Narrator Sullivan Jones conveys the desires, frustrations, and determination of Detroit teen Emmett Atwater as well as the tension in this fast-paced audiobook. Emmett is one of 10 poor teens, most of color, who are competing aboard a spaceship for a position with Babel, a company that mines nyxia, “the new black gold.” Jones conveys Emmett’s African-American background through intonation. He uses soft tones to express Emmett’s sensitive, thoughtful side as the teen wonders about his mother’s cancer, the powers of nyxia, and various moral dilemmas. Jones’s facility with accents also enhances the differentiation of characters. Dominic Hoffman delivers the brief “Interlude” chapter, written by Babel employee Marcus Defoe. Hoffman’s detached tone conveys Defoe’s coldness, a contrast with Jones’s emotive reading of Emmett’s story. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

07/10/2017
In Reintgen’s energetic debut, a Detroit teen is offered an extraordinary opportunity by corporate giant Babel Communications to earn more than enough money to bring his family out of poverty and get his mother needed medical care. Emmett Atwater, who is black, and nine other teens from across the world are eager to travel to Eden, an Earthlike planet that is home to humanoid beings called Adamites. There, they’ll mine for a sought-after substance called nyxia, which can transform itself into just about anything. But only eight can go, and they must fight for the privilege. Emmett isn’t about to lose, but winning becomes harder as he starts to care about his competitors, especially his sweet-natured Japanese roommate, Kaya, and the kindly Bilal, from the West Bank. The setup will draw comparisons to The Hunger Games, but Reintgen’s characters stand on their own, and the trials they face are inventive. Emmett’s self-deprecation, wit, and ability to see the good in others will keep readers riveted and eager for the next volume in this planned trilogy. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Sept.)

"Fans of the 'Hunger Games' and the 'Maze Runner' series will enjoy this series opener." —SLJ

"Both curious and suspicious at every turn, [Emmett] is an ideal narrator, and a sequel can’t come soon enough." —The Bulletin

"Emmett’s self-deprecation, wit, and ability to see the good in others will keep readers riveted and eager for the next volume in this planned trilogy." —PW 

"Nyxia seems to have a mind of its own, but its mystery will carry over into the sequel, which cannot come soon enough." —VOYA

07/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—Emmett Atwater is in need of a great deal of money to help his mother. So when Babel Communications offers him a fortune and a once-in-a-lifetime deep-space experience, he jumps at the opportunity. Now he and 10 other broken and desperate recruits are fighting for the right to mine a planet that humanity does not know exists. But are they just competing against one another, or is there more to Babel's plans? Can the cost of human lives be measured against the value of Nyxia, a new substance found only on the planet Eden? At what cost do success and failure come? An amazing adventure of intelligence and strength, this sci-fi book presents diverse and complex characters in a tale about greed and internal compromise. The author brings to life more than a dozen characters with depth and individual personalities and agendas. This is a wonderful example of how personal and corporate values are often intertwined despite being at odds with each other. VERDICT Fans of the "Hunger Games" and the "Maze Runner" series will enjoy this series opener.—Elizabeth Speer, Weatherford College, TX

2017-07-15
Kids endure rigorous competition aboard a spaceship.When Babel Communications invites 10 teens to participate in "the most serious space exploration known to mankind," Emmett signs on. Surely it's the jackpot: they'll each receive $50,000 every month for life, and Emmett's mother will get a kidney transplant, otherwise impossible for poor people. They head through space toward the planet Eden, where they'll mine a substance called nyxia, "the new black gold." En route, the corporation forces them into brutal competition with one another—fighting, running through violent virtual reality racecourses, and manipulating nyxia, which can become almost anything. It even forms language-translating facemasks, allowing Emmett, a black boy from Detroit, to communicate with competitors from other countries. Emmett's initial understanding of his own blackness may throw readers off, but a black protagonist in outer space is welcome. Awkward moments in the smattering of black vernacular are rare. Textual descriptions can be scanty; however, copious action and a reality TV atmosphere (the scoreboard shows regularly) make the pace flow. Emmett's first-person voice is immediate and innocent: he realizes that Babel's ruthless and coldblooded but doesn't apply that to his understanding of what's really going on. Readers will guess more than he does, though most confirmation waits for the next installment—this ends on a cliffhanger. Fast-moving and intriguing though inconsistent on multiple fronts. (Science fiction. 12-16)