THE NOBODY PEOPLE by Bob Proehl
I wanted to like Mr. Proehl's book THE NOBODY PEOPLE with its sort of superhero story line that is really more a tale of the struggle of being different, of otherness. The book starts with a father and a daughter. The father knows that his daughter is different, not just in small ways, but in large, startling, otherworldly ways that put his daughter, Emmeline, in danger. Emmeline invariably meets her own kind.

These gifted people are all craving for a degree of normalcy, but it is not to be. Their own own government is against them and has passed discriminatory laws. There are mobs that are acting out in hatred against them. The gifted group or nobody people, must risk everything and band together as one to fight against the discrimination, hatred and fear that has arisen against them or die trying.

It sounds good, but it is in want of more focus and more resolution even though it is part of a two part series.

I really enjoyed this, I don’t know why it wasn’t more popular. Reminds me of the shows Manifest and The Boys, and I’m always a fan of super powers in “normal” people stories.

I ended up dnfing this book. This book couldn’t keep my interest. I had high hopes for this one and it just wasn’t it.

This book was a DNF for me. It was way too long and ended up having content that just didn’t resonate or connect with me. I would probably only recommend to people who are really in love with X-Men type characters and don’t mind needing to read the second book in a series to get closure. Just not a good match for me at all.

The premise of this book was so intriguing and promising that I dove right in. Sad to say, it fell flat for me a little bit in. It seemed to read like a comic book turned novel. I'm not really interested in a super hero type book, so I wouldn't be the best review to base a like on this book. But, if you like that type of story, then this series would be right up your alley!

I was quite intrigued by the summary detailed in this book.

Thank you for allowing me to read The Nobody People. This book, the first in a two-part series weaves a fascinating story with well-crafted characters.

The first book I have read by this author and I hope not the last.

The Nobody People by Bob Proehl is the first book in the science fiction fantasy The Resonant Duology. The tale is one that’s a take on comic book type super heroes set in a world that shuns those with the unique abilities.

The nobody people in the book are those who have some type of special ability and they are known to the world as the Resonants. A reporter named Avi has been asked by the Resonants to help them announce their presence to the world. But Avi has a young daughter who has powers herself and he fears what may happen to her.

I actually read this first book of The Resonant Duology quite a while ago and it’s one review I kept putting off because honestly I just don’t like writing them when I didn’t care much for the book. I was curious to pick up a super hero story expecting maybe a ton of action but my take on this was it was slow and just not very engaging to me at all. I always have that fear with lengthy fantasy type of reads so perhaps it was just me but I won’t be continuing the duology myself.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I wanted to like this book so much but for some reason I just couldn’t get into it? I’m not sure what it was...I may try again in the future, but for now, it’s a no for me.


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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

The Nobody People by Bob Proehl 

I didn't realize I was venturing into reading territory that isn't a good fit for me. Although I enjoyed the characters of Avi Hirsch and his much more than just precocious daughter, Emmeline, this story contained too many juvenile elements for me. I've never been a comic book lover although I can be fond of many role playing games. I think the book has a lot of good elements going for it but I'm the wrong person for the book. Possibly if the story wasn't so big, with so much going on in it, I could have enjoyed it more. 

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

A solid “what if” novel that explores the ramifications of difference more explicitly than some of its comic book forebears. It’s clearly indebted to X-Men and things of that ilk, but Proehl makes it his own.

It took me an unusually long time to finish, and I cannot say I was impatient to get back to it whenever I had to put it down. It jumps around a lot; it spends way more time with some major characters than others — and too much time with Avi Hirsch in the grand scheme. Although this book is apparently the first in a duology, it could easily have spanned several installments just by itself. It is far too long, and also a bit heavy-handed (which is a risk many books run when they’re carrying social messaging, however well-meaning that messaging may be).

I would rate this between 3 and 4 stars. I will definitely read the sequel.

The complexity of this group of outcasts in this story truly makes this book. This book is about a group of ordinary individuals with extraordinary gifts. They want to live in a world that doesn't fear them. The government is passing discriminatory laws, mobs are rioting in the streets, and people are filled with fear for the unknown. When one of their own in a fit of anger uses his powers for violence they find a new target on their back. This story gave me X-Men vibes and I loved it. This story was about more than a group of kids with powers. It was about finding your own family, your own community and fighting back against hatred, fear, and bigotry. I can't wait until The Somebody People is released.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Great read! Reminded me of the show The Gifted.

DNF. Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this early copy! I decided to not keep reading this one, it was not for me. Thanks!

Outcasts with extraordinary abilities. Sign me up. What a read. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

The Nobody People is a compelling book that drew me right into its world. I am struggling with how much of the plot to share because I went in knowing very little and really enjoyed letting it unfold. So - I’ll tell you what I knew which is that there are some people with special abilities and a school for kids with abilities, similar to X-Men.

I loved getting to know these characters and their abilities - many of which are different from those I’ve thought about or read before. I also enjoyed the perspective of what it’s like to learn your child has abilities.

I also think this is a very timely book to read - you will see many parallels to situations happening in our world today. A lot of important topics are covered around the ways people deal with their fear and how we handle those we see as different from us. I don’t want to get more specific because of spoilers but I think this would be an excellent book for a book club discussion.

One big warning though - the book ends without any resolution. Good news is that the second book The Somebody People will be out soon. I’m really looking forward to the resolution of this story.

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Make a scifi series of this please! I got sucked in and was hooked til the end. Awesome story and entirely believable!

I wanted to read this because it was said to be similar to the X-men. But this was too similar to be that original. Just changing mutants to resonates but keeping the same ideas. I enjoyed this but it would have been better if it didn't feel like a name-brand copy. May or may not read the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy of The Nobody People by Bob Proehl.
The Nobody People is a science fiction novel about present day US after a group of citizens called “resonants” come forward and announce that they have special abilities. What follows is a series of acts of violence, betrayals and prejudice.
Although the book is well-written and plotted I found it difficult to stay interested in the plight of the resonants and the people surrounding them. I think the story would have been better served by breaking it into two books and using the extra pages to create a connection between the reader and the characters. I found that despite the high body count that in the end I didn’t relate or care about any of the characters or what happens to them. I appreciated the raw grittiness of the story (these aren’t X-Men or Marvel comic characters despite their special abilities) and the rare moments of humor but that wasn’t enough to get me through 500+ pages.
Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me.

There is a lot going on in this book and I enjoyed this book even though it felt a little close to home with real world happenings. If you have seen one of the movies or read any X-Men comic books, this book will feel familiar. The book opens with Avi Hirsch, a journalist who has always known that his daughter was a little different. Avi is invited by Kevin Bishop to give write stories for various publications to give a voice to people who have been hidden away for years that have various abilities, people Bishop has named Resonants. Soon Avi realizes that his daughter has abilities as well and goes to the school that Bishop has set up for these gifted students. When the world finds out that Resonants exist and walk among them, well, you can guess what happens.

As I mentioned, there are quite a few plot lines going on but several characters are the focus: Avi, Carrie (a girl who can turn invisible), Fahima (a Muslim woman with a great mind for machinery) and siblings Sarah and Patrick who help run the school. This book is the first in a two part series and a warning that it ends on a huge cliffhanger. It is a long book at nearly 500 pages but it could easily have been longer as several plot lines felt underdeveloped but maybe I just need to wait for the second book, apparently coming this fall. A good read, if a little depressing when it comes to depictions of human nature. Hoping that we get to follow some of the other characters a bit more in the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from netgalley and the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Nobody People

Author: Bob Proehl

Book Series: The Nobody People Book 1

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Muslim faith character, LGBT

Publication Date: September 3, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, some language, and discrimination and racism TW)

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Pages: 481

Amazon Link

Synopsis: When a group of outcasts with extraordinary abilities comes out of hiding, their clash with a violent society will spark a revolution—or an apocalypse..

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.

Review: I really liked this book! I felt it was equal parts superhero and equal parts steelheart (which is also superhero but go with me!) The character development was amazing and I appreciated all of the diverse characters in it. The book had amazing world building and it had a plot that was intriguing and kept the reader hooked.

However, I did feel like the book downfall was the pacing. It was so slow and it dragged at times with some spots I felt didn’t belong.

Verdict: I need book 2!