How's it going, people? As some of you may know, National Book Store will be hosting a book signing event on August 30 featuring the author Alex London. And since I've always wanted to go to a book signing, I decided to read his books. And boy, did I make the right decision! Why, you ask? Let's find out.
- Title: Proxy
- Author: Alex London
- Genre: young adult, dystopia, sci-fi, thriller,
- Pages: 384 pages (hardcover)
- Published: 18 June 2013
- Series: Proxy #1
"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."
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."
I actually had high expectations for this novel because of what I went through to find it. (Insignificant life-sharing ahead) I had to go to THREE NBS branches before finally securing a copy! What was weird was that the Saturday after they posted about the event, there were still lots of copies left but when I returned 1 week later, they were all GONE! Apparently when an author is scheduled to have a book signing event, his/her books magically vanish from the stores. Which sucks. Especially for people who need to save up first before buying (like me!).
Anyway, now that I got that out of my system let's head on to the review. In the first few pages, you are introduced to a totally advanced world-a world where human blood is like a program and could be patched whenever you want to change something on your body. The first few chapters themselves are a great kickstarter for the novel because of how action-packed it is. And I loved how Proxy did not have dull moments. You either enjoy the action or find yourself wanting to know what happens next because of the suspense and mysteries. It is hard to put down.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT!
I would want to tell you something special about Proxy and I want you to know that I do not want to offend anybody and that I am trying to write without offending anyone the best way I can. Proxy's protagonist, Syd, is gay. However it does not turn the novel into a Gay YA novel. That's just a part of his identity. It does not play a major role in the story but it turns out to be a pretty good way of introducing/promoting the gay community to younger audiences like me. I loved how it wasn't such a big part of the story and that you won't consider it as a big deal when reading Proxy. Even though I'm straight, I read Proxy comfortably and enjoyed it. I mean, what's the matter with him being gay? He's a sci-fi action star! Not that I'm saying that there's something wrong with being gay. It's just that some straight people tend to be uncomfortable or worse: narrow-minded when it comes to these kinds of genres. But I think they are just being too overwhelmed with the difference between straight people and the lgbt community. This novel is perfect for those people to understand/accept the gay community without being too overwhelmed.
What I loved most about Proxy is that you get to really see character development. An example is a character who is selfish and irresponsible at the beginning but will get to know the true meaning of responsibility as the story progresses. Although with good things come the bad. I thought that the ending was just too tragic. But that's just an emotional opinion! But really. It was too sad for them. Someone dies! The good thing is that since Allegiant, I grew indifferent to book deaths. Scumbag Allegiant. Hahaha. If you've read it you get what I mean.
So for all those things this is my verdict:
Proxy is definitely a must-read! For my Pinoy readers, you better read it now if you want to attend the book signing on August 30! I hope you liked my honest review and I am encouraging you to comment your thoughts below. Adios!
Anyway, now that I got that out of my system let's head on to the review. In the first few pages, you are introduced to a totally advanced world-a world where human blood is like a program and could be patched whenever you want to change something on your body. The first few chapters themselves are a great kickstarter for the novel because of how action-packed it is. And I loved how Proxy did not have dull moments. You either enjoy the action or find yourself wanting to know what happens next because of the suspense and mysteries. It is hard to put down.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT!
I would want to tell you something special about Proxy and I want you to know that I do not want to offend anybody and that I am trying to write without offending anyone the best way I can. Proxy's protagonist, Syd, is gay. However it does not turn the novel into a Gay YA novel. That's just a part of his identity. It does not play a major role in the story but it turns out to be a pretty good way of introducing/promoting the gay community to younger audiences like me. I loved how it wasn't such a big part of the story and that you won't consider it as a big deal when reading Proxy. Even though I'm straight, I read Proxy comfortably and enjoyed it. I mean, what's the matter with him being gay? He's a sci-fi action star! Not that I'm saying that there's something wrong with being gay. It's just that some straight people tend to be uncomfortable or worse: narrow-minded when it comes to these kinds of genres. But I think they are just being too overwhelmed with the difference between straight people and the lgbt community. This novel is perfect for those people to understand/accept the gay community without being too overwhelmed.
What I loved most about Proxy is that you get to really see character development. An example is a character who is selfish and irresponsible at the beginning but will get to know the true meaning of responsibility as the story progresses. Although with good things come the bad. I thought that the ending was just too tragic. But that's just an emotional opinion! But really. It was too sad for them. Someone dies! The good thing is that since Allegiant, I grew indifferent to book deaths. Scumbag Allegiant. Hahaha. If you've read it you get what I mean.
So for all those things this is my verdict:
Proxy is definitely a must-read! For my Pinoy readers, you better read it now if you want to attend the book signing on August 30! I hope you liked my honest review and I am encouraging you to comment your thoughts below. Adios!
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