Bear Brawl

“It’s insane. It’s primal. It’s poetic. Bear Brawl is like Rocky IV meets Jaws, but with a deeper emotional undercurrent about grief and masculinity. Finkel captures the mind of a fighter better than most writers ever have—and reminds you that sometimes, the fight isn’t just about the opponent, but also with yourself—or in this case, with a bear.”

Ed Latimore, former heavyweight boxer, author of Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business

“Man versus beast is an eternal theme that Jon Finkel tackles brilliantly in this exceptional novel. Bear Brawl is edge-of-your-seat storytelling at its finest, with deep, memorable characters and crackling dialogue. A true blockbuster thriller with heart. As for Brick? Get used to that guy. He’s an action hero for our modern era.”

Kirsten Fleming, New York Post

“Instead of reaching for your favorite action movie standby, crack open Bear Brawl, Jon Finkel’s new thriller pumping with testosterone and all the beats you want and need to release some tension. Finely crafted with endearing characters and vivid descriptions, Bear Brawl will keep you turning pages.”

Brad Balukjian, Los Angeles Times bestselling author of The Wax Pack and The Six Pack

“I’ve long been a fan of Jon Finkel’s nonfiction work. Turns out his fiction writing is just as engrossing and, amazingly, feels just as real. Bear Brawl,  and the battle of Brick vs. Bear, will stay with me for a long time.”

Chad Finn, author and Boston Globe columnist

“I loved Bear Brawl and devoured it over the course of a few lazy summer afternoons. It’s a fun, fast-paced thriller for anyone who likes a good old-fashioned tale of man versus beast. But there is much more to this book that surprised me. I’m a scientist, and I read Bear Brawl for a bit of escapism, but one thing I couldn’t escape was how much science and nature shaped the story. Come for the adventure, and along the way you’ll stealthily learn about bears, landscapes, and ecosystems. You’ll even meet a strong scientist character, who keeps what might otherwise seem like an outrageous premise firmly in the grounds of reality. Jon Finkel has always been known for his unique writing style, simultaneously cerebral and testosterone-fueled, and here he has outdone himself with the ultimate tale of brawn and brains.”

Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh paleontologist and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and The Story of Birds

“The premise is so wild it genuinely hooked its claws into me. It kept me up late into the night, flatly refusing to let me hibernate…[Bear Brawl] is a sharp, unvarnished look at how destructive masculine grief can be when channeled through pure physical obsession.”

The Campus Files