Subject: REVIEW: "Proxies", Laura J. Mixon

From: "Rob Slade, doting grandpa of Ryan and Trevor" <[email-masked]>
Date: 04 Feb 2000 18:30:07 -0500

"Proxies" by Laura J. Mixon
	Review Copyright 2000 Robert M. Slade

The dust jacket promotion emphasizes the originality of this novel, and
the promise of great things from the author.  While Mixon certainly
presents a serviceable and even mature work, it isn't very different from
many others that have gone before.  The proxies of the title are android
bodies that are used for telepresence: remotely controlled robots
manipulated by human "pilots."  In the world of the book, similar units
called waldoes are very common, but the proxies are a new and classified
version, developed to be indistinguishable from human beings, but with
greatly superior strength, speed, and sensory capability.  Because the
robots are lifelike, a large part of the story involves either mistaken,
or secret, identities and personalities.

Mixon's characters are reasonable, but not exceptional.  There are,
however, quite a number of them.  Indeed, the book suffers a little from
the lack of any real central character, particularly since early parts of
the book seem to imply that characters are modified by being "in proxy."
The author also falls prey to the temptation to create an unexplained
slang for the society in the book.  Once you realize that most of the
really outre terms are simply mangled French, it becomes easier to read.
A number of the most frequently used words are both poorly defined in
context, and difficult to derive.  Is "kelly," a portable recording and
note taking device, a reference to the (even now) old "Kelly Girl?"
"Jello" seems to allude to a bewildering variety of video and display
mechanisms, and even to something similar to fax printout.  In addition,
there is some mention of what seems to be runaway inflation; which is
unconvincing given that only a very few prices, all for information
access, are mentioned; and an ecological disaster which only seems to make
it inconvenient to travel outdoors unprotected.

The technology is very difficult to assess, since almost no details are
given.  A supposedly important communications technology, which turns out
to be rather irrelevant to the plot in the end, is based upon a "recent
discovery in physics," with no more explanation than that.  There is a
reference to mass, as theoretically increased by high velocities.  While
the instantaneous nature of that technology is undoubtedly important,
there is no discussion of bandwidth or interface considerations.

In terms of the proxies themselves, there are also problems.  Almost
everyone seems to be wired for direct brain-machine connection, possibly
in order to be able to engage in virtual reality games.  Indeed, a newly
... created? ... personality seems to have a completely unrealistic
knowledge of such games.  At one point there is a fairly detailed
discussion of the difficulty of slow reaction times in getting the proxies
to fight or do effective work.  Slow reaction times would also mean that
you would have a tough time getting the proxies to even stand up straight
without constantly falling over.  Yet several times the proxies react
blindingly quickly, fast enough to kill, overpower, or escape from trained
military or security people.

On the other hand, you have to hand it to someone who understands that
exposure to vacuum doesn't instantly result in "explosive" decompression.

%A   Laura J. Mixon
%C   175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY  10010
%D   1998
%G   0-812-52387-3
%I   Tor Books/Tom Doherty Assoc.
%O   [email-masked] www.tor.com
%P   468 p.
%T   "Proxies"

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