The Auction

Tom Galvin has taken several of today's most pressing societal questions and painted a future where they have come frightfully full circle. Today's too-powerful Google, Amazon, and Facebook have become "the big 7" largest corporations in Galvin's fantastic tale of a world where the social safety net has crumbled. Private companies now run many services once provided by the government. In this future, young people strive to increase the cash bids the big 7 will place on their earning potential in The Auction – because their parent's retirement security depends on it. Galvin's tale confronts the moral implications of valuing people's futures and weighs that against the real benefits that may come from such a dystopian system of stratification between the valuable and less so in society. Though claiming to be set in the future, it feels less far off than the author suggests.

The Auction shocked the hell out of me. I didn’t expect how a future society, just warped a bit more than it is today, could be so disturbing. The scary part of The Auction, set 30 years in the future, is how it feels like today and then totally different at the same time. In this world, when you turn 22 you get evaluated and then bid on by corporations that control America. The winning bidder owns your future. The story has a Ray Donovan feel in that the corporations protect their assets. Sasha Cross is the main character, but for me the story hits home even more deeply with Jason Harris, who’s trying to redeem his family after an accident killed his parents. If he’s successful as an e-gamer, his family will be financially set, but there is so much anguish, pressure, and ultimately betrayal, that he keeps getting knocked down. I appreciate that I was able to read an advanced copy of The Auction and can’t wait for a sequel.

I was hooked on The Auction from the first few chapters. I enjoyed the characters struggles against a system of the Big 7 companies and their bidding for candidates. The author has imagined a 2050 dystopian future in the same vein as The Hunger Games. As I kept reading I imagined the scenes similar but Tom Galvin takes a less tragic view for The Auction. There are tradgedies though. I recommend this to any sci-fi and dystopian fans as well as readers interested in what consumerism and capitalism may look like in the not too distant future. Great read, 5 stars.

Thank you to author Tom Galvin and NetGalley for this ARC.
I loved the economic dystopian concept of this book, but it is not really a thriller in my opinion as much as it is political sci-fi, which is not my usual reading subject.
That stated, I appreciated the message of warning of the book of what the socio-political future of this country could look like if Capitalism continues on its course. So many features of this story are already present in our society: private ownership of resources and education, parental success related mainly to offspring competitive advantage, working-class revolt.
I did find fault with some of the structural format and grammatical errors of the book.
Three stars.

You know, this was weird. But in a good way? It was pitched for "The Hunger Games" lovers and while I agree, I also want to take THG expectation out of it. It had the dystopian feel you want but it could've been darker.

Engrossing. Great dystopian read. Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games. Surprisingly close to our own reality today where large corporations are king. Scary to think this is how our society could end up.

3.5 ☆s rounded up!

The recommendation for Hunger Games fans is absolutely correct, though I think slightly older dystopian readers will appreciate the political undertones even more. The premise of The Auction is clever and realistic, almost scarily so. A world where promising young individuals and their future contributions to the workforce are auctioned off to the "Big 7" companies poised to benefit from their success doesn't seem so far off when we think of the big companies of today. It's the sort of dystopia that brings us to reflect on today and the short journey that could potentially take us from here to there.

The narrative follows the sometimes-intertwining stories of various characters and I'll admit that I found myself more invested in the stories of certain characters over others that didn't resonate with me as much. Jason's story was particularly heartwrenching as he is constantly living in the memory of his parent's fatal car crash. Though I did wish more time was spent developing certain narrative streams over others, that is mere personal preference and I know all readers will appreciate various elements of this story. It's the kind that keeps you thinking and makes you more aware of certain elements of life today. A fun read!

Many thanks to Tom Galvin, Drexel Books, and NetGalley for this ARC! Review also posted on The StoryGraph.

The Auction by Tom Galvin takes place in a dystopian future where parents’ retirement is the hands of their 22 year old children’s future value to seven companies. These companies bid on the rights to their future earnings. A standout kid can make a family, but many aren’t that lucky. This one reminded me of the Hunger Games in the best way!

i loved the use of auctions in the future. This story was really well done and I was captivated from start to finish. It was a really well done read.