In fact it differs to what happens in the latter half of Silentium in some arguably important ways, seemingly in the interest of brevity, to which it fails anyway.
I consider the narrative and terminals in 4 a failure, a significant one, one that I pray they've learned a lot from.
The whole positioning of the Didact in 4 is something I don't understand. How did they not see these problems coming, well in advance. Was there some greater plan to tell this (pretty complicated) story that just died unexpectedly? Or did they truly believe that only the hardcore fans needed that data, as that the Didact would work as a villain without all that context?
And hell, for the hardcore fans, Silentium contains vital information on ones picture of the Didact(s) and to have in any way a convincing character switch.
But anyway, I am glad to have finally bought and read Silentium, awful, awful cover/jacket art aside.
Questions I have :
1) How did a/the Composer end up on Installation 03? The Librarian A.I., in Halo 4, states that she hid it [not necessarily there, but probably]. Was this pre Composition on Halo by the Greater Arc?
It doesn't seem there was time for the Librarian to do this unless so. The fact it isn't explicitly mentioned to me suggests it's a fact that slipped through the cracks, but is probably salvageable.
2) Why did the Flood not infect the Librarian after telling her that the activation would destroy the domain? Yes, it knew it had already "lost", but the unending hunger aspect to me would suggest that they would not pass up the opportunity to feast upon her. It doesn't seem like it was a case of not wasting any resources to not reaction the lesser Ark, so a few infection forms would not have gone astray
3) Before Catalog pushed himself into the Gravemind's path, was the Gravemind intending to fully.. digest the Ur Didact? Was it after digesting Catalog that his plan changed? Or was he always intending to return a twisted Forerunner, but infection free?
I'm sure I have more, but another time perhaps.
P.S. I had forgotten about the Epilogue to Silentium,
Halo : Rebirth (an inauspicious title, even coming off these Silentium good vibes), I shall listen to it now, I did not expect it to be an audio clip, and read by Greg Bear no less.
P.S.S. Would it have been so hard to
give us this? Gad damn