Thanks very much for your kind words! Wow, I was on the Knitwitch show… it must be over a year ago, now! More proof of the validity and value of podcasts, I suppose, if it’s bringing in new listeners after so much time.

I’m glad you enjoyed “Brave Men Run.” Did you check out the extended show notes at http://www.bravemenrun.com? There’s a little “behind the curtain” information for every episode. That site is actually part of my own website, http://www.mattselznick.com, where you can join the user forums, comment on blog posts, and subscribe to my personal podcast, Sonitotum. Come say “hi!”

If you have a moment, please consider rating and writing reviews for the book in iTunes and on Amazon.com — if you haven’t already, that is! Many thanks, and please tell everyone you know about “Brave Men Run!”

If you can’t live without “Brave Men Run” on your bookshelf, remember that it will be available on July 13, 2008 in paperback — visit http://www.bravemenrun.com for all the details on that day… and it’s going to be amazing!

Lobster, thanks for taking the time to write such an insightful critique — it shows that the book had an impact on you, and for that, I’m grateful!

I hope I’ll see you all in the comments and on the budding forums over at http://www.mattselznick.com — at the site, you can also read (and comment on) the detailed show notes for the podcast edition of “Brave Men Run,” download wallpaper featuring cover art, and even buy songs mentioned in the book to make your own soundtrack album!

Also, of course, mattselznick.com is where I continue to update everyone on the upcoming events I have planned for July 13, 2008, that very special day this Sovereign Summer when “Brave Men Run” is released in a new paperback edition from Swarm Press.

See you there - and thanks again!

The audio quality struck me as particularly good with the author’s voice easy to listen to and clearly engaged (and the themesong is catchy too!).

The writing itself is quite good, particularly the dialogue, which is usually realistic with only the occasional hint of contrivance. I found Nate’s relationship with Lina to feel a little unnatural, the sort of thing geeks like me wish would happen to them but never does, and for most of the book I was expecting a twist that never came. Still, both characters were written convincingly enough that I quickly came to care about them and was willing to overlook how unlikely it is that a rich, beautiful young woman would instantly fall in love with a younger teen who, for all intents and purposes, has physical deformities. I felt the writing was the weakest when describing the powers of characters, particularly those of Nate, since they broke out of very engaging narrative to essentially give a laundry list of superpowers, though I suppose in this genre that can be hard to avoid. On a similar note I was a little disappointed Selznick resorted to the old trope of having Nate look at his reflection in order to describe himself, but it wouldn’t be a trope if it didn’t work. The storyline is good and as believable as any superhero story I’ve ever seen though it feels like some details are missing (I won’t elaborate on that due to spoilers). On the other hand, as soon as the “super-sovereign” was introduced early in the story I was worried that this story would try to be too self-important, as very often I’ve read stories of 15-year-olds facing off against great evils and changing the world (particularly when they have superpowers). I was very relieved to find that this is not the case in Brave Men Run. Selznick keeps the story focused and the emphasis not on doing incredible things with supernatural powers, but rather the effects of a world-changing event on a teen as he struggles to find his identity (even moreso than most teens!). It’s an angle that is sadly rarely explored and Selznick did it very well. The only problems I found with the storyline was that there were a few leaps of logic, ones that didn’t really seem to follow yet all the characters acted like that was the reasonable conclusion. The ending is also somewhat abrupt and while it is thought provoking I’m not sure there’s enough meat tying it to the title to give me a good sense of closure.

All in all I was impressed with this book and would recommend it to fans of the genre, as well as cynical and jaded readers such as myself who think if they’ve read one superhero novel they’ve read them all, as this one goes places I’ve never been.

And the bonus short story confirmed that there is so much more going on in this world than was seen by the main characters. I’d love to get another glimpse into this world… and i hope we all do soon

Whatever, it is a beautiful mix, the dialogue between the main characters is just sublime. MWS’s reading is equally top notch. If like me you are around 40 there are some great 80’s references too, it really took me back to my own geeky youth.

I cannot recommend this highly enough. The rest of my family are listening to it now. That is a rare thing in my household.

I want to remind everyone about a few of things:

First, there are extended show notes for every episode available from the Brave Men Run web site, with all kinds of inside information — check ‘em out, and feel free to comment there as well as here!

Second, I hope you’re interested enough in my work to sign up for my mailing list — I send updates once a month or less, so it’s very low traffic. Check it out here.

Third, “Brave Men Run - A Novel of the Sovereign Era” is being published by Swarm Press this summer! I hope you’ll consider supporting the book’s success by picking up a copy — I’ll keep you posted as the release date gets closer.

Thanks very much for enjoying “Brave Men Run!”

Since I was an adult with children of my own during the 80’s I “get” most of the 80’s references. If I missed anything, it was only because I wasn’t a teenager during those years. That means I’m well I’m well into middle-age now (who am I kidding? I qualify for AARP), and I still enjoyed listening to the book. Of course, because I am a mature adult, I related more to Nate’s mother than to Nate or any of his contemporaries.

All in all, a good book, well developed, with a fairly consistent story-line. I’ll read (listen to) another of Matthew’s books.

I am about to be without internet for a couple of months and I am downloading podiobooks so I have something interesting to listen to during that time. (I also have discworld audiobooks…but you can only listen to so much pratchet in a row.)

It’s next to impossible to comment on that without giving away elements of the story… but for those folks who are reluctant to invest time in listening to the book, I will say this: BMR is a character driven story, and the lead character’s story arc is satisfied. Are questions left unanswered about the larger world? Sure… but this book is about Nate Charter’s journey of self-discovery, and the story question is answered by the end.

Give it a shot — and get ready for Pilgrimage, the next novel of the Sovereign Era, coming in early 2008.

I get that this is the beginning of an large story arc. However, each episode inside that larger arc should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. This book feels like it has a beginning, a middle, and a target word count.

So Matthew I salute you and congratulate you on a job well done: Bravo.

Craig — thanks for getting caught up in the cliff-hanger structure of the book. And thanks for saying BMR is the most creative and original audiobook you’ve listened to! I’m gonna need a new hat, your comment has made my head so big.