Tone, Naz, and their friends and foes return for another round of adventures in IA: Union by John Darryl Winston, the third novel in a series that will grip you right from the start. I very much recommend books 1 and 2 before reading this one, otherwise you will find a lot of what is happening a bit confusing - and you would NOT want to miss all the scenes with Tone, the charming-sometimes-not-so-charming parrot. Up to now, Naz's life hasn't been easy and he had to learn that he is indeed very special - with unique powers that nobody else on the planet seems to have. He can read other people's minds and can move objects at will (which includes living beings like humans, too). In the third volume of the series, Naz and some of his friends leave the International Academy and rejoin their old mates. Naz moves into MeeChi's shop, where Tone is uncharacteristically quiet. For Naz, meeting D again is especially exciting. However, D's life also isn't the easiest. Her father is violent, and one day D disappears. For Naz, finding her is just as important as finding out the truth about a member of his family. One everyone assumed was dead. Naz's life seems to fall apart again - will he be able to put all the pieces back together?

I enjoyed reading IA: Union by John Darryl Winston just as much as the first two volumes - apart from all the sporty stuff. I'm not into sports that much, but I can't complain about how the author wrote everything. Fortunately, the story soon goes back to the more important things, like Tone. I love that parrot. How about a Tone novella? Naz is still a very likeable character and many readers will be able to identify with some aspects of his characters, e.g. the search for acceptance, and the hope to find true love that doesn't shy away from the weirder aspects of one's character. If you haven't read volume 1 and 2 yet, I hope you will pick them up together with volume 3. It'll be a great experience to read them all in one go because one is never enough. You become part of Naz's world, fall in love with some characters, fall out of love with them, maybe even hate them for a while. It's story that makes you feel involved, you care about what is happening, and that is something that makes it easy to read these novels in just a few sittings.

IA: Union by John Darryl Winston is the third installment of Winston’s science fiction/coming of age series, following IA: Initiate and IA: B.O.S.S. Readers are reunited with the book's lead character, Naz, as he attempts to put his shattered life back together after the devastating events that occurred in book two. The streets of the Exclave are as deadly as ever, and Naz struggles to find purpose and motivation to go on. After all, what does he have left? The answer and his saving grace come in the form of a girl named D. She brings color and life back to Naz's current meandering existence and, just when things seem to be taking a turn for the better, the unthinkable happens; D goes missing! After suffering so many losses, Naz is determined not to lose anyone else. He must reach within himself, embrace his growing powers, and find the strength and courage within to find D at all costs.

I found IA: Union to be another great installment to the series. I have read the other two previous books and have enjoyed seeing how Naz has grown from a scared street kid to a capable and resilient person. He has embraced and developed his newfound powers and, even when things seem dark, he somehow finds the will to go on and do the right thing. It would have been so easy for him to just give up after D is taken. I mean, he has suffered so much loss already, but no, he doesn't just throw in the towel. He takes a stand and does what's right. Such a great lesson for today's generation.