Actually, if you want info on the Didact, play through Halo 3. There are seven terminals scattered throughout the last couple of levels (plus an extra one with Cortana, although that's an easter egg) that provide lots of info on the Didact, Librarian, and Forerunner-Flood war. That's where all that stuff about the mantle and everything comes from, not the books. If you don't want to have to work your way through the Halo 3 campaign, this page has transcripts for every terminal but the Cortana one, including the extras unlocked on Legendary difficulty: http://www.halopedia.org/Halo_3_Terminals
I don't know why Cortana copying herself is silly, you deliver a copy of her to the Autumn in Halo: Reach. Soundtrack is just fine without Marty, some of the pieces (Awakening, To Galaxy, 117, and Arrival) are friggin' spectacular in their own right.
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Campaign: Has flaws, but overall is a solid entry to a new trilogy
Halo 4 is not perfect, there I said it, but is it a bad game?
Pros: The writing for Chief and Cortana is at an all time high, with Cortana starting off with just minor quirks at the beginning with her condition deteriorating slowly but steadily to the point where she is dangerously unstable, with Chief's stubborn refusual to let her go, he's the most Human that he's ever been here.
The game is simply gorgeous, combined together with the new sound effects (The Battle Rifle and energy sword sound beautiful), it is the most organic Halo game yet.
The levels are varied, ranging from the outer hull of the forward unto dawn, to meadows, to forests, to beautifully lit Forerunner structures, to rocky canyons.
The Prometheans are intimidating enemies, towering over even the massive Master Chief and with powerful weapons to back them up. They are a welcome addition to the game, especially how the Watchers act as support units.
The Diadect is an intimidating villain, seizing complete control of the situation when he first emerges and constantly alludes to something called the "Mantle". As someone who hadn't read the books, I realized that it wasn't a thing, but a concept, the responsibility to rule over the galaxy. Diadect is a villain motivated solely by racism, refusing to let go of the Forerunner's lost glory.
WE CAN FINALLY FLY A PELICAN! Also the Mantis is cool.
Always being able to sprint is a welcome change.
Cons: Characters besides Chief and Cortana are pitifully underdeveloped.
The game is rather short. I beat it in seven hours on heroic (again, haven't played Spartan Ops yet)
We can finally fly a Pelican, but the time spent in it is disappointingly short.
The armor abilities feel rather useless at times, which beats them being OP, but still.
Cortana at one point copies her self. It just seems a little...silly
The soundtrack just isn't the same without Marty
Overall, Halo 4 is different game, but that's not bad. I like Halo because it doesn't just retread what it did before, it changes from game to game, and Halo 4 has some very strong aspects to it and is the next step in Halo's evolution. As can be expected with a developer's first game, there are some flaws, but it's a strong first entry. Looking forward to 343 learning from their mistakes in Halo 5
8/10