The Liminal People by Ayize Jama-Everett

Published by Small Beer Press on January 10, 2012

The Liminal People oozes atmosphere from the first tense scene, as Taggert, doing a drug deal for his boss, is double-crossed in an unfriendly environment. Fortunately, Taggert can take care of himself: he has the ability to read and alter bodies; he swims in the biorhythms of the people who surround him. He can induce sleep, inflict pain, grow tumors, cause death. He can produce the same changes in his own body: increase muscle mass, boost adrenalin, toughen skin, deaden nerves, heal wounds. He isn't Superman but he's a tough dude. He can also manipulate his cellular structure to alter his appearance.

When Taggert returns to his Moroccan home, he finds a message from Yasmine, the woman he loves even though she rejected him as a freak. Yasmine needs help and Taggert is soon jetting to Marseilles to find her. Taggert's quest takes him to London in search of Yasmine's child, Tamara, who turns out to have powers of her own -- as do other people he encounters on his journey. Some of them are equally anxious to find Tamara, setting up action-filled fight scenes that are at least a notch above standard thriller fare.

In his ambition to locate and cultivate individuals gifted with unusual powers, Taggert's boss is like a criminal version of the X-Men's Professor Xavier. Yet The Liminal People doesn't have the feel of a comic book; this is serious science fiction. While Ayize Jama-Everett isn't the first novelist to write about people with extraordinary abilities (A.E. Van Vogt, Larry Niven, and Joan Vinge all come to mind), parts of this novel are completely original.

Liminal people are (according to the text) those who are always on the threshold. The empowered people envisioned by Jama-Everett are, in a sense, apart from "normal" humans -- not just in their powers and experiences but in their attitudes. In another sense, however, they are very human, craving what we all crave, the things that come more easily to "normal" people: love, trust, friendship, family. Jama-Everett's point, I think, is that no matter how far some people are from an established norm of attractiveness or intelligence or sociability, they remain fundamentally the same as everyone else. Paradoxically, they can also be monsters, as can those who more closely adhere to society's definition of normal. This isn't a new lesson, by any means, but Jama-Everett found a fresh and entertaining way to convey it.

The Liminal People is a short novel, in part because it isn't padded. Jama-Everett makes every word count. The plot is suspenseful; the writing is poignant and powerful. Jama-Everett writes with barely restrained, seething energy. The story proceeds at a rapid pace but Jama-Everett doesn't skimp on characterization, particularly in his complex rendition of Taggert. Taggert is more intelligent, more philosophical, than the typical empowered character in a science fiction novel. A conflict with his brother that shaped Taggert's personality is a smart addition to the story, as is the defiant attitude of Yasmine's daughter.

A warning: many of Jama-Everett's characters are from the streets; they speak accordingly. Readers who are timid about profanity might be offended by some of the language in this novel. Readers who appreciate that a foul mouth is sometimes necessary to give credibility to a character won't be bothered. There is also a mildly steamy scene that is more likely to turn readers on than off. Of greater concern is that Taggert can be a bit sadistic; the descriptions of his ability to inflict pain aren't for the squeamish. But then, there probably aren't many squeamish people reading adult sf.

The ending of this dark novel leaves open the possibility of redemption and hope. Perhaps more importantly, it sets up a second novel featuring Taggert and other liminal people. I hope Jama-Everett writes it.

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