When I was considering what to review for the first episode I wracked my brain for something worth talking about and decided to start on a high note. In this episode I will be reviewing Brave Men Run, a novel by talented newcomer Matthew Wayne Selznick. It was an easy choice given my familiarity with this particular work.

There have been hundreds of Audiobooks released via RSS feed in recent years but none have had quite the impact that this book has had on yours truly. When I found this puppy I listened to the book non-stop, only taking breaks to download new episodes, and to eat and sleep. It drew me in from the very beginning. Afterwards I went and told as many people as I could about the novel because I loved it, and I still do.

It is 1985. Nate Charters is your everyday misfit going to Abbeque Valley High School in California. He understands that he’s different and it’s only after a high profile doctor comes out as having superpowers that the teen begins to start unravelling and understanding his origins. He must also realise the dangerous conspiracy surrounding his own existence. In the midst of the action he will fall in love, dodge government men and befriend the local bully.

This isn’t a superhero novel. It’s more than that. It’s a story about growing up and how difficult it can be, especially when you’re so different from your peers. It is also about rising above the many obstacles that are thrown in your way.

For those of you that were around in the 1980’s Selznick’s depiction of this era is both masterful and intuitive. He captures the culture, the history and the people with surprising accuracy. The plot is solid, the characters are believable and the action will take your breath away. No capes, no jockies on the outside of the pants, no cheesy lines - just good storytelling.  Brave Men Run is a must-read but be careful, Selznick’s prose is addictive.

Stay tuned after the following promo for links that you’ll need to get a hold of the book.

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If you’re a member of Podiobooks, be sure to subscribe to the podcast version of this novel free of charge. If you like the pod as much as I have then donate via the Podiobooks page and/or buy the new print copy available from Swarm Press, via Amazon.com. For more information about this novel and the author, check out Matthew’s website at www.mattselznick.com.

<Theme> This podcast is released under a Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share-alike 3.0 license. For more information, go to www.creativecommons.org. The Intro and Outro themes used in this podcast were provided courtesy of Mark Blasko at www.podcastthemes.com. Hyperlinked transcripts and a host of other material related to this podcast can be located at reviewcentralpodcast.blogspot.com.