A fast-paced and fun read, although in the end I wasn’t particularly impressed. Perhaps because, while I enjoy the ‘tournament’ trope to an extent, I’m happier when it doesn’t extend over the whole story? I liked reading about the competition at first, but towards the end of the book it left me somewhat cold, as the cool tasks from the beginning became repetitive. I think it’s also because in made little sense once the book reaches it turn after the 65% mark or so, and you realise that pitting them against each other like that from the beginning had a huge potential for backfiring (and, no surprise, it does).

I was also on the fence regarding the nyxia mineral, which seems to be able to do everything, make coffee, just add water. I’m totally OK with a substance you can manipulate through willpower, and that may even be sentient to an extent, but I need some more explanation as to how this suddenly makes a space trip possible in 1 year instead of 27, for instance, or allows to create instant multi-language translators.

As far as the characters go, they worked for me as a disparate group with strengths and weaknesses, and there are a few I liked well enough, like Kaya, probably the one smart enough to understand what’s really going on; yet individually, not many stood out, and I could only get a solid grasp on a couple of them rather than on the whole crew. As for the romance, it sprang up from nowhere, had no chemistry, and is to be filed under that category of insta-romance that is only here so that we can tick the box on the bingo sheet. (Seriously, why must YA books have romance everywhere? Half the time, it just doesn’t work.)

Moreover, I’m not sure the attempt at bringing diversity worked too well, probably because we still end up with several Americans in the lot instead of having a really worldwide cast, and their cultural differences as a means of enriching their relationships and background weren’t really exploited. We see a little of it through Bilal and Azima, but the others? Not so much. They could all have been from the same city, in the end, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. There was much more potential than was actually exploited here, and that’s too bad.

Conclusion: A story whose beginning was better, but that didn’t live up to the expectations it had set for me.

I finished the book but more out of a sense of duty rather than enjoyment. It may be OK for uncritical young adults but I didn't find much to like about it.

A difficult book to get in to, but worth persevering. The main character is hard work to like much, but you do end up wanting things to come right and for humanity to show its best side. Well worth a space in your holiday suitcase I think, I'm looking forward to reading the published version soon.

This book is just my cup of tea! Ten youngsters competing for a place on the planet Eden, making friends and enemies, with life-changing prizes on offer.
There are a couple of lovely twists and a cliffhanger ending left me wanting more - there is still so much left to explain!
I cannot wait for more!

Emmet is chosen by Babel corporations for a space mission to Eden, and promised a fortune for his family if he succeeds. His mother is extremely ill and his father is struggling to make ends meet. This money could save them. He finds himself competing with 9 other hopefuls for one of 8 places, and despite resolving to maintain his distance, finds himself forming some close friendships.

The story is based on the competition to be in the top 8. There are rankings, scoreboards, trials and fights in a way that is reminiscent of novels like the Divergent series.

I enjoyed the undercurrent of secrecy around Babel, who are hiding something from the competitors. It adds an element of mystery and distrust that draws the reader in.

Babel are interested in a substance called Nyxia, which is unusual, versatile and alarmingly sentient. We get the impression that there is something more to Babel's desire to mine this substance than they're letting on.

Nyxia features a diverse cast of characters who all have interesting back stories and character arcs. I particularly warmed to Bilal who was just wonderfully awkward and polite and refused to be changed or hardened by his experiences in space.

The ending to the novel is tense. Seriously tense. I reallu hope there's going to be a sequel to this because I need more of this world and these characters!

So I read this in just over a day and I have such a book hangover it’s unreal! It's the first arc that I've gotten from Netgalley!

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.

Forever.

Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—a planet that Babel has kept hidden—where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.

But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won’t forever compromise what it means to be human.


“Hunger Games in space”

I read this description of the book somewhere and it stuck with me, yet it doesn’t quite do it justice. It is so much more than this. I won’t give any spoilers as it’s not my thing, but just know this book is AH-mazing.

Structure

The story is fast paced and gripping. I was hooked from the get go, intrigued from the start. The worldbuilding (or spaceship-building?) was amazing, it was subtle in the way that it didn’t hit you over the head but you weren’t lost on what the world was about. Foreshadowing was done so well that I noticed it without really knowing why, for example these quotes below:

“Each of them wears the same charcoal suit. It looks like someone threaded smoke into formal wear. The overheads dance off all the polished shoulders and shoes.”

“There’s so much polish and shine that I almost don’t notice the claws."

It was written so brilliantly, I didn't want to stop reading. I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen but I kept being wrong again and again.

Diversity. There was diversity and I loved it! Each of the kids were from different continents, with speech converters enabling them to communicate with each other. However, their culture bled through the translators making them truly rich characters.

Characters

The characters are so interesting. There are so many levels to each other them and they're all well developed. Each person is multi-faceted - they all had more than goal, providing a lot of internal conflict.

I want to say some things about specific characters but I do NOT want to spoil this for you so I won't. I loved how close Kaya and Emmett were, without them only being friends for romantic reasons. The characters were done so well you could pretty much tell how each would react to situations based on what you had already learned about them.

I definitely recommend this book. It has amazing world/space building and awesome characters and rep. Check it out guys!

https://anovelhaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/17/nyxia-by-scott-reintgen/

Having recently regained my love for Sci-Fi books after reading Illuminae and Gemina, I decided it would be a good time to try to enter the Sci-Fi scene of NetGalley. I had heard a lot about Nyxia on social media and having read it now, I am so glad this is the first of three titles in the Nyxia Triad (great name also!)

I will start, as usual, with the cover. I have seen two so far, and to be honest, I love them both! They're both very space-y and mysterious and give a sense of the adventure you are about to be taken on when you fall into the pages of this book.

Emmett - the protagonist - is a school boy from Detroit, he's from a family that loves one another, and his parents are pushed to the limits trying to secure a better life for their son than they had. When he is recruited as a potential candidate for the trip to Eden, Emmett sees this as his opportunity to break the cycle. Where previously his relatives had sniffed at true freedom only to have it collapse around them, he and his parents really believe his time has come. It turns out his peers have all been chosen for similar reasons - they have something to fight for and a real reason to dig deep and compete for their chance to go to Eden.

On Eden, Babel is looking to mine Nyxia, a substance that as seemingly unlimited applications and abilities. As time goes on, things are not 100% as they seem with the corporation or the substance, and to make matters worse, the competition means Emmett and the other recruits are continually on their toes, looking out for one another, when maybe the real threat is their employer.

The story line moves along at a good pace, the changing environments and scenarios the participants are put through means the reader is never bored, and whilst I felt it took a while to get to a major plot twist or event, it was built up and written well. Personally I see no plot holes in the story. It is also simple enough to make it an enjoyable and easy read, but entertaining enough it isn't mind-numbing.

The characters all have good depth, and whilst Emmett might dislike or distrust them, the reader has the option to develop their own opinions; it is possible to empathise with so many of the characters, Scott does a really great job of portraying individual personalities despite the first person narration.

One aspect that meant it fell short of a 5* rating (for me) was that there weren't a huge number of shocking or breathtaking events - the story was good and consistent, but many of the events I did see coming - not necessarily 100% accurately but they did not blow me away. But it was an overall enjoyable read.

I would recommend this book to you is you like space, adventure, YA books, and Sci-Fi and Fantasy. The story and narration are not complex so I think it would be suitable for a whole host of age groups. I will definitely be buying myself a copy of this, and I am very excited to see what is in store for Nyxia #2.
And overall, a 4/5* rating from me!

This is a book I wanted for a while and I'm so glad I got to read it! While it's not 100% blow-me-down it's close enough. I really enjoyed some of the tighter moments in the story, and he can definitely build up tension. Would have liked to see it extended a bit more or have some moments linger but overall a good read!

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It tells the story of Emmett, a young man from Detroit who wants to make a better life for his family by winning a place on the space mining mission to Eden. This first book of the series focuses on the competition for places and has a real Ender's Game feel about it, albeit with older participants. I really liked the characters, all of whom were relatable and authentic and some of the relationships forged were very interesting. The plot was straightforward, but it included some nice twists, turns and shocks along the way. Babel was a fairly typical science fiction corporation in morals and principles, but again, the author managed to insert some nuance into it's members creating more believable actions. Personally, I really like any kind of tournament in fiction and this competition was very well done. Overall, this was a great read and I look forward to finding out what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

File this under F for fantastic! This is like the Hunger Games in space. Those who know me, know that I often 'don't do' sci fi unless it's very character driven. This book ticks all the right boxes for me.
The main characters ( competitors) are all underdogs, minorities from impoverished backgrounds. Emmett, our young protagonist is very cool while the others are well drawn too. Babel, the corporation behind the trip, clearly can't be trusted and I'm pretty sure the chosen teams are going to be in for some unpleasant experiences. I am so excited for the next book.

Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wow, this book was sooooo gooood!! Let me just say, if I could, I would start the next book immediately, alas, this book has only just been released. 

There are so many things we still don't know! There were some brilliant plot twists and I just need to know!! The building of this world was amazing, slowly feeding in more and more information, this is one of the best ya sci-fi books I have read, it was so unique and well thought out and brilliantly written. 

The characters were so ethnically diverse, and just, well done to the author.

This is a great space adventure for teenagers. It has the makings of an Edge Chronicles novel, if not slightly more intense and out of this world. Reintgen introduces us to fantastic technological inventions, quirky characters, and adrenaline-fueled adventure.

“You may have noticed that there are ten of you here. At Babel Communications, we find competition to be valuable. Iron sharpens iron and all that. “

Babel is taking parts of me that I never knew I needed. The person who lands on Eden will be less without them.

I was predisposed to like this due to a love of science-fiction – anything set in space will usually get my attention! I also quite like dystopian fiction (though there is a bit of a glut at the moment, some better than others) and adore books utilizing characters from a diversity of backgrounds, therefore accurately reflecting our world.

The main character, Emmett, has a strong, distinctive and believable voice. I loved his references to his memory filing system and the little tit-bits of family history which gradually filled in his background. His roommate Kaya is a great character too – curious and rational. Longwei is driven and cannot stand failure. Bilal struggles to balance the edge needed to win with his kinder instincts. Unlike some other stories with multiple characters in a competition, so many of the characters are fleshed-out and it is in growing to care about these characters that the struggles they go through begin to have an impact on you as a reader. (I did struggle to see Roathy and Isadora’s motivation).

The set-up is creative, as is the training that the recruits have to go through to prepare them for a mission on Eden. I did think that the reasoning why teenagers had to go rather than adults seemed a bit off but I imagine we will find out more about this in the next two books – perhaps Babel just doesn’t want to risk their own staff?

What seems, on the surface, as a simple story, twists and becomes convoluted – I truly couldn’t put it down. Read it now!

Here’s hoping Book 2 is out soon!

His eyes are so knife-sharp that I can imagine them cutting through everything he sees, digging down beneath the bright outer layers. It takes me about thirty seconds to figure out what’s so weird about him. He’s seeing the world like I see it. The brighter the colors, the more likely something dark is hiding underneath.

What I liked: The diversity of the characters and the fact that this diversity is just part of the story, not something unusual (although all of the contestants have been chosen for a reason – they all have a very strong motivation to win due to their circumstances at home), the struggle Emmett goes through balancing the right thing to do and the need to win

Even better if: I had thought this was a stand-alone, but it is in fact the first book in a trilogy – it ended on a massive cliff-hanger…and we have to wait for the next two books!

How you could use it in your classroom: Comparisons have been drawn to Hunger Games so this might be a good recommendation for teenagers who have already enjoyed that. I think this book could be drawn on in a number of ways in the classroom – discuss the ethics of taking natural resources from another planet and relate this back to the destruction of natural habitats on our own planet. You could discuss the language barriers and how they are overcome by Babel’s device – could this happen in the future? What would be the pros and cons?

What did I think? Young Adult in space? Sign me up! Those were my thoughts when I requested this title from Netgalley. I ended up having a lot of fun with the story and read it during a long, sleepless night.

It's not groundbreaking, but it's exactly what it promises to be. It'll probably be sold as Hunger Games in space... which makes me want to roll my eyes, but I also have to admit, it is a bit like Hunger Games in space.

Ten teenagers are on board this spaceship on its way to a planet called Eden. They're being trained to mine a new element called Nyxia... but only eight out of the ten will be allowed to do so. Let the competition begin!

This book has a great and varied ensemble. For the average reader the beginning might be a bit overwhelming, since ten teenagers are introduced. It took me a while before I was able to keep them straight, but Reintgen made sure to give each one an individual voice. They're all well developed, and by the end I felt like I knew them all.

I recommend this to fans of Young Adult (who don't mind books aimed at the younger end of the YA audience) and Science Fiction novels, who are looking for something like the Hunger Games, Ender's Game or The 100.

I was recommended this book by a book buddie who knows that I am trying to expand my reading matter to include this genre of book. As she has been right on more than one occasion, I did as I was advised and have to say that she was right once again! Obviously, as this isn't my genre of choice, and never having read any of the books it has been compared with, I am reviewing this book purely on its own merits rather than make comparisons with other books/characters/stories.
Firstly I must say that this book is part of a trilogy so you need to be aware that the story contained within is not complete and that certain things will remain unresolved at the end. That said, this first part does end right if you know what I mean. Enough was resolved for me to be satisfied and there was sufficient left open to encourage me to read the next one.
The story resolves around Emmett Atwater. From a poor family, he has been recruited for a secret scary mission. It is also very lucrative and promises him untold riches which he and his family can really do with given that his mum isn't in best health. He joins 9 other recruits at a pre-launch briefing and representatives from the company behind it, the Babel Corporation, start to explain what will happen. After non-disclosure forms have been signed of course.
Emmett and the other nine will travel to the planet of Eden. There they will mine Nyxia, a substance with strange, interesting and very valuable properties. But, there's a catch. All will travel but not all will go on to the planet. There will be tasks, those that succeed will be rich beyond their wildest dreams, those who fail will go home with a small bonus. This first book deals with this part of the journey.
So, take 10 damaged kids and put them against each other both individually and in teams with a big prize at the end and what do you think will happen? Well, that's exactly what does happen here. Allegiances are formed; friends, enemies and frenemies are made, broken, and remade in different ways! Add secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour into the mix and you have got yourself one heck of a ride. And that's not including the company behind the whole scheme. When you include that side of it, things take on a whole new, darker theme.
The characterisation was brilliant. The ten competitors are all damaged in some way and there was a danger that they could become over the top and become caricatures rather than characters but the author stays on the right side of that line nicely throughout. Each has their own reasons for being there, each want to win and the ways and means that they try to achieve their goals are all valid and well described. They are an eclectic mix and also complement each other very well. The Company men are also well described and, as their own stories are uncovered, behave accordingly too. I cant say too much more about individuals here as to do so would expose information best left to learn during reading the book, not before!
The storyline is very intriguing. Again I am not going to go into detail here but there are some pretty wicked curve balls thrown in at various points along the way that basically turn thing on their heads leaving me reeling along with the cast.
The sci-fi elements were, within my basic knowledge of the genre, very well described and came across as quite credible. Some of the elements, especially around the substance, nyxia were fascinating. I also enjoyed the tasks that were set, especially the group ones where they had to pit their wits against their opposition. Some were quite brutal! For some of the characters it was an awakening, a right of passage, facing moral dilemmas along the way, it was interesting to see who would react; how and why.
Ending not on a cliffhanger, this book completes the first stage of the characters' journeys. As already mentioned, there is enough resolved to make this a complete read in itself but there is also plenty left for next time. A next time that I am definitely counting the days for...

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you to netgalley and Penguin UK for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I rarely believe a book deserves even more hype than it already has but this book is a masterpiece. BUY IT!

The amount of characters I'm allowed can't even touch on how truly awesome Nyxia is.
So without pointlessly repeating the sentiments of all the other 5 star reviews on Goodreads, all I'm gonna say is... F*ck off, Stephen King, Scott Reintgen is here now.

This book seems to get a lot of rave reviews but I have to confess I’m not sure it lives up to the hype.

It’s kind of like a mash up of Enders Game and Divergent with a little bit of Ready Player One thrown into the mix. As a result there isn’t much that’s really original about it. There is a diverse cast of characters and it is an enjoyable read but I doubt I’ll remember it in a month or two and I just don’t have that pressing need to get my hands on the next book in the series.

The author has created a brilliant main character in Emmett. He’s not the type of hero you usually find in these kinds of stories. He’s a POC for a start. He’s not the smartest, the strongest, the fastest or even the one with the most troubled upbringing. He’s actually pretty average and I’m sure relateable to a lot of people.

He’s agreed to compete because his mom’s ill and they have no money for treatment. Similar to most of the others, he’s desperate and this makes for fascinating reading as he tries to decide how far he’s willing to go to win.

The other characters are similarly diverse and complex and many are not what they initially appear to be. What’s especially great is the way that they develop and change over the course of the story. This is a group of teens in exceptional situations and the author does a fantastic job of making their actions seem very real and completely believable.

The story itself is pretty familiar. Bunch of teens have to compete against each other in a series of individual and team challenges. There’s a leader board to track their progress (although I couldn’t follow the scoring) and if by the end you’re below a certain point on the board you get cut. The contest is however run by a massive corporation with highly dubious motives who keep changing the rules.

From the very beginning the whole contest thing and the reasons for it seemed very unconvincing. They’ve discovered another earth like planet that they want to go strip mine but the native aliens aren’t happy about it unless it’s children as they like children and will let them do whatever they want….hmmm. Unfortunately that is not the only unconvincing thing in the story. There were a few things that just didn’t make sense to me (what the heck is Nyxia?) and I think there could have been a bit more explanation of elements but I suppose you’re supposed to feel as clueless as the competitors.

I did really enjoy the whole competition aspect. I loved the changing dynamics of the group as they form and break alliances and friendships, stab each other in the back and hold grudges. There’s even some romance between competitors. I do think however it was dragged on a little too long (it’s literally all that happens in the story). I wanted some answers and it looks like the only way I’m going to get them is to read the next book in the series. Unfortunately I’m not sure I care enough.

Overall an enjoyable and quite a quick read but just too many similarities to other stories to be a stand out.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this. On the one hand it was action-packed, the characters were really well developed and it had an interesting premise, but on the other hand it read like most other YA sci-fi dystopian-esque books, like The Hunger Games and Divergent.

When I picked this up I was hoping there'd be a lot of Alien interactions and we'd get lush descriptions of planet Eden. Instead, it was set entirely on a spaceship which was disappointing (but it could have been set anywhere on Earth in a warehouse or something since there wasn't anything particularly spacey about it honestly), and a lot of what happened felt a bit repetitive.

It wasn't a bad book by any means, it was a quick read with plenty of action and a cast of fleshed out characters, but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

Nyxia follows Emmet Atwater, a down-on-his luck teenager from Detroit. Recruited by the mysterious Babel company into entering a mission to mine the substance Nyxia on the hidden planet Eden, he soon learns that he must fight to keep his place in the mission by competing against the other recruits on board the Genesis 11. Ten have been invited to go to Eden, but only eight will make the final cut.

The plot for this was so much fun. At first glance it appears to be a space version of The Hunger Games with young people fighting for survival. However, as the story progresses it goes beyond this, as the concept of the Nyxia substance is developed further and the secrets about the mysterious Babel company begin to unravel. I loved that when Nyxia is first introduced we see it as a rather bland black substance that can change shape under the wielders will, but develops into this incredibly dangerous 'semi-conscious' element. It changed the view of the game entirely, and added more suspense to the story above and beyond simply teenagers fighting it out.

The world building is also excellently done. Enough background is explained as the 'competition' progresses, and more examples of life on Eden are introduced into the training that I wasn't confused. However, enough of the mystery remained in the story so that I didn't get bored either. I would have liked more interaction, or explanation, about the local inhabitants of Eden however (the Adamites). I felt we were sort of left hanging with regards to what they actually are, and have the capacity to do, other than their hatred of human adults. I also would have liked to have had some more time exploring the secrets of the Babel company other than the repeated assumption that they thrive on greed and an inexplicable need to harvest more Nyxia. It is hinted that they don't fully know what Nyxia is, although extensive 'tests' have been carried out. More time going into a deeper explanation of what these 'tests' were would have been good, although I did enjoy the air of mystery that surrounded the company.

The ten individuals on board Genesis 11 were well developed enough that I became deeply engaged in their actions, and I enjoyed the camaraderie and changing dynamics within the group as they became a dysfunctional (sometimes murderous) family. I was impressed with how multilayered the story actually was, as it began to develop upon the mistrust first ingrained and encouraged in the recruits in the beginning by Babel, and then manifested later as more new characters are introduced.

This introduction of more new characters half way through the novel is a clever move. It helped keep the story from going stale, and continued to change the dynamics of the characters and introduced more challenges. I especially liked the rather enigmatic Morning, although I found her instant trust in Emmet rather out of character as she's suppose to be deeply loyal to her team members.

Emmet, as our lead character, was charismatic and likeable. In the beginning he knows his limitations, and is shown to work hard to achieve his goals. He's also hot tempered and mistrustful of some of the other recruits at first, while forming strong bonds with others - such as Kaya and Bilal. I especially liked that he knew when he was wrong and admitted his mistakes - such as apologising to Jamie later on in the book when he realises he was wrong about him.The only thing I didn't like was the romantic aspect of the story involving Emmet. It felt forced and unnecessary. I also didn't really understand Roathy and Isadora and their persistent vendetta, although the conclusion did try to wrap up their feelings well. Bilal, by comparison, provided the perfect compliment to Emmet as the sympathetic and deeply moral recruit. He was by far my favourite character.

The interlude chapter in the middle of the novel was interesting, as it was nice to see the story from another characters perspective. However, it also felt a little out of place and didn't really add much to the story at all. I also didn't like the fact that most of the mystery's introduced in the novel were never concluded - a problem I find with most 'trilogies'. I was also disappointed that we didn't get a proper glance at Eden. All this time is spent building up the planet, and we never even get to spend anytime on it.

That said, I still thought Nyxia ended up being a high action space race, with plenty of twists and young adult drama to keep me entertained. Near the end, I couldn't put it down as I sped through to find out who would make the cut. I'm looking forward to the sequel.