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April 18, 1985 -- Into a world already wound tight with the desperate tensions of the Cold War comes a man with a startling Declaration: Metahumans exist, they demand autonomy, and Dr. William Karl Donner has the reality-bending power to enforce their status. The balance of power is thrown askew by the addition of not one more Superpower, but six thousand.

Before the Donner Declaration, high school sophomore Nate Charters was just an outsider and self-proclaimed freak. His unusual appearance, hair-trigger reflexes, and overactive metabolism should have made him something special, but his differences and low self-esteem have long since marked him as a target for the jocks and popular kids.

Now, just as his unique nature brings him the attention of a self-assured older girl, Nate must find his place in the world. Why is he the way he is? Where did he come from? Is he part of a remarkable, powerful new minority... or just a misfit among misfits?

He'd better find out fast... others want the truth, and they're closing in...

Praise For "Brave Men Run - A Novel of the Sovereign Era"

"The brilliance of Brave Men Run is not only in its vision, but its execution. Matthew Wayne Selznick spins a superhero story that transcends predictable ‘grim-n-gritty’ and ‘rock-’em-sock-’em’ conventions, capturing a realism and emotion rarely seen in the genre. Part Stan Lee, part John Hughes..!" -- J.C. Hutchins, author of the "7th Son" trilogy

"Selznick effortlessly spins a strong nostalgia for the ’80s with a fascinating alternate history where the superpowers wake up and may not be entirely hip on the idea of serving the rest of mankind. If Peter Parker had been one of the characters in 'The Breakfast Club,' you would have Brave Men Run. -- Mur Lafferty, author of "Playing for Keeps" and the "Heaven" series

"A fantastical novel written with that all-too-rare attention to character and drama… Selznick speaks softly — yet eloquently — and wields a very big literary stick." -- Mark Jeffrey, Ulysses Award-winning author
of The Max Quick Series

"This book rocks. It’s engaging, the characters are robust... Brave Men Run is the finest podcast novel I’ve listened to… A solid story made even better by an exceptional performance by the author, it serves as an example of what a self-produced ‘podiobook’ can be. You won’t be disappointed." -- Evo Terra, founder of Podiobooks.com

"I thoroughly enjoyed Brave Men Run for its sympathetic characters, its eighties nostalgia, and its comic industry in-jokes, as well as its thoroughly entertaining story! If John Hughes had written the ‘X-Men’ films, this is what we would have gotten." -- Steven H. Wilson, Parsec Award-winning creator of creator of The Arbiter Chronicles

"A great read, a real page turner. This book could be a bestseller." -- Henry Baum, author of "North of Sunset"

"Brave Men Run is at once fantastical and ordinary, gripping and emotional, shocking and intelligent. I thoroughly enjoyed it." -- Paul Story, author of the "Tom Corven" podiobook.

"Well written, with great dialogue... utterly convincing." -- Paul S. Jenkins, the Rev-Up Review podcast.

"Amazingly good... I'm totally hooked! Matthew's prose is clean and true..." -- Jesse Willis, SFFaudio.com

Extended Show Notes

Check out the annotated show notes and comment on each episode!

More From The Sovereign Era

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Visit Matthew Wayne Selznick's website for more fiction, plus music, commentary and other content!

Support the Author

Support independent creative endeavors! If you enjoyed the free podcast edition of "Brave Men Run -- A Novel of the Sovereign Era," consider purchasing the paperback book or electronic editions for the Amazon Kindle, iPhone / iPod Touch, and other DRM-free e-book formats from BraveMenRun.com.

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Audio Quality: Out of 230 ratings

Narration Quality: Out of 229 ratings

Writing Quality: Out of 230 ratings

Overall Rating: Out of 230 ratings

By: Matthew Wayne Selznick
Thanks for the kind words, Juuro and Dharma! I've heard the "half a story" comment more than a few times. My intention was to write a story that describes Nate Charters' journey of self-discovery and answers the story question, "who am I?" I hope that I did that. Of course, just like our real lives, the lives of the characters go on before, after and around the focus of one particular book. That kind of "fuzzy" approach isn't for everyone, and I respect that. Dharma, you wrote that you look forward to supporting future works -- to get a look at the lives of some of the characters before the events of "Brave Men Run -- A Novel of the Sovereign Era" and beyond, check out my serial fiction webzine, "Hazy Days and Cloudy Nights," with my thanks!

By: Dharma Kelleher
I thought the writing and narration were great. Having attended high school and college in the 1980s, it was a fun trip down memory lane. My only criticism is that it felt like you only told half of a story. The tension of the story was just starting to build and then it ended abruptly. Almost a deus ex machina type ending without any resolution. A great first effort and I look forward to reading/listening to/supporting future works.

By: Juuro
This is a first novel from the author? An amazingly solid work and compelling listening experience.

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