Vortex

Gr 8 Up—In this sequel to Insignia (HarperCollins, 2012), Tom Raines still has many lessons to learn about politics in the Intrasolar Forces. Back at the Pentagonal Spire, he and his friends continue their training as superhuman government-weapons-in-training. Even though he has been promoted from Plebe to Middle, Tom knows he will need one of the multinational corporations to sponsor him if he ever wants to advance to Combatant. Unfortunately, after a series of disastrous meet and greets with the corporate VIPs, Tom alienates them all, severely damaging his prospects. The teen persists in furthering his friendship with the lead enemy fighter, Medusa. He's offered a chance to redeem himself and gain sponsorship through Obsidian Corp., but at Medusa's expense. And he's starting to suspect that when he and his friends unscrambled a fellow classmate's neural processor, they made a very bad choice. This action-packed novel delivers intrigue right out of the gate. Tom and his friends' interactions and dialogue are more natural and believable than in the first book, making these characters more memorable. There are still moments of forced dialogue, and some characters are over-the-top. However, readers who endured the length of the first entry will enjoy the action of this installment and will eagerly anticipate the next.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ