Cat Hefferan

The second book in this exciting trilogy left me breathless with anticipation for the final installation. The Halo Trilogy by Hays and McFall is a roller-coaster sci-fi adventure mystery that drops you into the (sophisticated and intelligent) action from the first page. My fiction reading passions are sci-fi, mystery, adventure, and espionage (with historical romance thrown into any of these genres--if done well). Halo meets all of my joys in reading. First, the sci-fi: plausible. A perfect balance of technology, action, premise, and terminology appealing to experts and lay-persons alike. I appreciate the aspects I don't know about because the authors skillfully channel me into immediate comprehension--without dumbing-down. Accessibility is key when taking someone into the future. Second, intelligent. Though the authors incrementally peel away the layers; most every character is multifaceted, engaging and smart. I love smart characters and Halo characters invite me into their world from start to finish--each professional and expert is written to help me travel in their shoes, in the moment. Third, fun and funny. Realistic, relatable self-made, courageous leaders with everyday issues-- some charming and humorous.The adventure is richly integrated with tension, fear and plenty of humor. It takes a lot of skill to make me laugh at a story--especially one fraught with painful, dark challenges. Hays and McFall provide plenty of laughs--sarcastic, sardonic, silly, self-deprecating... clearly they understand fun and humor in many dimensions. Fourth, mystery. This is a series of deep, dark mysteries encompassing the intergalactic future of Earth, mars and their inhabitants. Edgy, sinister, compelling and tight. As with the character's personalities, the mysteries are revealed via well timed clues. From murder to DNA experimentation, conspiracies and revolution, there is a lot going on and I never got lost! Fifth, a brilliant socio-economic, political, environmental cautionary tale. Drawing from real circumstances of today, Halo's authors immerse readers into a highly realistic future. It's torturous and frighteningly possible. Finally, the first two Halo books left me impatient to read the next volume. Please, Hays and McFall write faster!!! As a fan of their earlier works (Cowboy and the Vampire series; Bonnie and Clyde trilogy) I can't wait to see where the next Halo book leads (hopefully to the big screen eventually). I highly recommend this compelling series filled with mystery, humor, hope and touch of romance.