This is the first book of a two-part series, The Nobody People is about a group of people with extraordinary powers that face bigotry and fear because of those powers. Some of those are using their powers to hurt others and that is just fueling the fire. The others have made a family and community where they can learn to control their powers in a safe environment.
I really wanted to like this book. At times I did like it. But for me there were too many characters to keep up with who everyone was, and there was just too much going on. I think some people may like it. It just wasn't for me.

Bob Proehl’s new novel The Nobody People showcases a father named Avi who realizes that his daughter Emmeline's uniqueness is more than just a personality quirk. She and many other young people are displaying extraordinary abilities such as telekinesis, invisibility and unusual mechanical prowess that leads to fear and persecution.

While Avi is able to find a school that can help Emmeline learn to use her gifts safely, others are not as fortunate, with some being hunted down by secretive government forces.

To make matters worse, the violent action of a pushed too hard young man with otherworldly powers puts everyone in this new community in jeopardy. Can Avi save Emmeline from such threats or is he simply to step aside and let what happens, happen? Proehl intends to follow this up with another book and I hope that we see it sooner rather than later.

DNF at 25%. This book just could not hold my attention. It's slow and rambling and I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen.

One of my favorite shows/comics growing up was X-Men. People with extraordinary abilities who have to prove they're not bad, they're just different. Proehl managed to capture that sentiment and turn it into a full blown novel, and I honestly couldn't love it more! What makes it different is that we can see how it is from an outsider's perspective (Avi). Usually, the story is from the perspective of the mutant or Resonant, in this case. But Avi's just a normal person with an extraordinary daughter.

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

The Nobody People drew me in right away. As a big Marvel and sci-fi/fantasy fan, I had to see what this book was all about. I really enjoyed the world that Bob Proehl created. It’s hard to use ideas similar to something as popular as X-Men, but the author puts so much thought and detail into making the themes and characters and plot points unique. Every character’s journey was engrossing. The story was captivating (and not afraid to get graphic with violence) which kept me reading.

I will say that when I first requested this book on NetGalley, it wasn’t made clear that The Nobody People is the first book in a two-part series. No spoilers, but it does end on a giant cliffhanger to set up for the forthcoming book, which was really off-putting. I typically approach standalone books and books in a series differently; had I known, I think my reaction would have been different. And even then, I do think The Nobody People could have wrapped up things a bit better, while also teasing what’s to come. I prefer books in a series that are still complete stories, rather than books that feel like they abruptly end, but that’s just my taste. The book is also quite long at almost 500 pages, so I think this could even be split into 3 books for better pacing.

Overall, The Nobody People is an engaging, timely first part in a new sci-fi/fantasy series.

Thank you to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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.

Great world-building in this tale! It has rather like an X-Men feel to it. These are ordinary people that you wouldn't look twice at. Nobodies. And yet not quite as ordinary as they seem.

They all have abilities. Emmeline was one of my favorites! Fahima was another. Ordinary people with extraordinary gifts. And with those gifts come the people who would use them or destroy them. 

This time they will come together to fight the bigots, the small-minded, and the ones who fear what they can not understand. One of them tries to hold on to a shaky sort of peace while the others are ready to stand up and fight.

I see there will be a second in this Fantasy/Science Fiction book. The kids were really interesting and I'm sure this will be a hit with young adults!

NetGalley/  September 3rd, 2019 by Del Rey

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.

Why is it society fears what is different? A group with extraordinary abilities has been in hiding for years, outcasts, feared by even their families and now they are bravely coming out from the shadows, only to find themselves caught in the crosshairs of violence.

THE NOBODY PEOPLE by Bob Proehl is the story of innocents with unusual abilities that make them too different for the masses to accept them. Wonderfully drawn characters are completely human with a little extra, yet are seen as monsters.

Sounds like one of those tales that will be completely gripping, but Bob Proehl compacted so many different stories into this one, that it became tedious to keep track and to lace them all together. I was distracted as readers are taken from character to character and back again. Was this a tale of a father determined to regain his footing in the world of journalism? Was it a tale of his young daughter or a tale of how his family imploded? Could it have been a tale of the gifted people, some pushed to the limit and beyond?

One thing for sure, it is certainly filled with turmoil and the unkindness that humanity is so willing to dump on others.

For me, it had everything I thought I could want, just too much of it, which took away from the story for me.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Del Rey! This is my honest and voluntary review.

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 thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. This author was new to me and I was not let down. It was a great story and very well written. The characters were easy to relate to and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend this to everyone!!