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Generations: Those Who Don't Know History ... May Live to See Tomorrow
April 1964... A pharmaceutical cover-up pushes William Nolan to an impossible implicate himself in a murder he did not commit or lose his family. In the weeks that follow, a drug with terrible side effects gets pushed to market prematurely, causing the suffering of thousands around the world. Three generations later... Jordan Nolan wants nothing to do with his hometown or his last name. Just weeks from his ticket out, a mysterious informant dangles a clue that could clear his great-grandfather and implicate a powerful leader in the drug industry. A lost treasure hunt, a trail of forgotten secrets, and a cryptic message in an ancient Bible thrust Jordan into a Pandora's Box of lies and danger that will cost him more than the future if he pulls on the wrong thread. From the underground catacombs of Western Colorado to the DC corridors of power, those who don't know history... may live to see tomorrow.
- GenresMystery
550 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2018
4 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 26, 2018
A story about Jordan Nolan’s quest for the Truth
First, a disclaimer: I consider Kenny a friend, although we only spent a week together in the Philippine Islands on a Compassion International Sponsor Tour. He gave me a signed soft cover copy to read. I bought a Kindle version so that I could leave a review. Of course I want to leave a good one! But I also want to give an HONEST review.
That being said, I did enjoy reading this book. If I don’t like a book, I’ll stop reading it. I’ve done so before and I’ll likely do it again, so the fact that I finished reading this book says a lot in itself.
Generations is a story that revolves around Jordan Nolan, a young man living in Wilson, Colorado. The Nolan name is widely despised in Wilson because of the reported actions of Jordan’s great grandfather. As a result, Jordan is very eager to leave his home town. But something happens...
I always like a good plot twist and there were good plot twists in Generations; ones I did not see coming, and ones I rather suspected would be coming. Jordan’s dream about the Wilson Bridge did provide significant clues without really giving away the ending and I liked the fact that the exact ending was never really certain. The ending was entirely satisfying, and getting there was an interesting ride.
One thing that I wished for was more descriptive language. (I actually told this to Kenny soon after I began reading, so this won’t be news to him.) I’m a fan of Tolkien’s extensive descriptions, something other readers find ponderous and prohibitive, but something I wanted more of. Kenny’s writing style is very succinct, which helps to move the story along nicely, but sacrifices some detail in doing so. When detail was needed it was given, but never more than was absolutely necessary. “Rich” is not a word I would use to describe his style. Personally, I like “rich”.
Another thing I would have liked to have seen is a more intense sense of danger for the main characters. I never got the feeling that Jordan and his friends were ever in any actual danger. Even Jordan’s encounter at the cabin in the woods never felt like he could possibly be really harmed. By the time I arrived to that part, Jordan’s safety was beyond question. Of course, as the protagonist of the story, one does expect him to live, but at the same time, I wanted there to be a real question in my mind for at least part of the tale.
I enjoyed the playful banter between Jordan and Bethany. (I rather suspect that much of that is derived from Kenny’s relationship with his wife, but since she was not on the trip I met him on, I have no real evidence to support this theory.) The relationship between Jordan and Bethany developed very naturally, with some very real bumps along the way, and it didn’t feel at all contrived. I don’t like contrived relationships in stories. The only suggestion I would have regarding this aspect of the book would be to give Bethany a more distinctive flaw. She’s almost too perfect.
I also really appreciated the way faith is woven into the story as a natural fiber, rather than an artificial contrivance that the rest of the story is hung on. I’ve read books where the religious message is hammered into my consciousness with such force that I felt guilty for even thinking about not finishing the book. I believe the Creator works in more subtle ways than that and a book that reflects that belief resonates with me.
All in all, I will be recommending this book to my friends and I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book!
First, a disclaimer: I consider Kenny a friend, although we only spent a week together in the Philippine Islands on a Compassion International Sponsor Tour. He gave me a signed soft cover copy to read. I bought a Kindle version so that I could leave a review. Of course I want to leave a good one! But I also want to give an HONEST review.
That being said, I did enjoy reading this book. If I don’t like a book, I’ll stop reading it. I’ve done so before and I’ll likely do it again, so the fact that I finished reading this book says a lot in itself.
Generations is a story that revolves around Jordan Nolan, a young man living in Wilson, Colorado. The Nolan name is widely despised in Wilson because of the reported actions of Jordan’s great grandfather. As a result, Jordan is very eager to leave his home town. But something happens...
I always like a good plot twist and there were good plot twists in Generations; ones I did not see coming, and ones I rather suspected would be coming. Jordan’s dream about the Wilson Bridge did provide significant clues without really giving away the ending and I liked the fact that the exact ending was never really certain. The ending was entirely satisfying, and getting there was an interesting ride.
One thing that I wished for was more descriptive language. (I actually told this to Kenny soon after I began reading, so this won’t be news to him.) I’m a fan of Tolkien’s extensive descriptions, something other readers find ponderous and prohibitive, but something I wanted more of. Kenny’s writing style is very succinct, which helps to move the story along nicely, but sacrifices some detail in doing so. When detail was needed it was given, but never more than was absolutely necessary. “Rich” is not a word I would use to describe his style. Personally, I like “rich”.
Another thing I would have liked to have seen is a more intense sense of danger for the main characters. I never got the feeling that Jordan and his friends were ever in any actual danger. Even Jordan’s encounter at the cabin in the woods never felt like he could possibly be really harmed. By the time I arrived to that part, Jordan’s safety was beyond question. Of course, as the protagonist of the story, one does expect him to live, but at the same time, I wanted there to be a real question in my mind for at least part of the tale.
I enjoyed the playful banter between Jordan and Bethany. (I rather suspect that much of that is derived from Kenny’s relationship with his wife, but since she was not on the trip I met him on, I have no real evidence to support this theory.) The relationship between Jordan and Bethany developed very naturally, with some very real bumps along the way, and it didn’t feel at all contrived. I don’t like contrived relationships in stories. The only suggestion I would have regarding this aspect of the book would be to give Bethany a more distinctive flaw. She’s almost too perfect.
I also really appreciated the way faith is woven into the story as a natural fiber, rather than an artificial contrivance that the rest of the story is hung on. I’ve read books where the religious message is hammered into my consciousness with such force that I felt guilty for even thinking about not finishing the book. I believe the Creator works in more subtle ways than that and a book that reflects that belief resonates with me.
All in all, I will be recommending this book to my friends and I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book!
June 17, 2020
Full disclosure: The author of this book is a co-worker of mine. He has asked me to give an honest review and that is what this is; an honest review of this novel.
Generations is a coming of age story for a high school graduate. It ties present day events with events that took place 50 years ago; a murder/suicide, involving his great-grandfather, which becomes the subject of investigation for the protagonist the summer after graduating from high school. A summer that is supposed to be spent preparing for the biggest year of his life.
This book is a fast paced, page turner. It seems every section of the book unlocks a mystery only to find another mystery to unlock. Generations is a book of redemption. Soooo much redemption. The redemption unfolds for each character differently. The characters face realistic struggles and show incredible strength of character in overcoming those struggles. The main characters were allowed to make mistakes and suffer the consequences of those mistakes, but also learn from them.
One of the categories this book falls into, is Christian fiction. There are definitely Christian elements to this book with Biblical references, prayer, and of course, some of the characters are Christian. This adds to the story line as the main characters struggle with their faith. At its core, this book is a wonderfully written mystery novel, that is an exciting ride of discovery for the main character. Jordan discovers a lot about himself, his family, his ancestors, his community, and his faith the summer after graduation, that he didn’t know, and wouldn't have believed while going through High School, and much of it changes his perspective on life and love.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an exciting mystery novel that brings you into the action and keeps the heart pumping throughout.
I listened to the audio version of the book and the team that produced this and the actors that voiced it did an excellent job. The only complaint I have about the production is that sometimes (not every time), it seemed to switch from one scene in the book to another with no delay and when that happened, sometimes I didn’t realize the scene had switched. I listen to audio books at about 1.5 to 1.6 speed so that may have had something to do with the short delay between scenes in the book. This in no way took away from the listening experience and I still give this book and the performances in the audio book 5-stars.
Generations is a coming of age story for a high school graduate. It ties present day events with events that took place 50 years ago; a murder/suicide, involving his great-grandfather, which becomes the subject of investigation for the protagonist the summer after graduating from high school. A summer that is supposed to be spent preparing for the biggest year of his life.
This book is a fast paced, page turner. It seems every section of the book unlocks a mystery only to find another mystery to unlock. Generations is a book of redemption. Soooo much redemption. The redemption unfolds for each character differently. The characters face realistic struggles and show incredible strength of character in overcoming those struggles. The main characters were allowed to make mistakes and suffer the consequences of those mistakes, but also learn from them.
One of the categories this book falls into, is Christian fiction. There are definitely Christian elements to this book with Biblical references, prayer, and of course, some of the characters are Christian. This adds to the story line as the main characters struggle with their faith. At its core, this book is a wonderfully written mystery novel, that is an exciting ride of discovery for the main character. Jordan discovers a lot about himself, his family, his ancestors, his community, and his faith the summer after graduation, that he didn’t know, and wouldn't have believed while going through High School, and much of it changes his perspective on life and love.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an exciting mystery novel that brings you into the action and keeps the heart pumping throughout.
I listened to the audio version of the book and the team that produced this and the actors that voiced it did an excellent job. The only complaint I have about the production is that sometimes (not every time), it seemed to switch from one scene in the book to another with no delay and when that happened, sometimes I didn’t realize the scene had switched. I listen to audio books at about 1.5 to 1.6 speed so that may have had something to do with the short delay between scenes in the book. This in no way took away from the listening experience and I still give this book and the performances in the audio book 5-stars.
November 24, 2023
A wholesome suspense story
As a parent involved with speech and debate, I loved seeing forensics feature so prominently in a novel. And while suspense isn't my genre of choice, this book was a fun from page one. The writing is clean, clear, and polished, and the storytelling is sharp. I knew I was in for something special from the very first sentence: "'This is definitely illegal'"
In fact, there were other lines I found memorable:
-"Plan B didn't include escape."
-"Jordan slammed the door. As he did, a door in his heart slammed at the same time...his ticket out of Wilson dangled in front of him like a carrot in the shape of the Washington Monument."
-"It was the best of drugs, it was the worst of drugs."
The Gospel of Jesus is also clearly given throughout the book. At times it lands a bit on the preachy side, but as a Christian, I love to see the truth come out in all forms, especially in novels. If you're looking for a clean suspense story, try this book.
As a parent involved with speech and debate, I loved seeing forensics feature so prominently in a novel. And while suspense isn't my genre of choice, this book was a fun from page one. The writing is clean, clear, and polished, and the storytelling is sharp. I knew I was in for something special from the very first sentence: "'This is definitely illegal'"
In fact, there were other lines I found memorable:
-"Plan B didn't include escape."
-"Jordan slammed the door. As he did, a door in his heart slammed at the same time...his ticket out of Wilson dangled in front of him like a carrot in the shape of the Washington Monument."
-"It was the best of drugs, it was the worst of drugs."
The Gospel of Jesus is also clearly given throughout the book. At times it lands a bit on the preachy side, but as a Christian, I love to see the truth come out in all forms, especially in novels. If you're looking for a clean suspense story, try this book.
September 9, 2019
This story has great bones-- a tantalizing mystery with unique story-line spanning 4 generations and 5 decades. Profound ethical dilemmas confound not only our protagonist, but his predecessors, with consequences that linger on as history unfolds. My copy, given to me by the author, seems to be an advance copy that hadn't yet had full editing/peer review, yet the plot shone. We took our time with this one, as we read it aloud when we were together, often in the car. And I just listened to a trailer for the audio book (full cast, too!), and I'm really excited for that option-- it sounds great! More details at generationsthestory.com .
August 8, 2024
“Wholesome and gritty”. Mystery, scavenger hunt, political issues, friendship, evil, lots of emotions, and plot twists. And such sweetness and love. I loved this book!! Glad I have the next book in the series on my shelf ready to go. It took me awhile to get going when I started this book, but then I couldn’t put it down.
September 6, 2020
Wow! What a great read!
I was not expecting that. Such a great story and so many twists for his first book. And a love story woven throughout it. I loved it!
I was not expecting that. Such a great story and so many twists for his first book. And a love story woven throughout it. I loved it!
April 14, 2024
Hidden treasure, deathly secrets, forbidden romance, and a plot to keep pages turning!
September 16, 2020
Great story!
I really enjoyed reading this story, and it had me fully captivated! I just had to know what would happen next. The characters were relatable and I found myself really cheering for them to succeed. It is a great story of justice, love and redemption.
I really enjoyed reading this story, and it had me fully captivated! I just had to know what would happen next. The characters were relatable and I found myself really cheering for them to succeed. It is a great story of justice, love and redemption.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews