Book News: Tor Books Announces HALO: EVOLUTIONS!

New Halo collection to feature original tales by Eric Nylund, Karen Traviss, Tobias Buckell and more


Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC—the largest publisher of science fiction in the world—and Microsoft are pleased to announce HALO: EVOLUTIONS, a new story collection in the New York Times bestselling Halo® series, expanding the universe created in the hugely successful Halo videogames for the Xbox 360. Three previous Halo novels published by Tor have sold over a million combined copies to date, and in 2010 Tor will publish the first in a new Halo trilogy by science fiction icon Greg Bear. HALO: EVOLUTIONS will be published in November 2009. An unabridged audiobook edition will publish simultaneously with the new novel.

HALO: EVOLUTIONS will feature a wide variety of tales set across the span of the Halo universe. Contributing brand-new original stories are New York Times bestselling Halo novelists Eric Nylund and Tobias Buckell, as well as Halo newcomer and #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss. The collection will also include a number of other bestselling and award-winning writers, as well as contributions from the games writers and creators themselves, including original Halo contributor, Robt McLees of Bungie, LLC.

“There are so many interesting and exciting playgrounds that are spawning from every HALO offering,” says Eric Raab, Tor editor. “This is a great chance to watch writers have some fun with these areas and expand on some of the unexplored mythos and characters, while at the same time creating new ones as well. Think of the short story collection as a new litter of Halo stories, each excitingly unique.”

“The chance to explore corners of the Halo universe, whether obscure or popular, is something we are always excited to do, but the chance to shine light on these dark corners with the talents of these wonderful luminaries, is a pleasure indeed,” says Frank O’Connor, Franchise Development Director, 343 Industries. “The combination of fresh eyes and old hands guarantees a brilliant continuation of a Halo tradition.”

HALO: EVOLUTIONS arrives in-stores during an exciting season for the Halo franchise. Microsoft recently announced at Comic-Con International 2009 two dynamic expansions in the Halo universe: “Halo Legends,” an original anime series in cooperation with legendary anime pioneer Shinji Aramaki (Ghost in the Shell) and “Halo Waypoint,” a Halo-exclusive channel to launch with Xbox LIVE this fall. In September, the highly anticipated Halo 3: ODST will let players experience events leading up to the story told in Halo 3 from the perspective of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) as they search for clues behind the Covenant’s occupation of New Mombasa.

“Halo” has emerged from the videogame world as a global phenomenon. To date, more than 27 million copies of the games in the Halo franchise have been sold worldwide. “Halo 3” made entertainment history when it launched on Sept. 25, 2007, setting record sales which marked not just the biggest videogame launch, but the biggest day-one entertainment launch in history. The newest game in the franchise, “Halo Wars,” launched on March 3, 2009 and is the best-selling current generation console-based strategy game of all time. With a fully fleshed-out universe of heroes, villains and epic scenarios, the novels expand the universe to give fans a grander view of the game environments and characters they encounter.