Nyxia
Nyxia triad #1
by Scott Reintgen
Science Fiction
Suspense
Thriller
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
When Emmett is chosen, along with 9 other young people, for Babel’s super-secret mission to planet Eden, he can’t believe his luck. The compensation – $50,000/month – will allow him to lift his parents up out of poverty and make possible his mother’s medical treatment. But first he has to survive the training phase, where he will have to compete to secure his place. Later, he’ll have to survive Eden itself. An alien species, the Adamites, is particularly hostile to adult humans, so Babel has recruited teens to go down planetside and perform the necessary mining operations. They’re hoping to extract as much nyxia (a unique substance that can be transformed into almost anything by thought alone, but which also retains some sentience of its own) as possible, so they can make a hefty profit. Emmett and his competitors all have their own reasons for wanting to win, and most take their training seriously. Things take a dark turn, however, when some sustain serious injuries, causing them to fall in the standings (projected on scoreboards where everyone can see them) and seek revenge. Additional challenges are thrown at the recruits once they arrive at Tower Space Station. This first installment is exciting and intense, and sees the young recruits through their training phase, but stops short of Eden itself. Readers will want to have its sequel ready and waiting if they want to know what happens next.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
