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The Invictus Cycle #1
A World I Never Made
Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his estranged daughter Megan, who has committed suicide. The body, however, is not Megan's and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and that she is calling to him for help.
This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic and that makes him the target of both the French police and a band of international terrorists. Joining Pat on his search is Catherine Laurence, a beautiful but tormented Paris detective who sees in Pat something she never thought she'd find-genuine passion and desperate need. As they look for Megan, they come closer to each other's souls and discover love when both had long given up on it.
Juxtaposed against this story is Megan's story. A freelance journalist, Megan is in Morocco to do research when she meets Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. They begin a torrid affair, a game Megan has played often and well in her adult life. But what she discovers about Lahani puts her in the center of a different kind of game, one with rules she can barely comprehend. Because of her relationship with Lahani, Megan has made some considerable enemies. And she has put the lives of many-maybe even millions-at risk.
A World I Never Made is an atmospheric novel of suspense with brilliantly drawn characters and back-stories as compelling as the plot itself. It is the kind of novel that resonates deeply and leaves its traces long after you turn the final page.
This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic and that makes him the target of both the French police and a band of international terrorists. Joining Pat on his search is Catherine Laurence, a beautiful but tormented Paris detective who sees in Pat something she never thought she'd find-genuine passion and desperate need. As they look for Megan, they come closer to each other's souls and discover love when both had long given up on it.
Juxtaposed against this story is Megan's story. A freelance journalist, Megan is in Morocco to do research when she meets Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. They begin a torrid affair, a game Megan has played often and well in her adult life. But what she discovers about Lahani puts her in the center of a different kind of game, one with rules she can barely comprehend. Because of her relationship with Lahani, Megan has made some considerable enemies. And she has put the lives of many-maybe even millions-at risk.
A World I Never Made is an atmospheric novel of suspense with brilliantly drawn characters and back-stories as compelling as the plot itself. It is the kind of novel that resonates deeply and leaves its traces long after you turn the final page.
262 pages, Hardcover
First published March 24, 2009
143 people are currently reading
1391 people want to read
About the author
James LePore
22 books52 followersI write what I like to read: novels and short stories with compelling, fast moving plots, in exotic venues, populated by flawed characters who, finding themselves caught up in situations of extraordinary stress and danger, are forced to face their own demons in order to prevail. The world is full of extremes: terrorism and the courage to fight it, love and hate, lust and tenderness, corruption and redemption, honor and revenge. You will find them all in my work.
I also like to take pictures and to write very short fiction and an occasional poem. All three are combined in my book of flash fiction: Blood, Light and Time: Project 52/2015.
I also like to take pictures and to write very short fiction and an occasional poem. All three are combined in my book of flash fiction: Blood, Light and Time: Project 52/2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
October 14, 2022
2.5 stars rounded up
Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his dead daughter Megan, who has committed suicide. The body, however, is not Megan's and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and she is calling to him for help. This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic that make him a target for both the French police and a band of international terrorists. Joining Pat on his search is beautiful Paris Detective Catherine Laurence.
Pat Nolan and Detective Catherine Laurence are both searching for Pat's daughter Megan. Megan has been living off rich men and has a handsome, rich and powerful Saudi man as her lover. But he is determined to kill her. The story is told from Megan and Pat's perspectives. This story has a dual timeline - the present day and one year ago. The characters were well developed.
#KindleFreeBook
Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his dead daughter Megan, who has committed suicide. The body, however, is not Megan's and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and she is calling to him for help. This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic that make him a target for both the French police and a band of international terrorists. Joining Pat on his search is beautiful Paris Detective Catherine Laurence.
Pat Nolan and Detective Catherine Laurence are both searching for Pat's daughter Megan. Megan has been living off rich men and has a handsome, rich and powerful Saudi man as her lover. But he is determined to kill her. The story is told from Megan and Pat's perspectives. This story has a dual timeline - the present day and one year ago. The characters were well developed.
#KindleFreeBook
May 22, 2015
I was rather disappointed with this book, the general idea was interesting and the book could have been so much better. It starts off with an American father being summoned to France to identify the body of his estranged daughter, who has apparently committed suicide. Her suicide was faked, and it isn't her body. So far so good.
Then we start to get into the various stereotypes, the father is a strong silent American, the French are vain and haughty, the Arabic Muslims are hellbent on international terrorism, and then as a saving grace there are the various gypsy clans complete with fortune teller.
There were numerous typos and other errors, which made it frustrating to read at times. Much of it could have been sorted out at the proofreading stage. The plotline seemed to have drawn on a mixture of various movies, and became quite predictable. I have read other reviews which claim that this is an excellent book, but I have to admit to getting slightly bored with it round about halfway through. I did persevere and finish it though, so it does have that in its favour.
Then we start to get into the various stereotypes, the father is a strong silent American, the French are vain and haughty, the Arabic Muslims are hellbent on international terrorism, and then as a saving grace there are the various gypsy clans complete with fortune teller.
There were numerous typos and other errors, which made it frustrating to read at times. Much of it could have been sorted out at the proofreading stage. The plotline seemed to have drawn on a mixture of various movies, and became quite predictable. I have read other reviews which claim that this is an excellent book, but I have to admit to getting slightly bored with it round about halfway through. I did persevere and finish it though, so it does have that in its favour.
March 7, 2009
Pat Nolan has been estranged from his daughter, Megan for a long time. The last time he spoke to her was when she called him on Christmas day. Since then he has not heard a word from her. So you can imagine his surprise when he receives a farewell letter from Megan. She committed suicide.
Pat travels half way around the world to retrieve his daughter’s remains. When he arrives in Paris, he learns that Megan gave birth to a son. He also discovers that Megan was not in Paris the whole time but living in Morocco. Pat suspects something is up. Even though he and Megan have not had the best of relationships, he can not believe she would leave her son motherless. Pat decides to retrace Megan’s steps, so he can solve what really happened to her. Things go from bad to worse really quickly. Pat is now the enemies of both the French authorities and a group of international terrorists.
When Megan was in Morocco, she fell in love with a very dangerous man by the name of Abdel Lahani. He is a Saudi businessman but he also deals in terrorism. It is too late for Megan to get out of their relationship. Every step she makes after this will put the lives of millions in danger.
Nothing gets your attention faster then reading a suicide note and this was just the first page. From there the story quickly moved into an international adventure filled with high-intensity and drama. I liked how it seemed like there were duel plots happening at the same time. There was the one that involved Pat seeking the truth about his daughter and the one where the reader was able to be transported back a year to Megan and how she got to the point that she had no more options. I read this book during my whole lunch hour. Nothing could have tore my attention away from this story. A World I Never Made by James LePore is a must read for thriller fans! The only problem I have is that I now have to wait another year for the next book from Mr. LePore to release.
Pat travels half way around the world to retrieve his daughter’s remains. When he arrives in Paris, he learns that Megan gave birth to a son. He also discovers that Megan was not in Paris the whole time but living in Morocco. Pat suspects something is up. Even though he and Megan have not had the best of relationships, he can not believe she would leave her son motherless. Pat decides to retrace Megan’s steps, so he can solve what really happened to her. Things go from bad to worse really quickly. Pat is now the enemies of both the French authorities and a group of international terrorists.
When Megan was in Morocco, she fell in love with a very dangerous man by the name of Abdel Lahani. He is a Saudi businessman but he also deals in terrorism. It is too late for Megan to get out of their relationship. Every step she makes after this will put the lives of millions in danger.
Nothing gets your attention faster then reading a suicide note and this was just the first page. From there the story quickly moved into an international adventure filled with high-intensity and drama. I liked how it seemed like there were duel plots happening at the same time. There was the one that involved Pat seeking the truth about his daughter and the one where the reader was able to be transported back a year to Megan and how she got to the point that she had no more options. I read this book during my whole lunch hour. Nothing could have tore my attention away from this story. A World I Never Made by James LePore is a must read for thriller fans! The only problem I have is that I now have to wait another year for the next book from Mr. LePore to release.
February 27, 2012
This book contains all the elements of a great thriller, suspense, foreign locations, terrorists and a touch of romance. LePore had me hooked from the very first page and kept me turning the pages until I found myself with no more pages to turn.
The characters have a slight touch of believability to them and I think this is because the reader can relate to the baggage that all the characters are carrying around with them. This baggage added reality to the novel and this helps to add depth to the novel.
I did not think that I was going to like Megan Nolan as a character. However I felt myself liking her as a character more and more. I believe that the road to corruption is a easy one but the reader will see Megan Nolan start the road to redemption which is the more difficult road. I think this redemption is what starts to make Megan Nolan a likable character to the reader.
I loved the ending of this novel, it brought a certain amount of hope to the novel and the reader.
I highly recommend this novel as a high pace thriller that you as the reader will be unable to put down.
A copy of this book was received for free all opinions expressed are my own through reading this book.
This review first appeared on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com
The characters have a slight touch of believability to them and I think this is because the reader can relate to the baggage that all the characters are carrying around with them. This baggage added reality to the novel and this helps to add depth to the novel.
I did not think that I was going to like Megan Nolan as a character. However I felt myself liking her as a character more and more. I believe that the road to corruption is a easy one but the reader will see Megan Nolan start the road to redemption which is the more difficult road. I think this redemption is what starts to make Megan Nolan a likable character to the reader.
I loved the ending of this novel, it brought a certain amount of hope to the novel and the reader.
I highly recommend this novel as a high pace thriller that you as the reader will be unable to put down.
A copy of this book was received for free all opinions expressed are my own through reading this book.
This review first appeared on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com
June 10, 2011
Why, oh why do I feel compelled to finish something even when it's garbage? Ugh.
Filled with typos, stereotypes and bizarre sentence structure choices, this book was...not good.
On the other hand, it was $1.99 on Kindle and passed the time acceptably while I was at the laundromat.
But, yeah, not recommended. Unless you like thrillers filled with scheming Roma, terrorist Muslims and super tough (yet emotional) Americans.
Oh, and haughty French people.
Filled with typos, stereotypes and bizarre sentence structure choices, this book was...not good.
On the other hand, it was $1.99 on Kindle and passed the time acceptably while I was at the laundromat.
But, yeah, not recommended. Unless you like thrillers filled with scheming Roma, terrorist Muslims and super tough (yet emotional) Americans.
Oh, and haughty French people.
April 7, 2020
The idea was good. Pat Nolan is summoned to France to identify the body of his daughter who commit suicide. She left a note behind that he thought was suspicious and then when he looks at the body it's not her. From there the Paris Police were involved, Saudi terrorists, gypsies and I just couldn't keep up.
April 21, 2011
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
I like reading suspenseful books but I wouldn’t consider the suspense genre a favorite of mine. Still there are times when I come across a suspense novel that I enjoy a lot more than I thought I would. After reading the synopsis of A World I Never Made I felt I’d have a pretty decent reading experience. But it wasn’t long after I actually started the book that I got sucked into the story. The premise of the story is what first got my attention. Pat Nolan is sent to claim the body of his daughter after he finds out she has committed suicide. Despite the fact that Pat and Megan aren’t really on speaking terms doesn’t stop him from traveling to France. However, he immediately knows the body doesn’t belong to his daughter. And he also knows that Megan needs is in a lot of trouble and needs help from the clues she leaves in her suicide note. So Pat lies to the police and tells them that the body is in fact Megan.
I feel the synopsis is a perfect description of the novel so I’m not going to sit here and summarize the book. It would be quite boring for everyone. Instead let’s discuss the characters. It was easy to like Pat despite the fact that he’s basically a horrible father. He alienated Megan as a child and didn’t do a good job of staying in her adult life. The two would spend every Christmas together but it they were never close. After Pat sets out to find Megan he soon discovers how much his daughter means to him and the lengths he’s willing to go to find her.
Not to say Megan is the perfect daughter. Yes, she was the victim as a child; always alone and waiting for her father to return on from his business trips. I hardly blame her for not being close to Pat. But she’s somewhat of an abuser herself. She uses her both her beauty and brains to seduce men to give her whatever she wants. And that behavior is what gets her in trouble with her latest pawn. Abdel Lahani is a predator himself but a handsome, smooth-talking, successful one. It doesn’t take Megan long to realize the mistake she’s made. Like I mentioned before, Megan is very smart. The choices she makes aren’t so smart though and this last decision puts a lot of people in danger.
I really liked Catherine. I felt the romance between her and Pat went very well with the story. I was worried their relationship would feel like a random throw in or wouldn’t make sense but I enjoyed watching them come together. Both Pat and Catherine are wounded souls and I was glad they were able to find each other in such a crazy time in each of their lives.
In my opinion the story just kept getting better and better. I mean the suspense was there and the action that came along with the story really had me turning those pages. Terrorist plots and traveling across countries isn’t really a big turn on for me but it really worked for me this time around. But it was the characters and the way the story flowed through Megan and Pat’s stories that made the novel stand out. I basically just enjoyed how well the story was written and how easily I could get lost in the plot. A World I Never Made surprised me and I’m looking forward to reading more of LePore’s work.
I like reading suspenseful books but I wouldn’t consider the suspense genre a favorite of mine. Still there are times when I come across a suspense novel that I enjoy a lot more than I thought I would. After reading the synopsis of A World I Never Made I felt I’d have a pretty decent reading experience. But it wasn’t long after I actually started the book that I got sucked into the story. The premise of the story is what first got my attention. Pat Nolan is sent to claim the body of his daughter after he finds out she has committed suicide. Despite the fact that Pat and Megan aren’t really on speaking terms doesn’t stop him from traveling to France. However, he immediately knows the body doesn’t belong to his daughter. And he also knows that Megan needs is in a lot of trouble and needs help from the clues she leaves in her suicide note. So Pat lies to the police and tells them that the body is in fact Megan.
I feel the synopsis is a perfect description of the novel so I’m not going to sit here and summarize the book. It would be quite boring for everyone. Instead let’s discuss the characters. It was easy to like Pat despite the fact that he’s basically a horrible father. He alienated Megan as a child and didn’t do a good job of staying in her adult life. The two would spend every Christmas together but it they were never close. After Pat sets out to find Megan he soon discovers how much his daughter means to him and the lengths he’s willing to go to find her.
Not to say Megan is the perfect daughter. Yes, she was the victim as a child; always alone and waiting for her father to return on from his business trips. I hardly blame her for not being close to Pat. But she’s somewhat of an abuser herself. She uses her both her beauty and brains to seduce men to give her whatever she wants. And that behavior is what gets her in trouble with her latest pawn. Abdel Lahani is a predator himself but a handsome, smooth-talking, successful one. It doesn’t take Megan long to realize the mistake she’s made. Like I mentioned before, Megan is very smart. The choices she makes aren’t so smart though and this last decision puts a lot of people in danger.
I really liked Catherine. I felt the romance between her and Pat went very well with the story. I was worried their relationship would feel like a random throw in or wouldn’t make sense but I enjoyed watching them come together. Both Pat and Catherine are wounded souls and I was glad they were able to find each other in such a crazy time in each of their lives.
In my opinion the story just kept getting better and better. I mean the suspense was there and the action that came along with the story really had me turning those pages. Terrorist plots and traveling across countries isn’t really a big turn on for me but it really worked for me this time around. But it was the characters and the way the story flowed through Megan and Pat’s stories that made the novel stand out. I basically just enjoyed how well the story was written and how easily I could get lost in the plot. A World I Never Made surprised me and I’m looking forward to reading more of LePore’s work.
May 3, 2012
A World I Never Made is ostensibly a story about a father and daughter finding each other in the wake of the new age of terrorism. Pat Nolan flies to France to identify the body of his daughter, Megan, only to discover that she faked her suicide. He teams up with a female policeofficer to track down the real Megan, while a parallel narrative taking place a year earlier slowly unveils how Megan found herself in such a desperate situation.
The description is much more entertaining than the book itself. I found myself slugging through it in the beginning, and about halfway through, I found I was actually starting to hate this book. I believe the reason I resorted to giving it one star was because I forced myself to finish it after spending an entire week on it, and as a result, I actually started to resent this book.
Whether or not it’s simply a matter of the format, the ebook edition is riddled with typos. I have other books on my Nook that suffer from similar problems, but most of those books were published before the 1920s. I’m starting to believe that in order to create an e-version of any book, one must first intersperse it with typos. At least one every ten pages is apparently the prerequisite.
The dialogue is unimaginative and far too frequent. At some points it felt like the author had originally wanted to write a screenplay but decided on a novel at the last minute. The character of Catherine Laurence only seems to have been included in the novel to serve as a romantic interest for the protagonist and the romance does not seem to add anything to the story at all. If it had been removed, it would have been a touching story about a man searching for his daughter. As a result, instead, we have a story about a man searching for his daughter with a woman he has arbitrarily decided is the love of his life despite the fact that they have little interaction with each other before making this decision. The plot seems to have been conceived in post 9-11 fear, under the impression that all Arabs are terrorists, the French must be in league with them since they did not immediately join our side in the war (think Freedom Fries mentality here), all Romas are scheming bastards who seem to only be in the story to be killed off, and all Americans are well-built, sensitive, but with a give them hell attitude. The characters are so full of cliché that it’s absolutely impossible to take any of them seriously. The female writer who writes sex tip articles and makes her way around Europe by sleeping with wealthy men has Daddy issues? Please.
It’s hard to find anything original about this novel and even more difficult to find something to like about it. Perhaps it would have worked well as a summer blockbuster, but as a novel, it failed to impress.
The description is much more entertaining than the book itself. I found myself slugging through it in the beginning, and about halfway through, I found I was actually starting to hate this book. I believe the reason I resorted to giving it one star was because I forced myself to finish it after spending an entire week on it, and as a result, I actually started to resent this book.
Whether or not it’s simply a matter of the format, the ebook edition is riddled with typos. I have other books on my Nook that suffer from similar problems, but most of those books were published before the 1920s. I’m starting to believe that in order to create an e-version of any book, one must first intersperse it with typos. At least one every ten pages is apparently the prerequisite.
The dialogue is unimaginative and far too frequent. At some points it felt like the author had originally wanted to write a screenplay but decided on a novel at the last minute. The character of Catherine Laurence only seems to have been included in the novel to serve as a romantic interest for the protagonist and the romance does not seem to add anything to the story at all. If it had been removed, it would have been a touching story about a man searching for his daughter. As a result, instead, we have a story about a man searching for his daughter with a woman he has arbitrarily decided is the love of his life despite the fact that they have little interaction with each other before making this decision. The plot seems to have been conceived in post 9-11 fear, under the impression that all Arabs are terrorists, the French must be in league with them since they did not immediately join our side in the war (think Freedom Fries mentality here), all Romas are scheming bastards who seem to only be in the story to be killed off, and all Americans are well-built, sensitive, but with a give them hell attitude. The characters are so full of cliché that it’s absolutely impossible to take any of them seriously. The female writer who writes sex tip articles and makes her way around Europe by sleeping with wealthy men has Daddy issues? Please.
It’s hard to find anything original about this novel and even more difficult to find something to like about it. Perhaps it would have worked well as a summer blockbuster, but as a novel, it failed to impress.
March 25, 2011
A World I Never Made is a novel of international suspense and mystery. With mild to moderate expletives and violence, it is not suggested for those who are not mature readers. Written from both Pat Nolan's and Megan's perspective, we are taken back and forth in time to enrapture the reader as author, James LePore, sheds light on the mysterious Megan and her ties to the influential and wealthy men of Europe.
Pat Nolan receives a call from the French police in Paris that his estranged daughter, Megan, has committed suicide and he is needed to come and identify the body. Upon seeing that the woman laying in the morgue was not his daughter, he lies and says she is, setting him on a journey that will take him across France and into the Czech Republic to unravel the clues as to his daughters whereabouts.
Along the journey he is aided by policewoman, Catherine Laurance, who later becomes his love interest, the gypsies, who have sworn to protect Megan, for a cost and American FBI agent, Max French, whose agenda may not be what it seems. Following the clues, Pat learns that his daughter is suspected of being a terrorist, and dodging the DST, Saudi Arabian secret agents and the French police, with his life at risk, he continues, each step closer to learning the truth. With everyone on the hunt for Megan, Pat knows his daughter hasn't much time, will he make it to her to save her life or will the secret world of Megan finally catch up with her and be her final doom?
Pat Nolan receives a call from the French police in Paris that his estranged daughter, Megan, has committed suicide and he is needed to come and identify the body. Upon seeing that the woman laying in the morgue was not his daughter, he lies and says she is, setting him on a journey that will take him across France and into the Czech Republic to unravel the clues as to his daughters whereabouts.
Along the journey he is aided by policewoman, Catherine Laurance, who later becomes his love interest, the gypsies, who have sworn to protect Megan, for a cost and American FBI agent, Max French, whose agenda may not be what it seems. Following the clues, Pat learns that his daughter is suspected of being a terrorist, and dodging the DST, Saudi Arabian secret agents and the French police, with his life at risk, he continues, each step closer to learning the truth. With everyone on the hunt for Megan, Pat knows his daughter hasn't much time, will he make it to her to save her life or will the secret world of Megan finally catch up with her and be her final doom?
June 9, 2011
Words like riveting, compelling and page-turner are so overused they have become less than they should be. The problem here is they describe this suspense thriller rather aptly.
James LePore has created a plot so gripping, so absorbing that you literally cannot put it down and on occasion even begin to imagine yourself in the character’s situation.
Pat Nolan has been summoned to Paris to identify the body of his daughter. Any parent can imagine the anguish he feels as he waits for the sheet to be lowered. Then he’s looking at her face and realizes this is not his daughter. Although they have been estranged for some time, Pat knows the only reason Megan would have faked her suicide would be to escape terrible trouble. He identifies the body as his Megan’s and then begins the search for his daughter.
The cryptic clues lead him across France where he finds romance, and has run-ins with gypsies, terrorists and collaborators. The plot and subplots are tightly entertwined and masterfully written. The characters are formidable leading readers through a chronicle of passion, commitment and suspense.
About the Author: James LePore sold his law practice in 1999 to write full-time. ‘A World I Never Made’ is his first novel published by The Story Plant. He also writes short stories. To learn more about James LePore visit his website at http://jamesleporefiction.com/
James LePore has created a plot so gripping, so absorbing that you literally cannot put it down and on occasion even begin to imagine yourself in the character’s situation.
Pat Nolan has been summoned to Paris to identify the body of his daughter. Any parent can imagine the anguish he feels as he waits for the sheet to be lowered. Then he’s looking at her face and realizes this is not his daughter. Although they have been estranged for some time, Pat knows the only reason Megan would have faked her suicide would be to escape terrible trouble. He identifies the body as his Megan’s and then begins the search for his daughter.
The cryptic clues lead him across France where he finds romance, and has run-ins with gypsies, terrorists and collaborators. The plot and subplots are tightly entertwined and masterfully written. The characters are formidable leading readers through a chronicle of passion, commitment and suspense.
About the Author: James LePore sold his law practice in 1999 to write full-time. ‘A World I Never Made’ is his first novel published by The Story Plant. He also writes short stories. To learn more about James LePore visit his website at http://jamesleporefiction.com/
January 5, 2013
The book talks about the ill effects of terrorism, focusing on how the lives of a father and his daughter were changed. The writing was straight-forward; no fuss. I liked how the author interspersed the present and past times. The start was a little bit slow for me but the pace picked up as the story progressed.
I finished reading this the day after a gunman ran amok in his neighborhood south of Manila, firing at will. A few days ago on New Year's Eve, a 7-year old girl was hit by a stray bullet while she was watching the fireworks display with her family and friends. A few weeks prior, there was the Dec 14 shooting and killing of innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary. Guns, terror...what's happening to our world? Isn't climate change bad enough?
To the more conscientious people and especially to those directly affected by these events, they suddenly found themselves in a world they never made; one they did not imagine living in, and who would, really?
Terrorism in any form, large or small scale, shatters. We see the badness, the grief, the sorrow. But like in the story, though fiction, I pray that the victims' families of these real terror attacks will find even just a glimmer of hope amidst the thick gloom.
I finished reading this the day after a gunman ran amok in his neighborhood south of Manila, firing at will. A few days ago on New Year's Eve, a 7-year old girl was hit by a stray bullet while she was watching the fireworks display with her family and friends. A few weeks prior, there was the Dec 14 shooting and killing of innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary. Guns, terror...what's happening to our world? Isn't climate change bad enough?
To the more conscientious people and especially to those directly affected by these events, they suddenly found themselves in a world they never made; one they did not imagine living in, and who would, really?
Terrorism in any form, large or small scale, shatters. We see the badness, the grief, the sorrow. But like in the story, though fiction, I pray that the victims' families of these real terror attacks will find even just a glimmer of hope amidst the thick gloom.
April 4, 2012
I absolutely loved this book! I was riveted by it. This story is a good read if you like suspense, Clancy like novels. The characters are so flawed and realistic. The strength of character and the self realization of one's pride and weaknesses and the choices we make because of them really appealed to me.
June 12, 2012
neocon crap, overwraught, cliche
May 22, 2019
James LePore is a lawyer turned writer. This is his first novel and he will keep you intrigued with the story and captivated with his characters. This book is suspenseful with romance added as well.
Pat Nolan, a father called to identify his daughter's body, a woman who had committed suicide in France. He learned that it was staged. With the help of a French detective Catherine Lawrence, the quest started to locate and help his daughter Megan. Each clue leads closer to Megan but leaves a trail of death and international terrorists are at their heels. What has Megan gotten herself involved in?
Megan Nolan, a very independent beautiful woman who has been living off rich men, took a handsome, rich and powerful Saudi man for a lover. How can one get away from a very powerful and influential individual who is determined to kill you?
Gypsies and others showing up to help. Are they all just lucky coincidences or a divine work?
Pat Nolan, a father called to identify his daughter's body, a woman who had committed suicide in France. He learned that it was staged. With the help of a French detective Catherine Lawrence, the quest started to locate and help his daughter Megan. Each clue leads closer to Megan but leaves a trail of death and international terrorists are at their heels. What has Megan gotten herself involved in?
Megan Nolan, a very independent beautiful woman who has been living off rich men, took a handsome, rich and powerful Saudi man for a lover. How can one get away from a very powerful and influential individual who is determined to kill you?
Gypsies and others showing up to help. Are they all just lucky coincidences or a divine work?
December 30, 2022
A World I Never Made by James LePore
This story starts out when Pat has arrived overseas and is told of his daughter's demise. He carefully inspects the body and notices some things that should be there but aren't.
The inspector helps him with clues that were left behind and she knows of terrorist groups that Megan was working with....
Lots of travel mysteries and trails of a grandson...sisters inform him the baby died but there are other missing clues. Those that help him find the missing duaghter come up dead also....
Love how this plays out, so much to the story as you learn from events in the past. So much world travel to exotic places for me.
Can't wait to read more from this author and his descriptions make you feel as if you are right there in the scene. Would be a great movie for everybody to enjoy.
Received this review copy from The Story Plant and this is my honest opinion.
This story starts out when Pat has arrived overseas and is told of his daughter's demise. He carefully inspects the body and notices some things that should be there but aren't.
The inspector helps him with clues that were left behind and she knows of terrorist groups that Megan was working with....
Lots of travel mysteries and trails of a grandson...sisters inform him the baby died but there are other missing clues. Those that help him find the missing duaghter come up dead also....
Love how this plays out, so much to the story as you learn from events in the past. So much world travel to exotic places for me.
Can't wait to read more from this author and his descriptions make you feel as if you are right there in the scene. Would be a great movie for everybody to enjoy.
Received this review copy from The Story Plant and this is my honest opinion.
January 13, 2022
A World I Never Made
My first book by James LePore, it will not be the last. The book is will written with interesting believable well developed characters, a great story line that flows nicely, and a quick easy read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery/thrillers. Enjoy!!!! 2014
My first book by James LePore, it will not be the last. The book is will written with interesting believable well developed characters, a great story line that flows nicely, and a quick easy read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery/thrillers. Enjoy!!!! 2014
July 15, 2018
For a book that has languished on my nook for years, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't a bad read at all. A Father-Daughter relationship entwined with terrorists plots, hidden identities and revenge.
January 5, 2019
Oh man...every author works very hard to create his/her masterpiece and so much time, energy, sweat, and tears are put into this work. That's why I hate to say anything harsh. So I won't. I will leave my review as it is.
September 7, 2020
It wasn't my normal read. It actually read more as a spy story than a mystery, which is what it was classified as. I did like it but I doubt I'll read anymore in the series since as I said before, I don't really like spy stories.
August 29, 2017
Just ok. The plot is decent, but the characters are shallow and the action plods along.
November 10, 2018
A World I Never Made
This was a good book how ever I do wish the author had done more to make it more interesting.I look forward to reading more of this author's work,
This was a good book how ever I do wish the author had done more to make it more interesting.I look forward to reading more of this author's work,
June 20, 2019
A lot of interesting twists
A lot of intrigue and misdirection keeps this flowing despite going back and forth in time. I liked the ending.
A lot of intrigue and misdirection keeps this flowing despite going back and forth in time. I liked the ending.
September 30, 2019
This book had a fast-moving plot that kept me interested. One of the few stories that would make a better movie than book.
October 9, 2021
Oh the suspense!
Suspenseful and interesting. Well written but a little confusing in 0laces. A sad but realistic ending. Worth the read. Couldn’t put it down.
Suspenseful and interesting. Well written but a little confusing in 0laces. A sad but realistic ending. Worth the read. Couldn’t put it down.
February 1, 2023
I hated everything about this book
August 2, 2009
The novel, A World I Never Made, opens with Patrick Nolan sitting across from a French Inspector. He holds his daughter's suicide note in his hands. He had never been close to his daughter, Megan. After his wife died while giving birth to their only child, Pat held onto his guilt and kept his distance from her. Megan's death brings his regrets to the surface. Only, as Pat will soon discover, it is not Megan's body which lies in the coroner's office. Under the impression that Megan was trying to fake her own death, Pat remains silent, going along with the ruse that his daughter is, in fact, dead.
Officer Catherine Laurence of the judiciary police is assigned to keep an eye on Pat Nolan. He is not the only one who knows his daughter is not truly dead, and there are those in power who hope he will lead them to her. Megan's name has turned up on a terrorist watch list, the Saudi police claiming she was involved with the planning of several suicide bombings in Morocco.
Catherine and Pat are thrown together in the search for Megan when they realize someone else is stalking Pat as well--someone who is much more dangerous, and those under his order will not hesitate to kill everyone in their wake. Pat and Catherine must get to Megan before those she is hiding from find her first.
Woven between the chapters of the race to find Megan, is the story of why Megan has gone into hiding, of why she felt the need to lie about her death. Megan, a freelance journalist, has always been an independent spirit, headstrong and motivated. She goes after what she wants, be it a man or a news story. And, in this case, she goes after both. There is much more to her current lover, Abdel al-Lahani, than she at first realizes. She soon finds her very life on the line, and she must flee before it is too late.
The two storylines eventually intersect, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Author James LePore has crafted an exciting and heart pounding novel. A father and daughter lost to each other for most of their lives rediscover each other as death chases right on their heels. The death of his wife Lorrie had devastated Pat. He blamed himself. He closed himself off from not only his daughter, but also from letting anyone into his heart. Believing his daughter was dead, even if for a short while, changed all that, as did his meeting of Catherine Laurence, the beautiful detective who carried her own baggage. She, too, had a well guarded heart. At first I wondered at their falling for each other so quickly given their defenses, but taking into account the high emotions, their current circumstances and the common bond they felt for one another, it does fall in the realm of believability.
I was not sure I would like Megan at first. She uses men and in the beginning came across as cold and calculating. She grew on me though. Like her father, she is a complex character with many layers. Her father's absence in her life wounded her and has influenced her life choices. She is intelligent and has a confidence and strength about her, which has seen her come out on top more often than not. It is easy to see why she was drawn to Lahani. He is charming and mysterious. They are very similar in that they hold parts of themselves back from one another. Neither wanting to let the other in, at least not completely. This in juxtaposition to Pat and Catherine whose hearts are just beginning to thaw.
The novel takes the reader all over Europe and North Africa, including France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Morocco. James LePore puts the reader right there in the midst of it all. His descriptions of the locales and people are rich and detailed, which is balanced out by the crisp dialogue.
I was most fascinated by the gypsies. They played a significant part in both Megan and Pat's stories. Their own history and mysticism is touched on ever so slightly in the novel. Having just read Precious by Sandra Novack, in which the mother was born to a gypsies during the Second World War, my interest was particularly heightened as I came across mention of that again in A World I Never Made.
Another aspect of the book that interested me is related to Megan's journalistic work: the culture and influence of Islam, particularly that of fundamental Muslims, in European countries, such as France and Spain. It is not something I have given much thought to but is worth looking into further for a better understanding of world events.
It was easy to get swept up in James LePore's novel. His writing is beautiful and the story is captivating. I really grew to care about the characters, especially Pat. It is a shame it ended so soon.
Officer Catherine Laurence of the judiciary police is assigned to keep an eye on Pat Nolan. He is not the only one who knows his daughter is not truly dead, and there are those in power who hope he will lead them to her. Megan's name has turned up on a terrorist watch list, the Saudi police claiming she was involved with the planning of several suicide bombings in Morocco.
Catherine and Pat are thrown together in the search for Megan when they realize someone else is stalking Pat as well--someone who is much more dangerous, and those under his order will not hesitate to kill everyone in their wake. Pat and Catherine must get to Megan before those she is hiding from find her first.
Woven between the chapters of the race to find Megan, is the story of why Megan has gone into hiding, of why she felt the need to lie about her death. Megan, a freelance journalist, has always been an independent spirit, headstrong and motivated. She goes after what she wants, be it a man or a news story. And, in this case, she goes after both. There is much more to her current lover, Abdel al-Lahani, than she at first realizes. She soon finds her very life on the line, and she must flee before it is too late.
The two storylines eventually intersect, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Author James LePore has crafted an exciting and heart pounding novel. A father and daughter lost to each other for most of their lives rediscover each other as death chases right on their heels. The death of his wife Lorrie had devastated Pat. He blamed himself. He closed himself off from not only his daughter, but also from letting anyone into his heart. Believing his daughter was dead, even if for a short while, changed all that, as did his meeting of Catherine Laurence, the beautiful detective who carried her own baggage. She, too, had a well guarded heart. At first I wondered at their falling for each other so quickly given their defenses, but taking into account the high emotions, their current circumstances and the common bond they felt for one another, it does fall in the realm of believability.
I was not sure I would like Megan at first. She uses men and in the beginning came across as cold and calculating. She grew on me though. Like her father, she is a complex character with many layers. Her father's absence in her life wounded her and has influenced her life choices. She is intelligent and has a confidence and strength about her, which has seen her come out on top more often than not. It is easy to see why she was drawn to Lahani. He is charming and mysterious. They are very similar in that they hold parts of themselves back from one another. Neither wanting to let the other in, at least not completely. This in juxtaposition to Pat and Catherine whose hearts are just beginning to thaw.
The novel takes the reader all over Europe and North Africa, including France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Morocco. James LePore puts the reader right there in the midst of it all. His descriptions of the locales and people are rich and detailed, which is balanced out by the crisp dialogue.
I was most fascinated by the gypsies. They played a significant part in both Megan and Pat's stories. Their own history and mysticism is touched on ever so slightly in the novel. Having just read Precious by Sandra Novack, in which the mother was born to a gypsies during the Second World War, my interest was particularly heightened as I came across mention of that again in A World I Never Made.
Another aspect of the book that interested me is related to Megan's journalistic work: the culture and influence of Islam, particularly that of fundamental Muslims, in European countries, such as France and Spain. It is not something I have given much thought to but is worth looking into further for a better understanding of world events.
It was easy to get swept up in James LePore's novel. His writing is beautiful and the story is captivating. I really grew to care about the characters, especially Pat. It is a shame it ended so soon.
June 18, 2009
My Thoughts:
Dad,
I don't owe you or anybody an explanation, but I think you'll appreciate the irony of a suicide note coming from a person who has abhorred tradition all of her life.
This is the first line of the book (published version may be different from ARC), which totally pulled me into the story and had my interest until I finished. The book takes off with lightening speed and transitions between the years 2003 and 2004. The author weaves the story using Megan's past and her father's present to develop this intriguing and thought-provoking plot. I found myself at once captivated by Pat, the father. He seemed remorseful for his past years of neglecting Megan and has to come to grips with the fact that she has now taken her own life....or has she? This story puts you, the reader, right into the middle of the hotbed of terrorism, sleeper cells in France, Germany and other countries. You learn about the Muslim faith and how women are perceived in most Middle Eastern countries. You also realize early on that Megan is playing with fire when she sets out to seduce Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. She has certainly bitten off more than she can chew. And while reading her story, I honestly grew to despise her character!!!! Which leads me to one of the questions I asked the author, James LePore.
Did I plan on making Megan Nolan a hard character to like.?
I did. I believe good dramatic fiction must have characters we root for as well as characters we root against. I also believe that characters, when confronted with moral choices, must decide how they will react. Sometimes a “good” character will react badly and a “bad” character will react heroically. I believe this makes for good reading. The road to corruption is and easy one. It is the road to redemption that is hard. I hope that readers will see that Megan tried to redeem herself, to atone by her heroism for the mistakes she made and the hurt she inflicted on others in her past.
As I continued on reading this book I realized that I honestly know next to nothing about terrorism and how it is viewed in most Muslim countries. This is one of the great things that I took away from this book....knowledge of other religions, beliefs, and cultures that I am not exposed to on a daily basis. As I thought about all of the differently held belief systems in our world it led me to ask James this question.
Why Muslim terrorists?
I believe that the fight between good and evil is real. In our time, that fight was waged first against Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan and then Soviet Russia, evil entities all, all confronted head on and defeated. I believe that Muslim terrorists, or more accurately terrorists who use Islam to justify their killing of innocents, are the new face of evil on the planet. If you Google “Islamic Terrorism” you will find thousands and thousands of terrorist acts by Muslim fanatics around the world over the last 35 years, all done in an effort to impose their way of life on the rest of the world. In that way of life there is no freedom of speech or religion, and women are basically chattel. To use these people as the bad guys in a novel seems logical to me. To pretend, for politically correct reasons, that Islamic terrorism is not our enemy, will, I believe, lead to more, not less. killing of innocent people.
I normally do not read suspense books based on political happenings, but I've changed my tune after reading A World I Never Made. The author added all the right elements to this story to make it interesting to me; mystery, religion, foreign countries, a love affair, flawed characters, differing view points, redemption and in the end closure. This is James LePore first novel and I believe his future is very bright!! I look forward to reading his second book, The Story Plant, which is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2010.
Dad,
I don't owe you or anybody an explanation, but I think you'll appreciate the irony of a suicide note coming from a person who has abhorred tradition all of her life.
This is the first line of the book (published version may be different from ARC), which totally pulled me into the story and had my interest until I finished. The book takes off with lightening speed and transitions between the years 2003 and 2004. The author weaves the story using Megan's past and her father's present to develop this intriguing and thought-provoking plot. I found myself at once captivated by Pat, the father. He seemed remorseful for his past years of neglecting Megan and has to come to grips with the fact that she has now taken her own life....or has she? This story puts you, the reader, right into the middle of the hotbed of terrorism, sleeper cells in France, Germany and other countries. You learn about the Muslim faith and how women are perceived in most Middle Eastern countries. You also realize early on that Megan is playing with fire when she sets out to seduce Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. She has certainly bitten off more than she can chew. And while reading her story, I honestly grew to despise her character!!!! Which leads me to one of the questions I asked the author, James LePore.
Did I plan on making Megan Nolan a hard character to like.?
I did. I believe good dramatic fiction must have characters we root for as well as characters we root against. I also believe that characters, when confronted with moral choices, must decide how they will react. Sometimes a “good” character will react badly and a “bad” character will react heroically. I believe this makes for good reading. The road to corruption is and easy one. It is the road to redemption that is hard. I hope that readers will see that Megan tried to redeem herself, to atone by her heroism for the mistakes she made and the hurt she inflicted on others in her past.
As I continued on reading this book I realized that I honestly know next to nothing about terrorism and how it is viewed in most Muslim countries. This is one of the great things that I took away from this book....knowledge of other religions, beliefs, and cultures that I am not exposed to on a daily basis. As I thought about all of the differently held belief systems in our world it led me to ask James this question.
Why Muslim terrorists?
I believe that the fight between good and evil is real. In our time, that fight was waged first against Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan and then Soviet Russia, evil entities all, all confronted head on and defeated. I believe that Muslim terrorists, or more accurately terrorists who use Islam to justify their killing of innocents, are the new face of evil on the planet. If you Google “Islamic Terrorism” you will find thousands and thousands of terrorist acts by Muslim fanatics around the world over the last 35 years, all done in an effort to impose their way of life on the rest of the world. In that way of life there is no freedom of speech or religion, and women are basically chattel. To use these people as the bad guys in a novel seems logical to me. To pretend, for politically correct reasons, that Islamic terrorism is not our enemy, will, I believe, lead to more, not less. killing of innocent people.
I normally do not read suspense books based on political happenings, but I've changed my tune after reading A World I Never Made. The author added all the right elements to this story to make it interesting to me; mystery, religion, foreign countries, a love affair, flawed characters, differing view points, redemption and in the end closure. This is James LePore first novel and I believe his future is very bright!! I look forward to reading his second book, The Story Plant, which is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2010.
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
June 16, 2022
Although I did enjoy the twisty, turny plot line of the story, there were a lot of spelling and grammatical errors including the word had misspelled as bad SEVERAL times in the same paragraph and throughout the book generally. A decent editor or proof reader wouldn’t go amiss.
August 31, 2011
THE STORY:
Patrick Nolan is a father searching for his daughter in the wake of being summoned from his home in America’s Midwest to Paris in order to identify her body. He tells the police it is his daughter despite the knowledge that even though this woman looks remarkably like his daughter, she is not.
He realises his estranged, independent daughter must be in over her head this time if she took the trouble to fake her death. It soon becomes clear that on one of her globe trots she made some powerful enemies in Morocco, namely the Salafist Jihad. Together with an unlikely ally in the form of a French police officer, Pat races against time, following every possible clue available trying to get to his daughter before time runs out for her.
WHO'S WHO:
Patrick Nolen is a American called to Paris on the death of his daughter.
Megan Nolan is the estranged daughter who through rebellion towards her father ends up living a life of extreme opulence supported by wealthy men in return for her company.
Cathrine Laurence the beautiful but tormented French detective who falls for Patrick.
Abdel Lehani, a Saudi business man who turns out to be a prince and more to Megan’s detriment.
THIS WAS HOT:
I haven’t read a suspense thriller in a long while and I’m so thrilled I started with this one. Its racy, never has a moment to spare and the plot is really superbly developed. Right through there’s a sense of urgency that doesn’t let up even for a moment. There a very good balance between action and moments of solitude.
The expert manner in which Lepore switches between timelines and characters is really admitavle. It’s done in such a way that you never get lost in the entire going one, there is great flow.
NOT SO HOT:
The only reason that my rating is not 4 or above is because I found dialogue between characters very clipped. When the characters were conversing with one another I kept wishing that they would say more, express themselves more that expecting to receiver to guess. It almost felt like they were speaking on code at times, example where a man and woman are professing love for one another, instead of having a dialogue that evokes emotion there are one or two word sentences that leave everyone having to assume what was just said.
OVERALL:
This is a story that weaves into it lessons on love, selfishness, selfworth (Caroline is not duped into believing that the Other Mother loves her because of what she says of give her) and bravery (t is worthwhile to stand up against those who would hurt your or those you care about).
Keeping in mind that Neil wrote this book for his daughter, I do think he produced a masterpiece in Coraline., perfectly suited in prose and creativity to his target audience.
I will definitely post my son’s assessment to get a take from the said target audience..
Patrick Nolan is a father searching for his daughter in the wake of being summoned from his home in America’s Midwest to Paris in order to identify her body. He tells the police it is his daughter despite the knowledge that even though this woman looks remarkably like his daughter, she is not.
He realises his estranged, independent daughter must be in over her head this time if she took the trouble to fake her death. It soon becomes clear that on one of her globe trots she made some powerful enemies in Morocco, namely the Salafist Jihad. Together with an unlikely ally in the form of a French police officer, Pat races against time, following every possible clue available trying to get to his daughter before time runs out for her.
WHO'S WHO:
Patrick Nolen is a American called to Paris on the death of his daughter.
Megan Nolan is the estranged daughter who through rebellion towards her father ends up living a life of extreme opulence supported by wealthy men in return for her company.
Cathrine Laurence the beautiful but tormented French detective who falls for Patrick.
Abdel Lehani, a Saudi business man who turns out to be a prince and more to Megan’s detriment.
THIS WAS HOT:
I haven’t read a suspense thriller in a long while and I’m so thrilled I started with this one. Its racy, never has a moment to spare and the plot is really superbly developed. Right through there’s a sense of urgency that doesn’t let up even for a moment. There a very good balance between action and moments of solitude.
The expert manner in which Lepore switches between timelines and characters is really admitavle. It’s done in such a way that you never get lost in the entire going one, there is great flow.
NOT SO HOT:
The only reason that my rating is not 4 or above is because I found dialogue between characters very clipped. When the characters were conversing with one another I kept wishing that they would say more, express themselves more that expecting to receiver to guess. It almost felt like they were speaking on code at times, example where a man and woman are professing love for one another, instead of having a dialogue that evokes emotion there are one or two word sentences that leave everyone having to assume what was just said.
OVERALL:
This is a story that weaves into it lessons on love, selfishness, selfworth (Caroline is not duped into believing that the Other Mother loves her because of what she says of give her) and bravery (t is worthwhile to stand up against those who would hurt your or those you care about).
Keeping in mind that Neil wrote this book for his daughter, I do think he produced a masterpiece in Coraline., perfectly suited in prose and creativity to his target audience.
I will definitely post my son’s assessment to get a take from the said target audience..
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