Insignia

* * * * / Four Stars

Genre: Action, Adventure, Humor, Suspense, Mystery, Futuristic, Romance (VERY VERY little, though . . .)

In this action-packed novel by S. J. Kincaid, Tom is just a regular boy who has a dad and goes to a cyber school just like everyone else; except for a few differences. His dad is a game gambler at casinos and such, and the two gamble their way to a hotel room and some food each night by playing and betting on games in the arcade. His mother left them for a snobby rich guy. Tom is an expert at the games, surpassing the skills of virtually everyone else he plays. Oh, and the world has pretty much entered World War 3. When Tom is picked to go to an academy that trains students to fight out the war through virtual reality games, Tom jumps at the chance to be one of America's privileged youth soldiers. He is their new secret weapon. Now Tom is making real friends, staying in a huge, fancy compound, and learning the works of the game network. But then he meets Medusa, the other side's best fighter. Anyone she meets in the network, she beats. When Tom starts to become friends with his enemy, what will happen to him if anyone finds out?
I loved this novel. It reminds me (a lot) of 'Ender's Game'. Anyone who loves sci-fi and a taste for adventure will want this remarkable read!