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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
This was amazing and a nearly perfect YA dystopian fantasy in my opinion. It’s unique, action packed and full of plot twists. It deserves way more attention than what it currently has!
4.5 Stars
Overview:
Overview:
“When you look back, it won’t be mercy you regret.”
Taking place in a near-future where mankind discovered a habitable planet, a corporation creates a challenge to send young-adults who will mine a mysterious new element known as Nyxia. Ten teenagers are recruited into the program, though only eight will make it through.
[a:Scott Reintgen|14593331|Scott Reintgen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1455963722p2/14593331.jpg]’s debut is a wonderfully introspective story that puts great twists on tropes made popular by the Hunger-Games-esque dystopians that surged a few years ago. It’s an awesome start to a series, and I need the next book now!
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thanks to Crown Books for the opportunity! (Quote not final)
Buddy-read with my favorite Sana! (Who is taking forever to read this and I may or may not have left in the dust)
Pros:
The. Characters.
This has an ensemble cast of characters with different races, sexes and backgrounds. There’s literally ten characters introduced in the first chapter, and it is honestly overwhelming at first. It took me a little while to to keep everyone straight, but I very quickly I loved them all.
As the book builds upon this training program, you slowly learn about the characters and it is awesome. Each of them seems like a fleshed-out person and it made their interactions so powerful. We have:
• Emmett-
Our MC is a black male from Detroit who hasn’t grown up with a lot of privilege, outside of his loving family. Has an extremely powerful character ARC regarding anger and one’s agency.
• Kaya-
From Japan, bringing with her an assortment of books and a brilliant tactical mind.
• Jazzy-
A southern belle from Tennessee with a ton of charm and outside-the-box-thinking.
• Bilal-
Just a ball of sunshine. From Palestine originally, he seemed to live a difficult and isolated life before joining the program. Everyone’s favorite, including mine.
• Azima-
A badass warrior from Kenya. Has a very interesting relationship with femininity and ‘expected’ gender roles.
• Roathy-
A detached young man who fights with a desperation. (I don’t think he ever reveals where he is from)
• Isadora-
Brazilian with a mysterious tattoo and a cold, calculating demeanor.
• Jamie
I honestly wanted a little more from this Swiss competitor. But as the only white male in the group, he opens up interesting conversations about race and perception.
• Katsu-
Kind of just comic relief, tbh. But with hints of a dark side?
• Longwei-
A Mongolian who is immensely talented when it comes to competition, but seems to define himself by his ranking.
Also, gender roles were thrown out the window? Women kicked ass alongside the men. And men cried when leaving their families. I really loved all the diversity in the cast, and think it was handled very well.
This is a slow-build plot (which is my favorite!) with several twists and turns. Though I understand complaints about the amount of training sequences, I think it was necessary to show the characters develop and further build the word. I really enjoyed the pace set here, and it cultivates perfectly.
I personally hate when teens are thrust into some role of importance (usually in a dystopian society) without proper training or reason. Here, there was a decently believable reason, and lots of the focus on training these kids despite their age.
Nyxia itself is fascinating. I swear it was almost a character itself, and I’m really interested to learn more about it.
Cons
There’s one random chapter in the middle that changes POV, for no reason? I still don’t understand why it was there.
There’s also a scene where a character seems to make some comment about having the ability to see auras or “colors” of other people? And I’m not sure if I just completely misunderstood the scene or it was random AF.
I didn’t dislike the sort-of-romance thrown in at the end. I just don’t understand why it was necessary? As slow as everything else developed, I wish this hadn’t been so quick.
In Conclusion
This is fantastic start to a series. Everything builds slowly and is completely drive by the characters, but also establishes such an interesting world, I can't wait to see where it goes.
Hello darkness my old friend... 🎶
(Look, literally no one is more disappointed by this rating than me.)
There was very little focus on any of the characters or dynamics I adored in the first book. Instead, almost all the time was devoted to new characters and relationships that I just didn't give a dang about. (That romance shoehorned in at the end of the last book? Suddenly becomes a BIG deal)
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I loved the first book so I am P U M P E D
(Look, literally no one is more disappointed by this rating than me.)
There was very little focus on any of the characters or dynamics I adored in the first book. Instead, almost all the time was devoted to new characters and relationships that I just didn't give a dang about. (That romance shoehorned in at the end of the last book? Suddenly becomes a BIG deal)
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I loved the first book so I am P U M P E D
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wonderful Sci fi adventure with a lot of interesting characters, friendships and conflicts. There is a dark undertone and a little language but an overall solid middle grade read. If you enjoy survival fiction, this is a great one to try. It's similar to Enders Game and The Hunger Game but still feels new and different.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There were quite a few things about this to like, most notably that it was a science fiction book with a male lead with little to no romance (although, many of my science fiction readers gravitate towards the romance-ish ones). An interesting and diverse group of teens battle it out in space for a chance to visit a new planet. I wish we could have gotten to know a few of them a little more, occasionally they started to blend together (Jamie...Jazzy...who are they again?) The competitions are vicious at times, and the sponsoring company Babel is a perfect villain. Emmett is a flawed main character, but in a good way. His family needs help, he clearly needs to win a spot on the team going to the planet, yet struggles constantly with remaining true to himself and not what Babel wants him to be.
I think at times the writing could be a little tighter, some of the middle started to drag just a little. And occasionally, references to life at home and before going to space seem at odds with when the story takes place in the future and the amount of technology that has been developed. The level of twists and turns are what most readers will be focused on though.
Finally, I do think this might take a bit of hand selling. I have quite a few science fiction readers in my book club, and every time I bring this book in on the cart, either as a giveaway or one they can check out, and tell them about it, they never end up taking it. I'm not sure why, since the description of Ender's Game meets Hunger Games in space with cool technology is pretty accurate.
Spoiler
We were so close to having a YA book with no romance, and then bam! Out of the blue, for no reason (other than...comfort? Even then I'm heavily guessing), the author shoehorned in an insta-attraction and feelings between Emmett and Morning. It felt out of character for both of them, and was under-explained and undeveloped, with no build up. Their tryst happens 20 days after meeting, during which they've spent pretty much no time together at all unless they are fighting with their teams. Sigh.I think at times the writing could be a little tighter, some of the middle started to drag just a little. And occasionally, references to life at home and before going to space seem at odds with when the story takes place in the future and the amount of technology that has been developed. The level of twists and turns are what most readers will be focused on though.
Finally, I do think this might take a bit of hand selling. I have quite a few science fiction readers in my book club, and every time I bring this book in on the cart, either as a giveaway or one they can check out, and tell them about it, they never end up taking it. I'm not sure why, since the description of Ender's Game meets Hunger Games in space with cool technology is pretty accurate.
