In a dystopian world wars are fought not with humans but with drones against drones in space. These drones are controlled remotely by the most talented and intuitive individuals of each country. The plot line follows Thomas Raines, a child genius of sorts who dominates in video games but comes from a broken and uneven childhood. He supports him and his father by hustling people with video games. It is through this activity that he is recruited for a mysterious and elite program run by the government. At the Pentagonal Spire they are trained with the hopes of becoming a sought after combatant in these intergalactic wars. He adjusts to his new life as a trainee, but soon finds out that his adventure will be much dynamic than he could have ever hoped for.
As a review for all three books in this series and for this book in particular I have to say these books are really quality. I have read quite a few books this year and insignia is definitely my favorite in the Sci-Fi category. It really hits all the nails on the head for me; the seamless and exciting integration of technology, the great portrayal of relatable protagonist, and a eerily realistic dystopian future filled with corporations and greed. Honestly when I read this book I read it for 3 hours straight without putting it down. Out of the series the 1st and 3rd were my favorite but the 2nd is still a solid read. If you enjoy books like "Ender's Game" or "The Maze Runner" or "Ready Player One", then I definitely would recommend investing some time in this book.
