Insignia, Volume 1In this science fiction adventure trilogy debut, a teen’s gift for games could help his country win a global war—and also seal his fate. “You won’t be able to put this book down.” —Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Divergent series 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. “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 |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 8
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... brain was whirling . He had a date ... kind of . With a real , live girl ... he hoped . After she logged off , his avatar remained by his desk , his real body sitting stock - still on the couch in the VR parlor , the enormity of asking ...
... brain was whirling . He had a date ... kind of . With a real , live girl ... he hoped . After she logged off , his avatar remained by his desk , his real body sitting stock - still on the couch in the VR parlor , the enormity of asking ...
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... brain buzzed with the memory of her words , the way she'd smiled when she thought he was asking her out . He was still thinking of her later that night when he paid for a double room at the front desk , and he was so wired up with ...
... brain buzzed with the memory of her words , the way she'd smiled when she thought he was asking her out . He was still thinking of her later that night when he paid for a double room at the front desk , and he was so wired up with ...
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... brains interfacing with something other than their own bodies . " It took Tom a few seconds to comprehend the words : neural processors . . . in their brains ... He stopped walking . “ Wait , what ? ” He swung around to look at the two ...
... brains interfacing with something other than their own bodies . " It took Tom a few seconds to comprehend the words : neural processors . . . in their brains ... He stopped walking . “ Wait , what ? ” He swung around to look at the two ...
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... brain isn't machine fast . Not yet . Those kids in there ? Their brains are . " Tom understood the zombielike stillness of those kids : the computers were inside their heads . The simulation they were using to train was running inside ...
... brain isn't machine fast . Not yet . Those kids in there ? Their brains are . " Tom understood the zombielike stillness of those kids : the computers were inside their heads . The simulation they were using to train was running inside ...
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... brain might disappear and get replaced by some robotic thing , like , ' Good morning , Dave . " " Gorgeous and a science fiction geek . Tom's heart was beating faster . Okay , maybe Marsh's maneuver was sort of working . " But I was ...
... brain might disappear and get replaced by some robotic thing , like , ' Good morning , Dave . " " Gorgeous and a science fiction geek . Tom's heart was beating faster . Okay , maybe Marsh's maneuver was sort of working . " But I was ...
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Common terms and phrases
arms asked avatar Beamer Beringer Club brain stem breath bunk Calisthenics call sign CamCo Camelot Company Capitol Summit census device Challenge Coin Combatants Dalton Doctors of Doom Dominion Agra door Elliot Ramirez Enslow eyes face Falmouth feel felt fight fingers firewall flashed floor gaze Genghis girl glanced going grin hair hand happened he'd heard Heather Indo-American Intrasolar Karl's keyboard knew laughed Lieutenant Blackburn lips looked Marsh Medusa memory mess military Neil neural processor neural wire never Nigel Nigel Harrison nodded Obsidian okay Olivia Pentagonal Spire plebes Prestwick Raines realized Russo-Chinese satellite screen ship shook shoulder simulation smile someone stared stop suddenly sure talk tell thing thought told Tom's brain Tom's head trainees tried trying turned Vengerov Vik's virus vision center voice waiting watched wired gloves Wyatt Yeah Yuri Yuri's