Book Discussion: Nyxia
NOTE: As per usual, I will include as few spoilers as I can manage in this post. If you think you might like to read this book and haven’t yet, you’re safe here.
Let’s get right to it.
Here’s the (awesome) cover.
And here’s the synopsis.
Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.
Forever.
Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—a planet that Babel has kept hidden—where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.
But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And 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.
Being an absolute sucker for YA sci-fi, I read that synopsis and immediately purchased the book. I started reading as soon as my abysmal download speed would allow, and only put it down when I had to go to work to avoid being fired. It’s been a while since I’ve read anything that’s captured me like that. Scott Reintgen’s debut novel is awesome, and I can’t wait for the rest of the triad.
What makes Nyxia so enthralling to a reader is a seemingly perfect combination of well developed characters, settings, and themes, all tied together in a style of storytelling that is quite unlike anything I’ve ever encountered before. Reading a story that is told in such a unique writing style was both refreshing and very effective at keeping me interested in the story, not that the plot itself was ever falling behind in that department.
Development of the setting and characters go hand in hand. In the story, Babel Communications takes kids from all over the world, and launches them into space. Because of this, the diversity represented here is wide, but not forced. Each character’s culture of origin is an integrated part of who they are and how they behave, as it should be, and not a cheap device used for the sake of a selling point. What I myself found incredible, is that this book doesn’t even take place on earth, yet the characters (and the reader) find themselves learning about different parts of the world that they’d never spared a thought to. No easy task from a writer’s point of view.
Another point I’d like to make about the characters: They are uncommonly well developed. Even among other characters from the genre that are well developed, this group stands out. As I read, I found that I had become very familiar with each character, enough that I had a keen sense of who they really were, what motivated them, and how they’d act in certain situations. Not all authors are able to achieve this in such a short amount of time.
Reintgen also explores some great sci-fi themes, technologies, and discoveries that help fill out his world. The titular substance Nyxia is particularly fascinating, and having such a versatile substance at the center of a story opens up a myriad of possibilities and pathways for the characters to explore. Reintgen masterfully navigates this labyrinth, and gives us a fulfilling story filled with intriguing sci-fi creations.
So what do you get when you combine all of these elements with a compelling plot? Well, the synopsis certainly doesn’t lie. Emmett, the main character, deals with a hefty internal conflict, brought on by the aforementioned authenticity of the other characters, whom he finds himself befriending, and the precarious nature of their mission in space. This, all on top of the fact that it is clear from the very beginning that Babel is withholding an untold number of secrets from each of them, makes for a real nail-biter. Things get very intense.
My takeaway from this reading experience is as follows: Scott Reintgen is a master of storytelling in his own way. His style is truly a pleasure to read. Nyxia has landed among the best YA sci-fi novels that I have ever read.
BONUS:
Let’s debunk some of the frequently stated myths regarding Nyxia that I’ve read while out and about on the internet.
1. Nyxia is basically the same as Ender’s Game.
No it isn’t. It takes place in space. Space does not equal Ender’s Game.
2. Nyxia is basically the same as The Hunger Games.
No it isn’t. I’m not even positive where this one came from.
3. Nyxia is a Christian book that shoves religious bigotry down its readers throats.
Not true. Scott Reintgen is a Christian, and there are names and light references that have been derived from the Bible, but in no way does this book push a Christian agenda. What it does do is explore concepts of human morality (often taking a stance that seem to be distinctly non-Christian.)
4. Nyxia attacks Christian values and all existing copies should be burned for blasphemy.
Nyxia does not attack Christian values, but instead examines the way adolescent minds view morality when placed in high-stress situations. In the story, Babel Communications promotes a distortion of what morality means to them, allowing us as readers to glimpse the foundations of ethics in the absence of religion. The result is interesting, and in my opinion, not to be interpreted as a statement for or against any religion.
As always, you are welcome to chime in in the comments below.
Until next time,
-Sal
