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    Proxy
    Audiobook8 hours

    Proxy

    Written by Alex London

    Narrated by Andrew Sweeney

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The adventure novel of the year! Inspired by The Whipping Boy and Feed, this adrenaline-fueled thriller will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games for its razor-sharp insights into the nature of human survival and its clever writing.

    Knox was born into one of the City's wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want-the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

    Syd is a Proxy.  His life is not his own.

    Then again, neither is Knox's. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox's father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys' resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

    A fast-paced, thrill-ride of novel full of non-stop action, heart-hammering suspense and true friendship-just as moving as it is exhilarating. Fans of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, James Dashner's Maze Runner, Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series, and Marie Lu's Legend will be swept away by this story.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJun 18, 2013
    ISBN9781101623640
    Unavailable
    Proxy
    Author

    Alex London

    Alex London is the acclaimed author of more than thirty books for children and teens, including the picture book Still Life, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. His middle grade novels include The Princess Protection Program, Search & Rescue, Dog Tags, and two titles in the 39 Clues series. For young adults, he’s the author of the cyberpunk duology Proxy and the epic fantasy series Black Wings Beating, which were both named to numerous best-of-the-year lists. He has been a journalist and human rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman. He lives with his husband, daughter, and hound dog in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  

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    Reviews for Proxy

    4/5

    144 ratings21 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Knox is the son of a wealthy man in this dystopian tale set some time in the future when much of North America is uninhabitable. Syd is a poor "proxy" for Knox. Syd is in debt to Knox's father and takes all punishment for Knox's misdeeds, and Knox has plenty of those. Knox gets into a car wreck which claims the life of a young girl and Syd is sentenced to be punished for this crime. A chance encounter leads Knox and Syd on the run where an unlikely respect develops.This book is full of surprises, is a quick read, and was highly enjoyable. The end feels a bit abrupt, but all in all, a highly recommend this book. However, the ARC I am reviewing is in need of some significant editing.
    • 4/5
      Lots of action and interesting characters.
    • 4/5
      Proxy reads like a dystopian retelling of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Class, luxuries, technology, medical care, debt, and housing separate the rich from the poor. I liked this book. I feel like there could be a sequel, but there doesn’t have to be. Not all questions have to be answered. All I could think about after I finished this was single words, impressions from the book. I put them in a poem. It sums up my feelings rather nicely, I think.

      Proxy
      delegate, envoy,
      agent, representative,
      Privacy

      Debt
      owed, interest,
      fees, repayment,
      Collateral

      Earn
      work, wages,
      purchase, labor,
      Deserve

      Sacrifice
      offering, donation,
      victim, propitiation,
      Jubilee
    • 4/5
      Well I started this at 10 last night and stayed up until 3 am finishing it and then stayed up until 3:30 crying over that ending. If that doesn't say what I thought about it I don't know what will
    • 5/5
      Amazing !!!
    • 3/5
      Syd is the punishment proxy for a rich boy, Knox. When Knox breaks a family heirloom, Syd gets tased. When Knox skips class, Syd gets beaten. And when Knox kills a classmate in a car accident, Syd has to serve his life sentence.

      But this is one step too far for Syd, who has always played by the rules in hopes of ending his debt slavery early. He breaks out of prison, takes Knox as a hostage, and forces him on the run with him. The boys are hunted by Knox's father, bounty hunters, the Guardians, and the crazy rebel group that thinks Syd's blood has the power to destroy all DNA-linked debt.

      Deals with tough issues but is a little light weight...but that's probably appropriate for a younger audience than me.
    • 4/5
      A YA dystopian novel about a (post unknown-cataclysmic American) society wherein the difference between the monied and the poor is almost unfathomably vast, everyone lives on one extreme or the other, and the rich can buy the debt of the poor in exchange for the poor receiving any punishment the rich incur. Technology and capitalism have taken over to the point where individuals are inundated with highly personalized advertising at all times (sounds kind of scarily plausible, doesn't it?). There's an underground movement to erase all debt and rebuild society, and Syd, our protag, is somehow important to them (why is much of the plot--spoilers). Decent adventure and world building, some good adolescent coming-to-terms-with-the-world-you-were-born-into stuff, brilliant illustration of privilege (without any preaching), and points for diversity in YA for a gay POC protag. Dragged a wee bit in the middle for me, but dystopian fic is not my thing, so YMMV, especially if you do like dystopias in your reading.
    • 4/5
      This book is indeed hyped up (on the reading list for Texas Lone Stars) and rightfully so. While I agree with a prior reviewer that the world-building is lacking, this fast-paced book combines thoughtful plot action with unique, and realistic, characters. I, as well, had high expectations, and found myself reading the book whenever I could. Is it as good as Hunger Games? No, but you should read this.
    • 2/5
      Kind of a Whipping Boy for Gay males....
    • 4/5
      This book had so many moments that really make me wonder why I've rated this four stars instead of five...but...here we go.

      I love the idea of a gay main character. This is, in fact, the reason that I picked the book up. To have a gay main character, who isn't reduced to his sexuality, is a godsend for YA lit. Particularly when the gay character is a fully fleshed out character, who acts and behaves like a human. I would rather have stayed in Syd's head for the entire book.

      I hate to say it, but Knox is the reason this is getting four stars. It took me almost the entire book to be able to deal with Knox without punching him in the face. He's obnoxious, ignorant, and self-absorbed. To be fair, he's a product of his society, but there are other patrons out there who aren't as much of a jerk. You don't find out his motivations until much further in the book and the ending, if you relate it to how you first saw him, would seem that much more jarring without character development.

      Yes, character development. This author is quite good at that. He keeps you interested in the characters and empathizing with them.

      There are a few editing problems here and there, with extra words or incorrect words, making me wonder how closely the editor poured over the manuscript. I know, it's a nitpick, but errors like that detract from my reading and jerk me right back out of the book.

      The overall plot is intriguing, if a little disturbing. It almost falls under the line of Unwind, which is too shockingly absurd to be fully swallowed. The idea that a society would willingly subjugate and essentially enslave a group of people based upon their birth is, at times, difficult to deal with. I understand it happens in real life, but on this massive scale, one has to stop and think about it. Could we really wind up going in that direction? I'm not so sure. And it's that uncertainty that left me with a half formed suspension of disbelief.

      Speaking of suspension of disbelief, for all the character building, there wasn't sufficient world-building. I'm not sure how much the characters really knew about the world they came from-- Syd was too busy surviving and Knox was too busy being a playboy--but some background would have been good. I mean, yes, there was background, but I felt like a lot of things were glossed over in favor of pushing the story ahead. This is what contributed to my inability to completely suspend disbelief.

      The pacing in this book is really good, I have to say. The action continued right until the final page, which is not something you can typically say of most books. Unfortunately, with the next book nowhere in sight, I'll have to sigh and continue my journey with another set of protagonists of the heteronormative sort.
    • 4/5
      Proxy is a wild ride. A suspenseful dystopian page turner that re-imagines a future world full of inequity - where the rich can buy a proxy to pay for their sins. Knox is the privileged troublemaker and Syd is his proxy destined for something greater. As the story progresses with breakneck speed one realizes that under the suspense, this is really a tale of friendship with echoes of the classic A Tale of Two Cities.
    • 4/5
      In this dystopia, debt is encoded into our very systems. You are either a Patron or a Proxy. If you are a Patron, you live a lux life with the best food and medical benefits, the best schooling. However, if you do mess up, it's not you that gets punished. It is your proxy. In return for taking your punishment for you, a Proxy gets some schooling and other benefits. Knox and Syd are connected by the Patron/Proxy relationship. Knox screws up a lot, Syd just wants to get by. But when Knox makes a huge mistake, it may end up changing both their lives drastically.

      I think my favorite part about this story is that one of the main characters is gay, and it's not "the issue." The cover also may perhaps be a bit of white-washing, as Syd is black. I really enjoyed this book a lot, and am interested in reading its sequel (part one of a duet.)
    • 4/5
      When I was first sent this ARC I seemed distrustful of it. It didn't seem like there would be much, if any, romance and because of that I put of reading it. BIG MISTAKE. Proxy is one of those books that you don't immediately realize you need, but that you do. Set in a dystopian society where the rich can purchase proxies to settle their debts, Knox is a wealthy bad boy that is beyond out of control, and Syd is his proxy. In a world where the poor remain in debt to survive and the rich exploit their debts to get out of trouble, Syd is almost free from fulfilling his debt. However when Knox accidentally crashes a stolen car and kills someone in the process, it is Syd who must fulfill his punishment, except this time the stakes are higher. Finally fed up with the corrupt system Syd decides to flee for his life. Knox who finally begins to fill remorse and guilt gets entangled in the process and they both must set off to escape authorities.I love all sorts of aspects of Proxy, from the major themes to the minor details that can easily get swept away. Although it's a longer read, there is not a dull moment. Immediately the stakes are set and from that point on it's an adventure. I think my favorite aspect is the world building, because at first glance although London creates this other society, it's essentially our society at its worst. The homophobia and greed and corrupt government is so disgusting, but at the same time it's described in a way that you can't help but compare to our own society and critique it. This dystopian is filled with action, betrayals, and adventures and....OMFG there is diversity! Not only racial diversity, but also sexuality diversity. It's not just a checklist either, the characters are dynamic and complex and not at all stereotypical. The dynamic of Knox's and Syd's relationship is quite fascinating. It's so complex and it's like this living breathing thing that's constantly changing. As they embark on this journey together, they are constantly taking two steps forward, and when obstacles arise they take a couple steps back. Proxy is an absolute adventure that will have your hearts racing and make you anxious until the next installment. I'm making a bold prediction that Proxy is going to be one of the books of 2013 that everybody will be talking about.
    • 4/5
      Proxy is an interesting tale about Knox and his proxy Syd, who has been punished for all of Knox's misdeeds since he was 4. Finally Knix goes too far and Syd is sentenced to more than a few jolts of electricity. I thought the characters and setting were intriguing. The end moved a little fast for me, but still enjoyed the entire tale.
    • 4/5
      Proxy is an interesting concept of what the future could be like, through an unexpected combination of modern issues (such as the 99 percent) and the classic children's novel "The Whipping Boy." All told through the lens of a teen-friendly novel written in a unique voice that doesn't shy away from telling a compelling, though possibly controversial story.Proxy takes inspiration from The Whipping Boy, a story about a prince and his whipping boy, and how they forge an unexpected relationship. In Proxy, there are the haves and the have nots. Many of the have nots are poverty-stricken and very much in debt. In order to survive, they must sell off their debts to the haves so they can be paid off. In exchange for being "owned" by a rich family, the Proxy becomes a stand-in for their children's punishment, everything from disobeying parents to being hauled into jail for murder. Syd is a Proxy just two years away from being free. He's endured a lot as a Proxy to Knox, the highly disobedient son of a rich businessman. But things are never the same when Knox is found guilty of committing murder -and Syd is forced to take Knox's punishment. When the pair unexpectedly meet, Knox finds that Syd may not deserve to his the punishment in his place.I really thought it was interesting that the author blended a very old concept -the whipping boy, traditionally a noble boy raised with a prince to take the physical punishments in place of the prince, the hope is that the prince would develop a friendship with the whipping boy and would therefore feel bad watching him taking the prince's punishments and hopefully decide to be good -with very modern concepts of consumer debt and the "1 percent" vs. the "99 percent." What was interesting to me, as an older reader, was when these ideas were wrapped into a more teen-friendly package. At some points, I thought the book crossed the line into more adult territory, but it helped give the story more weight. While I did enjoy the more intelligent themes utilized here, I felt like the story didn't hold up as well as it went on. I started losing interest as it went on, almost like the novelty sort of wore off. I also was never a big fan of either of the main characters -Syd and Knox. I never felt sorry or emphasized with Syd, and Knox is a jerk. The writing in Proxy is strong, but I felt like it didn't hold up.A very unique, insightful and somewhat prophetic novel that has more to it than the average teen dystopian novel.
    • 5/5
      I wasn't sure if I should give this book four or five stars, but after a bit of thinking, I got to the conclusion that it deserved five stars. It may not be the best book I have ever had, but it has been quite a long time since a journey has been that much pleasant for me. Not only that, there was a lot of hype around this book, so I was reading it with somewhat high expectations and STILL, this book managed to quench my thirst for a nice Distopia. I loved pretty much every character and their strengths and weaknesses. I loved how human and varied they were. I loved the universe Alex London created for this book and yet I feel that there could have been so much more for this book. The last paragraph of Proxy made me hungry for more, and Guardian is now DEFINITELY on my wishlist.
    • 4/5
      This novel is more appropriate to high school, so it won’t be at Hutch. I do think many of you will find it interesting and may want to see if the public library has ordered it. As of March 7th, they did not have it. I borrowed it from one of the high school libraries.Knox is a rich kid in this science fiction novel of the future. There’s no government, just corporations and his father is a major player in business. Syd is a poor kid who is the proxy for Knox. In order to attend school and get money, many poor kids need patrons to pay for these advantages. The poor kid, in return, is a proxy, meaning he takes the punishment for the rich kid. In the first chapter, Knox steals a car, hacks the system in order to drive it himself (cars drive themselves) and crashes it, killing the girl he’s with. Syd, as Knox’s proxy, is promptly arrested and charged with stealing, damage, and manslaughter. With only two years left as a proxy before gaining his independence, he is justifiably upset.As the novel progresses, the reader learns about Syd’s life, Knox’s life, and the society. Society is corrupt and they need a “reset,” so to speak. The gap between rich and poor is almost insurmountable and it’s unfair. The rich kids must watch their proxies receive punishment because that is supposed to make them behave—seeing someone else suffer. Obviously, troublemakers don’t care. As the novel progresses, both Syd and Knox have to make decisions that affect the entire society.I don’t like science fiction, but I did get into this book a little. I think it will appeal more to boys, but I also think some people will refuse to read the book because the main character, Syd, is a homosexual. It’s not relevant to the plot at all and there’s zero romance in the novel. It’s merely a fact and he is bullied for it. Anyone who has read a particular famous piece of literature will immediately know how the novel is going to end. I am not telling what the novel is so that I don’t spoil anything for anyone. Therefore, I actually thought it was a good book and read it without having to make myself read science fiction.
    • 4/5
      Sydney Carton has spent his entire life in debt; his literary name an indicator of his status as an orphan. In order to pay for his education and the mandatory technology that pervades everyday life, Sydney’s life has been sold as a “proxy” to take the punishments of his wealthy patron. Knoz Brindle, on the other hand, lives a life of privilege and wealth as the son of the city’s largest security company. However, when Knox causes a car accident that kills his passenger, it is his proxy, Syd, who is to be sent to a work camp. Only two years from freedom and facing a 16-year sentence, Syd flees-and finds his patron may be his only ticket to freedom.Proxy is a refreshing read amidst current glut of YA dystopias. The story raises some genuine questions about both societal and personal debt without being too heavy handed. There’s some obvious take-thats at libertarianism, including some not-so subtle criticism of Ayn Randian objectivism too. In some ways the market-driven society is reminiscent of that in Atwood’s MaddAddam novels, but the focus here is much more on the relationship between the two boy.The story moves like a thriller, packed with action scenes that keep the story moving without getting too ridiculous. There’s some “chosen-one” stuff with Syd and his origins, but luckily it’s also not too obnoxious. It’s also nice that Syd is non-white and identifies as gay; they’re part of his character without being his only traits.Like pretty much all YA, this is made to be a series, so the ending is a bit abrupt, but there is some closure to the story. There are some awkward perspective shifts as between Syd and Knox, but this was a solid read with a lot to make it stand out.A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.
    • 3/5
      I have to start by stating that I love that the one of the main characters is a POC and doesn’t identify as heterosexual. Diversity is often lacking in YA fiction and more representation is needed.Proxy is a quick read and starts of engaging and exciting, but loses steam as the characters leave the city. The ending seemed rushed and dragged out. Overall, a great read for fans of the genre, but not a stand out.
    • 3/5
      The teen fantasy fiction novel, Proxy, by Alex London has an interesting premise—a world where people sell themselves into debt as “proxies,” people who take the punishments for the bad behavior, including crimes, committed by their “patrons,” or the people who have paid for whatever necessity the proxy needed—food, education, shelter, health care, or any form of product. The parallels that exist in our current world make the premise a frightening promise. The chapters of the novel alter between two teenage boys’ perspectives, so with no chapter title clues for the changes in point of view, some readers will struggle to understand exactly what is happening in the first few chapters, but the real weakness of the novel comes at its end. Knox is Syd’s patron. Patrons know who their Proxies are, but proxies never get to know who their Patrons are. Syd has been taking Knox’s “knocks” or punishments since the boys were five years old, but Syd is expected to serve Knox’s prison sentence after Knox accidentally kills a girl. Unwilling to make such a sacrifice, which has essentially doubled Syd’s supposed “debt” to Knox, Syd escapes, using his expertise with technology to negotiate the seedier elements of Mountain City—one of only three known cities still to exist in this version of earth. Syd’s best friend, Egan, accidentally helps Syd meet Knox, who has the technology necessary to create a new identity for Syd. Through violent crisis after crisis, Syd and Knox manage to make it all the way to the Rebooter’s headquarters in Old Detroit. Rebooters are rebels who want to eliminate the debt system, so that every human being is equal in power and economics to all others. Syd, it turns out, had a data programming father who implanted his “rebooting” program into Syd’s blood stream before dying. The major flaw in the novel comes from the fact that, while Syd’s father could inject the code into Syd’s blood, and while a blood transfusion to Knox also gives Knox the program, the only way to use the data is to burn the “chosen” boy, who is, of course, legendary to the Rebooters, into oblivion with nuclear energy. Syd, then, becomes a proxy Christ-figure, doomed to die to save humanity. London wouldn’t be able to get a sequel novel out of the idea if Syd dies, though, so Knox has to step in and die for him. Most teen fantasy novels involve unnecessary levels of violence, and Proxy is no exception.
    • 5/5
      Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.Proxy grabs you from the very start and takes you on a high stakes thrill ride to the very last page. I’m sure you will also enjoy the fact that it is a totally original story with complex characters. Do yourself a favor and grab Proxy as soon as it is released on June 18, 2013. You won’t be sorry.