If the four games, six novels, and multiple comic series based in the Halo universe just aren"t enough to satisfy your yearning for space marine lore, then you might want to keep an eye out for the upcoming Halo Encyclopedia. The product of a deal between Microsoft and publisher DK, Edge reports that this 352-page tome will arrive on store shelves sometime this year.

Having recently published books like the DC Comics Encyclopedia and Marvel Chronicle, DK seems like a solid choice for releasing a guide to the people, places, and things of the Halo series. Halo franchise development director and former Bungie content manager Frank O"Connor -- who"s also penning the book"s foreword -- says of the partnership with DK, "We were struck by DK"s thorough treatment of other licensed properties and we turned to them to create the definitive reference to the Halo universe for the legions of devoted fans."

This thing should come in handy if you"re ever caught in a dispute over the precise clip size of a MA5B Assault Rifle, or the significance of armor color among the Covenant forces. Amazon currently lists the Halo Encyclopedia for an October 19 release at a price of $26.40, but that info is obviously subject to change by the time the book actually ships.