The Brave

A Novel

By: Nicholas Evans

Narrated by: Michael Emerson

There's little love in 8-year-old Tom Bedford's life. His parents are old and remote, and the boarding school they've sent him to bristles with bullies and sadistic staff. The only comfort he gets is from his fantasy world of cowboys and Indians. But when his sister, Diane, a rising star of stage and screen, falls in love with one of his idols, the suave TV cowboy Ray Montane, Tom's life is transformed. They move to Hollywood and all his dreams seem to have come true. Soon, however, the sinister side of Tinseltown casts its shadow and a shocking act of violence changes their lives forever.

What happened all those years ago remains a secret that corrodes Tom's life and wrecks his marriage. Only when his estranged son, a U.S. Marine, is charged with murder do the events resurface, forcing him to confront his demons. As he struggles to save his son's life, he will learn the true meaning of bravery.

Powerfully written and intensely moving, The Brave traces the legacy of violence behind the myth of the American West and explores our quest for love and identity, the fallibility of heroes, and the devastating effects of family secrets.

©2010 Nicholas Evans (P)2010 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Alternating past and present, Evans expertly juggles his twin narratives until they come shatteringly together as father and son yield to the combined weight of the secrets they hide. Combining elements of the prep school drama, the Hollywood novel, the western, and the war story, Evans (The Horse Whisperer) skillfully mixes genres to create a real crowd-pleaser." (Publishers Weekly)

Great Book

I fully enjoyed this book. Yes it does jump back and forth through time, but I didn't find it hard to follow once I got used to it. It did switch without warning, but there were clues right away as to who they were talking about. If the main character was being referred to as "Tommy" you were likely in the time period when he was a child, if he was called "Tom" he was as adult. There were also certain characters and settings that were only around in either childhood or adulthood. I also liked all the different settings, it helped to keep the book interesting. There are parts in London, Hollywood, Montana, etc and scenes at a horrible boarding school, hollywood set, out horse riding, the Iraq war, at a trial, etc. There is a lot going on. I found myself not wanting to stop working (I listen to my book while working) as I was so enthralled with what was going on. I've loved all Nicholas Evan's books and I think this is another great one.

Overwrought?

The moral/truism as stated/revealed at the end made the rest of the book seem overwrought.

OK book, not as good as his other books

If you could sum up The Brave in three words, what would they be?

Entertaining but not great.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Brave?

I liked the story and characters but I already knew pretty early in the story how it was going to end. Did not like that.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

WOW!

at first it was hard to follow, then it became an awesome story. Loved it

spellbinding

Nicolas does it agin! The sory is original, captivating, and thought provocing. Highly recommended. The performace was superb.

good book

this book is hard to get into at the start but doesn't disappoint at the end

Evans at his Best!

I'm not sure how I missed this title when it was first released in the audio version, but I am glad I had the chance to listen as an early holiday season bonus.

I've read some of Evans' other novels - "The Horse Whisperer" and "The Loop", but from my perspective I have to say that "The Brave" is his best. The story successfully combines the disparate elements of damaging family history and secrets, self-evolving learning experiences, and respect for nature, all in the varied settings of England in the 60's, the Hollywood scene, and the spiritual presence in the wilds of Montana.

I think Evans' writing has been niched by some into western novels and horse stories, when what he really writes about is the broader human condition. Some might say the geographical and social scope of "The Brave" is too ambitious for a novel of its size, but I would disagree and say that the author handles the diverse settings with precision and with just enough detail to keep the story relatable and the reader inspired.

This novel has struck a chord with me, maybe because I was a teenager in the England of the same period in which Tommy grew up, and have a correspondingly broad scope of settings in my background - England, California, New England, and Central America.

The narration and production are superb, particularly the introductory music and reading of the poem "Men In White Hats" by Shane Van Clois. I didn't quite get the connection at first, but as I read further the mythical cowboy character and the symbolic white cowboy hat began to resonate.

The segues forward and back in time periods were not troublesome for me as a reader, and I quickly acclimated to the rhythm of these transitions.

Great book, and I intend to listen again.

Excellent "read" very well done!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Brave to be better than the print version?

Don't know - just have the audio edition.

What did you like best about this story?

Good plot. Well written and well read.

Which scene was your favorite?

Diane and Tom in Montana.

If you could take any character from The Brave out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Diane - interesting character. Brave but stupid.

Memories

Although told in a slow pace, the book was a great listen. Romancing the old West is always a great listen.

Great narration of an okay story

After hearing Michael Emerson’s performance of All the King’s Men (which I highly recommend), I’d listen to him read the phone book. The story held my interest for a while, but the last third dragged, then rushed to the obvious and banal ending.