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Insignia #2
Vortex
The impossible was just the beginning. Now in their second year as superhuman government weapons-in-training at the Pentagonal Spire, Tom and his friends are midlevel cadets in the elite combat corps known as the Intrasolar Forces. But as training intensifies and a moment arrives that could make or break his entire career, Tom's loyalties are again put to the test.
Encouraged to betray his ideals and friendships for the sake of his country, Tom is convinced there must be another way. And the more aware he becomes of the corruption surrounding him, the more determined he becomes to fight it, even if he sabotages his own future in the process.
Drawn into a power struggle more dramatic than he has ever faced before, Tom stays a hyperintelligent step ahead of everyone, like the exceptional gamer he is—or so he believes. But when he learns that he and his friends have unwittingly made the most grievous error imaginable, Tom must find a way to outwit an enemy so nefarious that victory seems hopeless. Will his idealism and bravado cost him everything—and everyone—that matters to him?
Filled with action and intelligence, camaraderie and humor, the second book in S. J. Kincaid's futuristic World War III Insignia trilogy continues to explore fascinating and timely questions about power, politics, technology, loyalty, and friendship.
Encouraged to betray his ideals and friendships for the sake of his country, Tom is convinced there must be another way. And the more aware he becomes of the corruption surrounding him, the more determined he becomes to fight it, even if he sabotages his own future in the process.
Drawn into a power struggle more dramatic than he has ever faced before, Tom stays a hyperintelligent step ahead of everyone, like the exceptional gamer he is—or so he believes. But when he learns that he and his friends have unwittingly made the most grievous error imaginable, Tom must find a way to outwit an enemy so nefarious that victory seems hopeless. Will his idealism and bravado cost him everything—and everyone—that matters to him?
Filled with action and intelligence, camaraderie and humor, the second book in S. J. Kincaid's futuristic World War III Insignia trilogy continues to explore fascinating and timely questions about power, politics, technology, loyalty, and friendship.
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First published July 2, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 623 reviews
August 7, 2013
5 Spanking Full stars to one of the most undervalued series out there.
I suggest you ALL start reading Insignia right now. Soon enough it will be one of the most spoken about series out there, and you will be grateful that you were one of the first ones to discover it.
Another FREAKING FANTASTIC addition to the UNBELIEVABLY ADDICTIVE Insignia series by what I can only consider to be an evil genius (S.J.Kincaid). You know how they say you shouldn't oversell a series to a friend before they watch/read it because then if it doesn't meet the standard you are the one to blame for creating such high expectations? Well, screw that because this series is that good. It is just such a well balance of moments so hilarious they have me literary laughing out loud...
"I wonder which one of them will think something embarrassing first? The words scrolled across the screen.
Don't think about Heather's boobs, Tom thought to himself, and to his mortification, the words appeared there.
Yay, it wasn't me! Wyatt thought. Then after the words appeared, she thought, sorry, Tom.
Tom. Wyatt. Try to focus. Heather thought. You can control your thoughts.
Boobs. Wyatt thought. Aah! Where did that come from?"
and profoundness that left me speechless.
"...as soon as he realized there was no hope—he was finally able to accept a cold, hard truth about life: the world rewarded sociopaths like Vengerov and destroyed good people like Yuri.
Tom finally understood why his father saw humanity as worthless. It was hard to see much fundamental value in anything when the bad guys always won.
Maybe this was simply what it was like to grow up."
Overall I love Tome Raine's character. He knows what he believes in, and doesn't apologize... or go back on those believes when it conveniences him.
"Tom wasn't sorry. He wasn't. And he wasn't delusional, either—he knew he was done for. There was no coming back from this, so he decided to embrace the moment.
"Good to see you again," Tom said to him. "I didn't recognize you at first, but then again, you're not naked and shrieking like a frightened little girl today. So, make any new friends in Jail?"
That of course leads to a lot of problems for him at the Pentagonal Spire, specially since he is supposed to do some ass kissing in order to get sponsors that will help him fight in space. But you still gotta love his bravado. He really stepped up in this book too, at the end I could see a very brave young man starting to realize that some things may be more important than his pride. Sometimes you just gotta play the game.
I also love all the other characters, including the bad guys. I specially love Wyatt, the counter part to Hermione. She is the smartest of them all, but I wouldn't say she has the looks Emma Watson has or the charm. Wyatt is socially awkward in every way, and not cute awkward at that. She can at times be just plain rude, and social cues are out of her league. But she can write code like no one else in the Spire. Plus she is a very good friend to have backing you up. Yuri is also super adorable (the Russian friend), and some things happen in this book that really make you appreciate him more. Before it seemed like if he were to disappear the book's dynamic wouldn't change, but you would be surprised. Every character is essential. Lastly Vik is back, and he also grows in interesting ways. We get to see another side of Vik that is more than Tom's best friend and side kick, a side you might not necessary come to cherish. At the end Vik pulled through though, so I give him props for that.
Have I gone on and on and on about the characters? That is because they are freaking amazing, but the story also merits itself a very long love letter. I am just enamored with this series because it's so different to every other book out there!
The space battles, the very real issues it deals with while at the same time not taking itself too seriously, the enemies, the friends, the lovers and the enemies. It's all a huge web of fantastic that I cannot wait to revisit. It's also a very good read for BOYS. BOYS AND GIRLS will LOVE these books, what are the odds?
So yes, I recommend everyone picks up this series before the media takes note and it becomes this huge thing. You can then say with confidence "hey I read that book BEFORE it was cool". Be one of the cool kids, and read Insignia. And if this argument doesn't work with you just know that it's world will enthrall you and you won't be able to stop thinking about it for days after it's over. I am still thinking about it, and I read it weeks ago.
I suggest you ALL start reading Insignia right now. Soon enough it will be one of the most spoken about series out there, and you will be grateful that you were one of the first ones to discover it.
Another FREAKING FANTASTIC addition to the UNBELIEVABLY ADDICTIVE Insignia series by what I can only consider to be an evil genius (S.J.Kincaid). You know how they say you shouldn't oversell a series to a friend before they watch/read it because then if it doesn't meet the standard you are the one to blame for creating such high expectations? Well, screw that because this series is that good. It is just such a well balance of moments so hilarious they have me literary laughing out loud...
"I wonder which one of them will think something embarrassing first? The words scrolled across the screen.
Don't think about Heather's boobs, Tom thought to himself, and to his mortification, the words appeared there.
Yay, it wasn't me! Wyatt thought. Then after the words appeared, she thought, sorry, Tom.
Tom. Wyatt. Try to focus. Heather thought. You can control your thoughts.
Boobs. Wyatt thought. Aah! Where did that come from?"
and profoundness that left me speechless.
"...as soon as he realized there was no hope—he was finally able to accept a cold, hard truth about life: the world rewarded sociopaths like Vengerov and destroyed good people like Yuri.
Tom finally understood why his father saw humanity as worthless. It was hard to see much fundamental value in anything when the bad guys always won.
Maybe this was simply what it was like to grow up."
Overall I love Tome Raine's character. He knows what he believes in, and doesn't apologize... or go back on those believes when it conveniences him.
"Tom wasn't sorry. He wasn't. And he wasn't delusional, either—he knew he was done for. There was no coming back from this, so he decided to embrace the moment.
"Good to see you again," Tom said to him. "I didn't recognize you at first, but then again, you're not naked and shrieking like a frightened little girl today. So, make any new friends in Jail?"
That of course leads to a lot of problems for him at the Pentagonal Spire, specially since he is supposed to do some ass kissing in order to get sponsors that will help him fight in space. But you still gotta love his bravado. He really stepped up in this book too, at the end I could see a very brave young man starting to realize that some things may be more important than his pride. Sometimes you just gotta play the game.
I also love all the other characters, including the bad guys. I specially love Wyatt, the counter part to Hermione. She is the smartest of them all, but I wouldn't say she has the looks Emma Watson has or the charm. Wyatt is socially awkward in every way, and not cute awkward at that. She can at times be just plain rude, and social cues are out of her league. But she can write code like no one else in the Spire. Plus she is a very good friend to have backing you up. Yuri is also super adorable (the Russian friend), and some things happen in this book that really make you appreciate him more. Before it seemed like if he were to disappear the book's dynamic wouldn't change, but you would be surprised. Every character is essential. Lastly Vik is back, and he also grows in interesting ways. We get to see another side of Vik that is more than Tom's best friend and side kick, a side you might not necessary come to cherish. At the end Vik pulled through though, so I give him props for that.
Have I gone on and on and on about the characters? That is because they are freaking amazing, but the story also merits itself a very long love letter. I am just enamored with this series because it's so different to every other book out there!
The space battles, the very real issues it deals with while at the same time not taking itself too seriously, the enemies, the friends, the lovers and the enemies. It's all a huge web of fantastic that I cannot wait to revisit. It's also a very good read for BOYS. BOYS AND GIRLS will LOVE these books, what are the odds?
So yes, I recommend everyone picks up this series before the media takes note and it becomes this huge thing. You can then say with confidence "hey I read that book BEFORE it was cool". Be one of the cool kids, and read Insignia. And if this argument doesn't work with you just know that it's world will enthrall you and you won't be able to stop thinking about it for days after it's over. I am still thinking about it, and I read it weeks ago.
August 11, 2013
I thought after the events of book 1 Tom would learn his lessons and be cautious and prudent in book 2. Nope. *anger eye-twitch* He acted the same as before. No character growth. No lessons learned. Dude was fucking TSTL.
*flips table*
Rambling rant ahead.
+ the main character
Tom pissed off every influential and powerful person he came across. He pissed off people he needed help from, people he couldn’t afford as enemies, people who could make his life very hard for him or put an end to his life altogether. They were bad people so I understood the reasons for his flippant attitude but that was no excuse to go and shake the fucking beehive.
Tom wanted to become an Intrasolar Combatant and fight epic battles among the stars, yet every single action of his showed otherwise. Dude was unbelievably self-destructive. I would admire his courage to stand up to the bad guys and fight for his ideals and not take the dirty path to attain his dream if he wasn’t such a filthy hypocrite. I was frustrated at how Tom never considered what it really meant to be a Combatant or realized the great depth of his hypocrisy if by some godforsaken miracle he does become one. To become a Combatant meant to become a pawn of the bad guys and perpetuate the corruption, oppression, and everything that is wrong with society and the world.
For someone who helped his father swindle, no matter if their targets were bad guys, Tom had little right criticizing others for swindling themselves. Yes, those people were evil capitalists, but that just meant they were swindlers of a much higher level. The point is that Tom was no paragon of righteousness yet he acted as if he was much to my irritation. Hypocrite!
Tom knew how things worked in the dystopian world yet he bumbled along through life like he didn’t. He thought he could just head-butt his way towards his goals. He was so astoundingly bull-headed that he took the phrase “dumb as bricks” to several new levels.
Tom failed to practice vital discretion with his technopathy because if people found out about his very rare ability he would get a one-way ticket to the laboratory. He never once thought to train his ability and use it to survive and get the upper hand. For instance, if he thought to use his technopathy for espionage, many bad things could have been easily avoided. So fucking easily.
Tom acted with no consideration of the consequences whatsoever, impulsive as fuck. He ignored countless pieces of advice and warnings, common sense be damned. He was so insufferably TSTL that when one of the bad guys made good on his death threat I felt no pity. I actually felt a little joy that it happened, a little disappointed that it didn’t happen sooner, and a bit surprised and befuddled that it didn’t happen more often considering the growing number of enemies Tom made as the plot progressed.
In summary, the main character was TSTL on so many levels, levels that I have not even begun to scratch the surface of, that hardly a chapter went by where I didn’t think he was an absolute waste of space. A discussion of Tom’s personality flaws and dumbass decisions could fill up a book on its own.
+ issues with other characters
I also took issue with other characters. Of course, they were nowhere near problematic as Tom.
Elliot was one of the cyborgs and Intrasolar Combatants, and I didn’t like how he was used as a prop character. He had no purpose other than showing up very conveniently to show Tom the errors of his ways and simultaneously show the readers how dystopian and shitty the world was. Just when I thought things couldn’t get more contrived with Elliot, it did. Elliot underwent a sudden change of personality for a dramatic scene towards the end. The scene was supposed to be this gleam of light in the dark, designed to bring a sense of hope to the story so the readers would believe things could change for the better. However, all I could think of was that Elliot got infected with Tom’s TSTL-ness. Holy hell, Tom’s TSTL-ness was contagious!
Heather was another cyborg and a Combatant like Elliot, and I didn’t like how she was portrayed negatively. Heather was self-interested, self-empowered, and a sexual character, and for these qualities she was inflicted with a Madonna-whore narrative complex. As one of the prominent female characters with Wyatt and Medusa, Heather was the one with the sex appeal and sexual interests, and she alone was made out to be a bitch. Nice.
Blackburn was one of the bad guys, a mad scientist trope. I found it very odd how things between him and Tom were, for the most part, drama-less. I expected the two to duke it out after what happened in book 1. Instead, I saw Blackburn helping out Tom a few times. The fuck? It was just very inconsistent how Blackburn’s character was established from the ending scenes of book 1 where his true self was finally revealed. Vengeful. Paranoid. Has a loose screw. The guy should be trying to get Tom on a lab table to be prodded, poked, and vivisected.
Last but not least, I wish there was more nuances to the evil capitalist bad guys. Not that these characters weren’t believable, but at their very core they all seemed to blend together and the traits that make them different seemed superficial.
+ characters I liked
About the only characters I liked were Wyatt and General Marsh. I liked Wyatt because among Tom’s cyborg peers she seemed to be the only one who had any sense and who took things seriously. She was one of the few characters who would be the least likely to make a stupid mistake and get killed. Quite pitiful the cast.
I liked General Marsh because he was a dimensional character. I saw him as a good guy despite the bad things he did. I didn’t like what he did but I understood his reasons. He fully understood the dystopian world and the necessity for change, and he didn’t hesitate to get his hands dirty. Whether readers like him or hate him, at least someone was doing something to change the world, something that was actually productive. I wished the book featured more of General Marsh. His appearances were very few for someone who was an important character.
In Conclusion
I rate Vortex 2-stars for it was okay. Despite the aggravation that was Tom, the book was engaging. I liked the science fiction elements and the world building.
If you like this series, check out Psion Beta and Data Runner.
*flips table*
Rambling rant ahead.
+ the main character
Tom pissed off every influential and powerful person he came across. He pissed off people he needed help from, people he couldn’t afford as enemies, people who could make his life very hard for him or put an end to his life altogether. They were bad people so I understood the reasons for his flippant attitude but that was no excuse to go and shake the fucking beehive.
Tom wanted to become an Intrasolar Combatant and fight epic battles among the stars, yet every single action of his showed otherwise. Dude was unbelievably self-destructive. I would admire his courage to stand up to the bad guys and fight for his ideals and not take the dirty path to attain his dream if he wasn’t such a filthy hypocrite. I was frustrated at how Tom never considered what it really meant to be a Combatant or realized the great depth of his hypocrisy if by some godforsaken miracle he does become one. To become a Combatant meant to become a pawn of the bad guys and perpetuate the corruption, oppression, and everything that is wrong with society and the world.
For someone who helped his father swindle, no matter if their targets were bad guys, Tom had little right criticizing others for swindling themselves. Yes, those people were evil capitalists, but that just meant they were swindlers of a much higher level. The point is that Tom was no paragon of righteousness yet he acted as if he was much to my irritation. Hypocrite!
Tom knew how things worked in the dystopian world yet he bumbled along through life like he didn’t. He thought he could just head-butt his way towards his goals. He was so astoundingly bull-headed that he took the phrase “dumb as bricks” to several new levels.
Tom failed to practice vital discretion with his technopathy because if people found out about his very rare ability he would get a one-way ticket to the laboratory. He never once thought to train his ability and use it to survive and get the upper hand. For instance, if he thought to use his technopathy for espionage, many bad things could have been easily avoided. So fucking easily.
Tom acted with no consideration of the consequences whatsoever, impulsive as fuck. He ignored countless pieces of advice and warnings, common sense be damned. He was so insufferably TSTL that when one of the bad guys made good on his death threat I felt no pity. I actually felt a little joy that it happened, a little disappointed that it didn’t happen sooner, and a bit surprised and befuddled that it didn’t happen more often considering the growing number of enemies Tom made as the plot progressed.
In summary, the main character was TSTL on so many levels, levels that I have not even begun to scratch the surface of, that hardly a chapter went by where I didn’t think he was an absolute waste of space. A discussion of Tom’s personality flaws and dumbass decisions could fill up a book on its own.
+ issues with other characters
I also took issue with other characters. Of course, they were nowhere near problematic as Tom.
Elliot was one of the cyborgs and Intrasolar Combatants, and I didn’t like how he was used as a prop character. He had no purpose other than showing up very conveniently to show Tom the errors of his ways and simultaneously show the readers how dystopian and shitty the world was. Just when I thought things couldn’t get more contrived with Elliot, it did. Elliot underwent a sudden change of personality for a dramatic scene towards the end. The scene was supposed to be this gleam of light in the dark, designed to bring a sense of hope to the story so the readers would believe things could change for the better. However, all I could think of was that Elliot got infected with Tom’s TSTL-ness. Holy hell, Tom’s TSTL-ness was contagious!
Heather was another cyborg and a Combatant like Elliot, and I didn’t like how she was portrayed negatively. Heather was self-interested, self-empowered, and a sexual character, and for these qualities she was inflicted with a Madonna-whore narrative complex. As one of the prominent female characters with Wyatt and Medusa, Heather was the one with the sex appeal and sexual interests, and she alone was made out to be a bitch. Nice.
Blackburn was one of the bad guys, a mad scientist trope. I found it very odd how things between him and Tom were, for the most part, drama-less. I expected the two to duke it out after what happened in book 1. Instead, I saw Blackburn helping out Tom a few times. The fuck? It was just very inconsistent how Blackburn’s character was established from the ending scenes of book 1 where his true self was finally revealed. Vengeful. Paranoid. Has a loose screw. The guy should be trying to get Tom on a lab table to be prodded, poked, and vivisected.
Last but not least, I wish there was more nuances to the evil capitalist bad guys. Not that these characters weren’t believable, but at their very core they all seemed to blend together and the traits that make them different seemed superficial.
+ characters I liked
About the only characters I liked were Wyatt and General Marsh. I liked Wyatt because among Tom’s cyborg peers she seemed to be the only one who had any sense and who took things seriously. She was one of the few characters who would be the least likely to make a stupid mistake and get killed. Quite pitiful the cast.
I liked General Marsh because he was a dimensional character. I saw him as a good guy despite the bad things he did. I didn’t like what he did but I understood his reasons. He fully understood the dystopian world and the necessity for change, and he didn’t hesitate to get his hands dirty. Whether readers like him or hate him, at least someone was doing something to change the world, something that was actually productive. I wished the book featured more of General Marsh. His appearances were very few for someone who was an important character.
In Conclusion
I rate Vortex 2-stars for it was okay. Despite the aggravation that was Tom, the book was engaging. I liked the science fiction elements and the world building.
If you like this series, check out Psion Beta and Data Runner.
July 18, 2013
This was me reading Vortex
Can't wait to read the next one!
June 15, 2018
This was an amazing second instalment of the series. i loved it
January 24, 2020
5 stars to this underrated but extraordinary series.
I'm not gonna lie, I had some issues with the first book, a lot of issues if I'm being honest but let's focus on Vortex.
Just know that I'm not rating this out of how perfect the story or narrative is or not even how well is the characters development but how much I got involved with the characters and now they have a piece of my stone cold heart.
I get it. Tom doesn't seem to have an ARC at first sight, that's because he's supposed to be stubborn as hell and I'm kinda glad that he's loyal to his more inner self. He is very truthful to his believes and is really hard for him to grow out of them. That's why we don't see to much change in him from Insignia to Vortex.
He had to deal with a lot of problems as he was growing up with his father than most of people at their twenties. He was raised not to 'live the day' but 'survived it'. Now that he is this superhuman government weapon (wich really sounds like a cliche, doesn't it?), He's having a hard time accepting that the only way for him to survive is to let him be corrupted by a government who goes all the way contrary to his believes.
Besides that, I've said it in the past and I'll say it again, this is a really 'cool' story, I had a lot of fun reading it. I found a lot of resemblance with 'Harry Potter' at first, but then as I kept going I realized how well and unique was on its own. I repeat it, this series is so underrated.
I'm not gonna lie, I had some issues with the first book, a lot of issues if I'm being honest but let's focus on Vortex.
Just know that I'm not rating this out of how perfect the story or narrative is or not even how well is the characters development but how much I got involved with the characters and now they have a piece of my stone cold heart.
I get it. Tom doesn't seem to have an ARC at first sight, that's because he's supposed to be stubborn as hell and I'm kinda glad that he's loyal to his more inner self. He is very truthful to his believes and is really hard for him to grow out of them. That's why we don't see to much change in him from Insignia to Vortex.
He had to deal with a lot of problems as he was growing up with his father than most of people at their twenties. He was raised not to 'live the day' but 'survived it'. Now that he is this superhuman government weapon (wich really sounds like a cliche, doesn't it?), He's having a hard time accepting that the only way for him to survive is to let him be corrupted by a government who goes all the way contrary to his believes.
Besides that, I've said it in the past and I'll say it again, this is a really 'cool' story, I had a lot of fun reading it. I found a lot of resemblance with 'Harry Potter' at first, but then as I kept going I realized how well and unique was on its own. I repeat it, this series is so underrated.
November 22, 2017
4.75* (I like the first book better, but the pacing was better for this one.)
Summary of this series. Tom Raines is the main character. The setting takes place mainly in The Spire which is pretty much a VR boarding school. Funny and very character driven series which I realized more after reading this 2nd book.
Wow the ending was so good. Tom is awesome as always. I took a long time to read this because I keep having to stop because of schoolwork. Tip to anyone who sees this review try to binge this series or at least read each book in large chunks at a time because it always takes like 6 pages to get back into each time which really slowed my progress in picking it back up to read.
One cute quote from the book:
"WYATT GAVE TOM some solemn advice on the ride up. “I’ve found there’s one surefire way to avoid offending people. Just don’t talk. At all. Don’t say a word. Make sure people don’t even notice you’re there. Then you’ll never offend anyone.” She gave a crisp nod. “I haven’t said a single word anywhere we’ve been. Have you noticed that? It’s worked out great.”
Summary of this series. Tom Raines is the main character. The setting takes place mainly in The Spire which is pretty much a VR boarding school. Funny and very character driven series which I realized more after reading this 2nd book.
Wow the ending was so good. Tom is awesome as always. I took a long time to read this because I keep having to stop because of schoolwork. Tip to anyone who sees this review try to binge this series or at least read each book in large chunks at a time because it always takes like 6 pages to get back into each time which really slowed my progress in picking it back up to read.
One cute quote from the book:
"WYATT GAVE TOM some solemn advice on the ride up. “I’ve found there’s one surefire way to avoid offending people. Just don’t talk. At all. Don’t say a word. Make sure people don’t even notice you’re there. Then you’ll never offend anyone.” She gave a crisp nod. “I haven’t said a single word anywhere we’ve been. Have you noticed that? It’s worked out great.”
July 4, 2013
Quick reaction:
So good. SO GOOD. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
also oh my god my name was in the acknowledgments holy crap thank you so much SJ i<3you
alsoalso hey guys so imma give away a copy of this soon on da fansite, check it out please? ^.^ The Pentagonal Spire
So good. SO GOOD. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
also oh my god my name was in the acknowledgments holy crap thank you so much SJ i<3you
alsoalso hey guys so imma give away a copy of this soon on da fansite, check it out please? ^.^ The Pentagonal Spire
Want to read
October 28, 2012YES YES YES
August 21, 2016
Just so damn good!
July 30, 2013
This, right here? Yeah, its almost better than divergent.
So throughout the book I had this uncanny feeling that I was reading some other version of HP. The spire was Hogwarts, Tom was Harry, Enslow was Hermione and Blackburn was a weird combo of Prof, Solomon from GG series ad Snape from HP. But you know what? It made it a thousand times more epic! Because HP was a cultural phenomenon and this might be next!
it started off as Tom being this prideful idiot! But by the end, I UNDERSTOOD why he was a prideful idiot. And the end. Whoa! Just whoa! Thing is I kind of figured out a part of the plot since the beginning and it was pissing me off that Tom was being so hard headed. But I figured the show must go on and all, so I was pleasantly surprised when things actually added up in the end. Plus there were so many hilarious scenes e.g. that Snowden and Yousaf Saide simulation. God I laughed my ass off.
so the thing is, no matter how much Tom hates Blackburn I an never seem to reciprocate his urge to tear him apart. Truth is, tom's stupid and hardheaded. He doesn't have all the facts and as far as I can tell, Blackburn really is trying to help him—in his own twisted way. And I believe Tom's distrust in him would ultimately lead to his downfall. And Tom darling has waaaay too much pride—which isn't a good thing but it makes a hell of a book. And he seems to throw waaay many empty threats. Barking dogs, right?
Medusa. Huh. She was such a unique heroine. Most people portray the heroin as slightly less kick ass than the hero but Medusa was waaay more skilled and awesome than Tom. I was so happy when they finally found each other—but then the end happened. Which isn't really a bad thing but aw, it took him THAT long to get there. Now he'd have to start over again. See, boys are stupid. So utterly guileless and easily distracted that it pained me to read Tom. He was the most clueless of them all. Sigh.
Elliot is such a giant sweetheart! I wish he'd play a bigger, better role in Insignia 3. I hope he helps Tom take all those freaks down—and DOESN'T DIE in the process. It made me so happy when he finally did that thing that he did near the end! And to be honest I'm still in a little bit of fangirl-ish love with him..
And somehow I end up imagining Joseph Vengerov as this slim medieval guy who wears stockings and ruffles. And then I imagined Lucious Malfoy. Huh.
Throughout the end of the book I was living through Harry Potter and Percy Jackson again. The will, the sheer stubbornness, the utmost stupidity of even the most well thought-out plans was so familiar it made me giddy with excitement! Optical camouflage was very much like Harry's invisibility cloak huh?
All in all, it was just as kick ass as insignia and I LOVED it and I really, really wanna time travel to 2014 to read the 3rd part! >.<
So throughout the book I had this uncanny feeling that I was reading some other version of HP. The spire was Hogwarts, Tom was Harry, Enslow was Hermione and Blackburn was a weird combo of Prof, Solomon from GG series ad Snape from HP. But you know what? It made it a thousand times more epic! Because HP was a cultural phenomenon and this might be next!
it started off as Tom being this prideful idiot! But by the end, I UNDERSTOOD why he was a prideful idiot. And the end. Whoa! Just whoa! Thing is I kind of figured out a part of the plot since the beginning and it was pissing me off that Tom was being so hard headed. But I figured the show must go on and all, so I was pleasantly surprised when things actually added up in the end. Plus there were so many hilarious scenes e.g. that Snowden and Yousaf Saide simulation. God I laughed my ass off.
so the thing is, no matter how much Tom hates Blackburn I an never seem to reciprocate his urge to tear him apart. Truth is, tom's stupid and hardheaded. He doesn't have all the facts and as far as I can tell, Blackburn really is trying to help him—in his own twisted way. And I believe Tom's distrust in him would ultimately lead to his downfall. And Tom darling has waaaay too much pride—which isn't a good thing but it makes a hell of a book. And he seems to throw waaay many empty threats. Barking dogs, right?
Medusa. Huh. She was such a unique heroine. Most people portray the heroin as slightly less kick ass than the hero but Medusa was waaay more skilled and awesome than Tom. I was so happy when they finally found each other—but then the end happened. Which isn't really a bad thing but aw, it took him THAT long to get there. Now he'd have to start over again. See, boys are stupid. So utterly guileless and easily distracted that it pained me to read Tom. He was the most clueless of them all. Sigh.
Elliot is such a giant sweetheart! I wish he'd play a bigger, better role in Insignia 3. I hope he helps Tom take all those freaks down—and DOESN'T DIE in the process. It made me so happy when he finally did that thing that he did near the end! And to be honest I'm still in a little bit of fangirl-ish love with him..
And somehow I end up imagining Joseph Vengerov as this slim medieval guy who wears stockings and ruffles. And then I imagined Lucious Malfoy. Huh.
Throughout the end of the book I was living through Harry Potter and Percy Jackson again. The will, the sheer stubbornness, the utmost stupidity of even the most well thought-out plans was so familiar it made me giddy with excitement! Optical camouflage was very much like Harry's invisibility cloak huh?
All in all, it was just as kick ass as insignia and I LOVED it and I really, really wanna time travel to 2014 to read the 3rd part! >.<
February 2, 2022
It is a shame in a world where so many YA books are being taken over by fantasy and crappy romance fantasy that when a sci-fi series or book that hits ya good debuts and doesn't chart you frown. You also want to shout to everyone you know and say 'hey, read this series, you won't regret it'.
That's how I feel with Vortex, Book 2 of this interesting Enders Game like tale.
What I enjoy about S.J. Kincaid's writing is how well she mixes technology, science and humanity into a book and makes you keep reading until you're finished. The plot is simple but at the same time so ... advanced.
This story takes place not long after the events of the first book. It is more Tom finding his place and his purpose in the world that he is now in. Does he continue to be a Government pawn? Or does he use his newfound strength and intelligence for something more?
There isn't as much Medusa in this book as I hoped but her scenes were really good and gave Tom that drive that allowed him to make some interesting choices and set it up for the final book in the trilogy.
I really wish this was adapted into a live action movie or tv series. It could work and it would work really well. I already have actors in my head to play the older characters.
I can't wait to finish the trilogy and sad because I think the world can continue on and or not be wrapped up by three books.
That's how I feel with Vortex, Book 2 of this interesting Enders Game like tale.
What I enjoy about S.J. Kincaid's writing is how well she mixes technology, science and humanity into a book and makes you keep reading until you're finished. The plot is simple but at the same time so ... advanced.
This story takes place not long after the events of the first book. It is more Tom finding his place and his purpose in the world that he is now in. Does he continue to be a Government pawn? Or does he use his newfound strength and intelligence for something more?
There isn't as much Medusa in this book as I hoped but her scenes were really good and gave Tom that drive that allowed him to make some interesting choices and set it up for the final book in the trilogy.
I really wish this was adapted into a live action movie or tv series. It could work and it would work really well. I already have actors in my head to play the older characters.
I can't wait to finish the trilogy and sad because I think the world can continue on and or not be wrapped up by three books.
July 30, 2015
The Vortex sucks a thousand stars (that sound negative). Rating:4.5 stars
So Tom is going back to the Spire, as Middle. So there are new classes to take and new rooms to explorer (liked the really leveled up in games). Like Insignia, the classes are just something to let us know the character of a character in this book that have characters (of course). The main story is focused on Tom against the Obsidian and Dominion Agra. I got to say, this is way much better than the first book, the some character changes (and I liked it) but Tom is still stubborn (I guess that his quality, but hoping that he will change, he change a bit at the end, though). Plus it is more action packed, a lot of funny scenes, more mysterious atmosphere (who to trust) and a little bit of drama.
And I disliked, DISLIKED Heather more (I really hated her) but...
I can't review without making this review into a full-spoiler one. One word to describe this book - AWESOME! Just read it!
October 14, 2020
Reread August/September 2020
I'm loving revisiting this world and these characters. Tom is excellent and I love his friendships with Wyatt, Uri, and Vic. They're such a good friend group and it's great to see them grow together, fall apart, and find each other again.
I like that there is romance but it's not the focus of the story. And it's more about the friendship than the romance, even with Tom's love interest.
Such a fun sci-fi and I'm really excited to reread Catalyst now!
Original Review
The second installment in this trilogy left me just as impressed as the first one. Kincaid has created a cast of characters that consistently make me laugh and have me rooting for them every step of the way. Tom is able to surprise me with his antics, even after how he handled everything in the first one. He can be abrasive, but I appreciate the fact that he doesn't want to bend for the corruption around him.
There were so many great moments in this book. And the ending was incredible. It definitely leaves me eager to continue with book three.
I'm loving revisiting this world and these characters. Tom is excellent and I love his friendships with Wyatt, Uri, and Vic. They're such a good friend group and it's great to see them grow together, fall apart, and find each other again.
I like that there is romance but it's not the focus of the story. And it's more about the friendship than the romance, even with Tom's love interest.
Such a fun sci-fi and I'm really excited to reread Catalyst now!
Original Review
The second installment in this trilogy left me just as impressed as the first one. Kincaid has created a cast of characters that consistently make me laugh and have me rooting for them every step of the way. Tom is able to surprise me with his antics, even after how he handled everything in the first one. He can be abrasive, but I appreciate the fact that he doesn't want to bend for the corruption around him.
There were so many great moments in this book. And the ending was incredible. It definitely leaves me eager to continue with book three.
March 9, 2017
Book 2 in the Insignia series
That was the thing about real life. Video games could be reset. There were second chances.
- Chapter 14
Book two in the World War III Insignia series is as thrilling as the first book. This series explores themes of power, corruption, friendship, and loyalty. Evil cooperations control everything, from the water and food to the war. Tom and his friends have computers in their heads and they are controlled by the government (which is controlled by the corporations). Tom is rebellious but loyal. In order to continue in his training, Tom has to get corporations to sponsor him, but he is incapable of hiding his real feelings, incapable of being political.
This is an exciting story. I loved the first book, and this one even more. I am starting book 3 right away! Watching Tom try to act political was so funny. There are some pretty tense moments and it is hard to know who to trust. I sort of guessed who was the leak, but I knew it would involve another twist.
That was the thing about real life. Video games could be reset. There were second chances.
- Chapter 14
Book two in the World War III Insignia series is as thrilling as the first book. This series explores themes of power, corruption, friendship, and loyalty. Evil cooperations control everything, from the water and food to the war. Tom and his friends have computers in their heads and they are controlled by the government (which is controlled by the corporations). Tom is rebellious but loyal. In order to continue in his training, Tom has to get corporations to sponsor him, but he is incapable of hiding his real feelings, incapable of being political.
This is an exciting story. I loved the first book, and this one even more. I am starting book 3 right away! Watching Tom try to act political was so funny. There are some pretty tense moments and it is hard to know who to trust. I sort of guessed who was the leak, but I knew it would involve another twist.
March 23, 2014
There's this quote from the last page I really liked and it summarizes pretty much this book, the next one and Tom: "...then Tom was about to give them an inferno"
Increíble. Me encantó. Excelente. AWESOME. Este libro es waaaay better than Insignia. Tom sigue siendo super stubborn y orgulloso y todo eso, pero me agrada más. Se está poniendo hecho y derecho, y en el próximo libro va a patear unos buenos traseros. Y no puedo esperar para leer eso. Septiembre apurate, por favor.
El plot me parece genial y bastante original (a lo que estoy acostumbrada a leer), y a veces al leer esto y el tema de las compañías y todo eso, me hace imaginar que el mundo será así dentro de unos años, y to be honest, espero estar muerta ya porque no me gusta para nada.
Anyway, los personajes siguen siendo geniales, como está escrito me gusta millones más en inglés y y y y muy excelente todo *aplaude*
5 estrellitas porque entra en mi top 10 de sagas ♡
Increíble. Me encantó. Excelente. AWESOME. Este libro es waaaay better than Insignia. Tom sigue siendo super stubborn y orgulloso y todo eso, pero me agrada más. Se está poniendo hecho y derecho, y en el próximo libro va a patear unos buenos traseros. Y no puedo esperar para leer eso. Septiembre apurate, por favor.
El plot me parece genial y bastante original (a lo que estoy acostumbrada a leer), y a veces al leer esto y el tema de las compañías y todo eso, me hace imaginar que el mundo será así dentro de unos años, y to be honest, espero estar muerta ya porque no me gusta para nada.
Anyway, los personajes siguen siendo geniales, como está escrito me gusta millones más en inglés y y y y muy excelente todo *aplaude*
5 estrellitas porque entra en mi top 10 de sagas ♡
September 7, 2022
4.5 stars
November 7, 2024
Realmente debo decir que esta segunda parte me dejó un muy buen sabor de boca.
La autora retoma muy bien la historia desde donde la había dejado en el anterior libro, y aún si ya pasó mucho tiempo y ya no recuerdas muy bien la historia (como fue mi caso), deja varias pistas, diálogos o frases, que te van recordando las cosas más importantes del libro anterior.
El libro sigue recordando mucho a Harry Potter en muchos aspectos, pero esto no ensucia para nada la experiencia, sólo es un toque curioso. Los aspectos que más me lo recuerdan son cosas como que el libro comienza al final del verano, justo antes de comenzar un "nuevo curso" dentro del campo de entrenamiento militar donde están nuestros protagonistas, o que el protagonista tiene 2 mejores amigos, un chico y una chica (la chica siendo la más inteligente de los 3), o el aspecto de que casi todo ocurre dentro de su academia y aún así les suceden muchas cosas a los protagonistas, y por último, hay uno de sus profesores que se lleva mal con el protagonista, y que de pronto nos quieren hacer creer que es un posible villano, pero aquí todo el tiempo nos damos cuenta que es de los buenos y que de hecho trata de ayudar a nuestro impulsivo protagonista, quien hace las más variadas tonterías sin pararse a pensar en las consecuencias.
Pero algo que hace bien la autora con Tom Raines, el protagonista, son dos cosas, la primera es que las acciones de Tom sí tienen consecuencias, de hecho muy graves en cierto momento de la historia; castiga de manera física al protagonista de una manera que no se suele ver en este tipo de novelas juveniles distópicas. Y la segunda cosa que hace bien la autora es que hace que el protagonista evolucione, que crezca y que pase de ser adolescente a algo un poco más maduro, quizá no es un hombre todavía, pero está en el camino de serlo. Hace que Tom crezca, y no sólo eso, sino que escuche a otros personajes del libro: a un alumno más mayor que él, al teniente que odia, y sobre todo al mayor que le dio la oportunidad de convertirse en un cadete y dejar de ser un bueno para nada.
Entonces está bien que por los sucesos que le pasan, caiga en la cuenta de que los consejos que le dan son por su propio bien, y porque las 3 personas que se los dan tienen más experiencia que él, son más sabios y conocen mucho mejor el mundo de la política y las intrigas en el que viven. Lo cual es un soplo de aire fresco en comparación a la mayoría de novelas adolescentes donde el adolescente siempre tiene la razón y sabe lo que es correcto, y es el mundo entero el que se tiene que acoplar y adaptar a sus caprichos.
En la recta final del libro me gusta que la autora dé oportunidad de brillar a otros personajes y que uno de ellos, un estudiante con mucha más experiencia que Tom sea capaz de hacer algo heroico y enfrentar abiertamente a las empresas multinacionales que mueven los hilos de la política y la economía.
Sin duda esta es una saga que sí recomendaría para quien quiera leer algo ligero y entretenido de Ciencia Ficción, en donde las simulaciones virtuales vuelven a estar presentes y aportan un toque especial a la trama. Y sin dudas sí voy a comprar la tercera parte de la saga para ver en qué termina la historia de Tom Raines.
La autora retoma muy bien la historia desde donde la había dejado en el anterior libro, y aún si ya pasó mucho tiempo y ya no recuerdas muy bien la historia (como fue mi caso), deja varias pistas, diálogos o frases, que te van recordando las cosas más importantes del libro anterior.
El libro sigue recordando mucho a Harry Potter en muchos aspectos, pero esto no ensucia para nada la experiencia, sólo es un toque curioso. Los aspectos que más me lo recuerdan son cosas como que el libro comienza al final del verano, justo antes de comenzar un "nuevo curso" dentro del campo de entrenamiento militar donde están nuestros protagonistas, o que el protagonista tiene 2 mejores amigos, un chico y una chica (la chica siendo la más inteligente de los 3), o el aspecto de que casi todo ocurre dentro de su academia y aún así les suceden muchas cosas a los protagonistas, y por último, hay uno de sus profesores que se lleva mal con el protagonista, y que de pronto nos quieren hacer creer que es un posible villano, pero aquí todo el tiempo nos damos cuenta que es de los buenos y que de hecho trata de ayudar a nuestro impulsivo protagonista, quien hace las más variadas tonterías sin pararse a pensar en las consecuencias.
Pero algo que hace bien la autora con Tom Raines, el protagonista, son dos cosas, la primera es que las acciones de Tom sí tienen consecuencias, de hecho muy graves en cierto momento de la historia; castiga de manera física al protagonista de una manera que no se suele ver en este tipo de novelas juveniles distópicas. Y la segunda cosa que hace bien la autora es que hace que el protagonista evolucione, que crezca y que pase de ser adolescente a algo un poco más maduro, quizá no es un hombre todavía, pero está en el camino de serlo. Hace que Tom crezca, y no sólo eso, sino que escuche a otros personajes del libro: a un alumno más mayor que él, al teniente que odia, y sobre todo al mayor que le dio la oportunidad de convertirse en un cadete y dejar de ser un bueno para nada.
Entonces está bien que por los sucesos que le pasan, caiga en la cuenta de que los consejos que le dan son por su propio bien, y porque las 3 personas que se los dan tienen más experiencia que él, son más sabios y conocen mucho mejor el mundo de la política y las intrigas en el que viven. Lo cual es un soplo de aire fresco en comparación a la mayoría de novelas adolescentes donde el adolescente siempre tiene la razón y sabe lo que es correcto, y es el mundo entero el que se tiene que acoplar y adaptar a sus caprichos.
En la recta final del libro me gusta que la autora dé oportunidad de brillar a otros personajes y que uno de ellos, un estudiante con mucha más experiencia que Tom sea capaz de hacer algo heroico y enfrentar abiertamente a las empresas multinacionales que mueven los hilos de la política y la economía.
Sin duda esta es una saga que sí recomendaría para quien quiera leer algo ligero y entretenido de Ciencia Ficción, en donde las simulaciones virtuales vuelven a estar presentes y aportan un toque especial a la trama. Y sin dudas sí voy a comprar la tercera parte de la saga para ver en qué termina la historia de Tom Raines.
March 30, 2013
BookNook — Young Adult book reviews
3.5 Stars
Vortex didn't quite have the same magic for me that Insignia did. It was still a good book, it just didn't have me screaming and shrieking like an excited, insane girl. Vortex had a bit of a slower start and I didn't get fully sucked into the book until half way or 3/4 of the way through.
I kind of had a love/hate relationship with Tom in this book. He definitely came across very immature at times. It almost made me wonder, Was he always like this and am I only now noticing it? Or is this just a new thing in Vortex?
Tom could just be so arrogant, so cocky, and not consider the consequences of his actions. His teachers would specifically tell him, "Don't do this, it's dangerous." Then he would turn around and do it, and something bad would happen (as promised). Another example: now that he is no longer a plebe, he and Vik got together and chased the plebes out of the common room area so they could have it all to themselves, just because "they could". He just acted like an arrogant prick a lot of the time.
But on the other hand, I do really admire how he refused to suck up to the big corporate guys. Many of those guys were legitimately bad people, and I really appreciated that Tom didn't kiss their asses just for the sake of his career. Instead, he acknowledged that they were bad guys and didn't let them push him around, and didn't take any crap from them. He told them exactly what he thought of them, and it was awesome.
My other frustration was with Medusa; her relationship with Tom was like whiplash. It was an annoying cycle of: they're fighting, they don't talk for weeks, they make up, later in that conversation Tom screws it up and they fight again, they don't talk for weeks, etc. Rinse and repeat. As a result, it felt like Medusa was barely in the book and just popped in and out at seemingly random times. At least whenever Medusa did make an appearance she was kicking some serious ass.
Although the beginning of the book was only 'okay' for me, things really picked up at the end. The corruption and conspiracies finally started to unravel, driving some excitement into the story. There was more defiance, rebellion, and more "big reveals". Those were the bits I finally loved!
Overall, I guess Vortex had a stronger focus on the politics. We learn more about the corporations that sponsor the fighters and what stakes they have in the war. It's interesting information, but it wasn't always the most exciting.
I am a bit bummed that I didn't enjoy Vortex quite as much as Insignia , but it was still a pretty good book.
3.5 Stars
Vortex didn't quite have the same magic for me that Insignia did. It was still a good book, it just didn't have me screaming and shrieking like an excited, insane girl. Vortex had a bit of a slower start and I didn't get fully sucked into the book until half way or 3/4 of the way through.
I kind of had a love/hate relationship with Tom in this book. He definitely came across very immature at times. It almost made me wonder, Was he always like this and am I only now noticing it? Or is this just a new thing in Vortex?
Tom could just be so arrogant, so cocky, and not consider the consequences of his actions. His teachers would specifically tell him, "Don't do this, it's dangerous." Then he would turn around and do it, and something bad would happen (as promised). Another example: now that he is no longer a plebe, he and Vik got together and chased the plebes out of the common room area so they could have it all to themselves, just because "they could". He just acted like an arrogant prick a lot of the time.
But on the other hand, I do really admire how he refused to suck up to the big corporate guys. Many of those guys were legitimately bad people, and I really appreciated that Tom didn't kiss their asses just for the sake of his career. Instead, he acknowledged that they were bad guys and didn't let them push him around, and didn't take any crap from them. He told them exactly what he thought of them, and it was awesome.
My other frustration was with Medusa; her relationship with Tom was like whiplash. It was an annoying cycle of: they're fighting, they don't talk for weeks, they make up, later in that conversation Tom screws it up and they fight again, they don't talk for weeks, etc. Rinse and repeat. As a result, it felt like Medusa was barely in the book and just popped in and out at seemingly random times. At least whenever Medusa did make an appearance she was kicking some serious ass.
Although the beginning of the book was only 'okay' for me, things really picked up at the end. The corruption and conspiracies finally started to unravel, driving some excitement into the story. There was more defiance, rebellion, and more "big reveals". Those were the bits I finally loved!
Overall, I guess Vortex had a stronger focus on the politics. We learn more about the corporations that sponsor the fighters and what stakes they have in the war. It's interesting information, but it wasn't always the most exciting.
I am a bit bummed that I didn't enjoy Vortex quite as much as Insignia , but it was still a pretty good book.
March 16, 2014
*Genre* YA, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
15-year old Thomas Raines, trainee for the US Intrasolar Forces, is back in the sequel to Insignia. This time around, the dangers are more pronounced, the villains are out in the open, the odds are getting increasingly more challenging, and Tom will stand with his friends (Vikram Ashwan, Wyatt Enslow, and Yuri Sysevich) against the Coalition of Multinational Corporations who controls the globe and determines whether or not you are able to become a combat pilot or be washed out.
I would say that I enjoyed Vortex the same as Insignia, but there were issues. The issues all pertained to Tom's immaturity and the fact that he overestimates his abilities and is more reckless and dangerous than anyone can predict. While his friends all stand by him, you have to wonder how much pain and suffering they can continue to handle by being his friend. I would eventually like to see a resolution between Tom and Medusa to one that I can be satisfied with. As it is now, Tom has his hands full, and Medusa is left out in the cold even though she is clearly the more badass character.
I will say that I did laugh at times while reading this book. The continued role playing, the war games against fellow trainees was interesting and fun even though there are clearly people who hate him, and want him washed out of the program. I even liked the friendship aspects between the 4 main players as well as the challenges that being Tom's friend brings with it. There is, of course, lots of hi-jinks as well and churlish boy behavior that comes from being a teenaged boy. You have to expect that kind of behavior when you are reading a book about immature teenagers who haven't exactly had the best home life, and their parents are complete and utter messes.
I will also say this about Vortex, there is an underlying message that I believe the author is trying to expound. That is that nobody should bow down to anyone (Hear that OBAMA?) including celebrities, sports players, politicians, world leaders, and those who have billions of dollars and believe they can tell someone to jump at a moments notice and we are to walk quietly into that good night. I am actually behind this message. I don't bow to anyone, nor will I ever suck up to anyone just to get ahead in this world. I think Tom is also a firm believer in this as well along with his father Neil and does everything he can to get under the skin of those who think they are better than him.
Tom's war against Joseph Vengerov, the other CEO's, as well as Tom's fellow trainees and Lieutenant Blackburn, should be interesting to read about in the final installment. The ending of Vortex, while not necessarily a glaring cliffhanger, does offer intriguing possibilities for Tom and the Intrasolar trainees.
Conclusion: Catalyst (Insignia #3) Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books
Published: July 2nd 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
15-year old Thomas Raines, trainee for the US Intrasolar Forces, is back in the sequel to Insignia. This time around, the dangers are more pronounced, the villains are out in the open, the odds are getting increasingly more challenging, and Tom will stand with his friends (Vikram Ashwan, Wyatt Enslow, and Yuri Sysevich) against the Coalition of Multinational Corporations who controls the globe and determines whether or not you are able to become a combat pilot or be washed out.
I would say that I enjoyed Vortex the same as Insignia, but there were issues. The issues all pertained to Tom's immaturity and the fact that he overestimates his abilities and is more reckless and dangerous than anyone can predict. While his friends all stand by him, you have to wonder how much pain and suffering they can continue to handle by being his friend. I would eventually like to see a resolution between Tom and Medusa to one that I can be satisfied with. As it is now, Tom has his hands full, and Medusa is left out in the cold even though she is clearly the more badass character.
I will say that I did laugh at times while reading this book. The continued role playing, the war games against fellow trainees was interesting and fun even though there are clearly people who hate him, and want him washed out of the program. I even liked the friendship aspects between the 4 main players as well as the challenges that being Tom's friend brings with it. There is, of course, lots of hi-jinks as well and churlish boy behavior that comes from being a teenaged boy. You have to expect that kind of behavior when you are reading a book about immature teenagers who haven't exactly had the best home life, and their parents are complete and utter messes.
I will also say this about Vortex, there is an underlying message that I believe the author is trying to expound. That is that nobody should bow down to anyone (Hear that OBAMA?) including celebrities, sports players, politicians, world leaders, and those who have billions of dollars and believe they can tell someone to jump at a moments notice and we are to walk quietly into that good night. I am actually behind this message. I don't bow to anyone, nor will I ever suck up to anyone just to get ahead in this world. I think Tom is also a firm believer in this as well along with his father Neil and does everything he can to get under the skin of those who think they are better than him.
Tom's war against Joseph Vengerov, the other CEO's, as well as Tom's fellow trainees and Lieutenant Blackburn, should be interesting to read about in the final installment. The ending of Vortex, while not necessarily a glaring cliffhanger, does offer intriguing possibilities for Tom and the Intrasolar trainees.
Conclusion: Catalyst (Insignia #3) Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books
Published: July 2nd 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
November 24, 2016
Tom Raines is now a Middle at the Pentagonal Spire. Along with it comes many roles and responsibilities. He is exposed to an armoury filled with suits and weapons. He faces meet-and-greets with the multinational corporations in attempts at obtaining a sponsor. His meetings with Medusa are becoming more dangerous as they risk revealing what they can do. There are mysterious security breaches at the Spire. A new power-hungry foe is introduced and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Vortex is filled to the brim with new and exciting challenges for Tom. It's a feat for the second book in a series to live up to the first (because usually the first is the best) but Vortex did just that. It continued to deliver a load of fast-paced action, with comedy and mystery. The plot was incredibly unpredictable and I loved it! Tom is a loose cannon that can't and will not be stopped!
Vortex is filled to the brim with new and exciting challenges for Tom. It's a feat for the second book in a series to live up to the first (because usually the first is the best) but Vortex did just that. It continued to deliver a load of fast-paced action, with comedy and mystery. The plot was incredibly unpredictable and I loved it! Tom is a loose cannon that can't and will not be stopped!
December 18, 2015
Actually a 4.5 because I felt like Tom was too stubborn sometimes but the plot was once again amazing!
September 1, 2015
Just WOW. This is waaaaay better than insignia. I LOVED IT
December 27, 2015
I'm enjoying this series even though its meant for the Y.A and I don't normally go for theses sort of books four out of five stars
November 14, 2021
PERO QUE HA PASADO?! Este final definitivamente no lo esperaba🤯🤯
June 30, 2017
This was an incredible sequel to Insignia and I honestly don't have words for how much I love these characters?? The long wait that I had to endure to get my hands on this book was more than worth it. I wish that more people would give this series a shot. I'm in awe right now and can't find the right words so I'm going to do a good old list of things that I loved.
○
○ WYATT. SHE'S SUCH A CINNAMON ROLL, I LOVE HER SM
○ Medusa wreaking havoc for Tom
○ Elliot, surprisingly! He's such an amazing character, I have no clue why I didn't realize before??
○ Capitol Summit scenes are good as always (more please)
○ The ending!!!!!!!!! I was so SURPRISED and at first, I was LIVID, but then I realized why it happened and I'm okay with it now!
○ I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE learning more about the Pentagonal Spire and seeing how everything works there
○ The war scenes are the coolest, I love how everything is worded
○
All in all, I need to get my hands on Catalyst ASAP!
○
○ WYATT. SHE'S SUCH A CINNAMON ROLL, I LOVE HER SM
○ Medusa wreaking havoc for Tom
○ Elliot, surprisingly! He's such an amazing character, I have no clue why I didn't realize before??
○ Capitol Summit scenes are good as always (more please)
○ The ending!!!!!!!!! I was so SURPRISED and at first, I was LIVID, but then I realized why it happened and I'm okay with it now!
○ I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE learning more about the Pentagonal Spire and seeing how everything works there
○ The war scenes are the coolest, I love how everything is worded
○
All in all, I need to get my hands on Catalyst ASAP!
April 17, 2019
Tom annoyed me many times in this book. He has a computer in his brain, and yet he can't seem to make good decisions. Since the author failed to add his horrible thought process to the book, I'll show it here:
Tom in front of the CEO's: "Hmm.....my pride is more important than my life. Here, let me just insult this CEO, threaten these people, flood this place with sewage...Yes, I'm sure that that will do wonders for my future. I am so smart!"
Tom, watching Heather die: "I just witnessed a murder. Should I tell anyone about it, Computer-Brain? No? That's a great idea. I am a genius."
Tom, with Medusa: "Well, my life and sanity are always in danger. Should I be focusing on things that are truly important, or should I develop feelings for this possibly-suspicious person I've never met? Oh, why am I asking anyway? Definitely the latter!"
You get the idea. For being a superhuman with a computer in your brain, Tom, you sure aren't smart.
I don't know what else to say about this book. It was just...okay.
Tom in front of the CEO's: "Hmm.....my pride is more important than my life. Here, let me just insult this CEO, threaten these people, flood this place with sewage...Yes, I'm sure that that will do wonders for my future. I am so smart!"
Tom, watching Heather die: "I just witnessed a murder. Should I tell anyone about it, Computer-Brain? No? That's a great idea. I am a genius."
Tom, with Medusa: "Well, my life and sanity are always in danger. Should I be focusing on things that are truly important, or should I develop feelings for this possibly-suspicious person I've never met? Oh, why am I asking anyway? Definitely the latter!"
You get the idea. For being a superhuman with a computer in your brain, Tom, you sure aren't smart.
I don't know what else to say about this book. It was just...okay.
August 17, 2018
S. J. Kincaid no decepciona en su pluma. En esta segunda parte sigue con su fantastica aventura. Nos muestra toda la ciencia ficcion de la que es capaz de lograr y como la enfoca y la mezcla causando fascinacion y adiccion al lector.
Una nueva aventura en la que Tom nos muestra que su valentia y su espiritu de siempre hacer lo que mejor le parezca lo lleva a vivir las mejores aventuras al lado de sus amigos y su entrañable Medusa.
Sin duda es un libro que recomiendo y espero pronto terminar esta genial saga.
Pronto les tendré la reseña en el blog.
Una nueva aventura en la que Tom nos muestra que su valentia y su espiritu de siempre hacer lo que mejor le parezca lo lleva a vivir las mejores aventuras al lado de sus amigos y su entrañable Medusa.
Sin duda es un libro que recomiendo y espero pronto terminar esta genial saga.
Pronto les tendré la reseña en el blog.
January 3, 2025
La verdad sí se me hizo un poco pesado casi la mitad del libro pero ya pasado ese punto, se puso on fire la cosaaaaa. Con todo y todo Tom sí tuvo un desarrollo de personaje en este segundo libro y por fin aprendió de sus errores. Está muy completo, porque tiene toques de comedia y romance que 10/10. Sí recomiendo leerlo con otra persona para ir comentando en tiempo real como lo hice yo y así poder seguir la historia con emoción extra.
September 2, 2013
4.5 Stars. LOVED the continuation of this story. Lots of twists and (very) unexpected turns! Full review to come <3
"You outrank me.
You shouldn't call me 'Sir.' "
--SJ Kincaid, Vortex
I love me some sci-fi. I mean, seriously. The science talk. The geek vibe. The battles. Everything I love about sci-fi and Insignia was present in Vortex. All our characters are back in full swing…and with a lot of surpises.
The plot of Vortex picks up and continues to show us how this war is being fought. With Tom, Ashwan, and Wyatt all as Middles, we see more intricate science at work and the weapons engineered in this futuristic world. I love reading about them training. I can’t get enough of the high-tech toys they get to play, er, learn how to use responsibly… We get to see the inner workings of the different power players of companies that are funding the war. And a lot of crazy stuff happens after that, but I will not spoil the plot.
Tom continues to be Tom in the way that he doesn’t take no shit from anyone. I like this kid. While he alienates most people and his action, 9 times out of 10, would have me screaming at him for being so insolent…I just didn’t have it in me. The rationale behind why Tom acts the way he does is pretty right on. He also brings up a lot of good points about how society is run. He discusses at multiple times how he refuses to show blind adoration for the people running the Multi National Corporations. He brings up the point of, why does he have to bow or grovel at the feet of these billionaires simply because they are…billionaires. It makes complete sense. While it would be easy to be polite and suck up to these people, I give Tom mad respect for not doing it. It is so true. Just because you have a lot of money does not make you better than anyone else. So, why should everyone worship the ground you walk on and tiptoe on eggshells to make sure they only falter you? It’s stupid. And society is stupid for believing this. This is similar to the reason why I hate celebrities and actors. Why in the hell should people worship you just because you make movies? Big fucking deal. How about we worship the fire fighter, policemen, and doctors who save lives everyday? Those should be the millionaires—sorry, I digress. But it’s true.
It’s hard to talk more about the plot and what I liked without giving too much away so I’ll say this. Wyatt continues to astound me and totally kick ass. Ashwan is hilarious and, to be honest, the moments between the friends are my favorites. Their banter and quiet moments are just not to be missed. Hilarious. Yuri plays a bigger role than I ever expected. Elliot also continues to surprise me and I found myself liking him SO much more in this book. He is really quite wise and a really good guy. Heather is vapid and excruciatingly manipulative. She drives me nuts. Blackburn…is hard to read. He’s got a lot more going on than you think and he never ceases to surprise me in both good and bad ways.
I think this was a fantastic follow-up to Insignia. The science is amazing. The characters continue to make me laugh and love them. A LOT of surprises. The plot twists and turns and I have no idea what I’m going to be reading next in this story…and I love that. It can go anywhere. I can’t believe we only have one book left!! Can’t wait until next year!
Should You Read This? Yes! Sci-fi lovers. Lovers of Insignia. This sequel will not disappoint.
"You outrank me.
You shouldn't call me 'Sir.' "
--SJ Kincaid, Vortex
I love me some sci-fi. I mean, seriously. The science talk. The geek vibe. The battles. Everything I love about sci-fi and Insignia was present in Vortex. All our characters are back in full swing…and with a lot of surpises.
The plot of Vortex picks up and continues to show us how this war is being fought. With Tom, Ashwan, and Wyatt all as Middles, we see more intricate science at work and the weapons engineered in this futuristic world. I love reading about them training. I can’t get enough of the high-tech toys they get to play, er, learn how to use responsibly… We get to see the inner workings of the different power players of companies that are funding the war. And a lot of crazy stuff happens after that, but I will not spoil the plot.
Tom continues to be Tom in the way that he doesn’t take no shit from anyone. I like this kid. While he alienates most people and his action, 9 times out of 10, would have me screaming at him for being so insolent…I just didn’t have it in me. The rationale behind why Tom acts the way he does is pretty right on. He also brings up a lot of good points about how society is run. He discusses at multiple times how he refuses to show blind adoration for the people running the Multi National Corporations. He brings up the point of, why does he have to bow or grovel at the feet of these billionaires simply because they are…billionaires. It makes complete sense. While it would be easy to be polite and suck up to these people, I give Tom mad respect for not doing it. It is so true. Just because you have a lot of money does not make you better than anyone else. So, why should everyone worship the ground you walk on and tiptoe on eggshells to make sure they only falter you? It’s stupid. And society is stupid for believing this. This is similar to the reason why I hate celebrities and actors. Why in the hell should people worship you just because you make movies? Big fucking deal. How about we worship the fire fighter, policemen, and doctors who save lives everyday? Those should be the millionaires—sorry, I digress. But it’s true.
It’s hard to talk more about the plot and what I liked without giving too much away so I’ll say this. Wyatt continues to astound me and totally kick ass. Ashwan is hilarious and, to be honest, the moments between the friends are my favorites. Their banter and quiet moments are just not to be missed. Hilarious. Yuri plays a bigger role than I ever expected. Elliot also continues to surprise me and I found myself liking him SO much more in this book. He is really quite wise and a really good guy. Heather is vapid and excruciatingly manipulative. She drives me nuts. Blackburn…is hard to read. He’s got a lot more going on than you think and he never ceases to surprise me in both good and bad ways.
I think this was a fantastic follow-up to Insignia. The science is amazing. The characters continue to make me laugh and love them. A LOT of surprises. The plot twists and turns and I have no idea what I’m going to be reading next in this story…and I love that. It can go anywhere. I can’t believe we only have one book left!! Can’t wait until next year!
Should You Read This? Yes! Sci-fi lovers. Lovers of Insignia. This sequel will not disappoint.
July 5, 2013
For this review and more visit my blog
I am a big fan the first book in this series and so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Vortex. It didn’t disappoint and was just as good as Insignia.
Tom and his friends have spent the summer away from the pentagonal spire but now they are back together again for their second year. Everything starts well but it soon becomes clear that someone is working against the pentagonal spire. Loyalties and friendships are tested as Tom tries to find a way to do what’s right without destroying his future.
In many ways Vortex is much like Insignia, it still has the smart prose, moments that made me laugh until I cried and wacky simulations that I enjoy so much. Yet in other ways it was completely different. It had a darker side to it and was a lot more dangerous. The whole book essentially focuses on facing the consequences of your actions and every character has one or more demon to face. The characters are growing up and realising that they are not as invincible as they thought they were. There was also a hint of rebellion that ran through the book and got much stronger towards the end giving us a taste of what the next book in the series could be about.
The writing was yet again sublime. S.J Kincaid had to be one of my favourite voices in YA at the moment. She writes with great precision and knows when to make her readers laugh and when to tone it down. She is imaginative and brave with her choices and is an expert at describing scenes of a science fiction or technological nature without confusing the reader.
Another thing she is great at is creating characters. This story is told from Tom’s POV but all the other characters around him are just as important. All of them are well built and complex none are perfect there are things to like and dislike about each of them.
Tom is…to be hones a pain. He is so arrogant and up himself at times it is almost unbearable. But he pays for it in this book and some hard lessons are learned. Despite his issues when push comes to shove he would risk anything to save the people he cares about and I love that side of him.
Another stand out character is Blackburn. I am not 100% sure if I am supposed to like him or not but I can’t help it I really, really like him. He is so complex, on one had he is a maniac, a torturer and villain. On the other he is a teacher, a mentor and protector. His relationship with Wyatt is sweet and almost loving but his relationship with Tom is tempestuous and unclear. It is his relationship with Tom and the way that that relationship changes which is one of the more interesting factors of this book. Love or hate Blackburn he plays a huge part in this book and I think he will have a massive part to play in how this series eventually ends.
Vortex is a fun and imaginative read that I really enjoyed. I am so happy to see this series remaining strong and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book when it comes out next year.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I am a big fan the first book in this series and so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Vortex. It didn’t disappoint and was just as good as Insignia.
Tom and his friends have spent the summer away from the pentagonal spire but now they are back together again for their second year. Everything starts well but it soon becomes clear that someone is working against the pentagonal spire. Loyalties and friendships are tested as Tom tries to find a way to do what’s right without destroying his future.
In many ways Vortex is much like Insignia, it still has the smart prose, moments that made me laugh until I cried and wacky simulations that I enjoy so much. Yet in other ways it was completely different. It had a darker side to it and was a lot more dangerous. The whole book essentially focuses on facing the consequences of your actions and every character has one or more demon to face. The characters are growing up and realising that they are not as invincible as they thought they were. There was also a hint of rebellion that ran through the book and got much stronger towards the end giving us a taste of what the next book in the series could be about.
The writing was yet again sublime. S.J Kincaid had to be one of my favourite voices in YA at the moment. She writes with great precision and knows when to make her readers laugh and when to tone it down. She is imaginative and brave with her choices and is an expert at describing scenes of a science fiction or technological nature without confusing the reader.
Another thing she is great at is creating characters. This story is told from Tom’s POV but all the other characters around him are just as important. All of them are well built and complex none are perfect there are things to like and dislike about each of them.
Tom is…to be hones a pain. He is so arrogant and up himself at times it is almost unbearable. But he pays for it in this book and some hard lessons are learned. Despite his issues when push comes to shove he would risk anything to save the people he cares about and I love that side of him.
Another stand out character is Blackburn. I am not 100% sure if I am supposed to like him or not but I can’t help it I really, really like him. He is so complex, on one had he is a maniac, a torturer and villain. On the other he is a teacher, a mentor and protector. His relationship with Wyatt is sweet and almost loving but his relationship with Tom is tempestuous and unclear. It is his relationship with Tom and the way that that relationship changes which is one of the more interesting factors of this book. Love or hate Blackburn he plays a huge part in this book and I think he will have a massive part to play in how this series eventually ends.
Vortex is a fun and imaginative read that I really enjoyed. I am so happy to see this series remaining strong and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book when it comes out next year.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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