Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted Jill at by Breaking the Spine.

Insignia (Insignia #1)

by S.J. Kincaid 



Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 400 pages
Release Date: July 10, 2012

More About the Author

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More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible. 


Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him? 


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.

I'm not crazy about the YA dystopian trend that goes on right now, but the premise of this one is interesting. Besides it has a male main character, which is refreshing. I really miss those. Most YA books I come across nowadays feature female protagonists and it's not always pleasant. Dystopia is one of my favorite genres so these books are hard to ignore.