Insignia — A Thrilling Middle Grade Sci-Fi Story About an Unlikely Gamer Hero and Earth's Survival book cover by S. J. Kincaid
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Insignia

Teen & Young Adult • Vampires
A Thrilling Middle Grade Sci-Fi Story About an Unlikely Gamer Hero and Earth's Survival
Insignia • Book 1 of 3
World War III devastates Earth Tom Raines is a gamer prodigy Virtual reality controls battle drones Transformation into an unlikely hero Friendships and love emerge amidst chaos

Earth is in the middle of World War III in Insignia, the first entry in S. J. Kincaid's fast-paced sci-fi adventure trilogy. The planet's natural resources are almost gone, and the war is being fought to control the assets of the solar system. With the enemy gaining the upper hand, the salvation may lie with Tom Raines.

Tom is a short fourteen-year-old with bad skin who doesn't seem like a hero, but his virtual-reality gaming skills make him a phenom behind the controls of battle drones. Recruited into the Intrasolar Forces, Tom's life is transformed: he becomes someone important, gains new opportunities and friends, and even gets a shot at having a girlfriend. All of that comes with risks and responsibilities that will test what he is willing to sacrifice.

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Edition information

Book details

Series
Insignia Book 1 of 3
Publisher
HarperCollins
Publication date
June 4, 2013
Print length
480 pages
Language
English
ISBN
9780062093004

Vampires

Reader guide

What to Know Before Reading Insignia

Fourteen-year-old Tom Raines is recruited into the Intrasolar Forces to pilot battle drones as Earth fights World War III over dwindling solar-system resources. His virtual-reality gaming talent elevates him from overlooked teen to military asset, reshaping friendships, opportunities, and romantic prospects. The central conflict pits a youthful, reluctant prodigy against an escalating war that demands maturity, loyalty, and ethical choices. As Tom adapts to power and responsibility, he must weigh personal desire against the obligations and dangers imposed by military service and the larger struggle for survival.

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G-NRIS™ story intelligence

Why readers connect with Insignia

A concise view of the book’s strongest literary signals and the reading interests shared by people connected to it on bks.social.

Story profile

G-NRIS™ identifies Insignia primarily as Young Adult Science Fiction, Adventure, and Military Science Fiction. Its strongest themes include Coming of Age, War and Conflict, Responsibility and Sacrifice, Survival, and Technology and Virtual Reality. Prominent narrative patterns include Reluctant Hero, Prodigy/Young Genius, Dystopian Future, and Military Training.

Reader connection

Readers connected to this book most often reflect Psychological Moral Explorer reader archetypes. Their strongest shared genre interests include Historical Fiction, Thriller, Self-Help, and Literary Fiction. They are commonly drawn to themes such as gaming, technology, Seeking Dark Psychological Tension, and Exploring The Fractured Self.

About the author

S. J. Kincaid

S. J. Kincaid

S.J. Kincaid originally wanted to be an astronaut, but a dearth of mathematical skills turned her interest to science fiction instead. Her debut novel, Insignia, was shortlisted for the Waterstones prize. Its sequels, Vortex and Catalyst, have received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Booklist. Her next book, The Diabolic, comes out in the Fall of 2016. She’s chronically restless and has lived in California, Alabama, New Hampshire, Oregon, Chicago, and Scotland with no signs of staying in one place anytime soon. You can visit her online at http://wwsjkincaid.com or follow her on Twitter (@sjkincaidbooks).

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