Proxy

by Alex London Narrated by Andrew Sweeney

Overview

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.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

London (the Accidental Adventures series) moves from middle-grade to YA with an entertaining throwback to ’70s dystopias like Logan’s Run, offering intriguing moral dilemmas amid breakneck action. Knox is a spoiled rich kid who spends his time doing drugs, seducing girls, and occasionally stealing a car for a joyride. He has nothing to worry about, because whenever he gets in trouble, it’s his Proxy—a slum resident and tech genius named Syd—who pays the price, since he’s tied to Knox as a result of crippling debt he was born into. When Knox’s recklessness gets his latest conquest killed, the consequences and the boys’ reactions lead to fast-paced chases, conspiratorial revelations, and assorted twists. London has no qualms about killing off his characters, major or minor, and the matter-of-fact presence of a gay lead (Syd) in an action-driven story is welcome and overdue. Some scenes (like Syd’s early escape from “justice”) over-rely on coincidence or tech that fails in just the right way, but the novel’s ethical questions, tense relationships, and exciting battles will carry readers swiftly through. Ages 12–up. Agent: Robert Guinsler, Sterling Lord Literistic. (June)

From the Publisher

Rave Reviews for Proxy

“I fell in love with this story from the first sentence to the final, epic page. London is a force to be reckoned with.” —Marie Lu, author of the Legend trilogy
 
“A fast-paced dystopian novel which should appeal to readers of the Hunger Games.” —VOYA
 
“Not only is Proxy an edge-of-your-seat literary thrill ride, it’s an important and groundbreaking novel as well…London has crafted a true tour de force.” —Matt de la Peña, author of Mexican White Boy
 
 “A big twist and heroic ending will leave readers eager for more” —Shelf Awareness
 
“Offering intriguing moral dilemmas amid breakneck action…The matter-of-fact presence of a gay lead [Syd] in an action driven story is welcome and overdue.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“An action-packed thrill ride.” —SLJ

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—Knox is a "patron," a privileged and wealthy citizen of Mountain City. His only concerns are hacking, scoring with girls, and causing trouble while angering his bigwig dad. His proxy, a person who is contractually obligated to serve out Knox's punishments, is a gay teen. In exchange for working as a proxy, Syd is able to pay off his debts. When Knox accidentally kills a girl, 16 years at the Old Sterling Work Colony is too great a punishment for Syd to bear, so he escapes. An action-packed thrill ride ensues where Syd meets up with Knox, who helps him flee. As the pair dive further into their escape plan, new truths are revealed and a growing birthmark that preoccupies Syd turns out to be a secret message uploaded into his DNA by his father. Proxy is full of plot twists, and London creates a well-developed dystopian world. Initially, readers will have to overlook coincidental circumstances, such as the fact that Syd and Knox meet when their society forbids it and that they both play important roles in their world. However, the story's rhythm and complexities rush readers through these liberties, and London's novel will grab readers. Recommend it to students who are interested in tech-laden, dystopian science fiction.—Adrienne L. Strock, Chicago Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

Sixteen-year-old Syd is a good guy; but he's "proxy" to a "patron," so Syd has to pay for someone else's crimes. In a post-apocalyptic, near future, gay teen Sydney Carton was a "swampcat" orphan from the eastern wastes of what was once America. The Benevolent Society rescued him, named him after the Dickens character and charged him for the rescue as well as his future education. (Two other orphans are named Tom Sawyer and Atticus Finch.) To repay that debt, they assigned him to be a proxy for Knox Brindle, whose father runs the powerful SecuriTech company. Whenever Knox acts up, Syd is punished, sometimes violently. When Knox's antics kill a girl, Syd's sentenced to years of hard labor on top of the debt he still owes. Fed up, Syd escapes and accidentally comes face to face with Knox, who's beginning to wonder if he isn't the one who owes a debt to his proxy. As the boys avoid the Guardians, they discover that the secret to forgiving everyone's debts may be in Syd's blood. Accidental Adventures author London drops his first initial for his teen debut, a smart, stylish science-fiction thriller that deftly weaves big issues like guilt, accidents of birth, redemption and commerce into a page-turning read. Whipping Boy + Blade Runner with a sprinkling of The Hunger Games (plus, of course, a dash of A Tale of Two Cities) = a treat for teen SF fans. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171815615
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	06/18/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Read an Excerpt

PROXY    By Alex London         “Both were being denied their childhoods: the prince by a smothering excess of privilege, [the whipping boy] by none at all.”—Sid Fleischman   “In the… landscape ahead, you will either create the software or you will be the software.” —Douglas Rushkoff1
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Proxy"
by .
Copyright © 2014 Alex London.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Young Readers Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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