The Proxy Senator
From SenatorAdams
The Proxy Senator is the second novel in The Mike Adams Series by Kenneth Kerns. This story about an election to the United States Senate takes place approximately two years after the events of Reunion At University Avenue. The book was published in January 2006.
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Development
The initial plot elements of this book were ironed out in the summer of 2003, after completion of the first draft of Reunion At University Avenue. The third book in the series also received its first plot treatment at this time, and thus this novel was always intended as setting up the "unresolved questions" that would be key to the conclusion of the series.
The first draft was completed in the winter of 2003-2004, and was left largely unchanged prior to publication in 2006.
Later in 2004, Kerns used the plot of this book as the basis for a namesake character of Mike Adams in the online game American Government Simulation. This Mike Adams alias would spawn his own anthology of political writing, entitled From Maverick To Statesman, which was released in March 2008. The author considered the anthology non-canonical, as it operates in a separate universe (where Adams is first a congressman, then President, then Senator), but would not be too far removed from this series. He considers both Mike Adams characters to be a pretty close (but not perfect) reflection of his own political identity.
Epigraph
"Help your brother's boat across, and your own will reach the shore." ~ A Hindu proverb
Time frame
The book's events cover a period of over 12 months, from the summer of one year to the fall of the next. In a note at the beginning of the book, it is stated that the events occur roughly two years after the conclusion of Reunion At University Avenue.
Synopsis
After his book and movie were given unusual media attention due to a stalker, author Mike Adams finds himself lured into a race for the United States Senate. In the adventure that follows, he must confront the real world of modern politics, and discovers that trustworthiness and political loyalty don't mean the same thing. When the heat is on, there is only one person he can turn to. But when she gets kidnapped, everything changes...
Mike's politics
Kerns described the Adams political philosophy as "centrist but partisan". In the course of the novel, we find out that Adams is pro-choice, has made some interesting business investments, is eager to find common ground between management and labor, and is not at all afraid of throwing punches in a debate. His beliefs also brings NASA to his attention, at a critical moment for both his campaign and the space agency's future.
New characters
The sequel introduces a number of new and important characters to the series. Among them is Sam Lee, an FBI agent assigned to guard against any repeat of the events surrounding the filming of Mike's movie. Monica Franklin is Mike's campaign manager, whose advice does not exactly match his more idealistic notions of campaigning. Jeff Simon, a self-confident young man and recent graduate of Mike's alma mater, is a big fan of the candidate and a member of The Circle, which is an unusual combination. Davis Harrington is a man on a mission, but what angle he's playing at is often hard to tell with the activities he's involved in.
Other notes
- The first draft of this novel took a sum total of six weeks from start to finish. The rewrite was far less extensive than was done for the first and third novels in the Adams trilogy.
- The cover art is a picture of the Potomac River as seen from the Memorial Bridge in D.C.
- While most of this book seems like a "typical" political story, the final chapter should make clear that there was more going on than it had appeared, as two characters believed an Adams victory would mark the beginning of "our efforts to end the establishment" (pg 225).
- Unlike the first novel in the series, each chapter does not begin with an excerpt from a meta-novel. Each chapter begins instead with a famous quote, much as the novel itself begins with an epigraph. As the exception that proves the rule, just two chapters begin with excerpts from the meta-novel "The Journal of Ben Burns".
| The Mike Adams Series by Kenneth Kerns | |
|---|---|
| The Novels | Reunion At University Avenue • The Proxy Senator • Confirmation |
| Major characters | Mike Adams • Ashley Woodard • George Avelli • Jeff Simon • Sam Lee • Aimee Jackson |
| Minor characters | Adam Ruppesberger • Bennita Jones • Ben Burns • Rick Roberts • Nicholas Hickey • Peter Easley |
| Fictional organizations | The Circle • Gator Party |
| Related topics | Greeks vs. Independents • Legacy • "Old Walter" • Student Government • U.S. Senate |
