When humanity expanded beyond the safety of Earth to new stars & horizons they never dreamed what dangers they would encounter there. When the alien juggernaut known as the Covenant declared holy war on the fragile human empire millions of lives were lost
- but millions of heroes rose to the challenge. In such far-reaching conflict not many of the stories of these heroes both human & alien have a chance to become legend. This collection holds stories that dive into the depths of the vast Halo universe not only from the perspective of those who fought & died to save humanity but also from those who vowed to wipe humanity out of existence.
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Rounding out Tors" series of reissues of the original three Halo novels this newly edited & revised edition of " First Strike" is a must-have for all Halo fans. Featuring author Eric Nylund at the helm this tale bridges the events that take place in the game Halo: Combat Evolved (as novelized in " The Flood") & its blockbuster follow-up " Halo 2". After destroying the first Halo Master Chief & Cortana attempt to voyage back home among a myriad of deadly Covenant attacks. With a battle weary squad that

Includes:: the last of the Spartan-II survivors & the programs creator Dr. Catherine Halsey " First Strike" delivers an action-packed space opera told against the backdrop of one of the richest & most complex Science Fiction franchises of our time."

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With the Human-Covenant war over the universe is in chaos. The enemy that gave humanity much-needed drive & unity has been defeated. Rising from the trauma of this long-fought devastating conflict the UNSC must now lay claim to the universe. But new dangers both alien & human may threaten any chance for lasting peace. Join a group of old soldiers & new heroes as they begin a mission to penetrate what was once the heart of the Covenant empire in a desperate attempt to stop old foes from rising again. ...

In the wake of the apparent self-destruction of the Forerunner empire two humans -- Chakas & Riser -- are like flotsam washed up on very strange shores indeed. They find themselves on an inverted world where horizons rise into the sky & where humans of all kinds are trapped in a perilous cycle of neglect. They have become strategic pawns in a cosmic game whose madness knows no end -- a game of ancient vengeance between the powers who seeded the galaxy with life & the Forerunners. In the company of a young girl & an old man Chakas begins an epic journey across a lost & damaged Halo in search of a way home an explanation for the warrior spirits rising up within & for the Librarian's tampering with human destiny. This journey will take them into the domain of a powerful & monstrous intelligence who claims to be the Last Precursor & who now has control of both this Halo & the fate of Forerunners & humans alike. Called the Primordial by ancient human warriors this intelligence may control the fate of not only Chakas Riser & the rest of humanity but all of sentient life. ...

In the last years of the Forerunner empire chaos rules. The Flood -- a horrifying shape-changing parasite -- has arrived in force aided by unexpected allies. Internal strife within the ecumene has desperately weakened Forerunner defences. Too little too late the legal rate of Juridicals is only now investigating possible crimes by the Master Builder & others. Evidence-gathering agents known collectively as Catalog have been dispatched to collect testimony from the Librarian & both Didacts: the Ur-Didact treacherously abandoned in a Flood-infested system & the Bornstellar Didact who accompanies the Librarian as she preserves specimens against the dire possibility of Hal extermination. Facing the imminent collapse of their civilization the Librarian & Ur-Didact reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished Precursors & the Flood. The Precursors created many technological species including humanity & the Forerunners. But the roots of the Flood may be found in an act of enormous barbarity carried out beyond our galaxy ten million years before. Because of that barbarism a greater evil looms. Only the Ur-Didact & the Librarian -- husband & wife pushed into desperate conflict -- hold the keys to a solution. Facing the consequences of a mythic tragedy one of them must now commit the greatest atrocity of all time -- to prevent an insane evil from dominating the entire universe. ...

In the first desperate days of the Human-Covenant War the UNSC has enacted the Cole Protocol to safeguard Earth & its inner colonies from discovery by a merciless alien foe. Many are called upon to rid the universe of lingering navigation data that would reveal the location of Earth. Among them is Navy Lieutenant Jacob Keyes. Thrust back into action after being sidelined Keyes is saddled with a top secret mission by ONI. One that will take him deep behind enemy lines to a corner of the universe where nothing is as it seems. Out beyond the Outer Colonies lies the planet Hesiod a gas giant surrounded by a vast asteroid belt. As the Covenant continues to glass the human-occupied planets near Hesiod many of the survivors helped by a stronghold of human Insurrectionists are fleeing to the asteroid belt for refuge. They have transformed the tumbling satellites into a tenuous yet ingenious settlement known as the Rubble--and have come face-to-face with a Covenant settlement of Kig-Yar.. .yet somehow survived. News of this unlikely treaty has spread to the warring sides. Luckily for the UNSC this uneasy alliance is in the path of the Spartan Gray Team a three-man renegade squad whose simple task is to wreak havoc from behind enemy lines in any way they see fit. But the Prophets have also sent their best--an ambitious & ruthless Elite whose quest for nobility & rank is matched only by his brutality...and who will do anything to secure his Ascendancy & walk the Path. ...

Having barely escaped the battle for Reach the crew of the Pillar of Autumn is forced to make a jump into Slipspace in hopes of evading the vast alien alliance hell-bent on wiping out humanity. But their destination brings them to an ancient mystery & an even greater struggle. In this far-flung corner of the universe floats a magnificently massive artificial ring world...a construct from a long lost race. The humans only hope of survival is to crash land on its surface & take the battle against the Covenant to the ground. But they soon discover that this enigmatic ring world is much more than it seems. Built 100 000 years ago by a civilization known as the Forerunners this Halo" is worshipped by the Covenant
- a sacred artefact that they hope will complete their religious quest for supposed transcendence. They will stop at nothing to control it. Engaged in a fierce ground battle Master Chief & Cortana go deep into the Halo Construct to uncover a dark secret; this enigmatic ring world is also the universes most dangerous weapon. Its purpose: the destruction of all sentient life. For the Forerunners built the HALO to battle the universes most vicious enemy
- a virtually unstoppable & suddenly reawakened force known as The Flood."

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This is a life-or-death mission for ONI's black-ops team Kilo-Five which is tasked with preventing the rutheless Elites once the military leaders of the Covenant from regrouping & threatening humankind again. What began as a routine dirty-tricks operation
- keeping the Elites busy with their own insurrection
- turns into a desperate bid to extract one member of Kilo-Five from the seething heart of an alien civil war. But troubles never come singly for Kilo-Five. Colonial terrorism is once again surfacing on one of the worlds that survived the war against the Covenant & the man behind it is much more than just a name to Spartan-010. Meanwhile the treasure trove of Forerunner technology recovered from the shield world of Onyx is being put to work. & a kidnapped Elite plots vengeance on the humans he fears will bring his people to the brink of destruction.

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Nutritionist Sarah Flower author of the bestselling Everyday Halogen Oven Cookbook & Perfect Baking with your Halogen Oven is passionate about the benefits of the Halogen Oven. In this book she shows you how to make delicious & simple one pot dishes in your Halogen Oven. If you fancy making the perfect roast chicken complete with steamed seasonal vegetables & crispy roast potatoes this step-by-step guide will show you how. From simple suppers to the perfect roast dinner this book is a must for Halogen lovers. As with all of Sarah's recipe books she strives to create wholesome recipes that are simple to follow easy to prepare & good for you. ...