2025

About the author

Kelly Gay writes the critically acclaimed 'Charlie Madigan' urban fantasy series. Her work has been nominated for a double RITA, an ARRA, a Goodreads Choice Award, and landed on SIBA's Long List Book Award Finalists. Kelly is also a recipient of North Carolina Arts Council's fellowship grant in Literature. She is published in Young Adult fiction as Kelly Keaton.

Reviews

[Dalton Wirges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy read. Kelly Gay continues to be on of my favorite authors in the Halo Universe. While clearly this book is meant to bridge Halo Infinite with whatever game comes next, I do feel that she does a good job making an obviously transitional story feel meaningful and important. The tie-ins to the audio logs from the game is fun, similar to what she did with the Rubicon Protocol. Overall very very good.

[Ryan Giavasis · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 for me. I really feel after 30+ books that this story was a bit of a nothing sandwich. The plot just felt incredibly weak. I took it as a development into a newer storyline, perhaps a transition, but that didn’t leave me feeling satiated.

Minor note. I do love Gay’s ability to make John feel more human with his interactions with Joy and Esparza.

Overall, I hope I’m wrong and this was a good story that connects to a main series idea (final epilogue). Because if not, I was just strung along about a martyr story about a doctor that I wasn’t pushed to feel connected to in the first place (yeah I know he was tortured. I simply just didn’t spend enough time with him in context)

[The Reformed Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nah. This bored me to no end. It wasn't Kelly Gay's fault. I think she was handed the task to wrap up this saga, but they didn't want her to really do anything.

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halo: Edge of Dawn: A Master Chief Story by Kelly Gay stands as a deliberate and reflective continuation of Halo Infinite, offering longtime fans a prose-driven exploration of the franchise’s post-Infinite landscape. Rather than attempting to replicate the bombast of the games, the novel leans into quieter moments of endurance, recovery, and identity—both for humanity and for its most iconic supersoldier.

Plot and Narrative Direction

Set in 2560 and unfolding directly after the conclusion of Halo Infinite, Edge of Dawn follows Master Chief as he continues the fight on the fractured surface of Zeta Halo. Accompanied by Fernando Esparza and his new AI companion Joyeuse, Chief’s immediate goal is survival and regrouping—finding scattered UNSC remnants while navigating Banished-controlled territory.

The narrative structure is intentionally grounded. Rather than racing toward a galaxy-altering climax, the novel focuses on tactical movement, reconnaissance, and incremental victories. Encounters with the Banished—particularly the lingering presence of Jega ‘Rdomnai—carry psychological weight, reinforcing the idea that Zeta Halo is not just a battlefield, but a haunted space layered with unresolved trauma and ancient secrets.

This approach may surprise readers expecting a traditional escalation of stakes, but it reinforces the sense that humanity is still reeling from catastrophic loss. Victory, here, is measured in survival rather than conquest.

Themes and World-Building

One of Edge of Dawn’s greatest strengths is its thematic focus on persistence. Kelly Gay presents Master Chief not as an unstoppable force, but as a stabilizing constant in a fractured war effort. His presence inspires others not through speeches, but through action and reliability—an embodiment of what the UNSC still represents, even in defeat.

Zeta Halo itself becomes a character in the novel. Its ruins, buried technologies, and fragmented ecosystems hint at histories far older and more dangerous than the current conflict with the Banished. Gay treats the ring with an almost archaeological reverence, reinforcing Halo’s long-standing theme that ancient power is never truly dormant—only waiting.

The relationship between Chief and Joyeuse is another thematic anchor. Unlike Cortana, Joyeuse is still forming her identity, and the novel explores trust, autonomy, and emotional restraint in subtle ways. Their interactions never undermine Chief’s stoicism, but they do humanize him—quietly reinforcing that he is still learning how to move forward after immense loss.

Characterization and Writing Style

Kelly Gay’s writing is clean, disciplined, and deeply respectful of Halo’s established tone. Action scenes are precise and tactical rather than cinematic excess, emphasizing Chief’s experience and efficiency. Dialogue remains restrained, often carrying more meaning in what is left unsaid than in overt exposition.

Fernando Esparza continues his arc from Halo Infinite, transitioning from a reluctant survivor into someone willing to shoulder responsibility. Supporting characters—such as imprisoned or displaced UNSC personnel—are given enough emotional weight to feel real without overshadowing the central narrative.

That said, readers deeply invested in Halo lore may notice occasional continuity quirks or underexplored factions. These moments don’t derail the story, but they highlight the challenge of expanding a universe as dense and long-running as Halo.

Pacing and Story Payoff

The novel’s pacing is its most divisive element. Edge of Dawn prioritizes atmosphere and character over major revelations, and some readers may find the plot progression subtle to the point of frustration. The book raises compelling questions about Zeta Halo and the Banished, but it deliberately avoids resolving them in full.

However, this restraint feels intentional. Rather than functioning as a standalone climax, Edge of Dawn works as connective tissue—bridging Halo Infinite with whatever future conflicts await. For readers who enjoy Halo as a long-form saga rather than a sequence of explosive set pieces, this approach will feel measured and rewarding.

Final Verdict

Halo: Edge of Dawn is a thoughtful, grounded expansion of the Halo universe that emphasizes resilience, memory, and quiet determination over spectacle. It may not satisfy readers looking for dramatic twists or definitive answers, but it excels as a character-driven continuation of Master Chief’s journey.

Strengths:
• Strong thematic focus on survival and identity
• Respectful, consistent portrayal of Master Chief
• Rich atmosphere and careful world-building

Weaknesses:
• Deliberate pacing may feel slow for some readers
• Major mysteries remain largely unresolved

Ultimately, Kelly Gay delivers a novel that understands Halo not just as a war story, but as a meditation on endurance. Edge of Dawn doesn’t shout—it endures, much like its protagonist—and in doing so, it earns its place within the canon.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly Gay is a fantastic writer and it always shows in her Halo books. The characterisation of the Halo Infinite cast was spot on and the emotional moments she wove into the story really brought life to the situations these characters have been in. The lore revelations seeded throughout the second half of this book, specifically around The Endless, are also extremely welcome and interesting.

Why this book is good and not a 5/5 really comes down to the fact that this story must strictly adhere to the Halo Infinite continuation without giving too much away as that'll be included in Halo 7. You can tell this story was likely supposed to be DLC for Halo Infinite with how many scenes play out and how overall, besides the good character moments and lore reveals, the novel doesn't actually progress the overall story a whole lot. Recently we had Empty Throne and while it had to tell the story between Halo 5 and Infinite, it still felt like a grand adventure with lots of exciting moving parts.

Kelly Gay consistently produces the highest tier of Halo literature when it's her own original story and cast. However, when she's stuck in the Halo Infinite world (which I like but don't love) it never quite reaches the same highs. This was similarly the case with The Rubicon Protocol but, I'll read anything of Kelly's and enjoy.

[James Hawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

God this would’ve been a great video game. Other than that feeling I think this book is fantastic, Kelly Gay once again writes another fantastic Halo novel. There really aren’t any big lore revelations in this book, which is good because there are other Halo books that have this issue but while I was reading this I couldn’t help but put this in the lens of it being Halo 7. It picks up immediately after Halo Infinite and the opening chapters would’ve made for a great opening cutscene and two really cool missions with an infiltration mission followed up by a rescue mission with an awesome escape sequence. The ending also would’ve been an amazing ending for a sequel game with the UNSC Infinity being pretty much confirmed to be found giving the survivors even more hope and a post credits or legendary ending with Olympia Vale and (most importantly) The Arbiter himself intercepting the transmission sent by The Boat Crew in The Rubicon Protocol with Zeta Halos coordinates.

All in all this is a fantastic read that suffers from the Halo Studios/343 Studios syndrome of “book could’ve been an amazing game” but instead of the problem being big lore revelations the problem here is the book being a straight up sequel to Halo Infinite.

A few positives because I now realize more of this review is negative despite me giving it 4 stars. The Master Chief is very well written and his interactions and thoughts feel like a natural evolution of his character growth we’ve seen him go through. Lucas Browning has went through hell and back and still managed to help the Chief out. Lucas Browning is probably one of my new favorite characters of recently and it’s a shame he didn’t get to reunite with the boat crew but he powered through hell and he was inspiring the whole way through the book, and seeing the Swords of Sanghelios was awesome even if it was for a little bit.

Overall I probably would’ve given this a 3.5 out of 5 but Goodreads doesn’t let you do that so I decided on a 4 over a 3 because I really like Kelly Gay’s writing and her characterization of the difference characters. Again it is primarily due to the fact that this would’ve been a fantastic sequel while also rewarding players for collecting some of the audio logs in Infinite or reading The Rubicon Protocol with the reoccurring characters in Browning, Spartan Horvath, and Spartan Kovan.

[lewis white · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would actually give this 3.5 stars, but Goodreads is evil.

A follow-up to Halo: Infinite, Edge of Dawn is largely a story of three traumatised people figuring out how to keep on going. Outside of a repetitive and somewhat cringe-worthy intro (the Steve joke, come on), the novel turns into a quite mature, down-to-earth journey that focuses on how characters embroiled in an endless war can continue from battle to battle.

The best character in the story is Lucas Browning, the medic and Harbinger prisoner from Halo: Infinite’s audio logs. Not only does Browning’s character show the true beastly nature of The Banished, but their relationship with Chief, Esparza and Joy is the entire core of what makes this story work.

Yes, there are some major plot revelations for the future of the Halo series and it appears to be directly leading into Halo 7. However, when the book stops its own tale to become a setup for future events, that’s where it slightly stumbles, not because those revelations are bad, but because they end up taking away from the Kelly Gay’s interesting take on these characters.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars. I enjoyed this audiobook mainly because the voice acting was superb. I played Halo: Infinite a while back and it was nice having the same voice actors for this audiobook. I will admit that this is not my kind of book, but it's a nice continuation from the game.

[Arun Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with some excellent reveals…that should have been in the game itself…

[Tom Feeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a sequel to Rubicon Protocol than Halo Infinite. Excellent little push in the story forward. Book John is so interesting to read with every new novel. My only complaint is I wish we saw more of the Boat Crew from RP. However I am excited for the future of this story if its in the next game or next book.

[Alex Caravaggio · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent story-filler after the events of Halo: Infinite. It picks up after Master Chief defeats The Harbinger, and rendezvous with Esparza.

While a fun read, I didn’t think there were any ground-breaking revelations or significant story-moving narratives revealed. I thought maybe there would be some key character deaths (Lasky, Spartan Palmer, something of that nature), but nothing quite that significant. I thought there would be more detail on who the Endless were, but all we got was they were “scholars and observers”, didn’t get killed by the Halo activation, and were imprisoned by the Forerunners which we already knew. It felt like this book was a side-quest, which possibly was the intention as they save larger narratives for the next games. It’s an odd time to do it now, as huge narratives like Cortana’s war and ending and Atriox’s background have largely been dealt with offscreen. Regardless, Lucas Browning was a likeable character, caught in a horrific and unfortunate situation of torture at the hands of Jega Rdomnai and Harbinger, and him meeting his death outside of the Silent Auditorium with Master Chief fighting to the surface to give him a free death was the most emotionally riveting part of this story. It was neat to see the Swords of Sangehelios support Esparza and the UNSC, and help John with the rescue, although being slightly too late to save Lucas. I’m fascinated to see where the story goes with cliff-hangers like the UNSC scientists being combined in a sub monitor, several other UNSC groups discovered on the ring, Jega being a blood thirsty crazed warlord wanting to kill Spartans, the signal Spartans Horvath and Kovan sent out which was received by Vale and Thel Vadam, and some AI deep in the forerunner systems that took Despondent Pyre’s core. Master Chief ends at the camp outside of the Lifeworkers structure, ready to rescue survivors with Joy and the team. Joy’s relationship with Master Chief was interesting to follow as well, as she learns to appreciate and be fond of John’s dry humor and stoic nature. She also is new to war, and is maybe more sensitive to death and war than other AI’s have been, leaning in on a prior theme of humanity versus John’s Spartan-like stoutness. Nothing was too far out of nature for John, which I both appreciated and also was slightly disappointed on as I’m fascinated by any developments in his character. No mention of Atriox either is disappointing, especially with the Cliff-hanger from Infinite with him in the Auditorium at the end with Offensive Bias. With that, some plot summary:

John syncs up with Esparza, and The Weapon names herself Joy. They take refuge in a ship to recover. John finds a small tac nuke, and takes it to Escharums funeral to take out as many Banished as possible. Joy takes control of some sentinels, as she is in control of Despondent Pyre’s core giving her access to features on the ring. They see a human prisoner, and several commanders of the banished vying for the top spot (3 brutes and 1 elite, in addition to Jega). The blademaster kills one brute commander for insulting him, and Jega flys away with the human prisoner dubbed as the Harbingers pet. John follows, and a sentinel drops the nuke below. Even humans have joined the banished which is a shocking revelation. John rescues Lucas Browning from Jega’s keep, and escapes narrowly with Esparza to crash land on a snowy terrain. Spartan Tomas Horvath helps rescue them with a cool entrance (hijacks a banshee), and helps divert their attackers while they repair the pelican and escape into the woods. They discover Lucas was imprinted by the Harbinger, and decide to find a way to discover the meaning of the geas and how to remove it. They stumble upon a UNSC group at a lifeworker structure, and encounter hard light scientists that were accidentally catalogued years earlier. John and Joy find the coordinates to a lifeworker archive, and head there. Joy encounters something dark in the system, and it takes the monitor core she had. They find a huragok that says the geas cannot be removed, but may be altered. The huragok guides them out of the archive, and back to the Silent Auditorium with the corpse of Harbinger still there. John and Joy encounter a vision showing the forerunners imprisoning the Endless, and Lucas is stabbed by Jega while they are gone. Lucas activates something on the Silent Auditorium and John returns. They fight to the surface, and are rescued by Esparza and some swords of sanghelios. Lucas dies outside from his wounds peacefully, ending his torture after saving his original group by diverting enemies away. They regroup at the lifeworker structure base, and with the hard light scientists now mobile in a monitor shell, they receive intel of other UNSC groups on the ring.

Looking forward to the story continuing.

[Henry Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I honestly enjoyed most of this book though it wasn't terribly gripping. In short, it picks up directly where the game Halo Infinite finishes. The first short bit of the book is even verbatim the ending of the game. Master Chief and his new AI (who chooses their name very shortly into the book) are back to causing havoc for the Banished. That only lasts a very short while and then it becomes more of a search and rescue mission. That being said, it feels like major things happen in this book that just never come up again.

Towards the end of the book it dawned on me that this whole book was nothing more than setup for something else. Maybe a new game? Either way, there are certain things you'd expect to happen in a book like this that just never happen. I'm not an expert on the Halo books but I've read about 8 of them and this one is the only one I've read that felt exclusively like a setup for something else. I'll touch on this a bit more in the spoiler section below.


Three major things stood out that made no sense. First, the Banished are having this huge funeral because of the death of one of their leaders on the ring (the Brute you kill in the game). The Chief sees they have a human hostage that some Blade Master runs off with so they go to get the human. Before that though, Master Chief crashes the party by setting off a nuke and presumably killing tons of Banished. I say presumably because that is never addressed again. We don't know how that impacts the Banished on the ring. We don't know if that power vacuum is ever addressed or who is even giving orders. It literally never comes up again. Secondly, at one point they find another Spartan and he is in the book for about a chapter. Master Chief gives him something to help with his gear then just sends him on his way even though that Spartan didn't really have a mission he was pushing towards. I think he shows up very briefly at the end of the book but only in mentioning when talking about going on a patrol. I say I think because probably half of the book goes by before he's even mentioned again so it could just be a different Spartan. Lastly, the person they spend the whole book rescuing dies and for some reason this has a massive impact on Master Chief. Seemingly, a larger impact than any of the Spartan deaths that have been mentioned in the books before. For a character who he spent maybe 2 days with. It felt really unearned. He goes quiet for days on end because of the impact it has on him and isn't really doing anything on the Halo or even trying to go out and kill Banished. He's just patrolling the base. It almost felt like I was reading about a different character, not a character who has been at war since he was 13 years old. Not a character who was literally taken as a child and built to be a killing machine. Not a character who has lost some of his best friends but continued the mission. It was a much more human character, which is fine but at the same time, we are so deep into this series that you kinda can't just make a major character change happen so suddenly. If the whole book revolved around this then I could get around it but it doesn't. There's no connection between him and the guy who dies aside from the fact that he's USNC and the Chief protects his own. All-in-all, I generally enjoyed the book but I probably wouldn't recommend it unless you were starved for Halo books. There are a lot of better Halo books you could read.

[Luis Almanza Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halo: Edge of Dawn could not be *too strong* of a sequel to Halo: Infinite. The community stated multiple times that they were dissapointed the game's story would be continued in a book. In that sense, Kelly Gay pivoted, quite gracefully in my opinion, and decided to make this book a stronger sequel to Rubicon Protocol, along with a peek into the events lived by the protagonists of Halo: Infinite, Spartan 117 and The Weapon after the ending of the game. Therefore, nothing too mind-bending happens in this book, nothing that will alter the course of the games all too much. That is not to say we don't get some interesting lore drops and revelations! But still, for the most part they are all things that can be quickly explained in game or through data drops, in the same way Infinite explained much of Rubicon Protocol through data drops.

HOWEVER, I say all this just to state, in context, that Halo: Edge of Dawn, is a much more personal story. It is about our characters and how broken they feel, it is about their continued survival in Zeta Halo, as well as about their friendships, their pain and their loss. Kelly Gay knew EXACTLY what this book needed to be. It became an extremely worthwhile succesor to her previous work, managing to allow us more time with our favorite characters, more time to explore their dynamics and the way it all works in a setting as unforgiving as Zeta Halo.

To anyone reading this, all I can say is, do not be fooled into thinking this is meant to advance the grander Halo narrative, it is not (at least not in any significant fashion). This book is meant to explore relationships, explore Zeta Halo, and continue story-threads that began years ago in Halo: Rubicon Protocol, as well as in other Halo media, like the Forerruner Trilogy.

I loved this book, it's not a critical read for lore nerds, and that is the only reason I am not giving it a full five stars, but it is otherwise a really great/fun read. The more I think about it, the more I like it in my mind. With all these crazy things happening in other books within the Halo Universe, this might just be what the expanded universe needed, something smaller, more personal.

Thanks Kelly Gay, you're two for two with making me cry with your works.

[Chris Fitchitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly Gay does a fantastic job of helping add to the Halo universe and honoring what makes Halo feel like Halo.

In a time where Halo fans can’t be pleased and the future of the series feels rocky at best. The books never disappoint.

Picking up right where Infinite leaves off, Kelly takes us through both the mission and psychology of what has occurred since the Master Chief and “the weapon” have teamed up. There’s a lot to unpack, and Kelly does a fantastic job of giving depth and new insight to all the characters you’re already familiar with in the HU.

Kelly does a fantastic job of weaving previous Halo books and one off stories back to relevancy (Looking at you Jega). There are some surprise moments and appearances that feel good and don’t come off as out of place or trying too hard.

The book is shorter than I would have liked. After years since Infinites campaign release I think we all desire more.

However, despite how fun and enjoyable of a read it is, it feels uncertain of itself. There are great moments and if this were a game it would be a great expansion of Infinites story but it lacks anything concrete setting up what’s next. The epilogue ends on a “GREAT SCOTT!” type moment that honestly fell flat for me. We’re no where really different than we were at the end of Infinites game story. Aside from some shallow explanations on in game mystery’s, that now just beg more questions.

Overall, I have to say the books have always been the answer. As lifelong Halo fan, the studio would do well to go back to a Mature type rating for the games and pull from the writers. Especially with dialogue and visual moments. (I hate how the game makes Elites seem stupid).

This book is no different. It’s a great read that’s immersive and keeps me as an adult enthralled with Halo. Where it lacks I honestly doubt is Kelly Gays fault. I’m sure it’s the uncertainty of the franchise with the studio.

[Thijs · Rating 2 out of 5]

This.Should.Have.Been.In.A.Game.

But on the other hand, there was nothing to put in the game, because nothing was happening at all happening.

I'd say SPOILER WARNING, but nothing happens.

Before I rant, I have absolutely no idea how much of this is the author's fault or if their hands were tied by 343.

They end up in the same place that they started at, they viewed a flashback with ZERO new information, which is absolutely mond boggling with a mysterious species as the Endless. A serious achievement, well done.

and along the way?
they meet a random Spartan you know, to get you hyped but which should have been in the game.
they meet a random ODST's, to get you hyped but which should have been in the game.
they meet a random Sword of Sanghelios Elites, to get you hyped but which should have been in the game.

Oh but they blow up all the potential Banished leadership! So what? that had zero impact. We had hardly been introduced to any of them. To us they were just some random ass names. So they'll make up some new names and we have some new leaders.

and don't get me started on John's interaction with the Weapon and Esparza. That whole "I don't trust the weapon" and "Esparza is insecure" line has already been worked out in the game, so nothing new there.
and the Chief's personality is again, WTF. how does someone who has seen literally hundreds of thousands of people get depressed at 1 random ass marine he hasn't even known for a day. He didn't even get depressed that hard for Sam or Will or any of the other S2's.
Fuck. that was also the 'big climax'. Getting a wounded medic outside through a couple dozen Banished that you clear in half a level. What a laugh.

That whole rousing 'yay more survivors!' felt so cringe too.

[Efren Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a 30-thousand foot view, I felt joy seeing a continuing story from where we left off in Halo Infinite. I listened to this via audio book so I was also graced with Steve Downes and Jen Taylor reprising their roles as the Master Chief and the "Weapon" (new name following the lore of Cortona and Durandal unveiled in book) respectively.

This story was written to flesh out how the main characters and surviving antoganists of Infinite experienced the in game events. As readers we get great development, lore drops, and story beats that many in the community predicted would occur in a campaign DLC or follow up game. All pros.

Without writing more to spoil the book, I recommend this story.

That being said, the cons. The story does not extend too far (leaving the next mainline Halo entry to thankfully do that heavy lifting) and opens story lines that are exciting to see explored; even so, you complete the book having recognizing we could have gotten so much more in a game. As of this review, we do not have any news about Halo 7, or otherwise, aside from Halo Campaign Evolved.

Continuing on the point of getting more in a game, there are story elements here that read as if they were storyboarded for an awesome mission for Halo Infinite DLC. To me, that was incredibly tantalizing and infuriating.

There are ties to other Halo Infinite-era books that, while not mandatory to read, continues that annoying trend of getting story insights and threads outside of games.

I recommend this book nonetheless and give it 5 stars because it's more good than not for me. A lot more. And if you have read books from Kelly Gay in the past, you'll know her story telling and pacing are solid.

[Amit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I did enjoy it, but I couldn't shake the feeling that whole reason
for the book's exsitense was due to the cancellation of Halo Infinite's campaign DLC.
I smiled here and there reading descriptions of the gun fights between Cheif and the Banished even though there were some slight deviations from how those would have probably being played in-game,
but Kelly Gay clearly knows the ins and outs Halo's gunplay, and as for the universe, well...

I have to be completely honest, the main reason I wanted to read Edge of Dawn was to learn more about the Endless, I was fascinated by them, their mysteriousness, their design (well, at least based on the Harbinger) and I had my suspicions who they really were, and I was glad to know I (almost) got it right.
The revelation of who the Endless truly are has reignited my excitement for the franchise and I hope to see them being explored much further in a possible future game.

I also liked the focus on the complicated relationship between Chief and Joyeuse, the Cheif's inner struggle of coming to terms with what happened to Cortana and how he shouldn't throw his past with her on Joy, I found it relatable and human, even in this Sci-Fi world.

My problem with the writing, and that also applied to Halo Epitaph, the author's previous book, is that it's just too heavy on world descriptions and scenery, and I get it, it's really though to convey Halo's unique environments, weapons and various alien races with words, but I tend to think that whoever's reading the book is very familiar with the games and already has a clear visual identity of everything in their heads. It just led to chapters being dragged on and on, almost in Tolkien way.

Again, I do recommend this book to whoever wants to learn more about the Halo's lore and plot direction for the future, even if the franchise itself is kind of in a weird spot when it comes to the gaming side of things.

[Casey Millington · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the latest entry in the long-running series of tie-in novels for the Halo franchise, once again the popular video game stagnates under it's own production delays and failed narrative ideas, leaving authors like Kelly Gay to do what they can to pick up the pieces and continue the story as much as they are able to. Certainly, Kelly Gay has once again knocked it out of the park with a short continuation from the final moments of Halo Infinite's campaign, weaving together the threads from the Rubicon Protocol and unfinished plans for future campaign narratives. This was a highly interesting, yet unfortunately short, exploration of a number of different areas of study, the most compelling being the ongoing development of The Master Chief's and Joyeuse's relationship, Jega Rdomnai's stories of survival and continued rage-filled existence after the Banished's loss of Escharum, the new revelations and hints pertaining to the anomalous origins of the Xalanyn, and Lucas Browning's re-introduced importance within the story and his struggle for survival after suffering greatly. However, despite all these interesting things, I have been left with a feeling of: "Is that it?", but I must highlight this being through no fault of the author. This was another splendid novel to read from Kelly Gay, her greatly descriptive presentation and expertly written interactions between all characters, trying to push forward the story as far as she possibly can within the slim remit she has been provided, has left me with a craving for more that will take ages to be fulfilled.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book via Audible.

Halo: Edge of Dawn picks up almost immediately after the story of Halo Infinite ends, continuing the narrative of the game and focusing on Master Chief, the Weapon, and the Pilot. Since it seems like there won't be a new Halo game set after Infinite for quite some time, I was glad to find out where the story goes from here.

Generally speaking, the book reads like the game plays: John-117 goes from action-packed mission to mission with brief interstitials to develop the characters. It's not quite that cut-and-dry, since we do get to peek into the Master Chief's head and see what he's actually thinking along with the other main characters. I always enjoy getting this perspective since it's usually absent from the game.

As indicated, the story is full of battles and encounters with the Banished, and if you like sci-fi action you'll find it here in spades. While the plot started out interesting, however, by the end I was a bit disappointed in the lack of achievement. You learn more about Zeta Halo and the Endless, but it felt like overall the UNSC takes one step forward and two steps back.

I had a fun time reading the first three-quarters of Edge of Dawn, but unfortunately the ending let me down. If you're a hardcore Halo story fan you've probably already read this, everyone else can take a pass.

[Casey Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this indeed is another entry in the “343/HS can’t make games well or quickly, so they have to keep the plot moving in books” saga, Kelly Gay weaves a great story that doesn’t make you too sad that it’s not playable. She brings readers into the emotions and thoughts of each character - something you don’t get nearly as much of in the games. I loved listening to the voice actors narrate their parts to immerse me into the story more. There’s tons of references to factions and species we know and love, deep connections to known lore, and lots of new and exciting things that will definitely come into play in future content. The descriptions of environments and landscapes brought vivid imagery into my mind of places we’ve been in the games, while still adding elements that made them feel new.

I loved the insight we get not only into Chief and Joy’s minds, but every main character on all sides. We got glimpses into previously-unknown backstories and experiences that are shaping the drive of the UNSC soldiers and their enemies. It felt grounded in human emotion and experience, despite being set on an alien ring with dozens of alien species involved.

The story unfolded well and clearly was set up to be continued, hopefully in a new game. I breezed through the book in less than a day and enjoyed where it landed. Looking forward to what’s next!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was good, though admittedly a little short.

The characterization of the whole main cast was excellent, and I really like where they’re going with the story moving forward. I also love this idea that what happened on the damaged section of the ring was largely pretty self-contained and UNSC forces have been pretty busy despite being scattered everywhere on its surface.

Voice acting on the audiobook was superb, but the marketing that Debra Wilson was involved seemed to be a bit of a farce. I liked her part, but I think it would have worked better as a surprise and less of something that led me to think “that’s it?”

I also picked up a physical copy and man, the print quality of these books just sucks. I get they can’t have nice hardcovers like Star Wars because few people would pay $35 for one of these, but I am begging them to at least consider some form of collectors edition of these books that’s a better quality.

Quick, enjoyable read/listen. It’s been a great couple months for Halo.

[Valerie Caro-Beltran · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I even say about this book?

This is my first novel by Kelly Gay, and honestly — 5/5, no hesitation.

This book is:
• an easy read
• deeply engaging
• emotionally resonant
• and beautifully paced

The story is phenomenal, but what truly sets it apart is the character work. The development here is spectacular.

The relationship between Esparza, John, and Joy is handled with so much care and warmth. It feels natural, earned, and deeply human. I can already see where the relationship between John and Joy is headed — and I love it. It doesn’t diminish John; it completes him.

And then there’s the ending.

The Arbiter.
My boy is coming to help us.

That moment alone sent me over the edge. The implications are huge, and I am so excited to see what happens next.

This novel understands Halo at its core: hope, connection, resilience, and chosen family. I loved it so much that I already know I’ll be rereading it.

By God — this book reminded me why I love Halo.

[Jake Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall great book, Kelly Gay shows again that she’s a phenomenal author especially when it comes to the Halo series. The book doesn’t move the overall plot along too much, but that’s to be expected when the main story/fan base comes from the games and having the story continuation be a book would ruin that for some people. The plot moves just enough to justify itself with the introduction of the Swords of Sanghelios and the other UNSC survivors towards the ending however as a result of the limitation of this being an in between-ey book for the games the plot and character building lack a little. The character interaction is good and the characters certainly don’t regress however no one really feels like they develop too much, there are points where Joyeuse and Esparza show hints of moving forward, such as when the Forerunner AI traps Joyeuse leading to her feeling shocked/traumatised or when she witnesses Lucas Browning on his deathbed and realises her desperation/lack of experience. These both felt like they were on the edge of developing Joyeuse into something more but Joyeuse it back to quipping and making jokes seconds later, again due to the limitation of this being between games, the characters aren’t allowed to develop too much as they would unrecognisable for the next game, which isn’t a slight on the author, more so 343/Halo Studios (?). I think the book also should’ve had a bit more time to lay out what it was getting it, I was thoroughly hooked the entire time I Was reading the book, however some parts whizzed by too quickly whilst others seemed too slow. This was at its worst towards the books end, it felt like the book was trying to wrap up its contents as fast as possible following Browning being stabbed by Jega. As soon as Browning gets outside and (unfortunately) dies in the Chief’s arms, there is approximately 2 pages about the events surrounding his death and funeral, then immediately into events which seem to be setting up the next game (Which to its credit was very interesting, the other UNSC survivors and The Arbiter/Swords of Sanghelios coming to Zeta Halo sets up the next game quite well for a reunion between Chief and Arby) Overall the book excels in its character interaction and wider lore spanning, it’s quite emotional but is limited by the fact it can’t overstep its grounds due to the next game coming out

[Arturo Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story to somewhat make up for the lack of DLC that 343 or “Halo” Studios delivered. Picturing it as a DLC and thinking of how they could have made this into a playable story with companions that will accompany you on your journey and actually coming to face with another spartan on Zeta Halo. The ending was also a good way to set up either another book, or to set up what they’re cooking for Halo 7. I have a personal bias with Halo since it was my first game to play on the original XBox. I hate what they have done to the story in the games and hate how much story and lore is in the books that is not fleshed out in video game media. But I love Halo with my whole heart and will read or play anything it offers me. Kelly Gay has done the Halo series well and proves to shine through everything!

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

kelly gay continues to be one of the best things to ever happen to the halo universe

it does cause me great pain to know that the plot of this book (and probably aspects of The Rubicon Protocol before it) were in some fashion going to form the expansions to Infinite’s campaign. even though I’m probably one the only people content with halo being a book series first, game series second, the fact that we didn’t get to play this story will never not be disappointing. it also hampered how much story we could actually get here - obviously they’re afraid to reveal too much, and so we only got some confirmations to long-held speculation (and a handful of delicious hints, including that poem at the end). in spite of all that, gay still managed to make it a great read and a satisfying coda to Infinite

[Brandan Iida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edge of Dawn is a transitional story for the Master Chief and concludes some of the events of Halo: Rubicon Protocol. This character driven narrative dives into the relationship of Halo Infinite's three protagonists, and creates a shared experience between them. Beyond bonding, the story explores the Halo Ring as a set piece, the Master Chief's emotional value to his fellow soldiers, and the internal struggles of a machine-like soldier and a human-like artificial intelligence. This story is fun, but ultimately serves as character building for the game Halo Infinite, and whatever comes sequentially next in the video game series.

[Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly Gay got a bit better at writing action, and I like her approach to writing Chief more than some other folks. I do think she was limited in what she could and couldn't write, but getting to hear Steve Downs and Jen Taylor voice Chief and the Weapon made it a worthwhile listen. I do think this was a lot better than Rubicon Protocol too.

I do think she was more in her zone with Halo Point of Light and Halo Renegades, but that's also because I think the broader Halo universe is a bit more interesting than Chief's story because his tale is meant to be played. Either way this is a fun book to sit through.

[Wyatt Reding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning of 2026, I have been catching up on the universe with Empty Throne and now Edge of Dawn. This book would be a 5 for me if it wasn't for the bittersweet taste of this book being a sequel to Infinite, when Halo Studios should have dug in their heels and made this one too.

With Campaign Evolved coming out later this year, it really leaves me wondering how things will continue from here. Both books set up a lot to explore in the grand year of 2560 and beyond. I guess we will just have to wait and see...

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely my favourite Halo book so far. Great character writing, good heart and emotion, great follow up from Infinite, and a good progression from that game’s story. Just worrying I’ll be waiting a long time to get a sequel to this with how far away Halo 7 seems. I will say it became a little harder to read somewhere in the middle, and the ending was pretty good but didn’t have as much going on as I would’ve thought. Regardless, it was great, and definitely my favourite Halo book I’ve read.

[Breeona Payeur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was AMAZING! The writing was amazing with explaining how the ring looked made it known how to visualize it! Kelly has always been awesome at writing how the Chief is hint of humanity while trying to be a solider! The ending was hard BUT it makes me excited for the future of Halo. Book or game!

I would recommend everyone to read this book and to continue this after! I wish it never ended but I’m happy to be able to read it!