Insignia (Insignia Trilogy) [Hardcover]

S. J. Kincaid (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 10, 2012 | Grade Level: 8 and up | Series: Insignia Trilogy | Lexile Measure: 750L (What's this?)

“Insignia expertly combines humor with a disarming and highly realistic view of the future. The characters are real, funny, and memorable. You won’t be able to put this book down.”— Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent and Insurgent
 
The earth is in the middle of WWIII in Insignia, the first entry in S.J. Kincaid’s fast-paced sci-fi adventure trilogy. The planet’s natural resources are almost gone, and the war is being fought to control the assets of the solar system. The enemy is winning.
 
The salvation may be Tom Raines. Tom doesn’t seem like a hero. He’s a short fourteen-year-old with bad skin. But he has the virtual-reality gaming skills that make him a phenom behind the controls of the battle drones.
 
As a new member of the Intrasolar Forces, Tom’s life completely changes. Suddenly, he’s someone important. He has new opportunities, friends, and a shot at having a girlfriend. But there’s a price to pay...
 

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR INSIGNIA“Insignia expertly combines humor with a disarming and highly realistic view of the future. The characters are real, funny, and memorable. You won’t be able to put this book down.” (Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of DIVERGENT and INSURGENT)

“Hip, high-tech, and hilarious, INSIGNIA made my heart soar and left me with impossible-to-shake questions about technology, reality, and war.”—Rae Carson, author of THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS (Rae Carson)

“An unlikely teen is selected to attend Hogwarts-at-the-Pentagon. With action, real humor and a likable, complex protagonist, this fast-moving, satisfying adventure also provides some food for thought.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Kincaid’s debut novel, an ambitious, high-concept mélange of the teen hacker and teen spy genres provides a fast-paced and exciting tale.” (Publishers Weekly)

From the Back Cover

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War III. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (July 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062092995
• ISBN-13: 978-0062092991
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

S.J. Kincaid was born in Alabama, grew up in California, and attended high school in New Hampshire. She also interned for a politician in Washington, D.C., and received degrees from universities in Illinois and Ohio, but it was while living beside a haunted graveyard in Edinburgh, Scotland, that she realized she wanted to be a writer. Several years, several manuscripts, and several jobs later, Ms. Kincaid now lives outside of Chicago, and INSIGNIA is her debut novel. You can visit her online at http://sjkincaid.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter (@sjkincaidbooks).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gamer geekery FTW! August 12, 2012

By Mary VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Positive: Teen boy protagonist. Tom. Is. Awesome. Coming from a rough home life (well, no home life, really, since he and his dad don't have a permanent residence), Tom has to survive but he wants to excel. So, when an amazing opportunity falls into his lap, he jumps at it. Tom's got a survival instinct like no one else at the academy and, even though he wants a "normal" life, he never quite lets go of that edge.

Positive: Gamer heaven. While I wouldn't call myself a serious gamer, I do like video games (Skyrim, FTW) and this world, this academy, is most definitely gamer heaven. With ridiculously realistic virtual reality, real-life battles deep in space, and fellow gamers to geek out with, gamer geekery rules at the Spire!

Positive: Politics and intrigue. Even though the teens are waging the virtual war, it is still a war which means military and political shenanigans. Companies sponsor the teens (someone's got to pay for the very expensive toys, after all), meaning plenty of money is changing hands. Tom and his fellow recruits are at the center of the battle.

Wish: A chip in my head. Recruits get a chip in their head that gives them access to All The Knowledge. Of course, it comes with some very bad side effects (like people being able to hack your brain--eep!), so it's probably a good thing this wish will not come true, at least in my lifetime.

Overall: Fabulous! I will most definitely be putting this book into the hands of my students with high praise. Oh, and even though it seems it'll be part of a series, this book can definitely be read as a stand-alone as it has a fabulous ending.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars World War III and large corporations October 14, 2012

By Cheryl Stout TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Yes, this is a young adult book. I am an old adult. But guess what? I thoroughly enjoyed "Insignia."

I think Tom Raines, the protagonist of the story, is well developed by the author. He feels like a teenage boy to me throughout the story. And the other characters are substantive and hold up well on their own.

It is the future and World War III is being fought in outer space. Large international/multinational corporation sponsor the warriors.

Neural processors, a training center in what used to be the Pentagon, Indo-American allies and Russo-China allies, patents for food AND water, neutron bombs, the Coalition of Multinationals, Ares, Medusa and much more held my interest throughout the longish book.

Some of this description sounds a bit dry but the book actually moves quickly and is great fun. Tom wants what most of us want - friends, family, a feeling of self-importance. And "Insignia" tells us how he goes about reaching his goals.

If you liked Ready Player One by Ernest Cline or Reamde by Neal Stephenson, I think you will also really enjoy "Insignia."

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So Fun You Won't Want it to End! October 14, 2012

By javajunki TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I've been on a bit of a reading binge lately including quite a few book that are outside of my normal non-fiction, dutiful reading type books. This was listed under technology and fiction so frankly, I wasn't sure what to expect.

First, I should mention that I received an advanced readers copy so the pages/etc may change for the final version but it is a rather substantial book and I'd actually guess it should be categorized under the "young adult" section....a place I rarely search for book but may be prone to do so in the future because this book was so friggin much fun!

It may also be good to mention that as a bit older adult, I don't play video games. None...unless you count the original Pong. So, with that said, the major emphasis on gaming throughout this book could have been a painful boring read...It was NOT. In fact, this book was an absolute delight from start to finish. Yes, it's a bit young. Yes, it's a fast but very fun and entertaining read. The story was original. The technology/other just advanced enough as to feel futuristic but also highly believable/do-able.

The characters aren't deep but are engaging. The pace is quick. There are a few areas that become a tad expected but not so much as to diminish the overall fun of the book. The story was fresh, fun and managed to stay totally entertaining without resorting to vulgarities. Quite appropriate for a young teen audience or adult. Absolutely entertaining!