The Diabolic = space politics + deadly empathy + “I’ll kill everyone for you” energy.
Following the success of Insignia , Kincaid ventured into even darker territory with . This series pivoted from military training to a sprawling, space-faring empire modeled after the Roman Empire, where religion and science are at odds. s.j. kincaid
Unlike many YA series where the hero is a "Chosen One," Kincaid’s Tom is a product of his environment—pragmatic, sometimes amoral, and deeply scarred by poverty. Furthermore, the technology is genuinely inventive. The neural processors allow pilots to "skin" (take over the senses of other people) and enter virtual reality arenas that feel like a gritty, corporatized version of The Matrix . The Diabolic = space politics + deadly empathy
Here is where flips the YA script entirely. Nemesis is not a good person. She is a literal monster learning to simulate humanity. She does not struggle with morality because she is a hero; she struggles because she has no morality and is forced to fake it. Unlike many YA series where the hero is
With The Diabolic , Kincaid demonstrated her range. The book deals with themes of class, humanity, and the performance of identity. Nemesis must impersonate her mistress, Sidonia, navigating the treacherous Imperial court. The central question of the novel—is a manufactured being capable of real emotion and humanity?—is handled with nuance and care.
She is not writing about the world we hope to have. She is writing about the world we are currently building—a world of algorithms, corporate control, and blurred humanity—and handing the keys to the rebels and the monsters.