Here’s a plot synopsis: “HALO: Cryptum is the story of a young, rebellious Manipular – yet to become a part of the adult Forerunner society.

THE FORERUNNER STORY-the history of my people-has been told many times, with greater and greater idealization, until I scarcely recognize it.

For this, Cortana put Blue Team in a stasis field and locked them inside of a Forerunner Cryptum, hoping that Chief would come to change his mind given time.

And the fact that the cover looks more like a classic hard science fiction novel than a Halo tie-in is no accident, says O’Connor. Halo: Cryptum is intended to be “a hard sci-fi novel with a ...