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Dr. Halsey's Journal
Dr. Halsey's personal journal is a booklet co-written by Eric Nylund and is included with the Halo: Reach Limited and Legendary editions. It covers various elements from the Halo universe and is written through the eyes of Catherine Elizabeth Halsey herself.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 20, 2015
This. This is one of the coolest books I've ever read.
Note: I've never played Halo, nor do I know a thing about the Halo universe. So there are probably plenty of things that I didn't fully understand as I would have been expected to by the writers of the journal.
However, I absolutely LOVED every minute of reading it! As a meticulous journal keeper myself, I found it really fascinating that a lot of the way Dr. Halsey writes is similar to how I do. I was slightly frustrated by how infrequent her updates were, though. I always wanted to know more.
I hope I can hold on to this. I'd definitely like to keep it if I'm able to fit it into suitcases between now and whatever permanent home I find myself in.
Off to find youtube compilations of Halo cutscenes...
Note: I've never played Halo, nor do I know a thing about the Halo universe. So there are probably plenty of things that I didn't fully understand as I would have been expected to by the writers of the journal.
However, I absolutely LOVED every minute of reading it! As a meticulous journal keeper myself, I found it really fascinating that a lot of the way Dr. Halsey writes is similar to how I do. I was slightly frustrated by how infrequent her updates were, though. I always wanted to know more.
I hope I can hold on to this. I'd definitely like to keep it if I'm able to fit it into suitcases between now and whatever permanent home I find myself in.
Off to find youtube compilations of Halo cutscenes...
September 2, 2018
This journal and its supplementary components are a great companion to both Halo: Reach, the video game, as well as to Halo: The Fall of Reach, the novel. Incidentally, Eric Nylund authored both this journal as well as the aforementioned Halo novel, which is great since he proved to be such a great writer for the series.
From before the Spartan-II project commenced through Halsey's departure from Reach, a lot of cool and interesting details that were left out of the video game and novel were included in this compact journal. I especially liked how authentic the journal was made out to be – the handwriting font, the realistically ripped out pages for "security reasons," the nicely illustrated doodles in the margins, side notes and reminders throughout several pages, inclusions of newspaper strips and photographs, etc. (it was fun to use Halsey's ID card as a bookmark, too, which was included with the journal).
This journal really fleshed out Dr.Halsey's character and made her out to be a really likable and interesting personality in the Halo universe. Based off her writing, I can clearly see from whom Cortana adopted her many snarky mannerisms! Without a doubt, Dr. Halsey's Journal is a must-read for any Halo fan, especially those with a deeper appreciation for the events of Reach. This journal misses out on a 5 star rating only because it caters more to the video game's canon more so than the original book's canon, and I happen to like the book far more than the game. Otherwise, I love this journal and highly recommend it.
From before the Spartan-II project commenced through Halsey's departure from Reach, a lot of cool and interesting details that were left out of the video game and novel were included in this compact journal. I especially liked how authentic the journal was made out to be – the handwriting font, the realistically ripped out pages for "security reasons," the nicely illustrated doodles in the margins, side notes and reminders throughout several pages, inclusions of newspaper strips and photographs, etc. (it was fun to use Halsey's ID card as a bookmark, too, which was included with the journal).
This journal really fleshed out Dr.Halsey's character and made her out to be a really likable and interesting personality in the Halo universe. Based off her writing, I can clearly see from whom Cortana adopted her many snarky mannerisms! Without a doubt, Dr. Halsey's Journal is a must-read for any Halo fan, especially those with a deeper appreciation for the events of Reach. This journal misses out on a 5 star rating only because it caters more to the video game's canon more so than the original book's canon, and I happen to like the book far more than the game. Otherwise, I love this journal and highly recommend it.
July 5, 2021
Dr. Halsey's journal is one of the most lovingly crafted, enthralling collectable pieces of tie-in media I've ever encountered. Released as an exclusive for the Halo: Reach Special Edition, I was recently able to get my hands on a copy on eBay.
And this journal is phenomenal. It's a small hardcover book presented as an in-universe journal from Spartan project creator Dr. Catherine Halsey, complete with journal entries, sketches, notes, and even some supplemental materials in a compartment behind the journal including pictures, newspaper clippings, and more. There appears to have been a lot of thought put into making a truly memorable collectable absolutely stuffed with information for Halo fans.
It's been awhile since I played Halo: Reach or read Halo: The Fall of Reach, so I'm not sure if everything Dr. Halsey discusses in her journal lines up correctly, but nothing stuck out to me as particularly offensive from a lore perspective. It's fun to see Halsey's little side projects that might not have gotten attention in other media, as well as get her perspective on the Spartan program throughout her life. Karen Traviss' Kilo-Five trilogy of novels references the journal and has it play a role in the plot, and it appears as a physical object in Halo: Reach and Halo 5, so this isn't just some throwaway collectable that isn't integrated with the rest of the series. My only gripe is the same one that I have with most in-universe journals. There are so many wild time jumps that it loses some sense of realism -- there are only so many times entries can have a year or a year and a half between them before this becomes more obviously something created for entertainment than someone's personal journal.
Overall, I can't recommend Dr. Halsey's personal journal highly enough. It's the best in-universe book I've ever read to date and a phenomenal collectable for Halo fans. Good luck getting your hands on one for a reasonable price, but jump at the chance if you get it.
And this journal is phenomenal. It's a small hardcover book presented as an in-universe journal from Spartan project creator Dr. Catherine Halsey, complete with journal entries, sketches, notes, and even some supplemental materials in a compartment behind the journal including pictures, newspaper clippings, and more. There appears to have been a lot of thought put into making a truly memorable collectable absolutely stuffed with information for Halo fans.
It's been awhile since I played Halo: Reach or read Halo: The Fall of Reach, so I'm not sure if everything Dr. Halsey discusses in her journal lines up correctly, but nothing stuck out to me as particularly offensive from a lore perspective. It's fun to see Halsey's little side projects that might not have gotten attention in other media, as well as get her perspective on the Spartan program throughout her life. Karen Traviss' Kilo-Five trilogy of novels references the journal and has it play a role in the plot, and it appears as a physical object in Halo: Reach and Halo 5, so this isn't just some throwaway collectable that isn't integrated with the rest of the series. My only gripe is the same one that I have with most in-universe journals. There are so many wild time jumps that it loses some sense of realism -- there are only so many times entries can have a year or a year and a half between them before this becomes more obviously something created for entertainment than someone's personal journal.
Overall, I can't recommend Dr. Halsey's personal journal highly enough. It's the best in-universe book I've ever read to date and a phenomenal collectable for Halo fans. Good luck getting your hands on one for a reasonable price, but jump at the chance if you get it.
May 7, 2018
This was a book sold with the special edition copies of Halo Reach. The writing was better than I expected, but it's the overall attention to detail that makes this an easy 5 star. It's a hardback, string-bound journal with a fold-over magnetic clasp. Every page appears handwritten with lots of sketches, and it's packed full o' lots of extra "feelies" (notes, maps, photos, etc.), all of which are described here: https://www.halopedia.org/Dr._Halsey%... . One of the feelies is a transparent security badge than when viewed under a black light shows Halsey's face.
Two of the pages were mostly torn out. I checked online to see if it was just me. Nope -- according to the wiki, all but around 5 copies of the book had these pages torn out. These few unmolested copies were out there so that scans could possibly be preserved for the HALO community. However, it wasn't until nearly 6 years later that a complete copy was found, and the missing pages were scanned and posted online.
Two of the pages were mostly torn out. I checked online to see if it was just me. Nope -- according to the wiki, all but around 5 copies of the book had these pages torn out. These few unmolested copies were out there so that scans could possibly be preserved for the HALO community. However, it wasn't until nearly 6 years later that a complete copy was found, and the missing pages were scanned and posted online.
June 4, 2023
This book is part of one of the single best video game Collector's Editions that I've ever encountered. It came in a huge box with a beautiful and very large statue, a steelbook case for Halo: Reach itself and many other things, including this book. This book is a diary belonging to Dr. Catherine Halsey, an incredibly important figure in the Halo universe. It tracks the trials and tribulations involved in her creation of such important Halo story elements as the Spartan super soldiers and the AI Cortana in her own words. Halsey is a controversial figure in this universe and rightfully so, so getting this look into her mind in such a personal way is absolutely entrancing. Great book, but it is not easy to get.
July 12, 2021
A stand out piece of "tie-in" in-universe writing, which really stands head and shoulders higher than a vast majority of work in this highly evocative, but under-utilised genre. This beautifully presented notepad/journal - complete with doodles, coffee stains and ripped out pages - is the heart of a fantastic array of carefully crafted in-universe 'bumf' - news reports, index cards, maps, security passes - which tells a remarkably evocative and interesting story which reached me - a HALO light-weight- with ease.
March 29, 2022
I loved reading this book. it is really good and the pictures in it are amazing. i would recommend this book to anyone that loves halo in all. the only thing that i did not like about this book is that there were no numbers on the pages so you could not exactly know what page you were on. but other than that i loved this book and would recommend this to any halo fan.
December 11, 2017
"A look into the mind of a narcissistic sociopath. Like Mein Kampf with pictures." - 4th Generation Smart A.I Black Box (Serial Nr: BBX 8995-1)
July 19, 2020
Essential lore read for any Halo fan
November 27, 2022
A little confused, I read the whole thing and yet I still suck, 0/10
June 19, 2021
Really interesting read if you're familiar with the Halo games and want to know more of the lore.
January 21, 2014
I fell in love with this book/journal and it was what inspired me to write in a journal as well. The amount of information provided in the book about the Halo universe is impressive and interesting to read. The sketches are another thing found to be amazing. The tiny details are great like coffee stains and what a bit of dirt to add realism to the entire book.
January 10, 2011
Really leads the reader to their own opinion if they have some backround on the story line came with the games so i just thought what the heck
March 15, 2013
One of the most important books ever created for the halo series this is the start of everything.
December 29, 2021
Just cool collateral on the Halo universe, got it when I was like 15. Great little journal. I like the drawings too.
Someone should rewrite it using current possible science.
Someone should rewrite it using current possible science.
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July 10, 201866666666666666666666
September 20, 2018
Very detailed
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews