Halo fans with a thirst for referential material will be queuing up for the Barnes & Noble midnight launch of the Halo Encyclopedia, which has been announced for a fourth quarter release at book stores.

DK Publishing, fine reference book publisher of things all things useful, historical, mundane and incredibly nerdy, will pack 350-plus pages worth of Halo universe material into the encyclopedia. With topics ranging from characters, weapons, vehicles, equipment, and locations from each and every Halo game, no piece of Bungie-spawned lore looks to be unexplored. The publisher pegs the book's release for November, but retailers show a mid-October date.

The Halo Encyclopedia looks to carry a $39.99 price tag, with an Elite edition of the book—featuring a bonus cat-sized reference manual—not yet priced or announced.

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