Author: Scott Reintgen
Publisher: Crown BYR
Publication Date: September 12, 2017
Pages: 377
Format: Hardcover/Own
With millions of dollars at stake, walking away isn’t an option.
Emmett Atwater agrees to leave Earth behind when Babel Communications offers him a fortune. The catch? He has to launch into deep space to get it. One of ten selected recruits, Emmett boards the company’s spaceship and sets course for a planet that Babel has kept hidden from the rest of the world.
Before long, Emmett discovers that all of Babel’s recruits have at least one thing in common: they’re broken. Broken enough that Babel can remold them however it pleases.
Every training session is a ruthless competition where friendships are tested and enemies are made. Each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—where they will mine nyxia, a substance that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.
But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. Secrets about the volatile substance they’re hoping to mine, about the reclusive humanoids already living on Eden, and about the true intentions for the recruits.
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.
Review: So I picked this book up originally because it takes place in space and I love a good space book. Nyxia did not disappoint! It was slow going for me to get into the book but I'm not blaming it at all. I had just come off of reading a contemporary and a book with magic. So I think I was having some issues adjusting to a space book. I set it down for a few days then picked it back up again and flew through it! I loved how this book kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next and what things Babel could be keeping from everyone!
I was not expecting the competition to be as brutal as it was. I mean, the description said ruthless, but I wasn't expecting some of the lengths Babel went to for this competition. Some bits were beyond ruthless. In the competition, 10 people were recruited, but only 8 would move on. This changes a bit later in the book, but for most of it, this is the deal. Everyone earns points by practicing Nyxia manipulations, fighting each others, working as a team in simulations of being on Eden, mining simulations, boating simulations. You name it there was points and a competition involved. And every recruit was broke and broken inside. You'd expect a lot of them to be only out for themselves and doing everything they could to be in the top 8. But what I didn't expect is the lengths a few would go to and the fact they didn't get in any trouble. There were attempted murders multiple times on Emmetts life. But yet the people doing it didn't die or even get points deducted. But Emmett and his friend Kaya find a prisoner on the ship and he gets points deducted from that. How does finding a prisoner mean losing points but yet attempting to kill someone doesn't? I'm thoroughly confused to this. And the fact it happened more than once involving the same people.
I honestly get the feeling from this book that Babel is very very untrustworthy and shady. Holding prisoners, letting people get away with attempted murder, covering up deaths, competitions that are literally putting people in the hospital because they end up getting stabbed by swords or attacked so badly that their leg is broken and the bone actually sticking out of the body. Like there's a good chance if your fighting people you'll get injured, but people being almost killed or severely injured is another thing all together. And the little surprise at the end of the book where they let the losers try to kill some of the winners. What?? The other people won because they worked hard for it. Harder than the losers. But yet you let the losers get a petty attempt at killing some of the winners to make up for their loss? Babel confuses the hell out of me and I don't see their involvement in things being good. I feel like they are definitely hiding a lot and playing games with the winning recruits. Way to shady for my taste.
I loved a lot of the characters though! Emmett was a cool guy. He wanted to be in the top 8 so his mom could get health care and get a transplant she desperately needs or else she could die. He's not fighting for money and benefits for himself, he's completely doing it for his family and I respect that. I also really liked Kaya. She was super awesome. I loved the bond she made with Emmett. How they helped each other learn new strategies, or better ways to ace tests. They complemented each other really well. I also loved their little reading time where they'd sit and Kaya would tell Emmett a story. It was very nice. I also liked the friendliness of Bilal and Azima and the comedy relief Katsu provided. I also had a lot of respect for Morning and the promise she made in doing her best to help all of her crew get in the top. It didn't work, but respect.
The characters I didn't like. Roathy and Isadora. They were pathetic, low life teens. Their little antics to get what they wanted to eliminate those they couldn't beat were just low. These two should have been removed from competition and sent home after what they tried. Also, Longwei. This guy was seriously probably the smartest and the one who could have been the best leader but he decided not to make friends and it cost the entire recruit crew of Genesis 11 big time. I hope he learns his lesson now that the ship competitions are over and stops acting like a big man who doesn't need to talk to anyone but can do what he wants. No. Just no. His actions cost everyone big time and I resent that.
I really enjoyed this book! I thought working with the Nyxia was incredibly interesting. Seeing all it could do. I also liked most of the characters, how they interacted, and how they worked together. I also loved how we got surprises thrown in a bunch. It was great seeing the recruits react to new conditions, circumstances and information and how they adapted with it. I thought this was a solid first book and I'm very excited to see where the story line is going to go in Nyxia Unleashed. Especially with my suspicions about Babel. Should be a good story arc. :)
I was not expecting the competition to be as brutal as it was. I mean, the description said ruthless, but I wasn't expecting some of the lengths Babel went to for this competition. Some bits were beyond ruthless. In the competition, 10 people were recruited, but only 8 would move on. This changes a bit later in the book, but for most of it, this is the deal. Everyone earns points by practicing Nyxia manipulations, fighting each others, working as a team in simulations of being on Eden, mining simulations, boating simulations. You name it there was points and a competition involved. And every recruit was broke and broken inside. You'd expect a lot of them to be only out for themselves and doing everything they could to be in the top 8. But what I didn't expect is the lengths a few would go to and the fact they didn't get in any trouble. There were attempted murders multiple times on Emmetts life. But yet the people doing it didn't die or even get points deducted. But Emmett and his friend Kaya find a prisoner on the ship and he gets points deducted from that. How does finding a prisoner mean losing points but yet attempting to kill someone doesn't? I'm thoroughly confused to this. And the fact it happened more than once involving the same people.
I honestly get the feeling from this book that Babel is very very untrustworthy and shady. Holding prisoners, letting people get away with attempted murder, covering up deaths, competitions that are literally putting people in the hospital because they end up getting stabbed by swords or attacked so badly that their leg is broken and the bone actually sticking out of the body. Like there's a good chance if your fighting people you'll get injured, but people being almost killed or severely injured is another thing all together. And the little surprise at the end of the book where they let the losers try to kill some of the winners. What?? The other people won because they worked hard for it. Harder than the losers. But yet you let the losers get a petty attempt at killing some of the winners to make up for their loss? Babel confuses the hell out of me and I don't see their involvement in things being good. I feel like they are definitely hiding a lot and playing games with the winning recruits. Way to shady for my taste.
I loved a lot of the characters though! Emmett was a cool guy. He wanted to be in the top 8 so his mom could get health care and get a transplant she desperately needs or else she could die. He's not fighting for money and benefits for himself, he's completely doing it for his family and I respect that. I also really liked Kaya. She was super awesome. I loved the bond she made with Emmett. How they helped each other learn new strategies, or better ways to ace tests. They complemented each other really well. I also loved their little reading time where they'd sit and Kaya would tell Emmett a story. It was very nice. I also liked the friendliness of Bilal and Azima and the comedy relief Katsu provided. I also had a lot of respect for Morning and the promise she made in doing her best to help all of her crew get in the top. It didn't work, but respect.
The characters I didn't like. Roathy and Isadora. They were pathetic, low life teens. Their little antics to get what they wanted to eliminate those they couldn't beat were just low. These two should have been removed from competition and sent home after what they tried. Also, Longwei. This guy was seriously probably the smartest and the one who could have been the best leader but he decided not to make friends and it cost the entire recruit crew of Genesis 11 big time. I hope he learns his lesson now that the ship competitions are over and stops acting like a big man who doesn't need to talk to anyone but can do what he wants. No. Just no. His actions cost everyone big time and I resent that.
I really enjoyed this book! I thought working with the Nyxia was incredibly interesting. Seeing all it could do. I also liked most of the characters, how they interacted, and how they worked together. I also loved how we got surprises thrown in a bunch. It was great seeing the recruits react to new conditions, circumstances and information and how they adapted with it. I thought this was a solid first book and I'm very excited to see where the story line is going to go in Nyxia Unleashed. Especially with my suspicions about Babel. Should be a good story arc. :)
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