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Insignia by S. J. Kincaid
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Insignia (edition 2012)

by S. J. Kincaid (Author)

Series: Insignia (1)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
6823133,369 (3.96)1 / 3
Initially I was irritated by the similiarities to Ender's Game, but that book never made me laugh out loud at the antics of the characters. Great, fast-paced, in places hilarious read. ( )
  jennybeast | Apr 14, 2022 |
English (30)  Afrikaans (1)  All languages (31)
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Initially I was irritated by the similiarities to Ender's Game, but that book never made me laugh out loud at the antics of the characters. Great, fast-paced, in places hilarious read. ( )
  jennybeast | Apr 14, 2022 |
This book is fantastic! It is set in the future, and is very realistic for a non-realistic setting. The technology makes sense, and everything in the book happens for a reason, not sporadically and unfitting like other futuristic books. Overall, it was very well written! ( )
  AlizarinCrimson | Jan 7, 2021 |
Never knew I was so into this type of genre, 2nd book of Kincaid's I have read.. definitely will be reading more! I was so into the video game aspect of this, this whole thing needs to happen now, I feel like the world would be a much nicer place ( )
  ashezbookz | Oct 20, 2020 |
Well written and gripping! Reminded me a lot of Ender's Game in the beginning, but that quickly passed. ( )
  avonar | May 27, 2020 |
I love this book. It was highly recommended to me by one of my fifth-grade students. In fact, she repeatedly told me that I "had" to read this book. So, of course, I read it. And I am so glad I did.

In this world, war is fought in space and there are no casualties. The war is fought by teenagers with computers implanted in their brains. They interface directly with the ships to control them. But, the war is not between countries, exactly. Oh, there are alliances between countries, but the companies are really controlling (and profiting from) the war. Tom Raines goes from a nobody with a drunk, gambler for a father, to a highly prized asset of the government. And, for the first time, he belongs somewhere, he has friends.

I'm sure you can guess that having a computer implanted in your brain isn't all sunshine and rainbows. And Tom complicates it by being impulsive and maybe a bit crazy. But he is a teenage boy, so...

The story is exciting, with enough twists that you aren't exactly sure who Tom should trust, but you root for him anyway. ( )
  Jadedog13 | Mar 11, 2017 |
Wars are no longer fought by soldiers, but by drones controlled by specially trained individuals. Tom, is recruited by the U.S. military to be trained to fight against others like him.
  mcmlsbookbutler | Nov 9, 2016 |
Insignia is the starting book of the the series, about the future and world war III. Tom Raines is at games, and that's pretty much it. His dad is a gambler, and lost all their money, so Tom has to hustle money in a virtual reality parlor in the the casinos they visit to try and get a room for the night. The government recruited him because of how good he was at games to work in the pentagonal spire, the new building in the center of the old pentagon. Every pentagonal spire recruit has a multi-million computer installed in their brain, to connect them to every piece of technology that reads binary code owned by the US.

This book has an amazing level of realism to what what the future is going to be like, with world war III, wars in space or on different planets. It's representation is very easy too see happening.i enjoy this book for the future envisioning, plus the actual story itself. I recommend this to anyone who likes technology.
  TristanB.B1 | Oct 28, 2016 |
I loved this book, peeps, I really did. There are many reasons why, and I will try to describe them without any spoilers. *wink*

First of all, any of you old enough to remember the awesomeness of War Games? This book made me think of that movie even before I read it. The idea of supercomputers and long distance war is not new.

As to how Tom was picked up, it's pretty real as well. For example, I've read that Pentagon monitors all the best strategy gamers as possible recruits. So, from the very beginning the plot rang true for me.

I also fully admit that the world ruled by corporations is a very real possibility for the future generations. This is not the only book that talks about such issues. Take Jennifer Government for example, which I'm reviewing next week, or Seed...

Insignia has many layers, and what you take from this book is entirely up to you. Some will concentrate on an impossible love story between superheroes Tom and Medusa, others will enjoy the gaming aspect and sci-fi atmosphere of the book. Someone else will see plenty of conspiracies, desire of total control, brain-washing, the immense non-explored capabilities of human brain and a company of best friends thwarting evil plans of villains beyond borders.

I saw all three and loved every bit of it, from lieutenant Blackbourn who tried to force the young recruits to learn how to control the system not to let the system control you to young genius Wyatt, who simply rocked that place (two words: chicken virus). She was ruthless!

The ideas of this book boggle the mind. This is a bit like discovering Matrix for the first time. When the recruits become one with the supercomputer, it takes control over their nervous system and their brain. The concept of reality is not something you can be sure of anymore, because if that computer has programmed you to believe you are someone or something else... Believe me, you will go with it and wouldn't know what hit you. THAT is scary.

Tom is a great character with just enough guts, talent and stubbornness to survive in shark-infested waters of Pentagon Spire. He also has awesome friends, - Vik, Wyatt, Yuri, his clever dad, who everyone thinks is a conspiracy nut, and of course Medusa. An enemy, an adversary, who is very much like him and thinks out of the box.

Insignia is excellently paced, packed with action and makes you think. It's full of awesome. What more can you ask from YA novel that is both appealing to boys and girls? I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. ( )
  kara-karina | Nov 20, 2015 |
Initial reflection: This is a really fun story. The writer has a great "voice," the pacing is phenomenal, and there's an awesome harmony between character building, world building, and action.

The work is insightful (it's a very realistic dystopia) - I like how it's foreshadowing/paralleling what's going on with Monsanto; their mutated, patent-protected crops are cross-pollinating with normal plants and Monsanto busts in and sues the crap out of anyone whose crops got cross-pollinated (naturally) with their frankenfood.

Final reflection: One of the best books I've read recently. I look forward to the continuation of the series! ( )
  benuathanasia | Oct 14, 2015 |
i like this book because i thing that this could happen in the future and we all would have to get ready to adjust

this book is about a war in between china and america mostly but a few on both sides and a boy playing at a casino vr games (life like gaming that reads your motions) and betting on who wins to gets money to stay in a hotel with his drunk dad but then his dream comes true and he gets to be a combatent or a com for short and battle the space battle beteewn the country's by controlling machince with a nurle processor and can do something special he can interface (or control) electronics ( )
  NickR.B3 | Sep 14, 2015 |
I am cursed...I really am. I have fallen trough a vortex of warped novels and am currently stuck in Limbo of unoriginality.

I will admit to something. Lately I choose novels with very good ratings and little to no research thinking that's more than enough for me. At least it should have been. I am coming face to face with the realisation of how flawed that system of selection is. It simply doesn't work. A sky high rating doesn't guarantee good book.

Insignia wasn't bad, but it was unoriginal. The concepts were borrowed from Ender's Game mostly, and then Harry Potter of all things. It was weird.

It wanted to deliver a sobering reality of thrusting a child in an adults world but it failed. It was supposed to portray this feeling of taking on the burdens of life but just wound up boring me to tears.

WorldWarIII wasn't all that impressive. A bunch of machinery traipsing around the solar system, operated by a bunch of gamer kids, scoring points for big conglomerates down here on Earth. The whole thing was about as interesting as a boardroom meeting. Unlike Ender's Game where you had at least a potential of a threat and a violent history of loss of life, Insignia seems pointless. A bunch of kids that got brainwashed to do a lot of work for basically nothing.

I fail to see why should I connect to Tom as a character? He doesn't do anything worth mentioning, except go to school and have a job playing games. In Ender's Game I could feel the responsibility on the shoulders of the kids. I could feel the devastation of understanding that you are responsible for somebody's life, and that being unprepared and not giving your absolute best would mean admitting to yourself that you caused the deaths of so many. In Insignia the war presents no threat, the battles present no gratification or true meaning.

Here's where Harry Potter comes into play. After Tom gets to the Spire he forms a bond with his friends that tried to portray mischief and understanding of each others faults. Like Harry, Ron and Hermione used to have. Only Harry never changed. He simply grew. He was still a brilliant guy that respected true friendship and wouldn't hurt anyone for the sake of making himself look good. At the beginning of Insignia, I felt for Tom. Gambling father, always out of luck and without a roof over his head. Unlike Harry, Tom changed. A lot. And not all of it was good. After accepting everything the military had to offer Tom stopped being who he was. His past faded away. He grew, he became physically stronger, taller, more intelligent, prettier. Where Harry would teach you a lesson in riches, Tom stands for cruelty of winning by any means necessary.

The thing is – you can get impressed by someone else's work. But if you angle yourself to emulate the end result you wind up stifling your own creativity. Insignia was not an original work, it was a shadow of many other pieces. Because of that it will always be unfulfilling and rough around the edges. Unlike Ender's Game, this game had no end to work for. Had absolutely nothing to accomplish, leaving you with even more time to draw parallels between it and other novels. I wouldn't recommend it. I found it boring. ( )
  IvieHill | Aug 6, 2015 |
It was an enjoyable read, but nothing special. It took me a while to finish the book because it wasn't captivating. It sort of fell flat. Plus, there was no real conflict or villian. Other than that, it had an interesting world with games and all that. *shrug* I just feel so meh about this book. ( )
  KillerCorp | Jul 27, 2015 |
Thomas Raines is a 14 year-old boy, living a constantly moving life with his dad. He and his dad live their lives(if you can call it "living") gambling so they can eat and have a hotel room. What's Tom good at? Where does he become important? Well, he's good at games. Yes, I said GAMES. I know what you're thinking. Why is he so important because of video games? Well he's exceptionally strategic. So strategic, in fact, that he's recruited by General Marsh of the U.S. Intrasolar Forces(USIF). Tom meets Vikram Ashwan from India, and a Russian boy named Yuri. Unfortunately for Tom, just about the entire world is ruled by corporations. Kind of like Shadowrun. Tom just isn't the type to grovel to anybody. Dominion Agra learns the hard way after they trick Tom. Then their executives and guests get covered in sewage.

This was an amazing book. It has a lot of modern humor and dialogue that makes it feel realistic. The natures of Tom and his friends are down right hilarious and memorable. In all honesty, I haven't quite found another book that feels the same as this one. S.J. Kincaid does what most books can't do. Capture the modern life of a teenage boy. The part that I like the most though, is that Tom is just a gamer. A GAMER. He's just a gamer, but becomes a figure of importance as time passes on. He even gets notified of a possible future with one of the big corporations. They just better not trick him like Dominion Agra. That didn't end well for the Dominion. If you're a sci-fi fan, then this is the book for you. Just make sure you're a middle school student, because it can be pretty mature. ( )
  RileyM.g1 | Mar 4, 2015 |
RGG: Adolescents being trained to fight an intergalatic war; training includes brain programming to be enhanced computerized fighters. Our hero is selected for his AI game playing. Sounds like a cross between Ender's Game and Feed, although less dark and more of an Alex Rider vibe. Interest: 12-14.
  rgruberexcel | Nov 30, 2014 |
Thomas is just your average guy. Well, as average as you can be with a dad who is rarely sober and is always spending all your money gambling. Living in hotel rooms, moving all over to new hotels and cities,and only good at one thing. Video games. He is so good in fact that the military sets out to recruit him for their elite military training program for teens.
The war is against the Indo- American and Russo-Chinese alliances competing for the resources in space. To make the teens mentally faster, so they can control ships in space, they stick computers in their brains. The computers make them in-humanly smart and mentally faster. The teenagers control the entire war. But first they have to go through school. During the military school, Thomas learned about Medusa. The strongest person in the war. But unfortunately, he/she is on the Russo-Chinese side.
One day while running through training, the Chinese attack their war simulation. Thomas ends up finding Medusa and challenging her/him to a battle. He ends up losing but that starts their online battle friendship. Thomas always loses but keeps coming back. He becomes afraid that the general will find out about his best enemy friend, so he stops fighting her/him. But every year there is one day where Indo-America and Russo-Chinese get along. It is the day were there best fight off. Thomas is chosen to fight against Meudsa.
Will he win? What stops him from even being able to get in the fight? Find out about Thomas, his friends, and his story in Insignia. This book is the funniest thing I have read in ages, the story is very complex but makes sense. This book with a complex storyline makes a great book. I suggest it for anyone. ( )
  aubreya.g1 | Oct 22, 2014 |
This book is about "progression" as in WWIII. It geared toward a 14-year old Tom who does nothing but video games. He is always late to class and basically did not care about his future. So one day in a hotel arcade, he encounters a general who wants him to train to be in World War III. This changes his life forever. He trains to control robots in space. His future is in a better state. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5. I feel the suspense came a bit too early. The plot was well planned. The book was long and enjoyable. This book met all my needs as far as action and suspense. The plot for the war was smooth and understandable. The book was not confusing and catches your attention a lot.
  JamesG.B1 | Oct 22, 2014 |
I stumbled upon this a while ago and thought it kind of slipped under the radar. Despite everyone saying it is young adult I found it to be quite mature. I really enjoyed it and found the main characters and the story to be interesting and complex.

It was also great fun in that it's a bit Enders Game with a touch of Daniel H Wilson and the dialogue is perfect weighted and authentic. I genuinley laughed out loud a couple of times thinking 'that is exactly how friends speak to each other'.

The third book in the series is due out in October. They are a quick read and you will fly through them. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes. ( )
  areadingmachine | Aug 19, 2014 |
When I read the first few lines of this book, honestly I couldn't put it down! I really liked the way it captured your attention with middle-school humor. The way the book was paced was absolutely perfect with the timing and the plotwists. More than once this book had me curled up on my couch at home for hours on end, devouring the story page by page. I know people who have read this book will agree with me that this book is perfect for those who liked humor, action and tactical adventure. Insignia revolves around the theory of genius children working for the government, the reality in this story is stunning, even though it isn't real. I promise the people that love the Percy Jackson series that they will love this one.

Tom Raines is a teenage boy with a talent, he's a legendary gamer. The government has been following him around for a while now, wanting him join a program that kids fly special fighters in space, using a computer inplanted in their brains. Not having the other talents like winning a college science fair or solving a bit math theory, Tom has a hard time making friends. Then he meets Vik, a boy about his age with a BIG attitude. The two boys bond and work together to mess with the bullies of the program, making viruses and just causing trouble. That all changes when a new fighter on the other side of the war, begins to talk to Tom, her code name is Medusa. Medusa is a huge mystery to Tom and he wonders how he'll be able to solve it. Then he gets the chance to fight her. ( )
  KelsieH.G3 | May 21, 2014 |
I gave this book a five star because it has very little dull parts. It also is fast paced with lots of interesting parts in it. this book also has a good story structure. I also think that the story's idea was original for the most part.

Tom Raines (the main character) travels from casino to casino with his dad. One day a person from the pentagonal spire comes to recruit him to fight in word war three. While there he makes many friends and some enemies. while there they train by using simulations. in the end he is chosen to pilot a craft for the summit meeting and wins which makes him a hero. ( )
  jamesd.b1 | Feb 23, 2014 |
One of the better dystopian fiction books I've read in a while although the relationships between the companies mentioned in the book might be tough for teens to follow. ( )
  bookwoman137 | Jan 26, 2014 |
2.5
It seems a little unfair to give this such a low rating when the only problem is that I'm obviously not the desired audience. But, because goodreads' rating system only allows for how much I personally enjoyed the book, I'm not prepared to go so far as to say "I liked it" and give it 3 stars as that would be untrue. Please just remember this: had I been a teenage boy (about 12-16), I would probably have loved [b:Insignia|11115434|Insignia (Insignia, #1)|S.J. Kincaid|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317833510s/11115434.jpg|16037981], and I'm actually pleased that authors are still remembering to cater for teen males who read.

In the end, I just don't care that much about gadgets and battles. It's not the science fiction part that makes it a boy book, there are many great female sci-fi authors and I've enjoyed the genre many times in the past. But it did read like particularly boyish gratification with that beautiful moment almost every young guy waits for... the day that a member of the government walks into their home and announces that they've qualified to become a member of the Intrasolar Forces (or a spy, or a secret agent, or a superhero). But better than that, they'll be part of a virtual reality military - total heaven for video game lovers! They'll have a specialised processor embedded in their brain so they absorb information at an unbelievable pace and rapidly become one of the smartest human beings on the planet.

Plus there's pretty girls and typical boy humour. So nothing wrong if the right reader picks up this book, nothing wrong at all. If your ultimate fantasy is being a kind of virtual James Bond with a whole bunch of cool tricks up your sleeves, then [b:Insignia|11115434|Insignia (Insignia, #1)|S.J. Kincaid|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317833510s/11115434.jpg|16037981] will be the perfect book for you. Kincaid has obviously done her research here and written a story with just the right amount of sci-fi complexity combined with a light-hearted writing style that makes it very easy to digest. For me, this strikes me as the kind of young adult book that really should stay in the teen section. I know a lot of adults love to read within the YA genre and I wouldn't quite call this "middle grade" but it reads a bit younger than the novels I tend to prefer.

This is a good debut with a convincingly male narrator, but sadly it just wasn't for me. ( )
1 vote emleemay | Mar 30, 2013 |
Insignia is a long book and a book that takes a mental commitment. I did enjoy the story and the whole idea of neural processors to create these hybrid "super-humans." The plot kind of thinned out a bit with the easy-to-predict subplots surrounding Tom's friends and his girl crushes, but overall it was not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the novel. ( )
  amandacb | Mar 5, 2013 |
Maybe if I was a 14 year old gamer I would have enjoyed this book. ( )
  Bduke | Dec 10, 2012 |
"You know exactly what it means if you come here. They stick an expensive, multimillion dollar computer in your head. They invest tens of millions more training you. Then they give you control of billions of dollars of military machinery and a critical role in the country's war effort...
The question is, Tom, do you want to be one of us?
Do you want to be important?"
Tom Raines lives in a futuristic America where the third World War is raging... in space. The allies have shifted, and most everything is directly controlled by global corporations vying for power. But Tom could care less about that -- he's been living with his gambler father, going from cheap casino to cheap casino. Since his father loses most of the time, it's up to Tom to scrounge money for food and clothes, and he does this by hustling people in the virtual reality gaming rooms. He's incredibly gifted in gaming, which is what brings him to the attention of General Terry Marsh, who recruits him for training at the Pentagonal Spire, home of the elite Intrasolar Forces. When Tom arrives, it's not just the opportunity to get an education and be someone important that he discovers. For the first time, Tom has real friends, a home and clean clothes, regular meals, and even a possible girlfriend. He's being challenged in ways he didn't know existed, and he loves it (for the most part). While Tom is very, very good at the training and gaming tactics, he depends on his instincts honed in the casinos when he has to deal with the manipulative politics of the military and the corporations that sponsor and control almost everything. There's a price to be paid, and Tom's going to have to make some tough choices. Great science fiction, with humor and incredible world-building! This is imaginative, action-packed, and surprising. It reminds me in many ways of Ender's Game, but this has some awesome unexpected twists and turns. Good for strong 7th grade readers and up. ( )
  KarenBall | Oct 22, 2012 |
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tale

Quick & Dirty: Anyone who loved Ender’s Game will sink into Insignia — its political intrigue and sci-fi are brilliantly balanced to build a suspenseful, high-stakes book.

The Review:

I was super worried when I first picked up Insignia that it wouldn’t live up to expectations — the synopsis rang like Ender’s Game, which is one of my favorite science fiction novels of all time. My trepidation was totally unwarranted — Kincaid does a great job of building a futuristic world that’s both believable and not a dystopia. It’s filled with corporate greed and corruption — easily believable in America — as well as intense technological advances. The moment Tom stepped into a VR simulator; I knew this book was going to be exactly what my geek-side wanted to read.

Tom lives in casinos and VR parlors, hustling adults for room money. His father’s a washed up poker player and always has them on the move. He’s a loner by default and on the fast-track to becoming a nobody like his dad. Until the day his simulation is hijacked and he’s playing a war game he didn’t sign on to. Impressed by his skills, the Pentagon offers Tom a place in their virtual-reality war as a warrior for America. Despite everything his anti-establishment father’s raised him on; Tom will do anything to be important. After a signature on the dotted line, he’s on his way to training.

At the Spire, Tom has friends. He may only be a plebe, but he’s a good fighter. But if he ever wants to make it into Camelot Company and fight in the war, he’s got to smooze up to the right people — and we quickly learn Tom’s not the smoozing type. He’s savage in his games, awkward in reality, and funny in conversation. So funny there were times I found myself crying with laughter in public. He’s not the smartest character by any means, but he has a good intuition that keeps him from being stupid and a head for strategy. Most of all, he is believably 14 years old.

There’s a huge cast of characters in this novel, but Kincaid makes it easy to keep them all straight. Building unique characters is hard — making them memorable is harder. She pulls it off flawlessly. Even the characters I hated, I loved to hate. Everyone was their own person, no one fell too deeply into a cliché. They grow through the story, especially as the plot thickens around the Spire and Combatants. My favorite part about the plot was how reliant it was on the characters. If you put in another hero, none of it would have happened. It’s only because Tom is such a ferocious smartass that we’re able to see beneath the sheen of shiny tech and parent-free living into the corporate war machine.

Despite being a trilogy, Insignia’s plot arc is so strong that it could (if necessary) stand on its own. (I’m really glad there are sequels.) Kincaid’s created a world any geek will fall in love with. I’ve barely scratched the surface of Insignia — Tom has family problems and a future that’s not going to be easy. Definitely going to be fighting for an early copy of the next book!

Notable Scene:

“You want my fealty, I’ll swear it. Without kneeling and kissing your hand. Sir.”

“This ritual fosters team cohesion.”

“I just don’t want to bow, okay? It feels un-American to me. Sorry.”

Elliot sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you don’t understand the value of working with others. But if you really don’t want to play along like everyone else, I suppose I can give you a role in the sim other than Gawain.”

Tom’s hopes soared. Maybe Elliot would assign him to play a Saxon barbarian. He’d love that.

Elliot raised his hand skyward, modifying the sim.

Tom’s body shifted into Guinevere’s.

FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Insignia. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Tom’s hopes soared. Maybe Elliot would assign him to play a Saxon barbarian. He’d love that.

Elliot raised his hand skyward, modifying the sim.

Tom’s body shifted into Guinevere’s.

FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Insignia. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )
  DarkFaerieTales | Oct 7, 2012 |
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