Nexus Uprising (Mass Effect: Andromeda, #1)

by Jason M Hough and K C Alexander

Titan Books will work with acclaimed video gamedeveloper BioWare to publish brand new novels set in theuniverse of MASS EFFECT(TM): ANDROMEDA. The actionwill weave into the new game, with storylines developed inclose collaboration with the BioWare game team. Theaction takes place with the adventure of the game itself,setting up the story and events of the game adding depthand detail to the canonical MASS EFFECT saga.

• ISBN10: 1785651560
• ISBN13: 9781785651564
• Publish Date: 21 March 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Titan Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781785651564

Reviews

[inlibrisveritas]

Nexus Uprising serves as a prequel to the video game Mass Effect: Andromeda, taking us to the time before your character, Ryder, arrives in the ark to find the space station badly damaged and behind schedule. We get a glimpse into what exactly happened to the people aboard and why there is so much for you to “clean” up when you get there. There may be some spoilers for the game in the following review, I will not mention any major plot points, however, some characters’ and events within the book directly lead to plot points in the game.

Right off the bat, I was intrigued with Nexus Uprising. I am a Bioware fangirl and I adore Mass Effect, however, the real draw for me was the fact that we’d be getting a chance to see Sloane Kelly BEFORE she becomes who she is within the game. The story itself spans several different characters, giving you a lot of insight into each one of them and their motivations. I think this is a pretty successful prequel novel. While it doesn’t feel fundamental to the storyline, because you can piece together some of this with the in-game dialogue and ‘lore’, it does feel like I gain a lot of new information that broadens the overall story’s scope. The story is slow to build and we get to see the Nexus the moment the first pods open, where the trouble begins immediately and people not prepared to lead are thrust forward to make decisions.

While playing the game I had mixed feelings about pretty much everyone in this book excluding a few (Kesh – Love, Tann- HATE, Spender – HATE), but Nexus Uprising really fleshes out how they became the people we interacted with. I appreciated getting to know more about Sloane, who is painted as a badass but dangerous person in the game. She is still a badass and more than a little dangerous if need be in NU, but she has a focus on getting things done the correct way. I love a woman who can talk her way out of a problem but can also punch her way out when she has to. Tann is still the same little spineless twerp we all get subjected to in the game, but we see his appointment to the director and his turning points along the way. Addison is the one that doesn’t seem to get a lot of character arc development, she does grow more spine throughout everything but she remains the same, which isn’t to say she’s a bland character more that her inevitable strength and determination to see things to the end is something that develops early on in the story.

I was extremely frustrated in the game when I found out about the rebellion and the consequential divide between the crew, and while that frustration hasn’t gone away I do understand why it occurred. A new galaxy fraught with unexpected issues and the danger of their own home failing them, it pushes people to limits that hadn’t previously expected to see. On top of the issues, we also have old scars that still linger even after 600 light years are placed between them and it’s origin. We have classism and inherent racism that most try to overcome in some way, though more than few fail. It kind of makes you all wonder, just what the hell all these people were thinking when they signed up to leave the Milky Way and head to Andromeda.

A small note on the audiobook, it is read by Fryda Wolff who provides the voice for the female Ryder in the game. She really does an excellent job with the range of voices and really taps into each of the races little mannerisms really well.

Overall I think that if you enjoyed the game, then this is one to check out for sure! It provides some much-needed context for the situations surrounding Tann, Spender, Clan Nakmor, and Sloane, and really solidifies what makes the ME series so strong; the relationships built between allies and enemies.

[Quirky Cat]

Nexus Uprising tells the events leading up to Mass Effect Andromeda, which is fantastic for fans like me who haven’t had a chance to play the game yet (I swear this isn’t because I’ve been too busy reading…). That being said, I believe fans could read/play in either order. There are more novels planned as well, at least two to my knowledge.
The plot for Nexus Uprising starts all the way back before the Nexus launches, and carries us up to the events that occur in Andromeda. We start out seeing the world heavily through Sloan Kelly’s perspective, but throughout the novel more perspectives are introduced (my favorite being Kesh).



For those that haven’t played the game yet, the name Sloan Kelly probably doesn’t ring a bell. All those that did play will know that Sloan was a major factor in the rebellion that occurred on the Nexus (They’ll also probably have particular opinions on Sloan). Seeing the events that build up to the rebellion was actually pretty interesting, so I am glad I took the time to read it. The first major cataclysm to occur is the accident (the specifics are not identified until much later). Nexus has struck or been struck by something, causing colossal amounts of damage and a soaring number of fatalities. The surviving leaders are principally incompatible with each other, personality wise, leading to resentment from all sides.
Not all of the races are represented on Nexus, the Quarians being the most notable absence (many gamers have complained about their absence as well). They had hoped that this new galaxy would be a fresh start for all the races, but prejudice still runs deep in many. This is relevant and shown frequently in the lack of equality in the chain of command. No Krogans are on the list for potential leaders of Nexus, a fact which is noted by many. Personally the unfairness of this drove me absolutely bonkers, and leads me to completely root for Kesh kicking a certain someone’s butt. More on that later. The new director of Nexus is Tann (Celerian) and is not at all subtle in his opinion of the Krograns. This causes even more discontent throughout the crews (how is that even possible?). All in all I feel that Tann is the perfect character to hate, between his prejudice and his bureaucratic leanings.
One of the biggest complaints I’ve seen so far is that the plot moves slowly, I think this is because the authors made the mistake of allowing the sense about the slow progress of the ship repairs bleed into the writing. The Nexus is crippled, repairs are slow at best, and prioritized by needs first. This had the potential to be a series wrought with distress. It sometimes falls flat though, with talking and planning and thinking being shown by the characters, but little else. I still enjoyed reading it though, so this will likely come down to personal preference for the reader.
My one complaint related to the slower storytelling style would be that sometimes major plot points get spread too far apart. For example: it isn’t until nearly a third of the way through the book that the authors confirm the original Director’s death. Which of course is very sad, but by that point I had assumed she was dead a few chapters ago, when they had discovered the bodies of many of the awake crewmembers. I understand suspense, when applied right, can intensify a plot, but I do not think it was used to its full advantage here.
All that being said, once the plot picks up the pace it really does get rolling. One moment we’re waiting for information on the eight scout ships sent out, the next the rebellion is in full swing. It’s actually pretty satisfying to see – all the build-up coming to a head and exploding outwards. The fights are spread out and realistically fast, while still being utterly brutal. Part of me is grateful that the authors didn’t go into excessive detail of the battles after the Krogans become involved. I think the imagination is sufficient in this case.
I’ve spoken to several people who have already played the game, and most of them have expressed dislike towards Sloan, and outright hatred toward Tann and Spender. Having read the novel I completely understand their loathing of the two men (and am in fact looking forward to continuing my hate when I play the game) but I am conflicted on Sloan. It appears that most people that have just played the game hate her, but my not having played yet lent me the ability to be sympathetic towards her. By all appearances she did the best she could given the circumstances handed to her. It’s an interesting debate there, one I would love to have with someone who has read and played both.


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks