Canon Fodder

Fiction

Alex Wakeford

Issue 169

Canon Fodder: Midnight Oil

Book Preview

Games

Halo Infinite

Waypoint Chronicles

Halo: Waypoint Chronicles – Volume One, a new anthology novel from Halo Studios’s own Jeff Easterling and Alexander Wakeford, is out now!



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Delve once more into stories of legendary heroism and star-spanning conflicts—from the time of the ancient Forerunners to the perils of a twenty-sixth century clash between the United Nations Space Command and the Banished alien alliance.



Halo: Waypoint Chronicles—Volume One collects over thirty short stories from all corners of the Halo universe, including twenty-four adventures previously only available online, plus ten brand-new tales exclusive to this collected volume! Also included are dozens of additional pieces of lore-laden intel items and story vignettes connected to the Halo Infinite game experience.



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<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Waypoint-Chronicles/Jeff-Easterling/Halo/9781668215227">Halo: Waypoint Chronicles is available in trade paperback, ebook, and unabridged audiobook formats.</a>



The stunning cover art is illustrated by Levi “Leviathan” Hoffmeier, known for official artwork in the 2022 Halo Encyclopedia and the beloved fan-made comic A Fistful of Arrows.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Waypoint-Chronicles/Jeff-Easterling/Halo/9781668215227"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1420" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover.jpg" alt="Full Halo: Waypoint Chronicles - Volume One cover art illustrated by Levi Hoffmeier depicting a Halo ring, a UNSC frigate, a Warthog driving past a Forerunner beam tower, Despondent Pyre, a Promethean Knight, Ilsa Zane, a Flood-infected Spartan, Laurette Agryna, Escharum, Fahl 'Nto, and Jun-A266" class="wp-image-142581" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover-300x208.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover-1024x710.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover-768x533.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover-1536x1065.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/WC_FullCover-1568x1087.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></a></figure>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONTENTS</h2>



The stories included within this vast volume include:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Vertical Umbrage</td><td>Winter Contention</td><td>Precipice</td><td>Duality</td><td>Sunrise on Sanghelios</td></tr><tr><td>Saturn Devouring His Son</td><td>Battle for the Blood-Moon</td><td>Trial of Reckoning</td><td>Hippocratica</td><td>Fireside</td></tr><tr><td>The Third Life</td><td>Anvil Accord</td><td>The Machine Breaks</td><td>Venezian Sonata</td><td>Age of Retribution</td></tr><tr><td>Whispers From The Pyre</td><td>From The Soil To The Stars</td><td>Tulpamancy</td><td>Battle for the Academy I</td><td>Battle for the Academy II</td></tr><tr><td>Moonrise Over Mombasa</td><td>“Ghosts & Glass” by B. Giraud</td><td>Ascension on Atropos</td><td>The Eridanus Twelve</td><td>Fifth Canticle</td></tr><tr><td>Rendezvous With Ramen</td><td>Ghosts of the Gyre</td><td>Bella Corsa</td><td>London Calling</td><td>Aileron</td></tr><tr><td>Worlds Uncharted</td><td>First Rain</td><td>Axios</td><td>Graveworld</td><td>Connectivity, Part 2</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Also included are all of the seasonal Intel texts that appeared in Halo Infinite‘s main menu and the Armory Infinitum entries from the last few years of Canon Fodder issues, detailing a moment in time when the special weapons in Halo Infinite were used.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Waypoint-Chronicles/Jeff-Easterling/Halo/9781668215234"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2160" height="810" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025.jpg" alt="Collage of all Waypoint Chronicle cover art from 2022-2025" class="wp-image-166106" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025.jpg 2160w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025-300x113.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025-1024x384.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025-768x288.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025-1536x576.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025-2048x768.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/04/WaypointChronicles_2025-1568x588.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px" /></a></figure>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AUDIOBOOK NARRATORS</h2>



For audiobook listeners, strap in because this volume includes over thirty narrators, including legendary Halo voice talent, new readers, and even several members of the community!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Waypoint-Chronicles/Jeff-Easterling/Halo/9781668166727"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2300" height="1437" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-165520" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast.jpg 2300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast-300x187.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast-768x480.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast-2048x1280.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/03/WaypointChronicles_Audiobook_FullCast-1568x980.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 2300px) 100vw, 2300px" /></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Vertical Umbrage Fred Tatasciore  </td><td>Winter Contention Kevin R. Free  </td><td>Precipice Gideon Emery  </td><td>Duality Fred Tatasciore  </td></tr><tr><td>Sunrise on Sanghelios Cary Hite </td><td>Saturn Devouring His Son Stewart Crank </td><td>Battle for the Blood-Moon Jean Gilpin </td><td>Trial of Reckoning Helen Laser </td></tr><tr><td>Hippocratica Daniel Henning  </td><td>Fireside Erika Soto  </td><td>The Third Life Tamara Taylor  </td><td>Anvil Accord Austin Murphy  </td></tr><tr><td>The Machine Breaks Jen Taylor </td><td>Venezian Sonata Tricia Helfer </td><td>Age of Retribution Luc Allcock </td><td>Whispers From the Pyre Sarah Elmelah </td></tr><tr><td>From the Soil to the Stars Lisa Flanagan </td><td>Tulpamancy Jacques Roy </td><td>Battle for the Academy I Tran Trieu </td><td>Battle for the Academy II Camilla Arfwedson </td></tr><tr><td>Moonrise Over Mombasa Yinka Ladeinde </td><td>“Ghosts & Glass” by B. Giraud Pierce O’Toole </td><td>Ascension on Atropos Stewart Crank </td><td>The Eridanus Twelve Jeff Steitzer </td></tr><tr><td>Fifth Canticle Jen Taylor </td><td>Rendezvous With Ramen Martin Smith </td><td>Ghosts of the Gyre Jenna Sharpe </td><td>Bella Corsa Lottie Van-Praag </td></tr><tr><td>London Calling Suzie McGrath  </td><td>Aileron Jeff Easterling  </td><td>Worlds Uncharted Kat Peterson  </td><td>First Rain Gideon Emery  </td></tr><tr><td>Axios Darren O’Hare </td><td>Graveworld Alexander Wakeford </td><td>Connectivity, Part 2 Jen Taylor </td><td>Intel & Armory Infinitum Scott Brick </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



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Whether you’re looking to read the physical or digital version of Halo: Waypoint Chronicles, or listen to the audiobook, you’re in for a wide variety of stories, settings, and characters across the Halo universe’s vast tapestry of lore.



<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Waypoint-Chronicles/Jeff-Easterling/Halo/9781668215227">ORDER HALO: WAYPOINT CHRONICLES</a>

Halo Studios

Halo: Waypoint Chronicles – Vol. One | OUT NOW

Community

Coinciding nicely with the launch of <a href="http://aka.ms/WaypointChronicles">Halo: Waypoint Chronicles – Volume One</a>, our latest episode of Spartan Chatter featured none other than Senior Franchise Story Lead Jeff Easterling and Franchise Writer Alex Wakeford, and it was an absolute treat!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-huge-font-size" style="text-transform:uppercase">Chronicle compilation</h2>



From initial inception to published work, we set out to learn how this dynamic duo brought this anthology to life. (It all started with Halo 4‘s tenth anniversary if you’re wondering!) From there, the Waypoint Chronicles project blossomed into a vehicle to continue telling the story past the launch of Halo Infinite and more.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Spartan Chatter: Halo: Waypoint Chronicles – Volume 1" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fKX1dEwgjCE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Today, it is a full fledged novel with all the previously released Chronicles included, and ten brand-new never before seen stories. Additionally, the audio book is comprised of a rich cast of talent from well known voice actors to Halo community members using their skills to bring the stories to life.



<a href="https://aka.ms/WaypointChronicles">Pick up your copy from Simon & Schuster today!</a>



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Spartan Chatter is an audio series, a podcast if you will, hosted on our <a href="https://wordpress.admin.halowaypoint.com/article/halo-outcasts-spartan-chatter/discord.gg/Halo">official Halo Discord</a> which brings members of the studio together to discuss all things Halo with a live audience.



You can find previous episodes of Spartan Chatter on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SWLEPaTx4c&list=PLn5QvCoiY3w7t84T_MFkGl8qvYI_q148-">YouTube channel’s Podcasts page</a> and on our Discord server.

snickerdoodle

Halo: Waypoint Chronicles – Volume 1 | Spartan Chatter

NOVEL DATABASE

Official Halo Book Guide

Issue 168

Canon Fodder: Casting Chronicles

Halo: Campaign Evolved

This year, Halo celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. As we look back to where this great journey began, with Halo: Campaign Evolved releasing later this year, so too are we excited to delve back into the foundational fiction of the franchise with Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus.



Contained within this titanic tome are the first three novels that released from 2001-2003:



<ul>
<li>The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund</li>



<li>The Flood by William C. Dietz</li>



<li>First Strike by Eric Nylund</li>
</ul>



Today, we are thrilled to reveal the cover art and Halo ring-themed sprayed edge treatment of this special omnibus collection, illustrated by the legendary Isaac Hannaford to thematically represent all three stories.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Master-Chief-Omnibus/Eric-Nylund/Halo/9781668241356"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1620" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_HC_Cvr.jpg" alt="Image of the hardcover edition of Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus depicting the Master Chief, Cortana, Captain Keyes, Dr. Halsey, Reach, Alpha Halo, Flood infection forms, and the Halo ring-themed sprayed edges of the book." class="wp-image-163549" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_HC_Cvr.jpg 1080w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_HC_Cvr-200x300.jpg 200w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_HC_Cvr-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_HC_Cvr-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_HC_Cvr-1024x1536.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></a></figure>



For series newcomers looking to explore the story that sets Halo: Campaign Evolved (and this science fiction universe!) into motion, and for long-time fans who want to revisit these foundational texts with updated corrections and edits, new adjunct stories, and a very pretty visual treatment for your shelves, this is the perfect way to return to where it all began as we celebrate a quarter century of Halo history.



Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus will be available on November 10.



<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Master-Chief-Omnibus/Eric-Nylund/Halo/9781668241356">PRE-ORDER HALO: THE MASTER CHIEF OMNIBUS</a>



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THE FALL OF REACH The 26th century. Humanity has expanded beyond Earth to hundreds of interstellar colonies, but the Unified Earth Government is struggling to control this vast empire. Dr. Catherine Halsey offers a solution and it starts with seventy-five children—trained to become super-soldiers to deliver humanity from seething colonial insurrections that threaten to erupt into full-blown interplanetary civil war. But an even greater peril lurks among the stars: the Covenant. A theocratic alliance of alien species hellbent on cleansing humanity from the galaxy.



This is the electrifying origin story of Spartan John-117—the Master Chief—and his legendary heroism in leading the fight against humanity’s annihilation.



THE FLOOD Having barely escaped the final battle for Reach aboard the UNSC Pillar of Autumn, the crew of this lone ship—including the Master Chief and his AI companion Cortana—arrive at a place of untold mystery and peril: Halo. A massive artificial ringworld built one hundred thousand years ago by a long-lost civilization known as the Forerunners.



Forced to flee to the ring’s surface by a Covenant fleet that followed them from Reach, the Autumn’s crew find themselves in a desperate battle for survival while the Master Chief and Cortana uncover the Halo construct’s terrible purpose—even as a far more terrifying enemy than the Covenant is released and all sentient life in the galaxy is threatened.



This is the official novelization of Halo: Combat Evolved, the game that launched the Xbox console and began Halo‘s generational legacy.



FIRST STRIKE The Master Chief and Cortana regroup with a handful of survivors from the harrowing battle on Halo, including Sergeant Major Avery Johnson. Together, they take the fight to a gathering of Covenant warships as the United Nations Space Command’s worst nightmare has finally come true: Earth’s location is compromised, and the Covenant is massing a fleet to utterly destroy it.



Meanwhile, trapped on the glassed surface of Reach, the remaining Spartans—led by Fred-104 and Kelly-087—continue the fight for their home. Beneath this ruined world, Dr. Catherine Halsey has discovered an ancient secret…one that could alter the course of the war.



This tale bridges the events that take place in the game Halo: Combat Evolved (as novelized in The Flood) and its blockbuster follow-up, Halo 2.



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Whether you’re exploring Halo‘s fiction for the first time or returning to relive the story as it began in 2001—from the origins of the SPARTAN-II program and the Covenant invasion of Reach through the Master Chief’s journey to discover the truth about Halo and the immediate aftermath of those events—this is a great entry point to the universe.



Mark those calendars and secure your copy today!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Master-Chief-Omnibus/Eric-Nylund/Halo/9781668241356"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1640" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_Ebook_Cvr.jpg" alt="Cover art of Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus depicting the Master Chief, Cortana, Captain Keyes, Dr. Halsey, Reach, Alpha Halo, and Flood infection forms." class="wp-image-163535" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_Ebook_Cvr.jpg 1080w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_Ebook_Cvr-198x300.jpg 198w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_Ebook_Cvr-674x1024.jpg 674w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_Ebook_Cvr-768x1166.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2026/02/Halo_Master_Chief_Omnibus_Ebook_Cvr-1012x1536.jpg 1012w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></a></figure>

Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus | Cover Reveal

Issue 167

Canon Fodder: Parasite’s Cake

Halo: Edge of Dawn, the latest novel by acclaimed author Kelly Gay, is out now!



Taking place in the immediate aftermath of Halo Infinite‘s campaign, Edge of Dawn follows the Master Chief, the Weapon (now having chosen the name Joyeuse), and pilot Fernando Esparza as they embark on a journey to fight back against the Banished and uncover ancient secrets hidden within Zeta Halo.



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2560. After eliminating War Chief Escharum and sending the Banished leadership into chaos, the Master Chief continues the fight on Zeta Halo, accompanied by his new AI companion and their loyal pilot Fernando Esparza.



As Spartan-117 searches for scattered allied forces, a young combat medic—tortured and imprisoned for months by the Banished and the enigmatic Harbinger—may hold the key to unlocking deeper mysteries within this ancient ringworld. But every step toward answers is haunted by the sinister and elusive blademaster Jega ‘Rdomnai, who is hellbent on vengeance….



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Halo: Edge of Dawn is available in trade paperback, ebook, and unabridged audiobook formats.



Audiobook listeners are in for a treat as this story is narrated by the following video game voice talent:



<ul>
<li>Nicolas Roye – Fernando Esparza, Narrator</li>



<li>Jen Taylor – Joyeuse, Cortana, Dr. Halsey</li>



<li>Steve Downes – John-117</li>



<li>Debra Wilson – The Harbinger</li>
</ul>



<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Edge-of-Dawn/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781668017555">PURCHASE HALO: EDGE OF DAWN</a>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CHAPTER PREVIEW</h2>



Check out a preview of the book’s first chapter where the AI known throughout Halo Infinite as “the Weapon” chooses her name.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Halo: Edge of Dawn | Chapter 1 Preview | Audio Excerpt" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vtkYIwMXG5U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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You can also read the text <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-edge-of-dawn-preview">here on Halo Waypoint</a>.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AVAILABLE NOW!</h2>



Halo: Edge of Dawn by Kelly Gay is out now! Whether you’re intending to listen to the audiobook, grab a digital copy, or read the physical paperback edition, hit the link below and prepare to return to Zeta Halo.



<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Edge-of-Dawn/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781668017555">PURCHASE HALO: EDGE OF DAWN</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-Edge-of-Dawn/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781668017555"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1676" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/EdgeOfDawnCover_TallFinal.jpg" alt="Halo: Edge of Dawn novel cover depicting the Master Chief and the Weapon" class="wp-image-142242" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/EdgeOfDawnCover_TallFinal.jpg 1080w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/EdgeOfDawnCover_TallFinal-193x300.jpg 193w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/EdgeOfDawnCover_TallFinal-660x1024.jpg 660w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/EdgeOfDawnCover_TallFinal-768x1192.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2025/06/EdgeOfDawnCover_TallFinal-990x1536.jpg 990w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></a></figure>