Book Review: Proxy by Alex London

Proxy
Proxy #1
Author: Alex London
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian
Released: June 18th 2013
Review Source: Philomel

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.

In the age of Hunger Games we find many dystopian-based novels trying to glean a lot of the fame from the HG success. Like with Twilight and Harry Potter we also find many books with the same basis like supernatural love and magical coming of age. But it’s when you find a novel that can use one of those bases to its advantage as a means to create an amazing story then you truly have a fantastic book. Alex London, a new author on the rise, takes on the dystopian genre and gives his own fresh twist. With a blazingly fast writing style, dramatic suspense, and of course gripping action, Proxy has the foundation to be an immense series.

​Starting us off in Proxy we find a daunting world that could be a premise for ours in the future. On future earth we find a world built around debt. With a high upper class using the poor to deal with their crime and follies you have a system bound to fail. Which brings us to the main character Syd who sadly is a poverty and debt stricken guy. Known as a proxy, Syd has a debt in which he pays of by receiving physical punishments for crimes committed by his patron. One day however, his Patron goes to far and someone dies starting an unimaginable journey filled with lies and danger. In Proxy, London creates a dark and gritty world but fills it with characters that bring somewhat of a light to the darkness. With diverse people and unique settings it’s easy to loose yourself in the pages of this book. In fact, my only qualm is that London almost goes to fast through the novel and I wish there was more description and detail. That though remains a very trivial setback to an otherwise stunning book. This book shall be the vision of what’s to come from the sensational author that is Alex London.