And once again I finish a book only to let it fade from my memory before reviewing it, or whatever you call what I do to books here. Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick is a self-published book that gives me faith in the whole concept of self-publishing because it is a *really* fun read. It takes place in an alternate version of the 1980’s when, for all intents and purposes, super-heros come out of the closet. The protagonist is high school student who has always been a bit of an oddball, but now realizes that he is one of these people with special powers. And his classmates realize the same thing.

So think of it a bit like the beginnings of the X-Men.

Except its more a coming of age novel than anything. Nate Charters is in love for the first time, finding out his mother isn’t infallible for the first time, finding that other people aren’t always what they seem. In short, he’s growing up, and quickly. We get to go along for the ride. The special powers are more a catalyst for rapid change than the point of the book.

Now I listened to the podiobook version. It is read by the author and he does a great job of breathing life into his characters and evoking the feel of the ’80s. It doesn’t hurt that he uses Peril Dance’s Perfect World for intro and outro… it has a very strong 80’s vibe.

You can also buy the book from Amazon or Lulu.com. Links can be found at the Brave Men Run website. Brace yourself… Mr. Selznick is a wonderful writer and a talented storyteller, but he pretty much sucks as a web designer, and the cover of the book is about as appealing as a mud-pie.

But please don’t let that slow you down. There’s a sample chapter for you to read at the site, and the Podiobook is *free* to listen to, though donations are accepted. I was happy to drop $10 in the tip jar, and sent a print copy of the book to a friend.

Self-published books worth reading need our help to get the word out. I really, really enjoyed Brave Men Run and if one person finds it because of this post, I’ll be happy. Leave a comment if you give it a read or a listen. I’d love to hear what other folks thought of it.