With this book I was pulled back into the world that Reintgen began building in book one, Nyxia. I was so excited to start this book and it did not disappoint. The cast of characters is diverse, including both aliens and humans, and yet they meld together in surprising ways. The futuristic world setting is built up enough to give a basis, but not so overly detailed that we aren’t free to imagine it in our way. I loved the way that Reintgen designed the culture and class system of the Adamites, and how the crew reacted to it. The way that the crew reacted served to illustrate the ways that our own society is both good in some areas and lacking in others. What I also really appreciated was Reintgen’s take on how humans, those in power and those not, might react when faced with an alien race and a planet full of an important resource. I think he nailed that part of the story. With this overreaching topics populating the book the relationships between the crew members and also between them and the aliens, serve to bring us back to the heart of the story and to see the individuals in the larger plans. The book is wonderfully written and plotted, with enough twists to keep you reading long past your bedtime! The only teeny tiny flaw is that I wanted more about Nyxia itself. I find that aspect of the books fascinating and I’m hoping for more of that in book three! I can’t recommend this book enough! It is a must read for this summer!

"Fallen angels were cast down to Earth and became demons. When Babel cast us out, it’s in fire and blood and steel. As the descent begins, I hold onto one truth: A am more than what they would make of me.”
Nyxia Unleashed starts wright where book 1 leaves off as Emmett and the Genesis crews are on their way down to Eden. But they soon discover that it’s not the paradise they thought and they have more reason than ever to distrust Babel. But they might not be the only ones keeping secrets and the Adamites have plans of their own.

Things I Liked
Nyxia Unleashed starts off with a bang and it doesn’t let up at all. There is so much incredible and intricate action that highlights just how smart and capable these characters are. The action adds to the story, it never feels like filler. And the fight scenes are just as captivating. There’s a particularly incredible one that showcases Morning that I won’t soon forget.

Emmett is such an amazing characters who captivates me every time he’s on the page. He is such a good person with a strong sense of self and an inner compass that guides him. I also loved getting to see more friendships develop and establish between both Genesis crews, that really made it feel like a found family (something I will always love!)

I was so happy that we got to spend time with the Imago people (Adamites to Babel) and learn more about their world. It was refreshing to finally get to learn about them and their politics from themselves and not Babel’s twisted and biased opinions. And I was all here for everyone distrusting Babel and calling them out on their colonist ways.

Things I Didn’t Like
So my indifference of the romance subplots from the first book kinda carried over into this one, except my annoyance at Isadora multiplied by like a thousand. I didn’t like her storyline at all and I felt like it just took time away that could have been better utilized with other characters, like Anton.

As much as I think that Morning is an amazing, strong character, I do think that she is infallible and unattainable. She just doesn’t seem real and it’s hard for me to relate to her. I just want to love her, but I don’t.

Nyxia is a book that will always have a special place in my heart - it made me want to read more science fiction and since then I’ve found so many new books to love. Nyxia Unleashed is a nonstop adventure that builds off book 1 in smart and organic ways and leaves you aching for more. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Usually, the second book in a series tends to be the one I find weaker, but here, I actually liked it a little more than the first one. Back then, the whole competition thing, while good at first, got quickly repetitive. Here, while the characters also go through some repeated motions (get to first mine, mine nyxia, get to second mine, etc.), there were enough plot-related events to keep me interested. All in all, I wanted to learn more about the Adamites, their society, and Babel’s goals, and at least we indeed get more here. The Adamites are their own brand of shady with their own agenda, and while it’s justified considering what’s at stake

Another peeve with book one, a.k.a. how nyxia explains everything, wasn’t present here, so this helped, too. The kids do use it to shape weapons, shields, items, etc., but this is something I expected, and more credible than nyxia allowing fast space travel for… reasons? We get a few more explanations about where nyxia comes from. I hope that book three will yield more information still.

I still find the romance part kind of bleh, in part because it has the potential to devolve into a trope I don’t like, that of “will do anything for luuuurve” (Isadora and Morning are pretty open about how they’ll always choose the boy over the group; how much do we bet that one of them will betray the group first thing because Babel will dangle the boy’s survival in front of them?).

Also, maybe it’s just me, but Isadora’s attempt at using her pregnancy to gain favour is… I don’t know. It felt much more like using the future baby as a pawn, rather than at loving and wanting to protect him/her. I think this ties into how we don’t know that much about the characters themselves in general: we get that they’re all of “poor” and “broken” backgrounds, but apart from Emmett, we still don’t know what are their deep motivations. I’d care more about the whole Roathy/Isadora thing if they were something else than just antagonists. And the same goes for the diversity aspect, which is even less mentioned here than in the previous book.

Conclusion: Still some peeves with this novel, but a couple of others that weren’t so present this time. In general, I enjoyed it more.

"Fallen angels were cast down to Earth and became demons. When Babel casts us out, it's in fire and blood and steel."

With the opening sentences, we are slammed back into the intense world of Nyxia. There is no reprieve, no lull from the end of Nyxia into the new plot of Nyxia Unleashed. We pick up exactly where we left off, hurtling through space towards a new planet filled with new challenges. It is a seamless transition, throwing us fully into the chaos that Emmett is living. 

When Emmett first signed on with Babel, the job sounded easy. Sure he had to go into space. But the payoff was worth it. Only, Babel had no intention of playing by the rules. By the time Emmett and his teammates figured that out, it was far too late.

Now, knowing they cannot trust anything Babel tells them, Emmett and the rest of the survivors form Genesis have to try and forge a new path on the ground of this alien planet. But the Adamites have plans of their own. Caught between the colliding forces of this powerful alien species and a ruthless corporation, the question becomes, will any of them make it off the planet alive?

"Reality is what we're leaving behind as we move through an empty forest and out into a world that feels full of ghosts."

Ever since I finished reading Nyxia last summer, I have been DYING to get my hands on Nyxia Unleashed. DYING!!! For the record, the wait was totally worth it.

Reintgen takes everything I loved in Nyxia, and gives me more! The diversity of the characters is still spot on, with the added twist of introducing the alien species. This level of detail is exactly what a futuristic world set on an intergalactic scale should represent. And this introduction does not disappoint. We are introduced to the same frustrations Emmett and his fellow crew members face regarding an unfair class system, but it is highlighted and explored in a more detailed way through the Adamites.

This is brilliant, and allows for readers to take a step back to examine the elitist mentalities of classes. We see a complex society that mirrors our own in many ways, but by allowing us to view it from afar, the impact of the negative consequences become more pronounced. Allowing Emmett to identify and place himself within this alien system also forces the reader to face the parallels between the two worlds. We are forced to examine our own society through the eyes of this alien one. And we don't stop there. Beyond the mirroring of our class society, Reintgen also dives into the topic of colonization.

"It doesn't surprise me that Babel's out here playing the role of colonizer, slapping labels on the originals and pretending they created it all in the first place."

As he does with his diverse cast of characters, and the exploration of the class system, the subject of colonization is well done. We are drawn in, getting to know the Adamites as they introduce the Genesis crew to their world. This introduction doesn't allow the reader the luxury of viewing from afar. It doesn't allow us to stay emotionally unattached. When the twists happen, they happen to us along with the characters. 

And, boy, are there twists. The shocking turns and unexpected twists that blew my mind in Nyxia are back. Reintgen writes with a cadence that pulls you deep into the story. But that rhythm can deceive you with it's calm. Even though he tells us the entire time that we can't trust Babel, we still find the plot twists blindsiding and brutal. When Nyxia Unleashed ended, my heart was racing, my head was spinning, and all I wanted was more.

"You either get the world you hope for or the world you fear."

While this book deals with some fairly heavy topics, it is balanced with the message of love, friendship and hope. Morning and Emmett are the sweetest of the sweet. She is fierce and strong, but is also tender and giving. I love that even though we see the world through Emmett's eyes, he isn't the one in charge. And it doesn't bother him. This isn't about power or struggle, but belonging on a team. Finding a place in a family. The competition from Genesis is long over on the ground of Eden. Here, they need each other.

Reintgen writes masterful plots. In both Nyxia and Nyxia Unleashed, we see layer after layer unfold before our eyes. But only when the author wants us to. He controls the narration, giving us incredible world building and character development along with gut-punching plot twists, so that the entire book is fast paced. These are books meant to be devoured if only because you won't be able to put them down. Be prepared for writing that is brutal and intense, but also filled with hope. 

I am dying for the third book now. Again. DYING!!! Reintgen does not hold back his cliffhanger ending. AGAIN!!! Except this time there is so much more hanging in the balance. If you love action, adventure, and smart sci-fi with a ton of heart, you need this series immediately!

Thank you again to Rockstar Book Tours and Random House Kids for sending me a review copy!

Oh my god I love this series so much. The writing is so beautiful and amazing that I just want to get lost in it when I’m reading. The characters are so diverse and unique.

My absolute favorite character is Morning. I mean, who doesn’t love a badass female captain ;) I love seeing how tough she can be but also how vulnerable she is with Emmett. My gay ass honestly would die for her.

The character development made it so easy to believe how these kids loved each other unconditionally. It’s clear that they would do anything if it meant the others wouldn’t get hurt. The grief, the trauma, the pain, it’s all so real and raw.

This arc was provided to me for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars.

I was lucky to get approved for Nyxia last year so when the sequel became available on Netgalley, I immediately requested it. And I have to say I am not disappointed. Scott Reintgen knows how to tell a story and how to tell it well.

Nyxia Unleashed picks up immediately where Nyxia left off. Which was the best option because Nyxia ended pretty crazy. Bable has officially placed Emmett and the rest of the crew on the planet, Magnia and now must begin mining the substance Nyxia. Do this and their families will be taken care of, but is Bable being completely honest with the crew? The planet and its inhabitants are a mystery, but for how much longer?

There wasn’t a part of this book that I didn’t love. The storyline, the romance, the action, and the diversity!!! Say it louder for the people in the back. This book has it all. It’s so nice to see a good male MC being written and not have him be a jerk. And the female lead, Morning who is strong, smart, and everything I aspire to be!!! But the rest of the crew is an array of different kind of characters and it is so refreshing to see.

But can we talk about that ending? I need book 3 now, I don’t want to wait anymore. But I can admit now, I will be stalking NetGalley now waiting for the moment I can request book 3. If you love strong diverse characters, alien, action, and epic secrets than please check this series out. You will not be disappointed.

Nyxia unleashed is the perfect second book of the Nyxia trilogy! The first book already swept me off my feet but the second.. it was amazing and I read it withing two days!
Finally, our favorite characters have made it to the new alien planet and discover some pretty shocking stuff and try to survive in such hostile situations. It's inspiring and amazing to follow them on their journeys. I love how friendship and companionship is emphasized in the story as the main reason for survival.
The writing improves, if that is at all possible from the first to the second book and even though the pace is rather fast, we still get a lot of insight on characters, their thoughts and feelings and also a lot of info about the new alien race, culture, the planet, plants and new animals.
I really can't wait for the grand finale!

My only disappointment with Nyxia was that we never actually got to see the Genesis kids make it down to Eden, which is why I think I enjoyed this so much better! I was worried that it would suffer from the dreaded Second Book Syndrome, but thankfully Nyxia Unleashed was just as action-packed and fast-paced as the first book. Nyxia Unleashed picked up right where Nyxia ended, and it never slowed down once.

The world-building was expanded in this book: Scott Reintgen did a great job with the introduction and descriptions of the alien planet and the different kinds of creatures Emmett and the others encountered. I also really loved how the characters and their relationships changed and grew. The characters in Nyxia Unleashed go from a competitive environment to landing on a completely different world. It was wonderful to see them adapt to the circumstances: rivalries evolved into friendships and friendships grew stronger as they all understood the need to stick together in order to survive and achieve their common goal.

If you enjoyed Nyxia, I would highly recommend continuing the series with Nyxia Unleashed! I'm very excited for the final book in the trilogy!

4.5 stars

Ok, I really enjoyed Nyxia, even though there were a few things I wasn’t into, but HOLY SHIT WOW THIS WAS SO MUCH BETTER.

Even though my star rating is only half a star higher (yeah, crazy), Nyxia Unleased was far superior to book one. Props to Reintgen for that.

The things I didn’t like in Nyxia were all fixed, and then Reintgen even added a few more things that I had no idea I wanted, and I’m so glad I got a chance to read this!

There were two things I didn’t like in Nyxia: how high-octane it was, and how trope-dependent it was.
This is a weird complaint, but Nyxia was too high-octane for me. There was a lot of action going on and like Warcross, I was just a little overwhelmed by the amount of plot in comparison to everything else. It was super entertaining and thrilling and in a way, it was just too fast-paced for me.

But Nyxia Unleased had a much better pacing, and I just love the rise and fall of the storyline. The buildup was great, more and more things were happening and it was culminating into something that was going to burst and then BAM! It burst and everything went to hell. (And we’re not back from hell yet because those PLOT TWISTS OH MY GOD).

Seriously. Reintgen really pulled out all the stops on the plot twists. THE LAST LINE WAS JUST PLAIN CRUEL OK. I loved the twists and found them to be fitting with the story line, but still twisty enough that we’re all trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

The only thing I can complain about in this aspect is that I wish the plot twists were a little more dramatic. And I don’t say this often, but sometimes I felt like the writing and the emotional weight around the plot twists was a little off and it didn’t have the effect that it could have had. Good, but not great.

Still, the pacing was straight fire and I really like seeing how Reintgen improved on creating a buildup that really sucks the reader in.

As for the trope dependency, ALL OF THAT FLEW OUT THE AIRLOCK WOW. I’m serious–there was so much creativity involved in this book I was blown away.

I felt like book 1 was trying a little too hard to be competition-centric, which I know is a popular trope but not something I’m super into, but book 2 was so original I couldn’t help but love it.

And it wasn’t just in a “oh people exploring an alien planet whoop de doo” sort of way because Reintgen did this really amazing thing: he looked at the side of the colonized as well as the colonists.

There’s a really large level of awareness of his own fictional world, which I really loved, and Reintgen takes note of things. He talks about how the Imago (who you know as the Adamites) call themselves something besides “Adamite” and he talks about how the Imago call the planet “Magnia” not “Eden” and he is just very aware of all the differences between how the colonizers see the world and how the natives see it.

I found this to be very refreshing based on just how much he understood his own world and really gave the voice to the group that normally wouldn’t get a voice. This was really nice to see and it was amazing how Reintgen didn’t make the Imago barbarians.

I love how creative Reintgen was with this novel, and it was just the icing on the cake. Plus, there’s all sorts of amazing cultural items (i.e. FOOD) on Magnia that I loved reading about, and I think Reintgen did an amazing job of thinking things through and also setting up the plot.

The reason this isn’t a full five is just because of the romance. I didn’t really remember Morning and Emmett’s romance from book 1 (thanks Mia @ Pens and Parchment for reminding me) but I wasn’t really into it in this book. I just didn’t really care about their relationship, which happens a lot for me in sci-fi, so this just ended up as a kind of dull point for me. It didn’t make them do anything life-threateningly-dumb, but it wasn’t engaging either.

But one of the really big highs of this story that I loved was how Emmett wasn’t the best, most amazing person in the group. You know who the best fighter is? Morning. That’s right. The non-main character female character is actually the star of the group. High five to Scott Reintgen for showing off powerful females even with a male narrator, and for making a male narrator who is respectful and acknowledges said female’s prowess.

Overall, Nyxia Unleashed blew Nyxia out of the water, even though it’s only a half star ahead of the game. Pick up the series just so you can read this book. Seriously.

Whew! That was quite the ride. Let's ignore the fact that I raged and screamed and threw my kindle when the book ended. Instead, let's talk about what made this novel so irresistible.

This is the second book in the Nyxia series and it's just as addictive as the first. In this installment, we go down to Eden with the teens as they get situated for mining Nyxia. Of course, nothing is quite what it seems (we are dealing with Babel, after all) and things start looking awfully suspicious.

Being the inquisitive and upstart type of kids they are, the group of teens forms plans, alliances, and enemies.

And when it all goes down, it's incredible.

Explosive.

I raced through the pages of this novel. I couldn't get enough and I had to know what happened next. This series is SO addictive. I can't believe more people aren't talking about it because it has so much potential to explode in popularity.

Do you ever have a book or series that you wish you could shove into people's hands and scream READ THIS!? This is one of those books for me.

The pages are loaded with action, twists, turns, and a HUGE wildcard tossed in near the end. And that ending?! It destroyed me. I literally threw my hands in the air and screamed! I can't remember the last time a book got that reaction out of me.

Needless to say, I'm dealing with one Texas-sized case of book hangover. How do I even move on from this? I don't think I can. I'll be dwelling on it for weeks to come.

If you're not reading this series yet, you should be!

Content: Some language, violence, war, and non-descriptive something (male/female). I honestly don't know if it's sex or just serious make-out sessions. I can't tell. That's how non-descriptive it is.

Source: NetGalley.

This is the second book of a trilogy. The combined remaining crews of Genesis 11 and 12 have landed on the new planet as treasured guests of the residents of the planet. Their goal is to mine the incredibly valuable nyxia and ship it off to Babel for use on Earth. That is why this group of poor kids was recruited. They can take care of their families on Earth and earn huge amounts of money too. The only problem is that Babel has been lying to them the whole time they were going through their training and they aren't at all sure if they can trust the Imago who live on the planet.

This story is mostly told by Emmett as they mine, travel through the dangerous planet, meet the locals and learn many things that Babel never told them. They are invited to Sevenset which is the largest settlement on the planet where they learn things about the Imago that Babel doesn't know. They also learn things about the culture and the rebels when Emmett is kidnapped by on of the outlaw Imago.

I liked the action. I liked the twisty plotting. I liked the relationships between the kids who are parts of Genesis 11 and 12. I especially liked the partnership between Emmett and Morning. Because this is the middle book of a trilogy, the ending is a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the third book to find out how all the issues resolve.

I loved this sequel!! Full review to come but I loved that we finally got to see this planet they kept talking about. Learn more about my fave gang and to see how they inevitably get themselves in to and out of trouble. Also my heart is broken into 1,000,000 tiny pieces.

please read this!! if you loved the first book , you will love this one !! so much happens and it all happens in a alien environment so that adds to the ambiance !! if you love sci-fi You need to read this!

I'm convinced that most readers are crazy for not being as into this series as I've become.

From the perfect main character to the adorable romance, I seriously cannot get enough. Reintgen writes a brilliant series that includes diverse characters and important themes; yet it's one of the most underrated ones in recent years.

It truly has so much to offer on the ways of our world. I loved this installment despite some heartbreaking pieces. And I cannot wait for book 3!

If you didn’t notice in my review of Nyxia by Scott Reintgen, I really enjoyed the beginning of this series. So much so that when I discovered Nyxia Unleashed on NetGalley I practically fumbled my phone in my rush to request it. I tried not to let myself stay too excited, just in case I wasn’t approved and didn’t get to read the book until it’s released on July 17th. However, when I got the email that I was approved for this copy, I literally screamed, covered my mouth in shock, and then immediately began reading. (Thank you, thank you, thank you!!) I honestly can not remember any TW/CWs that might be needed at this exact moment so I’m just going to dive into the review!

I was really excited to be reunited with Emmett and his crew, but I was equally excited to be able to meet quite a few new characters. Each character received their own level of development and I really feel like, for the most part, they all got what they deserved. I do feel like a couple of the characters might have done well with a little more development, but I was really happy with what is there so this might just be me needing more for my faves. Nearly every character in Nyxia Unleashed is a full-fledged and three dimensional person, regardless of their species. Yes, that’s right. We do finally meet the native species of the alien planet and WOW. I was definitely not disappointed with how Scott Reintgen handled that versus the way he could have handled it, which would likely have been the easy way since it seems like that’s how it tends to go in most novels of this sort.

At least 95% of the story in Nyxia Unleashed takes place on the alien planet, which I am intentionally not naming. No, I didn’t forget, but that is part of the story so you’ll have to read the novel to understand! 😉 The other 5-ish% takes place on the space station that orbits the alien planet. While I felt like the planet was relatively immersive and I understood how everything worked there rules-wise, I wasn’t quite as clear on the space station going off just this novel. You’d definitely need to have read the first book, Nyxia, to have that built up a bit and have a grasp of it before going into this series.

The story picks up moments after where Nyxia left off, really hammering home that reading Nyxia first would be best before picking up this sequel. The story flows relatively well from beginning to end. I can’t lie on this one… I read the book in a single day so obviously there is nothing wrong with the flow of the plot. There was a lot of action and holy hells the feelings. Scott Reintgen shamelessly played with my emotions throughout the entirety of Nyxia Unleashed and I am good with that. More please. The one thing that bugged me enough to require mentioning was, of course, the cliffhanger ending. Now I find myself in need of the final book in the series, like, yesterday.

I really enjoy the world Scott Reintgen has created in a not-so-distant future and the characters he has created to live there. I am completely in love with the story and 120% invested in finding out what happens next buT I NEED FOR MY FAVES TO BE OKAY! I am okay. This is fine. Please send chocolate. This book will hurt all your feels in the best way.

OMG, this book had twists and turns and loved reading the different chapters in a different POV. I can't wait to see what happens next with the group. Who is playing who?

Wow I was so bored and just didn't care about anything in this book?! I don't know what happened because I loved Nyxia so so much! But this one just wasn't cutting it for me. I think maybe reading it during the stress of finals and finishing up school made me not so engaged in it?? Not too sure, I just know that I was majorly bored. But the writing is so fantastic though, that's really what pulled me through is that I really love the writing a lot and just thank God for good writing.

“The kind of men who wear imaginary crowns always enjoy a stage . . . [and] kings aren’t innocent in war. When you put on the crown and order troops to kill, you invite the judgement of the enemy’s sword.”

I absolutely loved Scott Reintgen’s debut, Nyxia, last year, and I was stoked this year to get an ARC of his second installment to the Nyxia Triad with Nyxia Unleashed. I devoured this book, and it has everything I look for in good science fiction.

The first thing that sets Nyxia Unleashed (NU)–and this series so far–a part from most in YA science fiction is the fact that this book doesn’t suffer from “second book syndrome” at all. Where most second installments lack the intensity, fast-paced plot, or eagerness of their beginning volumes, Reintgen avoids those pitfalls completely. This takes some considerable know-how and experience with creative writing techniques. Reintgen has this in spades. I didn’t expect some of the turns and reveals that come in this segment of the trilogy. Some I did, but what drives the tension is each character, their growth, connections to each other, and their own unique voices and histories. Their realism and humanity keeps the pages turning.

Reintgen continues to deeply develop the characterization and world-building in NU far beyond the first book. Relationships between characters like Emmett and Longwei or Emmett and Morning have changed drastically. Their experiences aboard the Genesis ships have hardened them, destroyed some emotionally, and set them each apart as competition and sometimes enemies. These experiences, however, have brought them closer together when the veil is lifted on Babel’s dark underbelly and how the company sees the teens as expendable pawns. The kids realize they’re stronger together. There’s a stronger sense of group cohesion and family. They have to stick together or risk not surviving the dangers that the planet and Babel may hold for them. This proves more true than they expected, and we get to watch these kids grow stronger and smarter. They also learn to think critically about everything Babel Corp has told them up to this point in their journey. As they get to know the Adamites (Imago), they learn to identify and empathize with an alien race, and they begin to learn that a corporation doesn’t have their best interests at heart, especially when those interests are counter to corporate goals. And they deftly learn to navigate interplanetary politics to favor themselves and the Imago and work to bring Babel down.

This brings me to the next element of NU that I loved: the examination and criticism of foreign conquest, colonialism, and corporate greed. The themes in this novel are deeply relevant to current social, cultural, and economic climates in the US and abroad, and the focus is put on the vulnerable victims of these systems that sit on the lowest tiers of global society. The teens all represent the under-served and underprivileged areas of society–some are from developing countries, some from the poor, working-class populations of the US, and so forth. Each teen brings a life and past of hardship, struggle, injustice, and defeat to the table, and this fuels them to distrust and be critical of a corporation run on lies and greed. Babel’s goal is not the betterment of society on earth through the promises mining the element nyxia can bring; it’s not a working relationship and harmonious existence or cooperation with the Imago; it’s the systematic genocide of a planet and its people for its own profit, as Emmett discovers in the final third of the book (chapter 42). The theme of colonization becomes apparent early on, as Reintgen writes: “It doesn’t surprise me that Babel’s out here playing the role of colonizer, slapping labels on the originals and pretending they created it all in the first place” (chapter 5). This is a classic move in colonization and systemic suppression of native races; the colonizing power renames to erase, to fashion what is Other to its image of civilization. The Imago try to combat this through re-education when they and the teens get to know each other. The teens resist Babel’s colonization efforts and use the Imago’s language for its places, ideas, and so forth. So here, Babel loses ground.

I also love how Reintgen draws a contrast between our tendency to idealize the meaning of “humanity” and our belief in our inherent “goodness” (or the colonizer’s belief in its inherent “manifest destiny”), and the Imago’s clear rightness and innocence–that sometimes humanity isn’t “on the side of God” at all. Anton realizes in a cloud of grief and regret that war is our penchant and “we’ve brought our taste for destruction across the galaxy. I eye the wreckage, thinking about how familiar it all looks. I’ve seen buildings like these before, billions of kilometers away” (chapter 46). We watch an innocent people suffer injustice and brutality as the teens have witnessed at home their entire lives, and Babel is just another socio-political force that keeps the oppression alive. Through the battle they are drawn into, they finally have the chance to end it and regain their freedom, voice, power, and can help the Imago do the same.

Through all of this, the lesson and realization that freedom, our lives, our voices, justice, wealth, and power are incompatible with corporate greed–their power and wealth come at the expense of stealing and destroying the people in their wake. It’s a powerful message that burns through this novel and kept me tense and on the edge of my seat hoping the teens will succeed and that the Imago will triumph.

The only thing I thought Reintgen could have done better in this novel is not create the Imago to be so similar to humans. It’s a bit contrary to scientific understanding of how sentient life might be like from a planet outside of our solar system, particularly because most planetary systems are likely not to have conditions exactly like ours. Therefore, we can’t expect an alien race to be like us–and the Imago were to0 human-like. This kind of runs parallel to humanity’s expectation that we’re the center of the universe, created in the “image of a god” where we really create gods in our image and we shape other worlds and societies into our image. So, I would have liked to see a vastly different representation of a society that illustrates the ultimate “other”. Otherwise, I know that the Imago’s world illustrates an ideal “earth-like” planet that we definitely try to search for to this day–but it’s a bit unrealistic considering the precise conditions required for our planet to sustain life as we know it. Moreover, the Imago and their world were a little too similar to those portrayed in the movie Avatar. I wanted something more unique.

And alas, this book ends on a MASSIVE cliffhanger, but it’s a powerful ending that has me gasping for the final book in this trilogy. I usually don’t read science-fiction, but I make an exception for the Nyxia Triad–it’s one of my favorite series ever now. I highly recommend picking this up.

This book is amazing. Once again, Reintgen delivers amazingly rich and complex characters, a suspenseful plot, and some last minute events that will stab you through all the feels. The pacing of this book is wonderful, and it's the kind of book that will keep you up all night because you NEED TO KNOW what happens next. Speaking of- I need to know what happens next! I'm so excited for Book 3.

I highly recommend this book. It's a fast paced, sci-fi adventure that will keep you guessing, and will keep you hooked! There's also not a super clear bad vs good guys thing happenings here. There's more like "horrible" vs "a little less horrible maybe because I kinda get their motives" guys. I mean, we obviously love our main group, but the rest of them...? Well, it makes it hard to know who to root for, or even just how hard to root for them, although there are some main characters that you'll definitely fall in love with and will want them to get through this whole thing. But even then, those characters also do some pretty shady stuff.

But I guess something this book really asks you to consider is: How far will you go to survive? I think we'd all be surprised at our own answers. As are, I believe, the characters in this book.

As a rule, I don't like middle books. You don't get the pleasure of getting to know the characters or the satisfaction of finding out the conclusion to the story. But, Nyxia Unleashed is an adventure in itself. As Nyxia (book 1) concluded, our characters were leaving Babel for the great unknown of Eden. As Nyxia Unleashed begins, we find our characters grounded on an alien planet. Everything here is dangerous. No one is quite who they seem to be. Exploring Eden with the Genesis crew is exciting. I can't wait to read the next (and final?) installment of the series. We would be very lucky to see this one brought to the big screen, too. As fun as it is to read Reintgen's descriptions, I am dying to see what the Adamites/Imago look like.

*As an aside, I'm finding that a lot of these names (Requin, Imago, etc.) are actual, not invented, words. I'm wondering if they somehow relate to the story in a meaningful way. Especially since Reintgen has already used names with meaningful context in the story (Eden and Babel). Hm.