THE ABOLITIONISTS

A contemporary superhero contends with gods possessing his body in Lemar’s fantasy novel.

Hermod Vincent is a Black, queer demigod (of a pantheon ruled by SiqT’ Qkar, Lord of the Void) living in New York City with his husband, Lee. After experiencing an event referred to as “the Rain,” the world is now aware of “demis”—people with supernatural powers—and Hermod is the most powerful such being on the planet. He can communicate telepathically, change others’ perceptions of reality, has telekinetic powers, and can fly, just to name a few tricks up his sleeve. Due to his abilities, he is watched over by the government and a group of scientists. Hermod typically splits his time between pursuing activism and engaging in superheroics while coming to the aid of the public. But he has a problem: Every so often, he becomes possessed by an outside entity and is left with no memory of his actions. It seems that, in the 1800s, a group of gods joined together to break up slave plantations; two of them have found a host in Hermod, their direct descendant, and want to take over his body. The novel’s mashup of fantasy and SF elements feels distinctive and novel, but the true strength of the story lies in the complexities of Hermod as a character: He has incredible powers but is frequently tamped down by government agencies that fear him; he feels like he’s losing his humanity as he bubbles with rage, tethered to the world only by the love of his husband; and he tries to do good even as he’s inundated by the racist and homophobic thoughts and actions of others. The prose is direct yet richly descriptive (“A low barley moon shone gold as far as it could against the sun. Peach cloud haze bled out into plum”), though at times things get confusing when Hermod is being taken over by another being. Still, Lemar’s tale is absorbing and thought provoking.

An evocative and inventive story with a compellingly complicated lead.