Publication Date: June 23, 2026
Deep into space, far past the triworld outposts, beyond range of the lethal trollbot internet, soars The Sickness: a ship woven from biomatter and capable of reacting to every need of its human crew. Sisilla, a nine-year-old cultist with a brain enhanced by arcane tech known as “niks,” has boarded to investigate the enigma of Fém—a plague-riddled planet that has abruptly gone rogue.
The mysterious crew includes a faceless assassin, a beautiful engineer jigsawed by plastic surgery, a peyote-addicted medic, and—most lethal of all—a rugged, NonModded captain with a score to settle with Sisilla. Other dangers abound. A hacked robot begins to believe Sisilla is its daughter. The Sickness itself is mutating, possibly even pregnant. And the secret of Fém is more horrific than anyone could have imagined. To survive, Sisilla will need to forsake her predetermined fate and embrace the unknown.
Underneath all the scientific gobbledygook and equations, there is a nugget of science fiction that introduces a futuristic world.
Despite the creativity of author Daniel Kraus, The Sixth Nik will likely appeal to die-hard galaxy adventure readers. The essence of the story focuses on a nine-year-old girl who is supposed to sacrifice herself for the greater good.
As a Niffakoq, Sisilla must complete a designated Chore before her brain swells and kills her. This typically occurs before age 11. She’s different from those who have come before because one of her six brain enhancers, known as a nik, is not functioning.
It’s when she embarks on the Chore to investigate a planet that things get weird, or if you are into sci-fi, very interesting. As much as I wanted to enjoy the story, it felt like I was bobbing in a sea of confusion.
The Sixth Nik, while not a success for me, will undoubtedly pave new ground for those who enjoy an immersive sci-fi experience.
DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling author. He co-authored THE LIVING DEAD with legendary filmmaker George a. Romero. With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored THE SHAPE OF WATER, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored TROLLHUNTERS, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. Kraus’s THE DEATH AND LIFE OF ZEBULON FINCH was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year, and he has won two Odyssey Awards (for both ROTTERS and SCOWLER) and has been a Library Guild selection, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Bram Stoker finalist, and more.
Kraus’s work has been translated into over 25 languages. He lives with his wife in Chicago.
