The Brave - Hardcover

Evans, Nicholas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316033782 ISBN 13: 9780316033787

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2010

Synopsis

There's little love in eight-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 US 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.

About this title

About the Author:

Nicholas Evans studied law at Oxford University after serving in Africa with Voluntary Service Overseas. He then worked as a newspaper reporter, TV producer and screenwriter before writing four bestselling novels. His first book, The Horse Whisperer was made into a movie directed by Robert Redford. He lives in Devon with his wife, singer/songwriter Charlotte Gordon Cumming. Her album of songs, inspired by The Brave, can be heard at www.thebravesongs.com.

From AudioFile:

As the story begins, a boy visits his mother, a convicted murderer, in prison. From there, listeners meet him as a younger child who loves Westerns and hates boarding school. Then the story flashes forward to his present-day life in Montana. Who better to tell a twisted story that skips from era to era than Michael Emerson of "Lost"? As a narrator, Emerson is soft-spoken, providing just enough emphasis on those tantalizing clues to keep listeners' attention. He's also good with a wide range of voices, from those of Britain to those of the American West. As with "Lost," the puzzle isn't ultimately that important, but the details of protagonist Tom Bedford's troubled past and present ultimately prove fascinating. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0316033782
• ISBN 13: 9780316033787
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 353