After the first few chapters "Nyxia" had me worried. The whole "teens fight each for a once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity and stability for their families has been done a lot in YA lit. The process of the trials to secure a spot to Eden reminded me a lot of "Divergent" and the tests the pledges had to go through before initiation.

That being said, I was still pleased with "Nyxia" and am looking forward to the following two books. Emmett is our main protagonist, an African-American from Detroit. His mother is sick and part of his incentive for going to Eden is to get medical insurance for his family. The other nine aboard Genesis 11 include a cast of characters from all over the world, but all have one thing in common: they're poor and all need the benefits. There's an unexpected death, alliances formed and broken, and a cute romance you can root for.

I'm interested to see where the sequels take the plot.

Thank you for letting me read.

Book: Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad #1) by Scott Reintgen

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Pages: 384

Release Date: September 12, 2017

Rating: 4-4.5 / 5



Review

This book was a lovely surprise in a year of fairly strong sci-fi offerings in the young adult department. The main reason I requested an ARC of this book? Having known nothing about the author, it only took that blurb recommendation from Marie Lu: "A high-octane triller. Nyxia grabs you from the first line and never lets go." Could it live up to that? I had to see for sure.

The Setting

Nyxia begins on Earth but quickly transitions to the Genesis 11 which carries our new friends onward through space until they reach a new planet. Ten 10 hopeful teens are all-in for the dream of... well, mostly money. Each of them have their own objective.

They have been specially selected to mine a substance called nyxia which is a material that can be transformed into any number of useful and powerful items. For example, a nyxian mask which attaches easily to a users face and allows for automatic translation of all known languages. Considering the kids are from all over the world, this is a handy feature. And if you know anything about language mythology, you'll this of one thing when you hear about this... Babel. 

For those of you unfamiliar, the Tower of Babel was built by humans to reach the heavens, only to be struck down. By way of punishment for reaching too high, mankind was scattered and given different languages so that they couldn't attempt such a feat again. In short, anyway. Back to the book, you'll be interested to know that the company in charge of the mining operations and space travel: Babel Communications.

Nyxia allows for some pretty cool technology on board the Genesis 11, and the teens have to learn quickly how to use it, while also figuring out how to work together, how to work apart, and who are their enemies. Only 8 of them will be selected to go to Eden and receive all the benefits, fiscal or otherwise, that they so desire. Which means 2 of them will be going home.

What does it remind me of?

Nyxia comes off as a mix of many sci-fi adventures before it. Facets of it reminded me of: The Hunger Games, The 100, Ender's Game, and Avatar. All in good ways, and not so overwhelmingly that it took away from the story.

The Characters

While there are ten main teens in the first book, the story really revolves around Emmett Atwater. He is a young man from Detroit who is strong and flawed, and hopes that getting to Eden will enable him to help his family... especially his Mom (or as he says "Moms") who is in dire need of a kidney transplant as she has been ailing for years. Emmett is mostly likable, though I found him annoying at times. Such as when he would "file away" things in his mind repeatedly. That is, at least, until it was finally explained why he does that and then it became less annoying and more sustaining to his character. 

The rest of the teens are Longwei, Katsu, Kaya, Azima, Bilal, Isadora, Roathy, Jazzy and Jaime. Remarkably, I didn't have to look that up. You see their names a great many times in the scoring of the competition, but also in learning more about each of them. It will be interesting to see if their stories expand further over the next two books. Especially Longwei who is ultra competitive but very stand-offish and closed off compared to the majority of them. I'm especially curious about some other characters, but that would involve some spoilers. 

Then there are the medical officers, the trainer, and other miscellaneous Babel personnel. For this book you'll mostly hear about the staff member assigned to Emmett and Kaya and also the trainer Defoe. They serve as the framework through which all of the competitors understand how the competition will run and how they are expected to work with and for Babel. There is a lot of controlled information on behalf of Babel. 

Emmett, to me, is ultimately interesting for two reasons. One being that he knows his strengths and weaknesses and has a hard time making the two of them work to his advantage. And two - he is very real and true to life when he is susceptible to his own anger and fear. You feel a lot of things with him. One of my favorite parts is while he and Kaya are exploring the ship beyond where they have permission to be. While some of their explorations bring joy and intrigue, one in particular lights Emmett up with apprehension that stirs up the desire to tell them to GO BACK. My stomach was in knots! And from that point til the end, I could not put the book down.

Overall Feelings

I NEED TO READ THE NEXT BOOK. The ending wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, you know most of what is going on, but at the same time... ugh! Just tell me more! I'm dying. I need to know who made it to Eden and where all of this is going. The competition on the ship is over, so it should stand that the winners will now get to be a team and do some mining on the planet. I have to wonder if they will still be competing and what other facets Babel has yet to unveil to them.

Rating wise I have left this as a 4 - 4.5. Nyxia was really enjoyable, but to me the second quarter of the book slowed down a lot as the dredges of the daily competition updates continued on. You need that background info, and I was grateful for it by the end, but in the moment I was really waiting for some action. 

Highly recommended read for sci-fi fans!

Note:

Thank you to the author and publisher for offering this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I can't wait until the next one!

Reminiscent of Ender’s Game or Red Rising, Nyxia is the start of an exciting new trilogy from a debut author. Emmett, raised in Detroit in a family that has always struggled to make ends meet, finds a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity aboard the Genesis 12, Babel Communication’s deep space ship. There, Emmett is training with, and competing against, 9 other teens in order to mine the physics-defying substance Nyxia from the alien planet Eden. Fast-paced action and quick story development kept me hooked in Emmett’s story, rooting for him as he fights for a chance to make it to Eden while still trying to maintain his core goodness. The stakes steadily escalate to an adrenaline-fueled ending that perfectly sets up the development of the story and the characters in future books. This is a quick, enjoyable book to absorb, fresh in its characters, and a strong beginning for a new adventure SF series.

4 stars ( release date Sept. 12, 2017)

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series. It's a fun YA Science Fiction/Fantasy book that reminds me of Enders Game and the Hunger Games. The main character is Emmett, a high school student from Detroit that is recruited along with 9 other teenagers to participate in a project for a huge conglomerate called Babel Corporation. They compete for a chance to be taken to an alien world called Eden, where they will live among an alien race named Adamites and mine a new incredible substance called Nyxia for one year. In exchange, they will be paid $50,000 a month for life and their family members will be provided the much needed health care that they need forever. But, is the offer too good to be true?

The worldbuilding in the book is ok. The story is clearly set sometime in the not-to-distant future, but the timeline is never really made clear. The date 2020 is mentioned at one point, but it's never explained just how far beyond that date the story is set. The other characters are not as fully formed as Emmett, but that's mainly because there is so much action going on in the book. I expect these characters will be more developed in later books. The story lags in a couple places, but this is a minor annoyance and doesn't really spoil the overall enjoyment of the book.

I recommend you read this book. While the themes are fairly typical of a YA SciFi/fantasy dystopian book, it's still a good read. It's fun and full of action. The chapters are short and you will have a hard time putting it down.

Emmett Atwater had no clue why he’d been recruited by the Babel Corporation but now that he has heard their proposal he knows there is no way he could pass the opportunity by. Babel has recruited ten teens from around the world and offered them a contract with so many promises and opportunities involved Emmett knows it would help his family tremendously.

The contract is offered to get the recruits to leave Earth and travel to a distant planet called Eden in order to mine for Nyxia. The inhabitants of the planet will welcome children to their home so the teens are needed to seek out this new resource for Babel. The catch..only eight of them will make the cut to call the new planet home and they must prove themselves all along the journey.

Nyxia is the first book of the new sci-fi young adult Nyxia Triad series by Scott Reintgen. I have to say starting this one off it really began to remind me of other young adult series out there so I was a bit hesitant to think it would gain a life of it’s own. Most notably I kept thinking of Divergent when the recruits end up competing against one another. But thankfully the story and characters did grow into one that I did enjoy and would look forward to reading more in the future.

Now one thing I would warn with Nyxia is while the characters were described as a very diverse group along the way I thought that was kind of lost in the rest of the story. The action seemed to over power personalities to me and since it was described at the beginning they were given translators I think that kind of lost the different nationalities and languages to where they didn’t stand out much. The action however did keep coming and a few surprises along the way to keep my attention and have me looking forward to seeing if the series can pull itself out of reminding me of other young adult titles and become completely creative and new in later installments.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

When Emmett is called to the principal's office, he can't figure out what he did wrong. Why would he want to see him? The office has other people in it and they tell him it's like he's won the lottery: He's been chosen to go to space and mine nyxia on a world called Eden. He doesn't know how he could win when he didn't apply but the amount of money they are offering ends any questions...

Crown Books for Young Readers and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published September 12th.

There are ten students going and they come from all over the world. They wear a mask that translates all languages to the one you understand. They all are poor or broken in some way. And only eight of the two ten will be allowed to go to the planet. It's competition all the way there. The tests are difficult, change all the time and they have to learn how to fight each other, swim well, stay alive on the river in a boat and more.

This would make a really good movie. There is plenty of action, lots of emotion and plenty of other worldly effects.

Once they complete the trip to the Tower, they find out there is another team up there. Both have been trained. The best of the best will get to go to Eden.

Injuries keep you from gaining points. One girl even gets killed. But they are all trying hard to win. It doesn't take long until you realize the company is not telling them the whole truth. Nyxia is like gold used to be but more powerful. They want to control it. However, I don't think they are too worried about any human losses. This is the first book in the series and they are just getting ready to land. The next book should be even more revealing. I hope Emmett survives...

If The Hunger Games and Ender's Game had an awesome, smart baby, it would be Nyxia. Babel Corporation is taking the youngest crew ever to space, to mine the titular substance on an alien planet called Eden. These kids are scrappy but broken, and the money and opportunities that Babel is offering can change their lives and the future of their families. But... there is always a catch, in this case a ruthless competition that will turn children into soldiers. Emmett, a black kid from Detroit with a dying mother, will not let Babel turn him into a monster. And it's his spark and the relationships that he establishes with his competitors that give the story its edge over other YA novels. All these kids have souls, even the least likable of them has redeeming qualities. The way their relationships evolve depending on the circumstances is impressive. The competition is so suspenseful and the curveballs that Babel keeps throwing so unexpected that the outcome is not clear until the very end (and even then, this is only the first volume in a trilogy). This is an exceptional novel and I can't wait for the next installment.

I just want the next one. If that doesn't give it away, I REALLY enjoyed Nyxia! I found it to be a unique mix of Hunger Games and Ender's Game vibes. I'm not the biggest sci-fi reader, but this definitely had me turning page after page, digitally of course.

Almost immediately I noticed the diversity present in this novel and I couldn't have been happier! It's always amazing to find more diversity in YA books and Nyxia definitely has plenty of diversity. I'm also glad that this diversity although apparent, wasn't incredibly in your face with culture, making it feel much more authentic. The natural input of diversity it something I was definitely looking for and Nyxia delivered it!

Sci-fi's are always full of action! Nyxia had a moving plot full of adventure, action, and some major plot twists! It's plot was definitely one of my favorite aspects of this movie and I think, if done right, this could be turned into one heck of a movie! There is a hint of romance for all you romance lovers (is that repetitive?) out there!

Scott Reintgen not only filled this novel with action, but he also created some amazing characters.
Starting with Emmett, our main character, I definitely had a change of heart with him. I started off disliking Emmett. I saw him as someone with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, but after following him through this journey I have come to really enjoy reading through his perspective! His thought process was incredible to watch and progress and I can't wait to see what happens in the rest of series!
Kaya... She was an absolute doll and I couldn't help but love her kindness. She is definitely someone that would be a role model and even though her kind nature felt fake at first, getting to understand her deeper and her past really showed how genuine her nature was and she was absolutely lovely.
I would love to comment on more but I want to keep this spoiler free! HOWEVER, if you have read this and want to talk about it with me feel free to contact me!

Nyxia was an incredible read and I would definitely recommend this to everyone, but even more to all you sci-fi readers out there! I'm also super excited to see what continues on in this series because this cliff hanger IS KILLING ME. Anyways, Nyxia is an amazing diverse read that is full of action and suspense and please go and pick it up!

This book in a way reminds me of a cross between The Maze Runner, The 100 and passengers. 10 teens chosen to go to the planet Eden yet its not that simple. they are tested and put through trials. Without giving too much away. Its an intriguing plot, memorable characters and a new twists on the survival of the fittest in a way. Looing forward to book 2.
4 out of 5 stars.

With the competition between the recruits, think The Hunger Games or Divergent set in space, and you'll get the general feel of Nyxia.  

I recently read a similar book in which several characters are pitted against each other in a tournament, but had difficulty distinguishing between them.  With Nyxia, it's quite the opposite - the diverse cast of characters, whether friends or enemies, are fully realized, with a variety of motivations and flaws.  

The story leans heavily on the competition, and there are some harrowing moments, but also includes heart-wrenching subplots, unexpected twists, and surprising discoveries, indicating all may not be as it seems.

Emmett made a couple of choices that surprised me - one a dangerous risk that seemed out of character, and the other something near the end that seemed sudden and out of place.

If you're a sci-fi fan, Nyxia has much to offer with a fast pace, mystery, competition, and fantastic character development.  Be warned - it ends with a cliffhanger, and I'll be needing that second book sooner rather than later.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

Holy smokes! This was a debut novel? Woah… that really blows my mind because Nyxia is written with such emotional depth that I would have thought this was from a more established author. Since this isn’t technically out yet, I want to make this review as spoiler free as possible. Here goes…

The gist of Nyxia is that there’s a company called Babel that has recruited teenagers from all over the world to go on a mission to a new planet called Eden. On Eden, the recruits are to mine a substance called nyxia. Nyxia is a substance that can be manipulated into anything with just a thought; hence it’s the most valuable thing in the universe at the moment. All of this is well and good except for when you consider all the other variables in the mix:

1. This is a competition. Not all the recruits will get to go to Eden.

2. Eden is not an uninhabited planet and the natives aren’t known for being all that friendly.

3. The exact nature of nyxia is still undetermined.

4. The exact nature of Babel is still undetermined.

When you consider all the variables you get a sci-fi mystery and a lesson in psychological stress. The psychological strain is a running theme throughout the novel as these kids are constantly reminded of the fact that their spots aren’t guaranteed and in order to succeed, someone else will have to fail. However, these teens still seem to be able to come together and find a sort of kinship with each other despite the stinging truth of their situation. I enjoyed the duality of their existence and it gave the story a great emotional depth.

Emmett is a wonderful protagonist. His voice and internal struggles are very complex and I find him to be an Intriguing character. He’s constantly in conflict with his morality. He knows the score here: Babel is keeping secrets, everyone is a competitor, and nyxia isn’t something to be taken lightly. As Emmett acknowledges the truth of his situation he continually has to make the decision to be a better man. Babel is trying to create a monster out of him and he refuses to lose his humanity.

O my goodness… that ending! I’ll give a fair warning that it’s a total cliffhanger but it’s done in a way that is so bad ass I can’t even be mad about it. It was the perfect place for this story to end and it makes me really want to get my hands on the next book in the series. Now comes the dreaded waiting period until I can find out what happens next!

How far would you go to help your family when they need it most? When Emmett is offered the chance to change his family’s lives forever, he simply cannot refuse, there is too much at stake. A giant conglomerate has offered the lifesaving medical help his mother needs, plus much needed money, all he has to do is become part of Babel Communication’s space voyage and during their journey, earn the right to mine Nyxia, possibly the most valuable substance in the universe. Ten troubled teens are chosen, but not all will earn the right to land and mine on an unknown planet, Eden.

What happens when the competition plays dirty? Will these teens lose their humanity in a desperate bid to become one of the chosen? What secrets have been kept from them by Babel? What happens if friendships are formed, will it work against each teen in the long run? When push comes to shove, what will Emmett do?

NYXIA by Scott Reintgen is more than a tale of science fiction and fantasy, it is a grueling test of the strength of character, the physical resilience and the ability to recognize right from wrong, no matter the cost. These teens come to life, far too emotionally immature to understand what is really happening, but filled with the hopes of finding a better life for those they love. These may be troubled teens, but some will rise to be the kind of human the world needs, even as they witness the deceit of their “employer," and are forced to make the best of the nightmare they are living.

Seen through the eyes and heart of young Emmett, this tale becomes an emotional and heart-wrenching journey filled with non-stop tension, action and conflict throughout. Magnetic reading that leaves our reality behind as we witness the trials of these characters. A true gem that goes to the top of my list!

I received an ARC edition from Random House Children's Books.

Series: The Nyxia Triad - Book 1
Publisher: Michael Joseph Ltd (September 12, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0718186885
ISBN-13: 978-0718186883
Genre: YA Dystopian Scifi
Paperback: 384 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Emmett has been selected among 10 poor kids to travel to an unknown planet and harvest the galaxy's most secret resource: nyxia. But just because he's selected doesn't mean he's guaranteed to step foot on the new planet. Only 8 of the 10 kids are going to go, and they're going to compete for their spots with wits, physical skill and sheer guts. Emmett wants to be the first in his family to do something new. Something different. But so does his competition. And, Emmett soon discovers, Babel Communications--the corporation spearheading this expedition--has more up their sleeves than they are letting on...

This did not read like a debut novel at all. It's polished, well-written, and has an engaging main (male!!) character AND a diverse cast that at first seems like the chocolately nuget of all brownie points but all of the secondary characters are pretty well rounded and personalized, without falling into national or ethnic stereotypes. There's also non-stop action and some twists and turns that I didn't see coming at all--which, TBH, is pretty surprising since it seems like nothing in YA-land can throw me at this point. It's kinda like Hunger Games meets Ender's Game meets a couple of other books I can't remember right now (not YA but adult sci-fi) and puts its own spin to it.

I will definitely be sticking around for book 2!

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was so much fun to read! I can't wait for the rest of the series.

The characters were interesting and intriguing. There were moments of heartbreak, moments of joy and moments I wanted to hurt some of the characters. I was sucked in from the beginning. It starts off fast, a no nonsense sort of beginning, and takes off from there. It was very well written and extremely entertaining.

I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you so much to Crown books for young readers via Netaglley for sending me ARC copy of Nyxia by Scott Reintgen. Nyxia will be released September 12, 2017.

"So, how do we retrieve nyxia from mines protected by a species with superior technology and an aggressive approach to border disputes?"
That is the line that got me invested in the story.

Emmett is one of the ten young adults picked to go to the planet Eden. Emmett and the others are going to meet a new species and try to help set up life on Eden by working, creating and developing new technology to help this planet thrive. They are working with a new substance called Nyxia.

I really enjoyed how they were tested and ranked on performance and that we got to see a visual chart of who was succeeding and who was falling behind in the trails.

They are not all going to be able to go to Eden and those that get to go/win the competition will get riches and whatever they desire for themselves and their family. So the competition is intense.

The company that they are working for, Babel communications is keeping secrets and this makes the contestants question whether or not this planet is safe, they'll be safe or they will even survive.

"But they don't tell you the pain comes with you. they don't tell you that her travels at lightspeed to"
"Why'd they chose us? We are all broken. They picked us because we're broken "

There were so many beautiful paragraphs in this book that made me appreciate writing.
Nyxia was very descriptive and made me see the world, feel as though i was in the world.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2050420600?book_show_action=false

No way is this a debut novel--it's too well written! It's kind of a sci-fi "The Hunger Games", only with plenty of differences. Like Nyxia itself. The characters and world-building were well done and the book was exciting and satisfying as a stand-alone. It also makes me want to find out what happens next and to know more about Nyxia and the characters.

I'm glad to see that the author lives near me in North Carolina--maybe I'll run into him one day! :)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a digital copy of this.

A Black Hole: a region of space from which nothing, including light, can escape. It absorbs all your light and reflects nothing. What are you then?

An extraordinary opportunity presents itself to a teenager, hungry to discover and work on the planet Eden. After all, the compensation would set his struggling family for life. Emmett is one of the ten selected by the conglomerate Babel Communications to embark on a mining expedition of a valuable metal resource, Nyxia. But there is an unforeseen game. Only eight teens out of the group will be able to travel to the planet. The ten participants will be pitted in vigorous mental and physical games, in a competition to determine the best and to weed out the weak.

The narrative is easy to follow as it unveils a new world on the Genesis 11 and Eden. The ship is sleek and full of high tech specs. A mirror that reads your vital signs, a mask that is a language converter, holograms images. A ship that defies zero gravity all of this is possible from the metal Nyxia, the new black gold. The Nyxia is an interactive compound and almost like a 3-D printer operated by the practiced mind. The inhabitants of the earth- like Eden are territorial and sometimes treacherous. Adamites take on a more humanoid look while the primitive creatures Tars have an armor of shiny sharp scales.

The competitions are thrilling and a large focus of the book. There is a score board, and the competition is fierce. Tension builds when the games become more involved and intricate. Kaya and Emmett make an early alliance that proves useful in the matches and the in-between. They use strategies that are intelligent and grounding in a highly driven environment. The novel is an exploration of the psychology of competition and games. However, as the games start to take on a dark and sometimes horrific atmosphere, the participants suffer physically and emotionally and begin to question the tactics of Babel Corporation. All the competitions are designed to push the teens beyond their current limitations. After all, the participants are an end to their means. Instead of competing against other ruthlessly, Emmett embarks to find the dark secrets behind the machine. But as he learns what Babel hides, but he also learns something more meaningful about himself and his competitors.

Very few books can incorporate characters from different cultures with precision, and Reintgen does this well. The characters are all introduced in the first few chapters, and although it would appear too overwhelming, each character has an interesting backstory, with distinct behaviors and habits. They all share one thing in common, their broken history they are trying to fix. Our main protagonist, Emmett, is a black teenager growing up in the suburbs of Detroit. He knows what it is like to be desperate and impoverished. His mother also needs a transplant and has spent many nights in intensive care. The author creates Emmett as a person aware of his color but does not let this frame him. His love for his family is palpable, which defines his every action, especially his competitive side. The book written from the perspective of Emmett gives us a poignant look at a struggle to represent the what it means to be a great man (like his Pops and Moms) over being the very BEST.

There are many names and references from the Bible and other spiritual philosophies which add depth to the novel. Babel, the company name may refer to a man building a way towards God, and reuniting to a common language. Eden, the planet perhaps representing the Garden of Eden, full of resources to mine with some areas off limit. And then there is the concept of mercy, in the face of justified punishment and it outright contradiction and unification in a biblical sense. On a tangent, some of the names have symbolic meaning chosen to suit their character. Azima, magically charmed into movement is graceful with her footing in competitions like a "snake sticking from high grass," "...born for motion." Jamie, the supplanter to trip up or overthrow has a fiercely competitive side wanting to destroy Emmett. Bilal, the most trusted companion of the prophet Mohammed is a loyal force in the book. And Longwei, the dragon of greatness, believes he is invincible and unwilling to tolerate defeat.

Nyxia is a well-crafted novel. It has tension, character depth, and chimerical sci-fi competitions that reeled me in the right off the first page and to the last. There are twists, turns, and emotional defeats. The competitive matches felt dynamic and realistic even in the virtual simulator. Emmett is likable and relatable, and I felt driven to see him through his journey in this novel, and I look forwards to seeing what the future has in store for him.

I highly recommend Nyxia by Scott Reintgan! And I will file that away under N, for Nyxia. And...A for awesome novel!.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Children's and Crow Books for Young Readers, and Scott Reintgen for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. I don't even know what to say right now.
This is the best book I've read so far, this year. Completely original story line. I love the idea behind Nyxia and can't wait to find out what Emmett discovers. There was not a single dull moment where I found myself wondering of I would continue. The opposite, I didnt ever want to put it down. My mind and my heart have never loved a group of characters so much! Large group of characters, and yet I didn't find myself lost trying to remember who was who. They were all such distinct personalities that I grew to love throughout the plot, which was full of action, by the way!
I wish I could say something bad about this book, but I've just found a new book/series to gush to everyone about. I'm not ready for it to be over, at all!

Based on the description (YA sci-fi with a dystopian bent) and lots of the early reviews, I really expected to love this book. Unfortunately, it just didn’t live up to the hype for me. I wasn’t really impressed with the plot or the characters. The story just never hooked me and the concept of nyxia—a fictional element that can be manipulated psychically—which is central to so much of the book felt underdeveloped. It was also used as a sort of miracle element that, as the book progresses, was revealed to do pretty much anything and everything (including possibly being sentient) as needed. I found that frustrating for something that was so elemental to the story.

Then, the characters just felt flat and inconsistent. Emmett’s development and characterization, in particular, felt very erratic to me. Sometimes we’re told that he feels one way or is one way, but then we’ll see him act differently than that at every opportunity, i.e. he obsessively worries about whether he is a good person, but then almost always reacts violently when angered and is pretty consistently selfish, only maybe secondarily second-guessing those reactions. Essentially, we’re told he worries about morality and wanting to be good, but we don’t really see the internal struggle or even the actual characterization of that. Similarly, we see Emmett alternately talk about how the teens on the spaceship Genesis are his family and then competition he barely knows or trusts within the span of a few pages. Things like that just made Emmett and the other characters feel very inconsistent.

All and all, I think the story had promise and I appreciated the diversity of characters, but the book itself just fell short for me. Nyxia was a quick, easy read, but I just couldn’t get into it.