CIBA GLOBAL THRILLER SEMI-FINALIST
The Auction
For Sasha Cross and the others like her – Hollywood royalty, superstar athletes like her best friend, Jason Harris, and genius entrepreneurs – the Auction will net them and their families millions of dollars. But for others such as Vincente Arias, a troubled kid from poverty, the Auction is a ruthless reminder of how little they control their own destinies. Vincente’s world gets turned upside down when he uncovers something suspicious that threatens to blow up the entire system.
A growing rumble of dissent threatens Sasha’s Auction season. As protests break out, Sasha faces pressure from her father – he’s broke, and parents’ retirements are funded by their children’s Auction prices – to become the face of the Auction while also trying to keep Jason on course as he becomes entwined with a lawless friend from his past who threatens to reveal a secret that will kill his Auction prospects. It’s in this ruthless world that Sasha and Jason must find their way.
As threats of a new civil war rise to the surface, Sasha faces a choice: save her family – or change the fates of every 22-year-old in the nation. In the Auction, the biggest decisions you’ll ever make in your life are at 22-years-old. Choose wisely.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE AUCTION
“A creepily convincing depiction of the marriage of corporate power and celebrity worship.”
“In Tom Galvin’s THE AUCTION, it’s the year 2050 and a cabal of huge corporations bid on the future earnings of captive 22-year-olds, with devastating consequences. Our unlikely hero is Sasha Cross, a one-time child actor trying to escape her past. Galvin’s tale is a sleek labyrinth of double-dealing characters and malevolent overlords that delivers a chilling indictment of modern-day capitalism.”
Pulitzer Prize winner, Edgar Award nominee, and author of the Starvation Lake trilogy
“An impressive debut novel, THE AUCTION by Tom Galvin has enough plot twists, conflict, corruption, greed, deceit, blackmail, guilt, threats, death, violence, theft, disloyalty, bribes, rivalry, and lies to keep readers glued to the book right up to the end.”
“A next-level dystopian thriller that is among the year’s most exciting debut novels…Galvin, a former political journalist and technologist, has created a dystopian tale with human savagery reminiscent of The Hunger Games while set in a world more recognizable as our own.”
“A breathtaking premise with characters that make you want to root for them, THE AUCTION is an urgent, thrilling ride.”
Author of THE HIVE, a People Magazine Best Book of Fall 2019
“I was hooked on The Auction from the first few chapters….The author has imagined a 2050 dystopian future in the same vein as The Hunger Games…Great read, 5 stars.”
Author of “The Decision They Made”
“Tom Galvin’s The Auction is fantastic. It is a fascinating view of a society that puts a price tag on everything, including its people. It is a riveting and terrifying tale that builds to a surprising and satisfying ending. I couldn’t put it down.”
Executive producer of “PS, I Love You”
“Galvin shows no mercy in playing on the constant threat of a dark future for American society. The author swings big in this believable reconstruction of the future and creates a powerful money-driven world with the tip of his pen.”
“The Auction accomplishes that trick of all great dystopian fiction, turning a fun-house mirror on our society to so that we can see ourselves clearly, but in a new, amplified way. Tom Galvin takes the concept of “the promising young person” and pushes it to an all-too-believable limit. The plot hurtles forward, with the reader caught up in the fate of the characters, and also the fate of the corporate system that dominates their lives. A rare mix of high concept and gripping action.”
“The Auction is a prescient vision and dire warning of the future we could face. Through the story of Sasha Cross, Tom Galvin has crafted an important and immersive story that forces us to ask: Is all the pressure to succeed that we are putting on youth worth the damage that we could sow? Would our world be better off? The questions raised in this book are ones we will have to answer as a human race. Looking in the mirror isn’t easy. And this novel puts us front and center to ask: What are we doing? We cannot run from this. And by weaving a tale of a draconian future society, Tom Galvin has raised these issues brilliantly.”
Former Co-President of Paramount Classics and as President of Fine Line Features
“Tom has created a captivating plot which will keep you guessing on the outcome…This is a real page turner and will keep you entertained until you finish the final page. I can’t wait to get my hands on Tom’s next novel!”
Author of “Carnage in Singapore”
“Tom Galvin has imagined a world in which big corporations put a price on everyone’s head – and then act with unhinged ruthlessness to increase their profits…a bold, original tale with strong characters fighting against the odds to defeat the system they abhor…A mystery, a thriller, and an examination of society’s norms and ethics all rolled into one.”
Author of Jonas Hawke’s trilogy of books
