Avi's been hired to write the story of the Resonants, young people with special powers who want to make the world understand that they aren't evil or destructive. Yes, this is reminiscent of the X-Men and fans of that series likely will quibble back and forth about Proehl's novel but if X-Men isn't your absolute favorite (or like me you don't know it well), this is a good, well done sci-fi novel about people (yes people) who just want to belong. There are a lot of characters and each tells the story from their own perspective which is a tad difficult to keep track of at first but once you settle in, it's easy to know who's who. I liked this more than I expected to. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. It would also be a good crossover for YA/NA sci-fi fans.

Although the premise of this book is not unique, I thought it was quite similar to X-Men, I was intrigued with how the story would play out. I enjoyed seeing how the Resonants "came out" and the resulting reactions by the general population.

However, I was frustrated by the pacing in the story and there were some pretty major plot points that were never resolved. But the ending of this book is what frustrated me the most. I prefer some wrap-up of the story at the end, and this ending left me completely frustrated. Nothing was resolved. Nothing came together. It drops off right where the climax of the story should be.

There was a lot of potential in this book, but it just didn't quite come together for me.

The Nobody People imagines a world where our comic books have come to life. People are suddenly developing innate powers, all sorts of powers, as varied as the author’s wide-ranging imagination can make them. A journalist becomes aware of them while investigating two attacks that cannot be explained by contemporary technology. Coincidentally he is approached by the headmaster of a school for these gifted individuals who reveals his own daughter, Emmeline is one of them, the resonants. They describe their power as resonating such that they can sense each other and meet each other in virtual space.

Of course, when they go public, the public panics and nasty propagandists, politicians and national defense professionals conspire to oppress. It is the typical response to anyone different, so we have corrupt pundits hate-mongering and journalists and politicians trying to split the difference between those who want to kill the others and the others who just want to live their lives. Proehl makes valid points about Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance in a situation analogous to today’s refugee and immigrant crisis.



So, I have mixed feelings about The Nobody People. I was interested in the story and cared about the Resonants as a group, but not so much as individuals. In a bit of irony, when the story swung back to one character and I could not remember which of the students she was, she was the one whose talent is being unseen and forgettable. However, some important characters die in the story, and I didn’t even wince with a twinge of regret…well, maybe a twinge.

The message of equality and acceptance is an important one for today, though, and perhaps people may be more receptive when the characters are not from Latin America. The story ends in a way that suggests a sequel and if there is one, I will be eager to read it.

The Nobody People will be released on September 3rd. I received and e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Nobody People at Penguin Random House

Bob Proehl

I started this and couldn't stop, and that is my absolute favorite thing about starting new books that I know I'm going to love in the first few pages. I already love any kind of sci-fi fiction about people with abilities or powers, and this brought it all up to our present day. I was amazed by how inclusive this book is as well - there are prominent Muslim, gay and trans characters which I've never really seen a story like this do before. I felt like every narrative and different piece of this fit together seamlessly, but also every time a question was answered more arose. To me, that keeps the reader interested because they want to know everything that is happening in this new world, and can't have it all at once. This book took all the right turns, especially some more surprising ones that I wasn't expecting at all. I want to understand the motivations of so many different people, and what their decisions mean for Resonants and humans as a whole. I can't wait until the sequel to this comes out next year, because with such a cliffhanger ending I need to know what is going on!!

Thrilling story of how humankind reacts to the shocking discovery of those with superhuman abilities. Avi Hirsch, dedicated war reporter and family man is tasked with introducing "Resonants" into the world. Fear, prejudice, and violence threaten to destroy everyone as tensions rise between those with abilities and those without.
While I enjoyed the X-Men feel and the overall story, the pacing felt very uneven and the book was overly long. With such a wide cast of characters it was difficult to follow along with all the various storylines.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.

Summary: The first time the world learned about the Nobody People was after the rescue of some trapped miners. Sam Guthridge was one of those miners. He and his family had been hiding in plain sight, not letting the world know of their differences, until the mining disaster. His choice was to use his special powers to rescue himself and others or die. He chose to live and because of that, his entire family was murdered by fearful bigots.

A boy named Owen Curry discovers he can make things disappear. He doesn’t make them invisible, he nulls them, as if they never existed. After a mysterious “friend” urges Owen to use his powers on a Baptist church full of black people, Journalist Avi Hirsch starts investigating. He quickly realizes that this is no ordinary hate bombing. In his investigating Avi discovers an entire community of Nobody People, each with unique talents — and most of them good people who want to use their skills to benefit others.

But hate mongers and the government function on fear. Legislation is passed and many Nobody People are captured and shipped off to secluded “camps”, where their skills are restrained.

It isn’t until Avi realizes that his own daughter, Emmaline, is one of the Nobody People that his search for the truth about this fringe group becomes all too personal and dangerous.

Comments: I read several other reviews that compared The Nobody People to X-Men. I’m not a comics reader and I don’t watch many movies, so I don’t have that background.

My view of The Nobody People is that it’s an all too current view of the state of this country, told through a Sci-Fi lens. Unfortunately, we are living in an age where those who are different are shot, deported or caged, all with near impunity and the blessings of some in the highest offices.

Overall I enjoyed this book, but I thought it was a bit too long and could have used some editing, especially in the middle. There was a lot of stuff going on that wasn’t important to the story.

Recommended for readers of superhero stories and Science Fiction

My Goodreads rating is 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

The premise was good here, execution was horrible. This really should have been split into more than one book or the ending needs to be reconsidered.

Something that really bothered me SPOILERS INCLUDED is why Kevin Bishop had to die if the healer was acquitted and could have very well healed him. Did she roll a 3 or 4 on poor Kevin? Made no sense. I mean she even came back to speak at his funeral. If she can in fact heal anything she could have also healed Avi or Emmeline's arm. Just a huge hole to me.

Let's talk about the ending: it was terrible. In fact I suspect the whole ending was done by Owen Curry himself because it was such a strangely clean break like just full stop. Stuff is happening and then bam it's over. What the heck? We never do find out what's up with weird Patrick. Fahima makes strange decisions and never owns up to them (hello there you GAVE the technology to Homeland and now are complaining they are using it? How about utilizing your back door early?) No one could revive Cortex?

I felt good about this book at first, the pace was fine and the characters interesting. When it started getting more into an emotional wreck with Avi's marriage I was feeling a bit meh. But then it turned into some sort of x-men style soap opera and I am not here for that. Too many holes in the plot, too many unanswered questions, too many wtf moments.

The Nobody People by Bob Proehl is the type of science fiction that makes the reader wonder "What if?". What if something like "The Nobody People" already exist and we just don't know about it...yet I really enjoyed the story but felt it was too long. As much as I enjoyed it there came a point I just wanted it over with. That's why I'm giving this book 4 stars rather than 5 stars. I was given an early copy to review.

This book moved just a little too slowly for me and I had trouble keeping track of everything. It might have just been the wrong timing for reading a book where you needed to truly pay close attention, but I'm not sure. I loved the X-Men vibes of it though!

I saw another review where someone referred to this as having a very X-Men feel to it and after reading and considering it, I couldn't agree more which I was thrilled about. The X-Men were some of my favorite movies and comics (and cartoons!) growing up.

I need to start by saying, there is a lot going on in this story as it is told in multiple point of views but if you hang in there and stick with it, it does get easier to navigate and keep track of.

And while there are similarities to other stories out there, some from long ago, this story did hold it's own. Very action packed and full of diverse characters and situations that I think most readers will love.

My biggest complaint is the pacing of the story which tended to drag at times and all the multiple point of views could get confusing if you weren't keeping track and paying attention. While the story was engaging even with the slower pacing, the ending was a bit of a shock. As others have mentioned it didn't end so much as just completely stop. As in someone put on the brakes and left so much unsaid, undone, and untold.

I know that book two will hopefully start where this left off and answers all those things left unsaid but it was a bit jarring but will definitely make readers want to pick up book two when it comes out.

Having said all that, I do think this was a rather good start to a series that I think will appeal to a lot of comic books dystopian, action/adventures readers that are looking for something new but not too new or overdone.

The Nobody People is a gripping science fiction thriller. A genetic mutation has caused some people in the U.S. to develop heightened senses and unusual abilities. These abilities vary from person to person and, as in all groups of people, some use their strengths for good and some for not so good or down right evil. Much of the "normal" populace are suspicious of and fearful of these people.
A journalist named Avi becomes aware of these people when he receives a clue from an old friend in Homeland Security. Avi begins investigating a supposed bombing at a mall food court and then a second odd bombing at a local church. Many odd details do not add up, especially the presence of the same person at the site of both bombings-a person who was believed to have been killed in the food court bombing. His investigations result in knowledge that changes his life and that of his family forever.

The Nobody People:A Novel
by Bob Proehl
due 9-3-2019
Del Ray
4.5 / 5.0
#netgalley. #TheNobodyPeople

This touched me, grabbed a piece of my heart and didn't let go. It's a story of outcasts whose fight for equality, acceptance begin a conflict between two very different worlds. Unless they can agree to fight together to save humanity, as a whole, it could become an apocalypse. This is complex, insightful, and powerful with deep and beautiful world building.

This timely story of everyday people with special skills whose true fight is for acceptance in a world governed by laws made to validate discrimination and acts of violence towards anyone who is not one of them. The diversity of characters, and lifestyles is well represented and really brings the story to light. The characters are deep, the conversations are relevant, and give them a familiarity and likeability. This book has something for everyone.....worlds, characters, diversity, ingenuity and imagination.
Very impressive, an author I will be reading more of.
Thanks to Del Ray and netgalley for sending this requested ARC e-book for review.

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. While I did like the premise, this book had too many character viewpoints, and it seemed to go on forever.

I received an ARC from net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book really intrigued me. It's about a fraction of society that special powers and abilities.

I absolutely loved the complex world-building that this book has. The book shows the rest of society's response to these "non-humans." I love how the story explores the different reactions of society and shows how the Resonants are fearful of society's response. The book does an amazing job of developing both the society and the characters within it.

I loved how the book also offers commentary on issues in our society. The author's writing reminds me of Neal Shusterman's in the best way possible. They both tell imaginative stories with human characters all while incorporating critiques of our own society. I will be looking forward to more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Nobody People by Bob Proehl was a good read and I thought the characters were engaging and had agency

This book reminded me of the X-Men movies, but slower. I appreciate the concept, and I loved the characters, but the pace was simply too sluggish. That would have been okay, if the novel had ended with a conclusion. I feel duped after reading a book that is a clear set-up for a sequel, if I don't know it's the first in a series before I begin reading.

However, I enjoyed the book enough to consider reading a second one - Proehl has created a fascinating world that I'd like to explore more.

The Nobody People by Bob Proehl is an X-Men like story about people who have special abilities that have been in hiding for decades or more. The story highlights how people are scared of anyone or anything that is different and they do not understand; and how this leads to prejudices then quickly turns to persecution.
The first portion of the story is told from the POV of Avi, a reporter, who is asked by a friend to look into a strange occurrence. What he stumbles onto is a new race of humans, they call themselves Resonants, who have special abilities. These abilities manifest around early adolescence. At about the same time, he learns his daughter has a special ability.
Avi is introduced to the group of people who run a school in New York City for Resonants and he is the one tasked with telling their story and introducing them to the world. Of course, this “coming out” does not go entirely as planned. Imagine that!
The story switches gears here and the author, for the most part, leaves Avi behind and tells the story through the eyes of the Resonants as Homeland Security starts rounding them up and putting them in camps. The Resonants must decide if they will continue to hide, submit, or fight.
This is an imaginative take on super heroes. I loved how the author betrayed what would happen when the Resonants came out, so to speak. It was spot on. Control anything you can’t understand and because they are different you can disregard the fact they are human. I also liked where the story went. If something like this were to happen, I can easily see the events occurring.
I liked the characters a lot. However, there was so much going on I did not get as much character development as I would have liked, with the exception of Avi. The pace of the plot was excellent and there were enough twists to keep me reading well past my bedtime.
One last comment I wish to make. I struggled with the rating because while it is not a five for me, it is better than a 4. I will make it as 4 but in reality I feel it is closer to 4.5.
This is a fresh look at super heroes and I enjoyed reading it. There is a lot left hanging so I am lookly forward to the next installment. I just hope I don’t have to wait too long. I recommend this book to anyone that likes science fiction stories. Especially those readers who are into super heroes.
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Two, I lost my way in multiple characters who have long nonsense monologues and I felt like I'm reading different but not the best kind of MCU adaptation so I gave up stars!!!

Our story starts with war-zone journalist Ari's attempt to interview with a group of people who have super human powers but some of them are about to use their gift maliciously.
But these facts didn't work for me:

-If I want to read something about humans who are extraordinary, I chose to buy only Marvel Comics( I also reject DC characters, too. )

- The long dialogues of characters seem like `Blah blah blah`s to my ears. It's not realistic, natural and they bored me death!

- There are materials inside this book to create more than three books! So why are they wasted for only one?

-Pacing is also slow not attracted my attention.

- The story development is full of cliches and I couldn't catch anything creative, different. smart.

As a summary, I know that so many readers enjoyed this book but maybe my devotion to MCU and seeking perfection failed me! This was not for me!

Special thanks to Del Rey Books, Net Galley for providing the ARC COPY in exchange for my honest review. I wish I like this book more.

The Nobody People follows acclaimed war-zone journalist Ari as he is hired by a group of humans, dubbed Resonants, with extraordinary abilities. Currently, under the guidance of a headmaster, they attend a school that will help them better harness their powers. For years, they’ve remained hidden until recently, when the decision was made to come forth and let the world know what they can do. Ari has been tasked with interviewing them and producing a story which will introduce them to the public at large. The problem? Not all Resonants believe they will be seen as trustworthy.

Does that sound familiar? I should hope so. I’m surprised Marvel hasn’t already launched a lawsuit.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Look, Marvel doesn’t own the rights to a particular idea or aspect of sci-fi and I’m sure Bob Proehl isn’t the first person to write a book that so closely resembles The X-Men, but for me, it was so similar that it became a distraction. I had a very difficult time getting into this one, if I’m being honest.

The book is filled with characters, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This is a big, sprawling story that I assume will be made into a series given the little amount of pay-off we get in the end, but I just didn’t connect with any of the people Proehle presented us here. I found them obnoxious for the most part and terribly unfunny.. I don’t feel like anyone speaks like the characters in this book and when you have so much dialogue, it becomes draining to listen to them speak.

This one just didn’t work for me, in the end. I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as what a few reviewers have said – maybe the next books in the series will become more focused in their execution – but I don’t think this is one I can confidently recommend. Might work better as a TV series.

The Nobody People will be published on September 03rd, 2019

What I loved about this book is what also ended up frustrating me--it's epic and ends in a cliffhangery fashion and now I've got to cool my heels before I find out what happens to all of these people (and I kind of hate doing that on epic books with lots of characters/abilities to track in my memory.)

As many have mentioned, this book starts with a pretty heavy X-MEN vibe. A fraction of society has special powers/abilities and in this book we focus on the younger ones housed at The Bishop Academy in New York. But this isn't some rehashed Darkest Minds kind of vibe. This book INVOLVES kids but isn't YA. Instead it more gave me "The Stand" vibes.

Rather than following the kids, this story follows the teachers (and one of the parents of a particularly gifted student) and dives deep into the usual stuff (Where do these abilities come from? How do you control them? SHOULD you control them?) but also the ethical quandaries they face managing all of the people (including those who wish to use their abilities for evil) and the fallout of the introduction of these special people into society.

From the beginning it's clear that this book is going on an epic journey. It's quite long and I got a bit frustrated mid-way through when I realized we weren't going to wrap up even a fraction of these story lines before the end. For example, the book kicks off with an epic "big bad" who is controlling/encouraging Owen Curry, a boy who's using his powers for evil. Sadly, we never find out who this "big bad" is or have any sort of stand off with them in this book. It's perhaps asking a lot of readers to fall so in love with the story that they'll circle back to see that moment happen.

Which leads me to my larger question, "Am I in love with this story?" I suppose I am (although I AM cranky about now needing to wait to see a payoff of my emotional investment). I thought the characters were great (although the ones you may become invested like Kevin Bishop and Avi have surprisingly shallow arcs.) Ultimately it's Fahima (one of the most delightful well-rounded, compelling characters I've seen in a book in a long while), Patrick and, to a lesser extent, Sarah, Kimani and Emmaline who drive the story.

(Aside: the Carrie storyline, while important, felt super underdeveloped. Sadly, like all of the characters she interacts with in the book, I would have rather spent the time in Miquel's head instead.)

There is a lot going on in this book and a lot of it parallels what's happening in America right now. I can't tell you how eerie it was to read about people rounding up Resonants, people calling for them to be culled and destroyed at the same time that we're rounding up immigrants in our our country and just last night a stadium of people chanted "Send her home" in reference to the Congressperson from my state.

This book tackles some heavy themes and I appreciated that objective. I'm sure there will be readers would would have preferred the book focused more on defeating a clear cut villain. But I guess the older I get, the more I realize that villainy comes in many forms.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.