Vitalerium: Descent Into the Void

by Nicholas Keating Casbarro

Winner of The Florida Authors and Publishers Association Gold Award

Nearly six centuries have passed since humanity’s discovery of vitalerium, which ushered in a golden age of space exploration and colonization. Planet Deorum’s society is centered around this illustrious, gravity-bending blue crystal. The year is 2701.

Following a near-fatal disaster, roughneck freelancer Roman Matthews becomes unwittingly trapped at the center of a harrowing conspiracy. Hunted by Deorum’s government, the Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must use his deadly skillset to survive against all odds.

Roman and his band of unlikely allies will discover that the Coalition’s indiscretions threaten the delicate balance of advanced civilization. As a sect of the Coalition prepares to implement their Machiavellian vision of utopia, the proverbial pendulum begins to swing toward chaos…

Genres: Science Fiction

616 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

Bio:
Nicholas Keating Casbarro was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1990. He attended Northeastern University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in Boston, class of 2013. Though he never practiced, he maintained his curiosity and love for the sciences. After college, he worked in the medical device field with a specialty in wound-healing and burn treatment.
In 2021, he joined a regenerative medicine company where he would spend five days a week on a plane, traveling the country to work with burn surgeons and victims. This extended period of travel would change his life. The inspiration for this series stems from Casbarro’s proclivity for intense dreams, where he often experiences sleep paralysis. The impetus to the series’ first installation came from a vivid dream he experienced while flying. This time, he decided to follow the thread.
Since childhood, he had a deep love for science fiction, growing to appreciate the greats in sci-fi like Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, and many others. Casbarro used his time on countless flights to create the Vitalerium Series and its universe. The majority of the first Vitalerium novel was written at 36,000 feet. Many characters are based on real people, who breathe life into the story. Numerous plot elements can be attributed to real-life experiences, philosophical lessons, defining events, and a thirst for knowledge in a world of rapidly advancing science. He has many books planned in the Vitalerium Series and continues to craft the narrative of Roman Matthews.

From The Author:
Sci-fi & Fantasy fans: If you love space opera science fiction, dystopian sci-fi epics, and spacefaring odysseys, look no further. The Vitalerium series is a unique mix of hard science fiction, and immersive character-focused tales of adventure. If you enjoy intense world building, tales of adventure, suspense, philosophical exploration, or conspiracy & political intrigue, Vitalerium is the series for you. Dive into a dark cyber-metal dream in an awe-inspiring, technologically advanced universe. There, you will get a front row seat to the rise of a future mythological hero... On countless flights and at a lofty height of 36,000 feet, I wrote this story with the hopes of transporting you to a vivid sci-fi world in outer space. I sincerely hope you enjoy Vitalerium!

Reviews

[Deep Choudhary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thrilling Introduction to Vitalerium: Descent into the Void



Nicholas Keating Casbarro’s Vitalerium: Descent into the Void promises to be a captivating sci-fi adventure that plunges readers into a future where humanity has reached the stars. Set six centuries after the discovery of the gravity-bending crystal vitalerium, the novel follows roughneck freelancer Roman Matthews as he becomes unwittingly caught in a dangerous conspiracy.
Hunted by the powerful Coalition for Prosperity, Roman must rely on his deadly skills to survive against all odds. As he uncovers the Coalition’s dark secrets, he realizes that the fate of advanced civilization hangs in the balance. Vitalerium: Descent into the Void offers a thrilling blend of action, intrigue, and thought-provoking exploration of the potential consequences of unchecked power.

Get ready to be transported to a fascinating future world where technology and ancient mysteries collide

[Brian Heckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thrilling and encapturing debut from the author. The worldbuilding was spot on, I loved the creativity and politics. The characters and villains especially were just so delectably evil. The book is gritty and dark, has good humor and just spot on pacing. I can’t wait for the next book in the series and Nicholas has shown me he can write and I am totally along for the ride. If you’re an sci-fi fan get this book now!

[Michael Neeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun science-fiction adventure! Nick really built a convincing world here - full of interesting villains and expansive settings. There is action - heartbreak - betrayal - along with a number of twists and turns. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

[Nerdybibliophilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Vitalerium - Descent into the Void” is a gripping novel that delves into a future shaped by greed, power, and the struggle to survive. Nicholas Keating Casbarro skillfully crafts a world where vitalerium, a gravity-bending crystal, serves as both humanity’s greatest breakthrough and its potential downfall. The story follows Roman Matthews, a freelancer turned fugitive, as he navigates a treacherous landscape of corruption and deception. With its fast-paced and suspenseful narrative, the book draws readers in from the very start.

Roman Matthews is a captivating anti-hero, marked by his flaws, resourcefulness, and profound humanity, navigating a complex universe filled with betrayal, unexpected alliances, and moral ambiguity, surrounded by a diverse cast of characters, each distinct and memorable, with their individual stories expertly woven into the larger narrative, striking a unique balance between gritty, street-level chaos and high-stakes political intrigue, offering readers a glimpse into both the ruthless underworld and the polished, yet equally cutthroat, halls of power.

The action sequences are a highlight, combining intense energy with vivid details that put you in the midst of the chaos. Sharp, authentic dialogue and moments of humor and romance add depth to the story’s darker, grittier tones. Casbarro’s world-building is rich and immersive, bringing every setting to life without overwhelming the reader.

“Vitalerium - Descent into the Void” is a gripping addition to modern sci-fi, boasting a relentless pace that propels readers through its pages, but be warned: the book concludes on a major cliffhanger. With its sharp examination of power and corruption, morally complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, this novel is a must-read for fans of action-packed adventures with substance.

[Jean Alexandre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congratulations to Nicholas because I haven’t thrown a book against the wall in a very long time. I devoured it. My heart is crushed, my soul is shattered, my eyes welled up.

I want more.

Please… I need the second book for like YESTERDAY!!

[Shandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and I’m so glad I did. I’ve loved sci-fi since I was a teenager and this scratched every itch in what I love about the genre, and then some. I cannot wait to see where this series goes and I really hope it takes off.

[J.L. Yarrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this world. Prepare to immerse yourself in a story that rivets you and provides action, suspense, love, and best of all a view into the all encompassing Vitalerium. Can't wait for book 2!

[Steven A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. A fast paced Sci-fi experience with great world building, political intrigue, and exciting combat sequences. Very reminiscent of the Star Trek, Star Wars, and Starship Troopers universes. I especially liked the pace of the book, and the drama and suspense build up to the conclusion. I can't wait until the second book lands. Very interested in where Roman Mathew's goes from here.

[Govind · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is painfully slow to pick up pace. The whole first act is really shoddy. The events that start the journey of the MC is not very plausible and could have been easily avoided.I really can't relate to someone acting so rashly with a kid and a wife. I can never see a dad acting like that.

And then there is the MC. He is really insufferable. I don't mind morally grey characters, but this guy is straight-up unlikeable. The writing is unnecessarily winded and could have been shortened.

If not for the ARC copy, I would have DNFed and never looked back. The slap in the face was that this is the first of six planned books.

If it were part of a series, the author could have toned the book down so much. It’s not worth the time needed to read it. Good try as a debut. I liked the villains more than the MC, and some side characters were interesting.

When not dragged down by long-winded parts and the insufferable MC, some parts were actually good to read. Not much else I can praise. Kind of a frustrating and disappointing read overall.

If it were a trilogy, I might have given it another try to see the ending, but for a six-book series, it really isn't good enough to make you want to pick up the next one, especially with such a terrible protagonist.

[Laura Tashjian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vitalerium - Descent into the Void is an absolute masterpiece of sci-fi storytelling! I don’t usually read sci-fi, but from the very first chapter, I was completely captivated by the intricate world-building. As the story progressed, Nicholas built up heart-pounding tension that carries you through the book wondering what will happen next. His characters have depth and develop well. The way the author blends science fiction with gripping, emotional storytelling is nothing short of extraordinary.
The protagonist’s journey is intense, filled with breathtaking twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. Every chapter deepens the mystery, making it impossible to put down. And there’s even a romance! It’s rich, immersive, and cinematic—I could see and feel every moment as if I were right there.
This book isn’t just a sci-fi adventure; it’s an experience. If you love thought-provoking, adrenaline-fueled storytelling in a world that lingers long after you finish, Vitalerium is a must read!!!!

[Lydia Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 100 pages of this book drug on for eternity, and then the last 100 pages felt like I woke up in an alternate reality… Maybe I did? I don’t know what’s real and what’s not.

This is true, gritty, hardcore science fiction. There is no pretty prose or seamless transitions, it is jarring and confusing and mind boggling.

And then the last sentence makes you want to stare into the void because WHAT?!

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vitalerium: Descent into the Void by Nicholas Keating Casbarro is a captivating sci-fi epic that transports readers to the year 2701, where humanity's fate was irrevocably altered six centuries earlier with the discovery of vitalerium. This extraordinary substance, invaluable beyond measure, paved the way for space travel and the colonization of distant planets. Among these, Planet Deorum stands as the pinnacle of human achievement. Set against this futuristic backdrop, we are introduced to Roman Matthews, a rogue criminal who lives by his own code. Roman’s life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes entangled in a vast conspiracy and finds himself hunted by the Coalition for Prosperity, a powerful government entity with a hidden, sinister agenda. Joined by a group of unlikely allies, Roman is thrust into a high-stakes struggle where the future of civilization hangs in the balance.

Casbarro’s novel evokes the spirit of classic sci-fi, reminiscent of the works of William Gibson, while also drawing comparisons to the adventurous tones of Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Wars. Roman Matthews, with his tough demeanor and self-serving attitude, may remind readers of the iconic space rogue Han Solo. Yet, beneath his hardened exterior, Roman harbors a sense of empathy for those oppressed by the Coalition for Prosperity, making him a complex and relatable protagonist. The Coalition, with its vision of a Utopian society, serves as the primary antagonist, but its version of utopia is far from universally accepted. Roman and his companions, despite their own self-interests, find themselves in the unexpected role of protectors. While this role may not come naturally to them, they recognize the need to act when their own survival aligns with the fight against oppression. If they fail, a splinter faction of the Coalition threatens to impose a form of totalitarianism that is as relevant to our present day as it is to this imagined future.

Vitalerium: Descent into the Void is more than just a tale of space exploration and futuristic technology; it’s a story that reflects timeless struggles against tyranny and the fight for freedom. Casbarro masterfully blends the excitement of science fiction with themes that resonate deeply with contemporary issues, making this novel a thought-provoking and exhilarating read.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading 'Vitalerium' was an experience like no other. With each chapter, I could see first-time novelist Nicholas Casburro grow as a writer. What began as a near-unreadable mess developed, over the course of nearly 600 pages, into a compelling tale. By the time Casburro finishes the planned sixth installment of his new series, he's going to be a real pro.

Here's the setup: it's several hundred years in the future. Our hero, a planetbound Mal Reynolds/Han Solo type (but with 10x the dickishness) lives on Planet Dystopia. Will he find love? Will he develop some self awareness and social skills? And whatever will become of the situation with Planet Dystopia's overlord?

Ok. All right. If you've ever read a genre novel before, you know where this is going. As always, the magic is in the delivery. I'm not gonna lie: it's rough going in the beginning. The author chooses to tell his story in the present tense, but he gets tripped up and botches his tense usage from time to time. His writing contains malapropisms and misspellings. As the story progresses, he improves his tense usage. He misspells fewer words. He can't shake the malapropisms; I'm not sure why.

So the mechanics, the pitching and catching of writing, needs work. The storytelling? Well, Casburro spends a lot of time dumping lore. He's deeply in love with backstory, foregrounding it instead of letting it seep through naturally. His descriptions tend to run to Dickensian lengths. His hero, as I've previously noted, is a dick (Granted, he grows into somewhat less of a dick over the course of the novel, but he's still a dick.). His love interest is a Mary Sue. His villains are one-dimensional - if every villain should be the hero of his own story, these villains are the villains of their own stories.

But the story itself, independent of the storyteller's growing pains? Casburro does good work with the outsider hero narrative. As painful as I found first hundred pages, I raced through the last hundred.

So if you're looking for a different reading experience, one in which you watch a writer grow like one of those time lapses of a seed becoming a flowering plant, 'Vitalerium: Descent into the Void' is for you. If you're willing to read only polished authors, you may want to wait for one of Nicholas Casburro's coming works. This guy is going to be somebody.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

What immediately sets “Vitalerium: Descent into the Void”apart from much of contemporary science fiction is its commitment to plausibility. Casbarro doesn’t treat science as window dressing. The physics underpinning vitalerium, gravity manipulation, and interstellar travel are clearly rooted in real theoretical frameworks, extrapolated thoughtfully rather than hand-waved away. Even when the story pushes into speculative territory, it does so with a respect for scientific logic that makes the universe feel internally consistent and intellectually grounded.

Equally compelling is the novel’s gritty, lived-in realism. This is not a sanitized future populated by archetypal heroes and cartoonish evil villains. The protagonist, Roman Matthews, exists in the morally gray space where real people tend to live. He’s capable of both empathy and violence, selflessness and self-interest. Casbarro resists the temptation to moralize, allowing actions to carry consequences without insisting on easy judgments. That restraint gives the narrative weight and credibility, especially when contrasted with more conventional sci-fi stories that divide characters neatly into purely “good” or purely “evil.”

The world itself feels used, political, and unstable in a way that mirrors actual historical power structures. Governments act out of self-preservation rather than ideology, institutions protect themselves at any cost, and individuals are forced to navigate systems far larger than they are. The result is a universe that feels less like a fantasy of the future and more like a believable extension of our present day life on Earth. The science grounds the story, but it never overwhelms it; the moral ambiguity deepens the characters without slowing the plot.

It’s a sharp, grounded, and refreshingly adult entry into the genre, and a strong foundation for what promises to be a compelling series.

[Megan McCarthy-Biank · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. But I was pleasantly surprised before after just the history and prologue. Nicholas Keating Casbarro delivers and strong debut with Vitalerium: Descent into the Void. The book is action packed with high stakes, fantastic worldbuilding, a creative and sophisticated plot, interesting and entertaining characters, and even a little romance sprinkled in.

Our MMC is as tortured as a hero can get. Roman has a tragic backstory and can't seem to catch a break. He's very good at what he does and succeeds at many things. And yet, his tendency to self medicate and maintain detached relationships put him in situations that make his life arguably worse. But that also makes for a highly intriguing character and story arc. 

The author doesn't hold back in terms of the gritty, dark, and depressing reality that prevails in society, even hundreds of years after humans colonize other planets. Government corruption and political conspiracy are alive and well. Wealth gaps and poverty are rampant. Advancements in technology lead to not only fancy and impressive gadgets but also questionable self indulgence. But the author weaves these details naturally to paint the picture without overloading the reader with information about the universe in Vitalerium. 

Casbarro paces the story well, delivering a true action-packed space opera. Even with a higher page count, I finished the book rather quickly because the entertainment and adventure kept going. And just when we think that a character's POV is irrelevant, it comes back to be crucial to the bigger picture, let alone Roman's survival.

The characters fit into the world beautifully, while offering readers a glimpse into Roman's personality through his interactions with them. I only wish that the author didn't rush some of the character relationships.

Readers should note potential content warnings such as substance abuse, human trafficking, homelessness, deaths of parents, prostitution, alcoholism, torture, blackmail, and infidelity. 

[Nancy Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Vitalerium Descent into the Void" accomplishes what only the finest science fiction can: it transports you to a world utterly unlike our own while revealing truths about humanity that feel intimately recognizable. In this meticulously crafted universe, you feel emersed in each scene and the characters will linger in your thoughts long after the final page. The author leads you through a journey of adventure, intrigue, and romance as well as political and personal turmoil. This book balances thought-provoking philosophical questions with heart-pounding action sequences that will make you want to keep turning the pages. Vitalerium: Descent Into the VoidVitalerium: Descent Into the Void

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vitalerium will transport you into a world different but similar to ours. The first installment of this series sets the stage for an intense and thrilling series that will blow your mind. The writing is excellent, and it will make you feel like you are right there with the characters. This book is action packed from the first chapter to the last, and does an excellent job with character development. It writes almost like a movie, where you can picture each character in your head so well due to the superb writing. The book is filled with excellent twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting more. The only downside is having to wait for the second installment. Couldn’t recommend this book more.

[Max Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

My buddy lent me this book saying a friend of his wrote it. Once I started it, I was surprisingly hooked. The writing style flows easily and the characters that were introduced led into important arks. Had a few laugh out loud moments.

About halfway through reading the book, my copy of Brandon Sandersons book 5 of the storm light archives came in. I had been so eagerly waiting to read it. I finished Vitalarium first instead. Intrigued through the end.

I'm excited to see where this series progresses as well as how the characters develop. My biggest take away is that it kept me engaged the entire time. Maybe some things could be more refined but there's a whole another five books to go and I'll definitely be reading them.

[Kory Torjussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing first entry into a new sci-fi world.

My favorite aspect of the book is Nicholas' power of descriptions; the world, characters, locations, and even factions are mostly described via situations or off-handed comments, not boring checklists.

Speakers and locations were hinted at well in advance, leading the reader to feel like they were in on some kind of secret before names were ever revealed.

The reader is allowed to experience this world alongside so many others without typical distractions. However, by the end of the book you will be very well aware that this is only a fragment of things to come. You will be left yearning to learn more about the characters, places, and even religions that got very little page time.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roman Matthew’s is a well thought out character who suffers/finds love/goes through a crazy transformation/and is challenged mentally and physically throughout the story. Very VERY cool setting. The beginning chapter sets the story so it is in our future. I love everything about this sci-fi thriller. Wait until the character Nails, a favorite of mine, wild guy. 10/10 need to read if your into sci-fi. I’m a big Star wars fan and now I’m a big Vitalerium fan!

[Mia Rodriguez Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read science fiction, but this story had me hooked and wanting more.

This novel strikes a perfect balance with its blend of scientific explanations, political themes, and thought-provoking imagery. Each element draws you in, making it a truly compelling read.