BKPRXIES.RVW   991121

"Proxies", Laura J. Mixon, 1998, 0-812-52387-3
%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   pnh@tor.com www.tor.com
%P   468 p.
%T   "Proxies"

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.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999   BKPRXIES.RVW   991121