A review by kstring
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
3.0
Am interesting story that combined new tech, outer space, and a Red Rising-ish style competition for spots to go to a new planet. Huge shout out to the amazing audiobook reader, who made it hard to stop listening. Overall I liked the book (specifics at the end of this review), but now that I'm thinking about it, there are several holes in the story I wish had been filled in.
1. Nyxia. I still don't understand exactly what it is and what its limits are. Seems like it can fulfill any purpose and expand endlessly, but I'm not sure. I'm hoping the second book (coming out later this month) provides more clarity on that since the protagonists will be mining the stuff directly from the source.
2. The corporation--is it corrupt or not? We get hints, but nothing solid. Wish our protagonist had been a little more of a detective and not just a player/leader in the competition.
3. The image of the main character in my head was constantly changing. There were two conflicting personas: a dude who can win a fight against the seemingly unstoppable Russian kid, and a dude who beats the competition by the skin of his teeth. I liked reading about an underdog, but shouldn't all of his work have paid off more bountifully? I was expecting a Divergent-esque rise through the competition ranks and instead got a guy who works hard but can't seem to pull ahead. Were the other competitors training in their free time? Needed more info on the other competitors.
4. I wish the main character was more self-motivated to win. His dad kept saying he should want the spot for himself, but all the main character talked about was helping his family. I think he needed another motivation on top of that to seem fully committed.
5. The dash of romantic interest seemed entirely unnecessary when you're fighting for a secure future and a definite position on the team sent to the new planet.
On the plus side, there was a twist in the middle I wasn't expecting--a literal big reveal. I liked being surprised by that. I also liked the writing style and the development of a culture among all the competitors, who were brought from all corners of the globe. Each had a unique personality that contributed a certain dynamic to the team. I liked the tech. I liked the competition. There's a lot to like in this book. Can't wait to read the second one!
1. Nyxia. I still don't understand exactly what it is and what its limits are. Seems like it can fulfill any purpose and expand endlessly, but I'm not sure. I'm hoping the second book (coming out later this month) provides more clarity on that since the protagonists will be mining the stuff directly from the source.
2. The corporation--is it corrupt or not? We get hints, but nothing solid. Wish our protagonist had been a little more of a detective and not just a player/leader in the competition.
3. The image of the main character in my head was constantly changing. There were two conflicting personas: a dude who can win a fight against the seemingly unstoppable Russian kid, and a dude who beats the competition by the skin of his teeth. I liked reading about an underdog, but shouldn't all of his work have paid off more bountifully? I was expecting a Divergent-esque rise through the competition ranks and instead got a guy who works hard but can't seem to pull ahead. Were the other competitors training in their free time? Needed more info on the other competitors.
4. I wish the main character was more self-motivated to win. His dad kept saying he should want the spot for himself, but all the main character talked about was helping his family. I think he needed another motivation on top of that to seem fully committed.
5. The dash of romantic interest seemed entirely unnecessary when you're fighting for a secure future and a definite position on the team sent to the new planet.
On the plus side, there was a twist in the middle I wasn't expecting--a literal big reveal. I liked being surprised by that. I also liked the writing style and the development of a culture among all the competitors, who were brought from all corners of the globe. Each had a unique personality that contributed a certain dynamic to the team. I liked the tech. I liked the competition. There's a lot to like in this book. Can't wait to read the second one!