Nyxia

Nyxia is a special substance that you can mold to almost anything with your mind. However, you can't try to manipulate it too much or you will go insane.

The book centers on a group of recruits that are going on a special mission to a distant planet to mine nyxia. They are undergoing training in space. Eight of the ten will be selected to go on the mission and be financially set for life. The other two will receive a small "parting gift". They are undergoing a number of exercises in the process. They must learn to work together and individually. Many of the exercises involve types of virtual reality, but there is real damage done. It gathers together many of the tropes from survivalism and boarding school works.