What do you do if you’re ‘an outsider’ in life?
Science fiction has always had an element of that in its nature. Often SF fans in the early 20th century were bonded by the fact that they were shunned, seen as odd, different and weird by those who ‘didn’t get it’. Not only did those (often teenage) fans have to deal with the maturity into adulthood, but at the same time they knew that what they loved was not universally liked and it made them unpopular. The solution was often to communicate with others in secret, create secret codes, and share their love of SF amongst similarly minded people. Slan by A E van Vogt (1940-46) is perhaps one of the best-known ‘old’ examples. A story of a persecuted people with psi-powers in a future dictatorship – it was so popular and recognisable to SF fans that badges were produced at conventions, saying “Fans Are Slans!” which were popular to those in the know.
From the X-Men to Heroes in SF and even Harry Potter and The Magicians in Fantasy, the idea of ‘being different’ and the need to stay hidden has been an SF staple. The Nobody People by Bob Proehl brings this bang up to date and covers important issues in a modern-day setting.
From the publisher:
Avi Hirsch has always known his daughter was different. But when others with incredible, otherworldly gifts reveal themselves to the world, Avi realizes that her oddness is something more–that she is something more. With this, he has a terrifying revelation: Emmeline is now entering a society where her unique abilities unfairly mark her as a potential threat. And even though he is her father, Avi cannot keep her safe forever.
Emmeline soon meets others just like her: Carrie Norris, a teenage girl who can turn invisible . . . but just wants to be seen. Fahima Deeb, a woman with an uncanny knack for machinery . . . but it’s her Muslim faith that makes the U.S. government suspicious of her.
They are the nobody people–ordinary individuals with extraordinary gifts who want one only thing: to live as equals in an America that is gripped by fear and hatred. But the government is passing discriminatory laws. Violent mobs are taking to the streets. And one of their own–an angry young man seething with self-loathing–has used his power in an act of mass violence that has put a new target on the community. The nobody people must now stand together and fight for their future, or risk falling apart.
The first book of a timely two-part series, The Nobody People is a powerful novel of love and hope in the face of bigotry that uses a world touched by the fantastic to explore our current reality. It is a story of family and community. It is a story of continuing to fight for one another, no matter the odds. It is the story of us.
OK: superficially there’s nothing particularly new here. But it is done very well. The characterisation is more than the basic and often pleasingly complex, the social and moral issues the characters wrestle with are relevant today, though unlike some books not always driven home repeatedly as a message. Whilst this could just be a story of child prodigies brought up to realise their potential, it seems that there is more to this.
As well as the characters of the novel, what was noticeable is that The Nobody People is also really about bigger issues, which are part of the world the characters inhabit. As well as dealing with the father and mother whose abilities are discovered in the novel, as well as dealing with terrorism and inequality, it’s also about ethical values, equality, race and religion and acceptance and tolerance, about family and community against a world of fear, bigotry and prejudice. It touches on issues such as identity prevalent in today’s world and examines them thoroughly whilst examining them with a science-fictional focus. The range of characterisation shows a widely diverse range of identifiable characters in situations that are of the now.
It’s also an unputdownable read. The Nobody People reads with a ring of truth – that if abilities did appear, this is how people today would react – some with wonder, but others with fear, with suspicion, with hatred. The scary, but probably realistic situation, is that such emotions are present on both sides of the situation, with the so-called ‘Resonants’ (with abilities) feeling oppressed and the ‘Damps’ (with no abilities) feeling that their way of life is threatened. It also doesn’t help that there are people doing good and bad on both sides.
It was quite impressive how Bob keeps all of the plates spinning whilst laying out his plot. There is a cliffhanger ending – due to be continued in the second half of this duology – which is great, but will want you to read the next book now. (It’s due 2021, I’m told!)
In short, The Nobody People is a terrific read for those who want a contemporary adult version of the X-Men*, which reflects the fears and optimism of our time. I found it difficult to put down.
* which is a notable influence, as the author points out in his acknowledgements. He should be pleased that it seems to have worked.
Bob also gave us a great article which went live HERE yesterday.
The Nobody People by Bob Proehl
Published by Titan (UK) September 2020
ISBN: 978-1789094619
656 pages
Review by Mark Yon
