A review by megsslibrary
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
'A part of me wants to tell him we're not friends, that as long as he is above me on the scoreboard, he's my enemy. But thankfully, that part is really tired. I take the offered hand.'
If you've read Hunger Games, Red Rising or any other battle royale type book you might think to skip this book but I think Nyxia stands out from the crowd.
The premise is a group of teenagers competing on a spaceship to secure a place on a lucrative mission to the planet Eden. But it is not a blood bath.10 competitors and 8 get to go to Eden. Characters are not supposed to die. It is a battle of wills, perseverance and strategy. Characters might get hurt but it is usually accidental and not the purpose of the challenges. This means when there is injury or blood it seems more brutal because it is unexpected or unplanned.
Characters are very relatable not in their experiences necessarily but in their humanity. They are stuck together through many months of training. They can't help but develop a bond even though they are competitive against each other. The close quarters forces an intensity and intimacy into their relationships with each other. Although they never lose sight of the end game goal. Winning.
Violence and injury have consequences. If a character gets injured they have to heal. While it is faster than an injury would heal in our time (thanks Sci fi tech) it still takes time and rehabilitation afterwards. Emotional injuries aren't magically forgotten either. Everything that happens is felt by the characters and stays with them.
At its core this is a character driven book. There are twists and turns in both the competion and the overall plot of the series but the characters are what keeps you turning the pages.
This does not feel like a complete story and is very much part 1 of a larger narrative. I'm really looking forward to diving into book 2. Most of the questions that have been raised so far have not been answered.
I can't fault this book in any way.
If you've read Hunger Games, Red Rising or any other battle royale type book you might think to skip this book but I think Nyxia stands out from the crowd.
The premise is a group of teenagers competing on a spaceship to secure a place on a lucrative mission to the planet Eden. But it is not a blood bath.10 competitors and 8 get to go to Eden. Characters are not supposed to die. It is a battle of wills, perseverance and strategy. Characters might get hurt but it is usually accidental and not the purpose of the challenges. This means when there is injury or blood it seems more brutal because it is unexpected or unplanned.
Characters are very relatable not in their experiences necessarily but in their humanity. They are stuck together through many months of training. They can't help but develop a bond even though they are competitive against each other. The close quarters forces an intensity and intimacy into their relationships with each other. Although they never lose sight of the end game goal. Winning.
Violence and injury have consequences. If a character gets injured they have to heal. While it is faster than an injury would heal in our time (thanks Sci fi tech) it still takes time and rehabilitation afterwards. Emotional injuries aren't magically forgotten either. Everything that happens is felt by the characters and stays with them.
At its core this is a character driven book. There are twists and turns in both the competion and the overall plot of the series but the characters are what keeps you turning the pages.
This does not feel like a complete story and is very much part 1 of a larger narrative. I'm really looking forward to diving into book 2. Most of the questions that have been raised so far have not been answered.
I can't fault this book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Death