I received this book for free from the Publicist in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Sixth Nik by Daniel Kraus Published by Saga Press on June 23 2026
Genres: Adult, Horror, Science fiction
Pages: 464
Format: ARC
Source: Publicist
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The nitty-gritty: A masterfully written and plotted sci-fi horror story, The Sixth Nik combines grotesque imagery and body horror with unexpected depth and emotion.
One thing I’ve come to expect with a new Daniel Kraus book is that I never know what to expect, and The Sixth Nik is yet another great example of Kraus’s versatility as an author. This book isn’t going to be for everyone, though. It’s science fiction, but it’s also space horror, with an emphasis on the horror. There are also a host of potential triggers that sensitive readers might want to know about, including extreme body horror, abortion, bug horror, rape, dog death and one more rather controversial trigger that I don’t want to reveal due to spoilers (but ask if you’re curious). But aside from these dire warnings, The Sixth Nik is also one of the best books I’ve read this year, with immersive and creative world building, deep character development, and a thrilling plot that never really lets up. Kraus is an extraordinary writer, and I’m hoping his recent Pulitzer Prize win increases his readership, because he deserves it.
Nine year old Sissila is the 55th Niffakoq, chosen as a baby to serve her people, the Nuna Naavoq. Each Niffakoq, always a female, has alien tech—six small metal nickel-sized devices called niks—implanted in their prefrontal cortex, which gives them strength, intelligence, and the ability to “nik” people—sense their emotions and detect lies and ill intentions. Most Niffakoq only live to be eleven, and when they die, the six niks are harvested and inserted into the next Niffakoq. At age nine, the Niffakoq is sent on an important mission called a Chore, something that will change the future, like curing disease, for example, and Sissila is about to embark on hers.
Sissila is keeping a big secret, though. Several years ago, she lost one of her niks (the book’s first incident of body horror). The removal of this sixth nik gives her the unusual ability to feel emotions, something that was suppressed when all six were intact. With this sixth nik hidden away in a pocket, Sissila prepares to leave home to complete her Chore, which will take her on a two year journey through space to a planet called Fém.
Sissila and her crew—Engineer Jayne Mae Marilyn Bardot, medic Feng Chaon, her personal body guard Murder 005 and the ship’s Captain Creg Arzan—have been assigned to a plasmagraphic ship called the Sickness, and they’ve been instructed to make contact with the settlers on Fém, plague victims who were sent there to keep the rest of the triworld safe from a deadly disease. But although their trip starts fairly smoothly and Sissila begins to bond with her crewmates, someone is trying to sabotage the mission. The question becomes not whether she will complete her Chore, but whether she’ll stay alive long enough to try.
The Sixth Nik is full of detailed, complex world-building, and the plot itself is almost impossible to sum up (I did a poor job of it!) because so much happens. There’s enough here for a duology, to be honest, yet Kraus managed to write a complete story in under five hundred pages. Kraus’s world is spectacular, a future full of both familiar and unfamiliar SF tropes, but even the familiar elements felt fresh. I was reminded at times of various books and movies, like Alien, The Abyss, Ender’s Game and others, but for me, it never felt derivative. Take the Sickness, for example. I’ve read plenty of stories with living space ships, but Kraus’s plasmagraphic ships are both gross and fascinating. The interior of the Sickness is like being inside a tumor, with slick walls and floors that envelop the crew. It’s “built” using each crew member’s DNA (don’t ask) and molds itself to be whatever the crew needs most.
I also loved the way the author put every object in the story to good use and doesn’t forget about them, like some stories I’ve read. For example, the sixth nik that Sissila carries around in her pocket plays an important role at the end of the story. And the Niff Six, the six questions she must ask everyone she meets, seem random at first but eventually they come to have deep meaning.
Sissila is such a great main character, and I had to keep reminding myself she was just a child. During the course of the story, she changes from an unfeeling tool who has been groomed to be her people’s champion, into a caring, curious girl who discovers the joy of friendship. Some of my favorite moments were on board the Sickness after she meets and gets to know the crew. Jayne, a heavily modded woman, gives Sissila her first make-over, complete with a wig (Sissila is bald because of her nik surgery), a very sweet, “older sister” type moment. Feng learns her secret but vows not to tell anyone, a concept Sissila can barely comprehend. And Murder 005 charms Sissila with his pet dachshund Positive Roy (although don’t get too attached to him ☹️).
As for the horror elements, they were unexpected and extremely disgusting at times. I don’t want to reveal too much, but the “bug horror” scene I mentioned earlier was certainly one of the most memorable. So was the disease that the people on Fém suffered from, a sickness called Wolosis that comes from Merino sheep, and I’m still gagging whenever I think about what it does to the human body. Equally disturbing is a shocking scene aboard the Sickness involving the ship itself.
But all these scenes (and many more I haven’t mentioned) serve the story and have purpose, and that’s what I love so much about this book. Kraus hasn’t necessarily added them for shock value, but he’s come up with a futuristic scenario where they make sense. He’s also woven timely themes into his story, like body autonomy and a woman’s right to choose. The ending was not what I expected at all, but it made sense for the characters and the story, and the final emotional gut punch left me speechless. Readers who love challenging stories will not be disappointed.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
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