Title: Insignia
Author: S.J. Kincaid
Series: Insignia #1
Published: 2 August 2012
Length: 444 pages
Warnings: violence, romance, suggestive situation
12+
Source: publishers
Other info: This
is S.J’s first novel.
Summary : 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 Three.
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?
Review: Tom
Raines, fourteen years old, spending life in a virtual reality parlour, trying
to win a living. His life isn’t really going well...until one day, he’s picked
out to join the Combatants-teen soldiers fighting World War III. But it’s not like they’re going out getting
killed-they’re safe on Earth. As WWIII is fought by robots in space. He soon
fits in with friends, makes enemies, and gets by in the way that teenagers do
in a stepped up boarding school. But then Tom starts finding out things about
the other side. And then questions the rules.
I was expecting something good. I got even better. We skip
easily through Tom’s normal VR gambling life, and soon end up at the US
Military base. Action happens frequently, friendship bonding happening between
that.
The school-style setting is really nice, and you get the
stock characters that go with it-the couple that may or may not get together,
the bully, the insane teacher. But this being Insignia, we get a technological
twist on all of these. For example, one of the assignments is to use viruses on
your fellow classmates.
Tom, Vik, Wyatt and Yuri make a great friendship group. Vik
especially knows what to say, what to do, and the one that everyone loves. I’d
love to be part of this world just so I oculd have friends like these.
I don’t normally enjoy romance, but Wyatt and Yuri make such
a perfect pair. Yuri, with all the suspicion surrounding him due to his Russian
background, and his misunderstanding at most things, at least in the first part,
makes you feel really sorry for him, and his fail attempts at chatting Wyatt up
(partially due to her romantic obliviousness) adds to this. I love romantically
awkward geniuses.
The whole idea of Tom falling for Chinese soldier Medusa was
slightly predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless. It’s really interesting seeing
romances form when you can’t tell who you’re talking to and so on.
The technology in this is mindblowing. Anything can happen.
We start learning that all military personnel have computers implanted, meaning
they can process large amounts of information quickly, and pick up on details
such as names and ranks of everyone nearby. This can also be used in a darker way, with
Tom’s computer being used against him later on. Also-an entire war fought in
space-how amazing is that? There were times when I wondered how S.J. Kincaid
got to the conclustion that America and India would form an alliance though...
There’s so many twists and turns that further the plot and
character development. The sense of competition and high stakes is prevalent,
and keeps your heart racing. Action happens on many levels, from
interfriendship fights to world war scale.
Overall: Strength 5 tea to a great mix of action,
technology, and friendship.
