Review: Nyxia (Scott Reintgen)

Title: Nyxia
Series: The Nyxia Triad, Book 1
Author: Scott Reintgen
Publisher: Crown Books (Random House)
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Thriller
Told: First Person (mostly Emmett), Present Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence, attack, murder)
Format Read: ARC (won)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Every life has a price in this sci-fi thriller that has the nonstop action of The Maze Runner and the high-stakes space setting of Illuminae. This is the first in a new three-book series called the Nyxia Triad that will take a group of broken teens to the far reaches of the universe and force them to decide what they're willing to risk for a lifetime of fortune.

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.

*          *          *

In a Sentence: An entertaining teen sci-fi thriller with an engrossing competition and diverse cast but very confusing description and way too many characters to keep straight.

>>STRENGTHS

• Main character Emmett was one of the best teen male protagonists I've ever read. He didn't swear like a sailor or constantly think about sex as most other teen male protagonists in my reading experience tend to do. He also didn't objectify girls, instead treating them just like the guys, and even when he eventually fell for one he treated her with respect. He was playful and snarky but with a dark streak and quirky anger issues that made him real and relatable. I thrilled at his triumphs and despaired at his losses and became so invested in his competition position that I worried about the scoreboard as much as he did.

• Although the contest setup was rather Divergent with its shifting scoreboards and somewhat Hunger Games with its deadly consequences, the addition of the mysterious and almost magical Nyxia material was unique and intriguing. The story was strung with dark and exciting twists, some of which I saw coming but generally enjoyed regardless. I especially anticipated the last chapter's twist but it only made the conclusion even more tense and had me literally on the edge of my seat as I read it.

>>WEAKNESSES

• I had two great struggles with Nyxia, the first being description. I couldn't picture much of anything for some mysterious reason, which meant I was very confused where the characters, settings, ships, suits, tech, aliens, and pretty much anything else described was concerned. But despite many paused moments of great ponder, my confusion didn't disrupt my reading too much.

• My other great struggle was the massive cast of characters, the important of which numbered almost 30 by the end. With ten initial competitors plus ship crew, family members, and Emmett's flashback friends, it took over half the book to mostly but never fully keep everyone straight. And then two-thirds into the book, a whole new bunch of characters were introduced, renewing my confusion. Needless to say Emmett was the only one I could recall with any certainty by the end, and I'll definitely need to re-read this book before the second or be completely and hopelessly lost.

• I also wasn't crazy about the romance. Since Emmett treats the girls just like the guys for most of the book there wasn't even a hint of romance until the last 100 pages or so, and because of this it was a rather bad case of  instalove that felt very rushed and sadly culminated quickly. Given the situation though I guess it was realistic, and for the most part I'll be interested to see how it expands in the next book (especially since it'll be shouldering some serious baggage).

Conclusion: While I couldn't picture much of the description and struggled to keep the characters straight, I did become quite engrossed in the thrilling competition and really connected to the main character. After the "End of Part 1" cliffhanger ending I look forward to continuing Emmett's story in the next book, Nyxia Unleashed, and highly recommend Nyxia if you enjoy sci-fi thrillers.

Scribble Rating: 

3.5 of 5 Scribbles