Hex (novel)
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| Hex | |
|---|---|
 First edition cover |
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| Author(s) | Rhiannon Lassiter |
| Series | Hex |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Macmillan Children's Books |
| Publication date | 1998 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 192 |
| ISBN | 0333726472 |
| OCLC Number | 41017836 |
| LC Classification | PZ7.L3287 Hex 1998 |
| Followed by | Hex: Shadows |
Hex is the first of a series of novels for young adults, written by Rhiannon Lassiter. It was first published in 1998.
[edit] Overview
Hex takes place in a futuristic Europe in the mid-24th century. Similar to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, the book's author Rhiannon Lassiter paints a totalitarian society in which its inhabitants are watched closely. Rather than having a character similar to Big Brother however, the government has a secret government agency called the CPS, or Center for Paranormal Studies. This organization is responsible for finding, obtaining, and "terminating" Hexes. A Hex is an individual who possesses the ability to merge with the "Net" or Internet due to the Hex gene created by a scientist years ago.
[edit] Plot summary
The story opens with the introduction of a brother and a sister: Wraith and Raven. Both of whom are of considerable maturity for their age, Raven being only 15 and very independent. She is a Hex, whereas Wraith is not. The two are meeting up after three days of separation from arriving in England. It is presumed that formerly they were in the United States because there is a reference to Denver.
Raven and Wraith had to grow up fast, being orphans in a blockhouse from which they escaped. Wraith got out first by joining a gang and Raven later on, becoming a hired computer hacker. The two are able to travel so easily because Raven is able to hack many systems and can create fake bank accounts, identification cards, and profiles of people. It is noted that she can manually hack computers as well as use her Hex abilities to do so.
While the siblings escaped living in the blockhouses, their younger sister Rachel was adopted. The two haven't heard from her in years, and Wraith is determined to find out where she is located. Entering the slums of London, Wraith mets a boy by the name of Kez who is dirty, homeless, and knows the streets. He helps Wraith find the Countess, a woman who mans a headquarters (or fortress) responsible for locating people, providing weapons, muscle, and information for a price.
Kez tags along with Wraith to a hotel, where Raven meets up with the two of them. The next morning, Raven decides to dive into the Net searching for information about her sister Rachel. During the search, she runs into another Hex, who is completely inexperienced. Raven reveals nothing, and discovers everything about the other Hex, who is a sixteen year old girl by the name of Ali. A rich and spoiled daughter of a man who owns seven vidchannels (or television stations).
Kez, Wraith, and Raven move to the Belgravia Complex, the same rich neighborhood that Ali lives in, partly because of the encounter and also because Raven has high taste. The first day involves Kez exploring the area on his own and running into Ali's clique by accident. Earlier, Raven had spoken to him about 20th century music and the information comes in hand as he tries to hold his own in a conversation with the very spoiled girls. Ali then tells her father about how Kez's "cousin" owns a vidchannel and can perhaps help him with one of his failing channels.
Over the course of the novel, Wraith discovers that Rachel had been taken from her adopted parents by the CPS. Raven, collaborating with Ali's father on a vidchannel to bring its failing ratings up, is invited to a party in which she meets Ali, who somehow feels terrified at seeing Raven because she inexplicably knows it is the same girl she ran into in the Net. Wraith becomes discouraged at the news of Rachel's disappearance but regains hope when Raven hacks various systems and reports that she thinks Rachel might still be alive.
In an attempt to successfully break into the CPS facility that holds Hexes and possibly Rachel, Wraith tries to convince Ali to be caught and taken there. She refuses. At which point, Raven and Kez devise a plan to lie to Wraith and Ali and say that the CPS is already on their way to get her. By coincidence, the CPS comes and takes Ali away and she is transported to the CPS facility. Prior to that, Raven had told her in the presence of Wraith and Kez that she was getting taken and had implanted a communication device behind her ear.
Suiting up for the raid, Wraith contacts the Countess for muscle. Three soldier-like "gangers" are assigned to the mission by the name of Melek, Finn, and Jeeva. Ali has, in the mean time, befriended some fellow inmates and discovers that experimenting on these 'test subjects' is going on. Those strong enough to survive are practically vegetables. She asks to see the remaining Hexes that did survive and Luciel, a boy she befriends, takes her to see Revenge. Raven tells Ali to speak in such a way to see if it is Rachel or not, because the girl is clearly insane. It turns out to be Rachel but the girl now calls herself Revenge because of her intent, and it is also her name in a Germanic association of the word.
Many violent gun fights ensue as the small group makes its way to the main room computer room so Raven can gain control over the facility. Becoming aware of what is happening, the main scientist in charge of the experiments, Dr. Kalden is determined to stop the group and is also intrigued at the idea of experimenting on Raven. One of the gangers die when Wraith finds Revenge as the CPS guards open fire on them. Barely escaping, Raven, Wraith, Kez, Finn, Jeeva, Ali and her friend Luciel make it to the roof of the facility. Before leaving, Raven sends out images of the experiments going on to vidchannels across England. In an attempt to cover up the evidence, the scientists blow up the building and escape also.
The book ends with Raven and Wraith, as well as the rest of the group watching the government broadcast news that the facility and the experiments shown from Raven's broadcasts never happened. The Prime Minister then states that Raven's group were terrorists responsible for the damages and deaths, and that they will be caught. The group as a whole decide that they should stick together and fight the tyranny of the government as well as the belief that Hexes are mutants that should be killed.
There are two additions to Hex, forming a trilogy:
