Insignia (Insignia, #1)

Jun 22, 2012 Phoebe added it

Shelves: intergalactic-academy-reviews, imabesexistandcallthisadudebook, science-fiction, young-adult

Full review (and another opinion!) at the Intergalactic Academy.

It’s funny; nothing that bothered Sean about this book significantly bothered me. I found the political back-drop to be a step-above what’s usually found in this sort of action-oriented military science fiction, a realistic extrapolation of the current political landscape and an unfortunately realistic reflection on how kids in conquering (and culture-destroying) nations think of those their predecessors have vanquished. Which is to...more Full review (and another opinion!) at the Intergalactic Academy.

It’s funny; nothing that bothered Sean about this book significantly bothered me. I found the political back-drop to be a step-above what’s usually found in this sort of action-oriented military science fiction, a realistic extrapolation of the current political landscape and an unfortunately realistic reflection on how kids in conquering (and culture-destroying) nations think of those their predecessors have vanquished. Which is to say, they don’t generally think of them at all. No, SJ Kincaid doesn’t go for incisive or pointed political commentary. Again, these aspects of the novel are simply background elements to what Sean quite aptly describes as Ender’s Game lite. But neither does it seem to be motivated by particular cultural prejudices.

In fact, I found quite a bit to like in Insignia, conceptually speaking. It’s the story of Tom Raines, a zitty teenaged gambler who is recruited into a military school by a hot girl. Tom’s a spot-on realistic fourteen-year-old boy. When we first meet him, he uses a cocksure exterior to hide his secret shames: a mother who has abandoned him, a cruel stepfather, a gambling-addicted (and slightly crazy) dad. Tom’s skill at video games attracts the attention of military recruiters who invite him to the Spire, a military installation in the Pentagon. There, he meets a gaggle of teenage soldiers who he soon befriends, is implanted with neural technology that makes him supersmart, and gets sucked into various instances of military school intrigue.

The introduction of Tom’s neural implant is probably the best handling of this sort of concept that I’ve seen. Kincaid does a solid job showing us how the technology changes Tom’s every thought–the very way he interacts with the world is inextricably altered. It’s a strong science-fictional concept, even if (as Sean points out), it’s not strictly possible. But Kincaid sure makes this technology, and the risks that ensue, feel plausible.

Even more plausible are the teenagers. Tom’s friends–Vikram, Yuri, and Wyatt–are vivid, complex, real. They’re also slightly obnoxious. The boys tease Wyatt (a girl with a boy’s name, as the text acknowledges) and call her “man hands.” Though she eventually earns her come-uppance–by stooping to their level, unfortunately–and though this dialogue was certainly realistic, it also made me want to give her a big hug and tell the guys to quit being so mean. Kincaid chooses realism here over modeling positive behavior. That’s fine–YA doesn’t need to be didactic–but I just hate that kind of gender policing even when it comes from real people, and it did make me cringe. And yet the teens forge a real, genuine friendship. Their nascent relationships are tender, even cute. The way they stick their necks out for each other is completely endearing. They felt like real teenagers in so many ways to me, even in their foibles.

So we have all the parts for a really strong science fiction novel: unobtrusive prose; interesting SFnal conceits; a well-rendered political backdrop; deftly-crafted characters. And yet as I read on, my attention frequently flagged. This is essentially a school story (“sci-fi Harry Potter” would not be far off), but as we follow Tom in his daily life, I noticed a lack of strong central conflict. Many of Tom’s problems were quickly resolved–his unattractive appearance, his lack of friends. Though he starts the novel deeply neglected by his father, he writes him off well-before the school story is meaningfully underway, and their relationship goes unmined for most of the book. The truth was, I wasn’t sure what the stakes were for Tom through much of the novel, and so I never felt particularly deeply invested. Ultimately, I concluded that Tom’s deepest desire was to get the–a?–girl, but even this plot element was relegated to sub-sub-sub plot until the novel’s end.

The way the novel concluded, in fact, left me deeply conflicted. I’m just not sure what I think of it, or how it sat with me–though I do admit it was gripping in a way that much of the novel’s middle wasn’t. It’s one of those endings you want to contemplate, discuss, pick apart. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tom’s actions didn’t cause at least a little controversy in the blog-o-sphere.

All that being said, there is quite a bit to admire in Insignia. It’s not a deep book, or a perfectly crafted book, but it’s a respectable debut and the kind of YA sci-fi that many teens are craving. If Insignia were a movie, it would be Tron: Legacy–nice to look at, not bad for a popcorn flick.(less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, science-fiction, sci-fi-favourites

Insignia put me in geek heaven. This is science fiction as it should be - thrilling, unpredictable and completely entertaining.

Imagine the thought of having a computer in your head. Never again would you require the use of a calculator or have the need to open a map; your brain could do it all for you in an instant. At the Pentagonal Spire, trainees recruited by the State are fitted with neural processors, computer-like devices that are inserted into the brain. Thomas Raines, the State’s latest...more Insignia put me in geek heaven. This is science fiction as it should be - thrilling, unpredictable and completely entertaining.

Imagine the thought of having a computer in your head. Never again would you require the use of a calculator or have the need to open a map; your brain could do it all for you in an instant. At the Pentagonal Spire, trainees recruited by the State are fitted with neural processors, computer-like devices that are inserted into the brain. Thomas Raines, the State’s latest plebe, is aiming to become a Combatant, a top-ranking soldier involved in the war between the Indo-American and Russo-Chinese alliances. This is World War Three and it is fought in space – using virtual reality skills.

There was just something about this premise that clicked with me. I’m not much of a gamer, nor do I even know much about gaming skills, but I loved how easy it was to become completely invested in the ideas. Tom’s training at the Spire composes of calisthenics, applied simulations, even programming wars… That may not sound like the most riveting of experiences, but trust me, S. J. Kincaid has a way of making these ideas come alive. I was completely enthralled by the thought of a neural processor and fascinated by the way it weaved itself into everyday life for the plebes. They had time notifications, language translations, even the ability to download their homework into their thoughts as they slept. It was all very surreal but felt chillingly natural too.

It’s not too often that I get to read a YA book from a male perspective but I really appreciated it here. Tom was an instantly likeable character. Hilarious, stubborn and such a boy - I wouldn’t have wanted him any other way. I thought the author portrayed him perfectly, from his slight bursts of immaturity all the way to his angst-filled teenage troubles. He was realistic character and very easy to root for. I enjoyed the good-natured camaraderie and banter between himself and his friends, remaining fully entertained by it all right up to the finishing pages.

The only part of this book that didn’t have my undivided attention was the start. The opening chapter was a little dull and quite unlike the rest of the book. I’m glad I stuck with it though as the story picked up soon enough.

It may have taken some getting into, but this book impressed me is various ways. It’s quite obvious S. J. Kincaid put thought into the world-building and characters, never failing to appeal to my inner sci-fi enthusiast. With no shortage of humour and action, Insignia is a promising start to what is set to be an engrossing series. If book 2 is nearly as much fun as this, I think I may just end up promoting this series to my favourites shelf.

(This review also appears on my blog)
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Apr 09, 2013 Mandee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit, july2012release, five-mile-press, e-book-version, for-review, sci-fi

Insignia by S.J Kincaid is set in the future, however the year is never specified. Tom Raines is fourteen and travels from casino to casino with father who is an ex-professional gambler. He occasionally attends Rosewood Reformatory School by logging in virtually, but he often forgets or doesn’t have a connection to the internet because his father can’t always afford a motel room. World War Three is currently being played out in space. Countries have aligned together: India-America, supported by...more
Insignia by S.J Kincaid is set in the future, however the year is never specified. Tom Raines is fourteen and travels from casino to casino with father who is an ex-professional gambler. He occasionally attends Rosewood Reformatory School by logging in virtually, but he often forgets or doesn’t have a connection to the internet because his father can’t always afford a motel room. World War Three is currently being played out in space. Countries have aligned together: India-America, supported by Euro-Australia against Russia-China, supported by the African nations and South America. Most governments are now controlled by multinational corporations, the two biggest are Dominion Agra and Harbinger. Both have influence due to their control of the world’s food and water supplies.

One day Tom is set up by a girl he thought was just another classmate. It turns out that Heather Akron is a Combatant for the India-America alliance and General Marsh wants Tom to join due to his skills as a video gamer. Tom joins, even though his father is against it, and is whisked off to the Pentagonal Spire, the India-America training base, built on top of the Old Pentagon. It’s here Tom realises that he must consent to having a neural processor, a super computer, implanted in his brain and he does so with reluctance. He then meets his room mate and starts attending classes, hoping to do as well as he can so he too can eventually join the Camelot Company, a highly skilled group of Combatants.

I started hearing about Insignia recently and I initially dismissed it as I have little to no interest in books set in space or about gaming. But I read a lot of really positive reviews from sci-fi fans as well as fellow contemporary fans and decided I had to check it out.

Tom is just an average teen: he’s short, has acne and has no special abilities other than being good at video games. It was refreshing to read about a regular kid and I appreciated the male point of view. I felt sorry for him, it’s clear that he and his dad get along but his needs are being neglected, so I was happy when he got a chance to escape and make something of himself. I like that Tom was hesitant when he found out about the neural processor implantation. He took some time to think about his options: remain average or potentially become awesome and he also thought about the fact that the General had manipulated him by bringing him to the Spire and not mentioning the implant until he was sure he had Tom hooked. Tom goes ahead with the procedure and spends eighteen days in bed recovering, having strange thoughts and what he assumes are dreams.

Tom is assigned to the Alexander Division and soon meets his roommate, Vikram, as well as new friends Beamer, Yuri and Wyatt. I really enjoyed the dynamics of their group and watching them become good friends was very entertaining. Vik and Tom get along so well and are always joking around. Beamer isn’t as focused as the rest of them and slacks off during classes. Wyatt is an intelligent girl with no friends because she doesn’t know how to interact with anyone but she’s keen to help out people who need a hand. Yuri was born in Russia and has had his neural processor tampered with because the higher ups don’t trust him completely.

There were a few other characters that played a large part such as Medusa, Heather, Blackburn, Elliot and Dalton. These five kept me guessing, sometimes I was sure I knew who the bad guys were, like Dalton, and sometimes I was sure they’d turn out bad but they ended up being one of the good guys which is always a nice surprise.

The plot was strong and the story moved along quite quickly but it is a fairly long book and while I wasn’t bored, there were a lot of details and many descriptions of the day-to-day goings-on at the Spire. The idea of having a computer in my brain is not appealing to me at all and how it was used in this book had me feeling worried and a bit creeped out. The government owns the processors so they effectively own the Combatants. Once it’s implanted it can only be removed for serious reasons and after some time the brain and processor will have integrated so much that to remove it would be dangerous, possibly fatal. It’s also something that only works on teens, experiments on adults resulted in schizophrenia or death. You’d never catch me saying yes to having one implanted in my brain, but I could definitely understand the appeal it held to Tom and his fellow Combatants.

I was pleased with how the book ended, it felt more conclusive than most books that are part of a series but it does leave a few questions open for book two to answer.

Insignia is an action-packed, futuristic story, featuring realistic characters. I’m sure that fans of sci-fi will enjoy this book and even if you don’t consider yourself into sci-fi, I urge you to give it a read!
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Mar 27, 2012 Julianna Helms rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, re-read-status, recent-favorites, 2012-debut-ya-author-challenge, starred-reviews, favorites-all-time, mind-boggling-brilliant

Quick reaction: This book is so funny it will make you laugh until you start to cry. Then you'll actually cry--because this story is so raw, so complete, so fantastically satisfying that you'll marvel at how, yes, such brilliance finally, finally got published!

I. am. in. love. with. this. book. Head-over-heels sort of love.

If you love Divergent by Veronica Roth (which should be everyone of you out there reading this), you will be completely blown away by this book. Pre-order it! Now!

:D

**STARRE...more Quick reaction: This book is so funny it will make you laugh until you start to cry. Then you'll actually cry--because this story is so raw, so complete, so fantastically satisfying that you'll marvel at how, yes, such brilliance finally, finally got published!

I. am. in. love. with. this. book. Head-over-heels sort of love.

If you love Divergent by Veronica Roth (which should be everyone of you out there reading this), you will be completely blown away by this book. Pre-order it! Now!

:D

**STARRED REVIEW**

Actual, full review: Original will be posted on my blog on 6/14/2012. (Note: Due to copy-and-paste, formatting and links have been lost.)

Insignia is insane. It is beautifully simplistic and complicatedly evocative. Crushingly despairing and hilariously witty. Intelligently phrased and bluntly honest.

I am completely, head-over-heels in love with it.

This book was not what I expected at all--in fact, I didn't expect anything. And the power this books holds is incredible: it is so subtle that you will not feel the choking grip the story and its characters have you until some thing called reality shocks you out of your numbing shell. The story isn't even just completely frightening in its very realistic interpretation of our future, but that it's also so funny. I laughed out loud so many times that it wasn't even embarrassing anymore since everyone was used to it (though I did get a few weird looks still...).

Kincaid has delivered a tale that rocked books off of my favorites shelf like a hurricane. In other words? This book is dominating my love right now. And I can't even pinpoint what it is I loved about the book so much. Everything. It's just so not fair to pick one amazing aspect and laud it, you know? That would be like staring at the rainbow and calling one particle the best of them all. Inefficiently vague and insufficiently degrading.

I can't say much about this book: too much and I will spill out a heap of feelings no one cares for, and too little so I would be incapable of expressing my love fully. I never say this, but if you loved Divergent, you will love Insignia so hard it'll hurt like plunging into the most dazzling lake from a hundred-feet cliff.

Take my advice and snatch this book. It's the most amazing blend of humor and anguish, authenticity and dystopia, evasiveness and blunting that I have ever read. And you know I wouldn't ever lie to you about something like that.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Katy marked it as likely-getting-back-to

Whaddayaknow. Yet ANOTHER guys' POV on my list. So don't say I didn't give them a try.

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Oct 27, 2012 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

“There really was nothing firm, nothing certain. Even here, even at this place where he thought he’d found something permanent—everything could change in a day. Everything could be lost so quickly.”

The book revolves around a boy named Tom. He used to be a nobody, just going around casinos with his dad, conning people out of money trying to survive. And then he catches the attention of a certain General Marsh, who works at the Pentagonal Spire, training teens to be Combatants in World War 3, wh...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Devyani rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: unexpectingly-wowzer

Total Science Love.

I'm not a fan of Science Fiction. I've always been a contemporary nerd or in same cases a total fantasy junkie. I'll be honest, the last time I read a book from a guy's perspective in the science fiction genre was...when I was in middle school. And even then I hadn't liked what I had read. But Insignia was such a refreshing read.It was pure science fiction. Pure action. And in right words, the best book for a guy.

Just before I started reading this book, a friend of mine had b...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Meg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, got-at-bea-2012, my-loves, dystopian

Okay so here's the deal. I went into reading this book knowing very little about it. After a small nudge from Molly O'Neill and a fun conversation with S.J. Kincaid at BEA 2012, it quickly made its way to the top of my to-be-read list.

This book is well written, with a plot that sucks you in, and characters that are easy to love. I've already told my mom (who is a middle school librarian) that she will need countless copies of Insignia for her library. The boys are going to eat this one up. But...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian

I downloaded this ebook because it was cheap...hooray for daily deals! Other bloggers promised me an action packed novel with a futuristic setting, an oppressive government and a male point-of-view. It's not that often in YA that we have a male telling the story...

The Setting
Tom Raines excels at only two things so far in his life; staying under the radar and video games. Gambling with his father and roaming from casino to casino is the only life Tom has ever known. Yet Tom yearns to make somethi...more I downloaded this ebook because it was cheap...hooray for daily deals! Other bloggers promised me an action packed novel with a futuristic setting, an oppressive government and a male point-of-view. It's not that often in YA that we have a male telling the story...

The Setting
Tom Raines excels at only two things so far in his life; staying under the radar and video games. Gambling with his father and roaming from casino to casino is the only life Tom has ever known. Yet Tom yearns to make something of his life, a feat which will be difficult considering he is failing at his alternative high school and has no place to call home. But everything changes when the cute new girl asks to hang out with Tom.
Working for the government undercover, this new girl and her General recruit Tom to be a Combatant in the war. The only catch is Tom will have implanted in his brain a neural processor, a computer that interacts directly with the brain to make a Combatant smarter and to enable the person to control the machines fighting the war. Tom begrudgingly accepts the implant and quickly finds out everything he could ever want is here among the Combatants living in the Spire. But living with a computer in your head raises new concerns for Tom and his future. Can Tom protect himself from the politics of war? How does he create a firewall for himself seeing as people can now attack him with computer viruses? Can Tom become the man and fighter he's always wanted to be?

What I LIKED about this book
Although the romance aspects were a bit dismal, it is refreshing to have a male POV. That being said Tom was so relate able. And there is something natural and realistic about a young boy who wants to play video games and be the hero for the rest of his life. The author's witty writing and the antics Tom plays had me giggling out loud for most of the book. I also loved the technology aspects of this book and the advantages and disadvantages it poses for a future world involved in war.

What I DISLIKED about this book
The ending was heart-wrenching. I'm talking about the part where Tom has to make a decision on how to win the battle he is playing. I'm not going to say more...but I'd love for someone to read this book so I can discuss it with them!

Parting Thoughts
Overall I'm going to give Insignia 5 out of 5 stars. I loved it. I loved the ending and I need the next book in the series. I'm definitely going to recommend this book for teenage boys. Girls will like it too, but there is so much action, little romance and of course a future with video games. This I'm sure is any guy's dream!

Read more at http://thebiasedbookie.blogspot.com/(less)

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Dec 07, 2012 Elle! rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sci Fci Fans , Harry Potter Fans.

Recommended to Elle! by: Sister

Shelves: action, high-school, adventure, sci-fi, teens, ya, thrillers, suspense, enjoyable, andriods, my-really-must-read-list, politics, humor, favorites, great-narration

It has the ability to distort your thoughts, control your personality and damage your brain. Would you get it? What if it made you stronger, better looking, smarter, powerful and acne free? What if you were a nomad kid with barely enough food to eat and offered the chance to be somebody great? A prodigy. Tom Raines is that kid and he has that choice.

description

I'm like omg.... Make movie. Make movie. Make Movie now!

This book? Downright cinematic - down to the characters - humor and plot line! This needs...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Keertana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-2012

Insignia is the type of book that would have blown me away if I had been any younger. While it is marketed as a Young Adult Novel, I'd probably recommend it for mature middle grade students or young high schoolers. I definitely don't see anything wrong in reading it as an older teen, like me, but it simply doesn't have the desired punch on a much older audience.

Tom lives in a futuristic world, not too far ahead from our very own, where World War III is fought solely in space without losing any...more Insignia is the type of book that would have blown me away if I had been any younger. While it is marketed as a Young Adult Novel, I'd probably recommend it for mature middle grade students or young high schoolers. I definitely don't see anything wrong in reading it as an older teen, like me, but it simply doesn't have the desired punch on a much older audience.

Tom lives in a futuristic world, not too far ahead from our very own, where World War III is fought solely in space without losing any lives. Yet, for Tom, war is the last thing on his mind as he struggles to make ends meet with his gambling father who constantly keeps moving him. However, when Tom's gaming prowess, which keeps him clothed, is discovered by the government, they recruit him to join the Pentagonal Spire where he is implanted with a neural chip that instantly makes him smarter than the average human being. At the Spire, Tom essentially trains to become a combatant soldier; yet, as he will soon learn, it isn't the game of battle he needs to learn quickest, it's the game of corporate politics, friendship, and corruption.

I have to admit, that while I don't exactly recommend this novel for people my age and older, I still really liked it. Kincaid obviously has done a lot of research on futuristic technology, corporate politics, and the military and his passion for the subject shows through his writing. I loved the futuristic world he managed to create as it was both realistic and interesting. Plus, some of the gadgets and creativity with the technology absolutely astounded me. Furthermore, for being such a long novel, it was extremely entertaining, well-paced, and contained the age-old themes of friendship and loyalty which was a nice change from romance. I always like seeing a group of people grow to become a group of friends and dispel their previous qualms with one another, and the bonds of friendship in Insignia were no different.

Yet, I was unable to truly fall in love with Insignia. For one, the novel contains some extraneous scenes which, while amusing, really do nothing for the plot and can be completely cut out or at least reduced. In addition, Tom, the MC, is much like a dystopian/futuristic Eugenides-lite. While he is intelligent, snarky, and clever, his antics become predictable after a point and fail to continue surprising the reader. Plus, the supposedly "deep" and "provocative" family relationships Kincaid tried to build didn't really come through for me and I felt as if the story would have been better if they were just skipped. Moreover, the miniscule amount of romance in this story was rather underdeveloped in my opinion. I suppose for a middle-grade novel it was good, but from an older perspective, I wanted more interaction. Yet, I have to admit it was unique and very interesting.

Honestly, don't let my review deter you. Insignia is a brilliant piece of science fiction with scintillating characters and an extremely interesting plot built around corporate and governmental politics. I really enjoyed reading about this world Kincaid had created and would whole-heartedly recommend this to younger readers. While I'd love to see older readers read this one too, I feel as if their interest and "wow" factor would wane after a couple hundred pages; but, don't take my word for it, check it out yourself!

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
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Mar 09, 2013 Ariella Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite

More of my reviews at Secrets of Lost Words.

Oh my goodness, just WOW... Insignia was AMAZING. This one is absolutely one of my favorites now.

Insignia by S. J. Kincaid is definitely NOT a normal YA book. It doesn't have much romance in it but don't worry.. the action will keep you busy. What I really liked about this is that this book has a male protagonist. It's not that I have a preference but we don't usually have male protagonists in YA, do we?

Tom Raine has had a hard life, going from casino...more

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May 14, 2012 Brodie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favorites

Tom's never really had the chance to make friends, to live a life of routine or attend a proper school. He and his father are constantly on the move, town after town, feeding his father's gambling addiction. Waiting for that 'big break' that will set them up for good. The break that never comes. But then Tom's incredible gaming talent is noticed by the military, who manage to track him down and offer a once in a life time opportunity. The chance to train at the exclusive Pentagonal Spire to beco...more Tom's never really had the chance to make friends, to live a life of routine or attend a proper school. He and his father are constantly on the move, town after town, feeding his father's gambling addiction. Waiting for that 'big break' that will set them up for good. The break that never comes. But then Tom's incredible gaming talent is noticed by the military, who manage to track him down and offer a once in a life time opportunity. The chance to train at the exclusive Pentagonal Spire to become a future combatant, a soldier in World War Three. A war like none before it, fought by teenagers through virtual-simulation, with real-life effects. Kincaid has clearly put a lot of thought and effort into crafting this world and making it feel 100% completely believable given our current scientific and political status. While it all could be information overload for the reader, she manages to lay it all out for us to easily follow along and become just as swept up in this fascinating way of life as Tom does.

The technology is seriously so freaking COOL. It's been years since I've played a video game, but Insignia? It made me want to find the nearest port, grab a virtual-sword and jump into the fray. VR simulations allow students to plug into a port (through a handy chip implanted in their brains) and literally find themselves in a 3D gaming landscape, all as part of their training for the simulations that actually play a part in the future of our world. Fly a spaceship to Mars? Battle in the Trojan War? Find yourself in a woman's body (er.. avatar) when you're actually a guy in reality? (OH MY GOD I JUST REMEMBERED A SCENE. Pause review while I giggle. Giggle some more. And a little more. Okay, we're good to continue). Psh. Easy as plug-and-play. With such a creative tool in providing a varied landscape, Kincaid never fails to make her action scenes exciting, fresh and exhilarating. And the technology is not just limited to gaming-simulations - the ways in which Kincaid has adapted it into their everyday lives will tickle your awesome-o-meter.

Tom is a brilliant main character. He's not perfect. He's far from being a genius, but he's smart in a different kind of way. Thanks to years spent having to fend for both himself and his father, hustling the unwary out of their money, he's developed a talent in observing. He picks up on things that others don't. Tom knows how to play the game and loves every minute on it, thriving on the action and desire for victory, to be seen, to be known, to be important for once in his life. He can be a sneaky little bastard at times and I love him all the more for it. He has his moments of sweetness, moments of zero-tact and sometimes there's a downright devilish glee in his eyes (Tom + Vik = bad, BUT OH SO GOOD), but his heart is truly in the right place. From the loner kid who considered himself a loser, to a boy who shone in a beautifully rebellious light, Tom has definitely made it onto my Favourite Character List.

Insignia is nothing like Harry Potter in plot, but what it does share is that essence of friendship, wit and sense of growing up. Behind the awesome technology and corrupt politics, this book has spirit, thanks to its outstanding characters. Tom, Vik, Wyatt and Yuri are all so different, a band of misfits who slowly come together to form fiction's newest Awesome Foursome. I LOVE THESE GUYS (and girl) so much. I kid you not, they had me CRYING tears of laughter at times. And the best part was, some of those weren't even intentional on the characters part, they were just total screw up moments that blossomed into some of my most memorable scenes of the book. Tom and Vik are like Harry and Ron 2.0 with a healthy dosage of Weasley twin mischief. If they don't have you cheering, "Doctors of Doom!" by the end of the book, then you have no sense of humour. I am beyond excited to continue reading this series to watch as all their friendships strengthen, alive with insults and banter, arguments, respect and secrets.

There wasn't one thing alone that I made me love this book, it was a multitude of AWESOME, all blended together to form one of my new favourite reads. The action and imagination, war and cleverness, comedy and personality; it will appeal to boys and girls, reluctant readers and those with too many books on their to-be-read pile. It has something to suck everyone in. If you're tired of the same old stories, if you want something new and innovative, a book that POPS out amongst others in it's genre, a book that will make you think as much as it has you snorting laughter, or sitting wide-eyed and attentive, then INSIGNIA is for YOU! And you! And yes, YOU YOU YOU! Go! Order it! Now! (less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Steph (Poetry to Prose) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, signed, owned, 2012-dac, favorites-of-2012, read-in-2012, the-good-stuff, science-fiction

I was going to wait to review S.J. Kincaid’s Insignia because, hey, July is still months away, but I figured there’s no harm in gushing over its brilliance a little in advance. Before I received my copy, I thought it sounded interesting and I liked that it gave me somewhat of an Ender’s Game vibe. Although I was a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, I made it my first read of the year and the pressure was on! You guys... I loved this book!

There are so many sci-fi reads wh...more I was going to wait to review S.J. Kincaid’s Insignia because, hey, July is still months away, but I figured there’s no harm in gushing over its brilliance a little in advance. Before I received my copy, I thought it sounded interesting and I liked that it gave me somewhat of an Ender’s Game vibe. Although I was a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, I made it my first read of the year and the pressure was on! You guys... I loved this book!

There are so many sci-fi reads where the government and world building just doesn’t ring true to me, but the one here? Spot on: full of corporate greed, bribery, and corruption. It wasn’t difficult at all to make parallels to our economic situation today.

Secondly, Insignia includes so much technology and it was effing COOL. I was on board as soon Tom as first played in the VR parlor, but it only got better from there: plugging in to download data (homework!), the meal bars, programming and, of course, the simulations; the list really goes on and on with all of the awesome and I was always eager to find out what S.J. Kincaid would introduce next.

And then there’s the cast of characters. They were diverse and had different backgrounds which I LOVED. It’s a true testament to S.J. Kincaid’s writing that I feel that her characters are my friends. I feel like such a cheeseball saying that, but the level of comfort that I felt with them at the Pentagonal Spire is not something I often encounter in my reads. I love characters, sure, and I grow attached to them, but what I encountered here can only be compared to what I felt with the trio in Harry Potter: inside jokes, familiarity, and a sense of belonging. There were so many moments where I burst out laughing due to their antics (this book is FUNNY!) and even more moments where I began to dread the end of the book. Missing them was immediate, but I’m glad there’s still more to come.

While, yes, this is the first book in a series, another thing to admire about Insignia is that S.J. Kincaid offered a clear beginning, middle, and end to the book. I am dying to make my return to the Pentagonal Spire with these characters, but that’s because of my love for her story and characters, and not because she left me suffering with an evil cliffhanger. There’s still much to explore, but I’m glad that S.J. Kincaid was able to have a full story arc take place.

Come July I will be pushing this book into as many hands as I possibly can. It’s such a refreshing, humorous, and thrilling read that I really hope it blows up into something huge... I have a good feeling that it will!

Original review (+ pre-order giveaway): http://www.poetrytoprose.com/?p=1095 (less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Ginny rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was a surprise to me; I expected another dark book, but that's not true of Insignia. It's one of those books that you finish and want more, more, more. The characters were really real; I either liked them or hated them, except for Heather who was shallow, but not so much so that I disliked her. The plot was absolutely amazing; the ending really surprised me and was wonderful! It is nothing like Ender's Game! I especially liked the way S. J. Kincaid explained the current world and how i...more

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May 20, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

More like 3.5 stars

It took me a while to get into this story. I initially picked it up because, I was looking for Alex Rider read-alikes: summer reading is fast approaching and Alex Rider flies off the shelves so fast I cannot keep the fans stocked with books!

I actually picked up Insignia and put it down three times, reading a book in between each time. I had a hard time settling into the world and the jargon was a little overwhelming for me. I did finish the book; I read 3/4 of it straight-th...more

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May 20, 2013 Reading Teen rated it 4 of 5 stars

At a Glance:

I feel like Insignia is the Ender’s Game of this decade, but as I don’t read too much Sci-Fi maybe I am not the best judge of that. Still, if you like Sci Fi and/or dystopian, this book should probably be on your ‘I want to read’ list. It was surprisingly good.

Action:

This book has plenty of action. There are a lot of short fight scenes and even more rivalry. This story never had a dull moment. When it wasn’t tactile action, it was software wars and mental battles between sponsors or...more

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May 10, 2013 Katy rated it 3 of 5 stars

also posted at http://ablightedone.wordpress.com/201...

So Tom is a bit of a loser. His dad is a paranoid gambler who moves Tom around from casino to casino. Tom hustles money through virtual games. He’s so good at virtual games that he’s recruited to go the elite training academy. He gets to train to be a part of a popular virtual fighting army that he’s always watched on TV and possibly become a hero. Tom lives to be important and with the new school and training comes a validation he’s never e...more also posted at http://ablightedone.wordpress.com/201...

So Tom is a bit of a loser. His dad is a paranoid gambler who moves Tom around from casino to casino. Tom hustles money through virtual games. He’s so good at virtual games that he’s recruited to go the elite training academy. He gets to train to be a part of a popular virtual fighting army that he’s always watched on TV and possibly become a hero. Tom lives to be important and with the new school and training comes a validation he’s never experienced. He also makes connections and friendships. This opportunity completely changes his life but there are downsides (dun dun dun).

I liked seeing the kids interact with each other in the school setting and that there were still typical stereotypes in this unique situation of superhuman improvements. There were still popular kids and nerdy outcasts despite how much technology changed them. Tom is believable as a teenage male–he’s arrogant but self-conscious. He has friends, crushes, and enemies. Sometimes I really liked him and thought he was funny: his antics with Vik and their arguing felt real and made me chuckle. But I also got annoyed with him and felt like he needed smacked, which is probably par for the course with a 14-year-old guy. Sadly, while I enjoyed some characters the only one I really connected with was Wyatt, the geeky girl genius. I wanted to know more about her!

The virtual gaming parts of the book were entertaining. I liked reading about them in virtual past and training with simulated historical figures. The technology along with the abuse of it was alarming but thought-provoking. The control and the risk of being controlled were intense. The dystopian aspects of the government, with the corporations and their alliances and food and water control were interesting but something about it felt strange to me.

I didn’t quite get the point of the World War III, which is being fought in space by teenagers in virtual reality. Nobody dies or loses anything but equipment, so it all seems a little pointless to me. Not that I would rather people die, but it felt like the whole thing was a big chess game, which kind of made me wonder why they bothered at all. If it was all equipment handled by teenagers, why not just actually battle through games? They could just play a game to see who would win and then there’d be no loss at all.

I liked this book but towards the end I got impatient and kind of just wanted it to be over. I don’t really have anything negative to say about it but I think it just didn’t clicked for me. I think it was a personal issue and I can see why other readers would enjoy it. At this point, I’m not sure if I’ll read the next book in the series. I am interested to see how the world and characters develop but I think I’ll have to wait and see what the next one is about. I might read it just to see more of Wyatt!(less)

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May 05, 2013 James rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book reminds me a little of Ender's Game. A young teenager is recruited because of his tech savy to fight a war. In Ender's Game, the war is against aliens. In this plot, the war is World War III which is more like a war among Earth's corporations than countries.

Because of his unique ability as a virtual reality warrior, Tom Raines is recruited for the Pentagonal Spire Military Academy. Built atop of the original Pentagon, this organization trains virtual warriors for the Indo-American All...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Zach rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book Insignia by S.J Kincaid was one of the best books I have read period. this book had all of the elements I love Action Tom has to get a processor put in his brain to battle in world war three while dealing with people who are reprogramming his brain in an attempt to control him. Another Element I enjoyed in this book was the fact that everything everything everything everything very futuristic, in the book world war three wasn't fought with actual people, it was people controlling planes...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Cain Freeman added it

The world is in the midst of World War III, a war fought not on Earth, but in space and for private rather than public interests. Companies sponsor Combatants, teenagers that are the equivalent of fighter pilots or drone operators, who control the spaceships from Earth.

In this world, Tom Raines is nothing. A short, pimple-faced teen who cons people at games in all the little, run down casinos that his gambling-addicted dad makes his home.

So, when the government sees Tom’s gaming prowess and asks...more The world is in the midst of World War III, a war fought not on Earth, but in space and for private rather than public interests. Companies sponsor Combatants, teenagers that are the equivalent of fighter pilots or drone operators, who control the spaceships from Earth.

In this world, Tom Raines is nothing. A short, pimple-faced teen who cons people at games in all the little, run down casinos that his gambling-addicted dad makes his home.

So, when the government sees Tom’s gaming prowess and asks him to go to the Pentagonal Spire, where he will be trained to become a combatant, he agrees with the hope of becoming important, something that he never has been.

Tom is implanted with a neural processor, from here on referred to as Brain Computer, (which he knew nothing about till after he arrived) and quickly joins the other trainees.

We are quickly introduced to a handful of quirky characters. From Wyatt, the brilliant but quiet girl who lacks any sort of social ability, to Yuri, the possible Russian spy who’s as nice as can be but with a Brain Computer that is intentionally bugged so he can’t remember any military secrets.

The characters aren’t the most original or deep, to the exception of Tom and possibly Blackburn, one of the teachers. What they lack in depth, they make up for in laughs and the simple enjoyment they offer.

Insignia’s plot revolves around Tom’s struggles and triumphs with his teachers, classmates, and those that want to use him because of his position as a trainee. I couldn’t identify any single struggle or end goal that Tom was working towards. Instead, several struggles were woven in, overlapping each other. Without a central goal, no king to kill or dog to find, it became a series of antagonists that each had their moments, but none took the role of super-terrible-evil-bad-guy-who-wants-to-ruin-your-life that Tom could defeat. Due to how the antagonists are introduced throughout the book, I can’t say anything more without spoiling it, but rest assured that the lack of a goal isn’t something that detracted from the book so much as it is something that would have improved the book for me personally...

For my full thoughts, please visit: http://nobsbooks.blogspot.com/2013/01...(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

I usually am very entertained by the combination of teens and sci-fi, and Insignia was no exception. I had heard comparisons to Ender's Game (a definite positive) but while I agree, I also thought Insignia is an excellent story in it's own right.

We're fighting WWIII, but it's a war in space. The "face" of the war is Elliot Ramirez, the handsome warrior who sits at his computer and fights the enemy. Tom Raines spends most of his time playing video games -- trying to win money to support him and h...more I usually am very entertained by the combination of teens and sci-fi, and Insignia was no exception. I had heard comparisons to Ender's Game (a definite positive) but while I agree, I also thought Insignia is an excellent story in it's own right.

We're fighting WWIII, but it's a war in space. The "face" of the war is Elliot Ramirez, the handsome warrior who sits at his computer and fights the enemy. Tom Raines spends most of his time playing video games -- trying to win money to support him and his alcoholic father. But Tom has caught the attention of General Marsh, who offers him a spot in the Intrasolar Fources (the army.)

Tom accepts, but when he arrives at the Pentagonal Spire (where he's to be trained and eventually fight the war) everything isn't as he expected.

The training and fighting parts of Insignia are compelling, but my favorite parts of the book are where the plebes (those kids in training) develop relationships. They are normal teens, playing pranks and teasing each other. I found the banter to be realistic, and it made me laugh quite a few times.

The pranking doesn't just stop among the plebes, though. They begin to get deeper into the technology. Secrets are revealed. They may even participate in some treasonous acts. Tom's friends are well-developed characters. There is enough mystery and surprise that I really had difficulty putting Insignia down. Good thing I had two snow days!

There isn't really any romance, but I think something could develop in the future books in the series.

There are some implausible events. The whole idea of what happened to Tom because of Dalton (no spoilers here) was a bit far-fetched. I think there would be some more safeguards in place. Also, the idea that corporations are controlling the war -- I don't know. I have trouble buying that they would have so much control over the military -- funding yes, but control -- could that really happen? Well, it gets me thinking, I guess.

Insignia is a complete story, but I'm very happy that this is a trilogy and I'll get to continue to participate in this war with these characters. My science fiction and adventure fans will definitely enjoy Insignia, and I"m going to start recommending it now. The second book, Vortex, comes out July 2. I'm putting it on my list.(less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Peter rated it 5 of 5 stars

For the month of January I read Insignia by S.J.Kincaid. This book reminds me of the book Enders game, they both have the idea using young children/teens to be the master minds behind being a war. In this book the teens have to get a implant in their head (a computer) these implants help them to control the ships they fight with and they learn 10 times fast than a human. This book takes place during World War III and the battles are fought with drones controlled be teens in the rings of Saturn....more

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Feb 06, 2013 Matthew Kohler rated it 5 of 5 stars

I started this book worrying about the fact it was science fiction. I'm not a big fan of Sci-Fi because I feel like they lose sense of what they are and just add too many things to have the story feel alive. This book doesn't do that. It sticks to the ideas it presents and keeps them. I enjoyed the characters, something I don't usually do because authors tend to put little effort into creating them. I enjoyed the immature humor that happens when Vik and Tom start doing something. The characters...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tom is a nobody who moves from place to place with his father. He never knows which casino they will be staying at next as his dad tries to make it big even though his luck seems to have run out. Tom does attend regular school because they are never in on place long enough. Instead he goes to an online school where even there the teacher pressures him when his attendance is sporatic. All of this changes when one day he is approached by someone who has been watching him as his virtuality prowess....more

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Dec 22, 2012 Nina at Death Books and Tea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 t...more 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.(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Shelf Talkers Anonymous rated it 4 of 5 stars

Insignia was a fun thrilling glimpse into what our future could hold. Reminiscent of Ender's Game and Ready Player One, Insignia tells of a boy enlisted by the military to fight their wars--using only his brain.

Insignia takes place in the near future. The world is very much similar to ours in many ways, but vastly different in a few key ways. First, physical wars on Earth have ceased and a global economy reigns. Second, while the countries of the world are united into two opposing factions, it's...more Insignia was a fun thrilling glimpse into what our future could hold. Reminiscent of Ender's Game and Ready Player One, Insignia tells of a boy enlisted by the military to fight their wars--using only his brain.

Insignia takes place in the near future. The world is very much similar to ours in many ways, but vastly different in a few key ways. First, physical wars on Earth have ceased and a global economy reigns. Second, while the countries of the world are united into two opposing factions, it's not the governments that start the conflicts, it's the corporations. Each alliance of countries also represents an alliance of global corporations that control everything from the food we eat, to the water we drink. The US is part of the Indo-Eurooean alliance, which is controlled by Dominion Agra, the food producer and controller of the world.

Tom has grown up on the outskirts of society, traveling from town to town with his drunk, gambler of a father, earning money for their food and board by playing video game contests. Tom has learned the art of swindling from his father, but he wants more for his life--he wants to be recognized for his skills. Then one night a beautiful girl appears and challenges him to a game; when he wins he finds out that it was an audition to enter the prestigious military academy: the place where they train their soldiers. But Tom will not be going out to battle, he'll be lying on a bed, his brain tapped into the internet, controlling an automated spacefighter in the nether reaches of our solar system. And he'll do that because the military puts a computer chip into his brain, making him smarter, faster, and perhaps a little less of himself...

Insignia was an enjoyable read, with humor, great characters, and lots of mystery and adventure. Tom's struggles to fit in with the rich, smart, and well-trained students at the academy made for a great story, and his growth through the course of the book drew you in to him. Early on S.J. Kincaid set up Tom's wish to battle the mighty Russian fighter Medusa, and she pays out on that goal with more than you ever hoped for. Playing with the implications of technology along with the travails of friendship and trust, Insignia was a remarkably insightful book.

The best part of Insignia concerned the computer chips put inside the heads of the teenagers at the military academy. Not only do these chips make them smarter, allowing them to access the internet with their brains and download homework directly into their heads, but they also make them grow taller and develop muscultaure, and can ever clear up acne. Kincaid really delved into all the possibilities of having a computer control the functions of the body and what the ramifications might be. While Tom is going through his computer-generated growth spurt he starts having intense pains because the chip is over-stimulating his growth hormones. So while Tom is reveling in the wonders of his improved brain, he is also literally feeling the consequences. Kincaid also tackles the possibility that comes with every computer: hacking. She plays with this idea from the simple fun of kids sending each other viruses like hexes in Harry Potter (such as Noisome Farts), to the horrifying invasion of brainwashing through re-programming of the chip.

The reservations I have with it mostly come from its similarity to Ender's Game. While there are marked differences between the two books, they are very similar for the first third or so of Insignia. You've got a boy taken away from his home and family, sent to train at a military academy in order to help win a war in space. This boy is incredibly smart and will probably be the linchpin in winning the war. While the two books diverge as Insignia gets farther along in its story, I still felt that Kincaid could have worked harder to make the two books distinct from the beginning.

A really great read and a fascinating start to a new series and a new world.(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Other reviews have stated the concerns I had really well but I'll try to sum them up here: Some of the science-y parts require suspension of disbelief. There are lots of plots, sub-plots, and sub-sub-plots, but not enough of a main conflict. And those many plots slow things down in parts.

But there were also many great elements and interesting dilemmas: Are all these Battle School perks worth signing your life over to a corporate-military power? How vicious are willing to be to win? How far will...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Rosalyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

My sister convinced me to buy this for my Kindle (it was only 2.99--still is!) by saying it was a cross between Ender's Game and Percy Jackson. I thought that was a pretty fair assessment of the tone. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book, even though generally, sci-fi isn't my thing. Especially not military sci-fi.

The story follows Tom Raines, a 14-year-old undersized boy with bad acne, who's missed so much online school (because his father, a compulsive gambler, doesn't stay in one place...more My sister convinced me to buy this for my Kindle (it was only 2.99--still is!) by saying it was a cross between Ender's Game and Percy Jackson. I thought that was a pretty fair assessment of the tone. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book, even though generally, sci-fi isn't my thing. Especially not military sci-fi.

The story follows Tom Raines, a 14-year-old undersized boy with bad acne, who's missed so much online school (because his father, a compulsive gambler, doesn't stay in one place long) that his teacher has noticed and is threatening to sic social services on him. Then, while fighting a virtual battle in a gaming room, Tom attracts the notice of a military commander.

The thing is, Tom lives in a world where war is perpetually being fought, but it's no longer a war on national lines (although there's a nominal Indo-American alliance), but on company lines. Giant mega-corps use patriotism to help finance their wars, but the wars are fought in space, using machines. There's no loss of life. The face of the war effort is a group of young, elite fighters, who manipulate the war machines in virtual space. The fighters have to be young, because the adult brain (less flexible) rejects the neural processors that allow them to wield machines.

The military commander gives Tom the option to transform his life, to become one of these fighting machines. Despite his father's skepticism, Tom can't resist the potential to become someone important. He agrees, and finds himself training in the Pentagon's spire. There, he becomes obsessed with Medusa, the code name for the enemy's premier fighter. He wants nothing more than to face her and bring her down (he's pretty sure Medusa is a she).

It's hard to summarize the book without revealing too much, but I loved the school-like environment where Tom trains and makes the first friends of his life. I loved the way Tom stands up for himself (at serious cost), and his unexpected connection with Medusa. I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy to come out.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 The Book Review Library rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi

******CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT ANYTHING SPOILED FOR YOU!!*******

Actual rating: 4.5/5
Also on my blog: http://thebookreviewlibrary.blogspot....

When I first heard about this book a few months ago, I immediately REALLY wanted to read it. It was great to see a YA book set in the future that wasn't set in the same old dystopian city with the same old kind of main character (I like dystopians, but some are just far too similar to each others for me...). I loved ho...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Tom/Medusa vs Tom/Wyatt	4	32	Apr 05, 2013 09:44pm
Huntsville-Madiso...: Staff Picks: Insignia by S. J. Kincaid	1	5	Oct 11, 2012 12:47pm

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