While we have to wait a while longer for Halo Infinite, Microsoft is releasing a new Halo novel very soon, and the company is promoting it with a special excerpt read by none other than the voice of Master Chief, Steve Downes. You can listen to Downes’ famous voice read about seven minutes of Halo: Shadows of Reach in the video below.
The book was written by Troy Denning, who has written numerous Halo novels before this, in addition to books in the Star Wars, Planescape, and Forgotten Realms franchises. The story focuses on Master Chief as he takes part in a “covert insertion” on the planet of Reach alongside his Spartan II soldiers.
The full audiobook version of Shadows of Reach is narrated by Sean Patrick Hopkins. The book is scheduled to release on October 20, and you can get it through Audible, Google Play, and other digital bookstores.
According to Microsoft, Shadows of Reach is not “required reading” to make sense of the upcoming Halo Infinite. Microsoft says it is similar in nature to Erik Nylund’s 2010 novel Halo: The Fall of Reach, a book that detailed some of the early storylines of the Halo series, going back before the first Halo game.
Halo Infinite’s story takes place years after the events of Halo 5: Guardians, continuing the story of Master Chief. For lots more on Shadows of Reach–and I mean lots–you can check out this detailed interview with Denning and editor Jeremy Patenaude covering many key aspects of the book.
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