S.J. Kincaid’s books hold a special place in my heart. Her debut novel, Insignia, hooked me on young adult novels at a time when my bookshelf was crammed with R.J Palacio’s Wonder and Grace Lin’s The Year of The Rat. Medusa, a character in Insignia, was my role model for the longest time, and “Die slowly, Tom,” is immortalized as one of my often-used figures of speech.
When I heard that S.J. Kincaid is releasing a new book on November 1, I wasn’t sure how to feel. While some writers never fail to produce a book worthy of endless five star reviews, the writing equivalent of one-hit wonders are common enough in the publishing industry to have instilled me with a deep-seated suspicion of books that, well, fit the description of S.J. Kincaid’s newest book. And I’ll admit that when I started The Diabolic, I did so with a large dose of wariness.
But when I finished The Diabolic, I found that all of my worries about being disappointed were for naught. Featuring a plot as intricate as the butterfly on the cover, The Diabolic is an exhilarating read. The setting of The Diabolic is absolutely breathtaking, and I felt like I was witnessing the deepening political schemes and unfolding intrigue by Nemesis’s side. S.J. Kincaid writes such powerful female characters (see above: Medusa), and Nemesis is nothing short of extraordinary. I loved everything about this book, and my only complaint is that this novel is a standalone.
If you haven’t read S.J. Kincaid’s work, I can’t recommend it enough. The Diabolic is the perfect book for fans of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising and Amy Tintera’s Reboot, and video game fans will fall in love with the Insignia trilogy’s fast-paced action and hilarious wit.
Hicklebee’s is honored to host S.J. Kincaid on November 1st at 7pm. Hope to see you there!
The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
Red Queen meets The Hunger Games in this epic novel about what happens when the galaxy’s most deadly weapon masquerades as a senator’s daughter and a hostage of the galactic court.
A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.
