Welcome to Golden

by Rory McClannahan

The 1950s in America was a time of great prosperity, I Like Ike, hula-hoops and the birth of Rock and Roll. Nearly seventy years on, the teenagers of that decade are finding themselves locked away in nursing homes with their family members just waiting for them to die. But what if there was a retirement town in which these first rock and rollers could race hot rods, wear poodle skirts and be young again? Such a town was created thanks to nanotechnology and powerful computers that allows old people to live in a Mayberry-type town that exists only in virtual reality. “Is this place heaven?” a new resident asks the town doctor. “No,” the doctor responds, “this place is called Golden and it was created to give folks like you a chance at a nice retirement.” Golden was the brainchild of Fred McKenzie, who has been in the virtual reality town longer than any other of the thirty or so residents. Fred was once known as Freddie and spent his own childhood as a Hollywood star and his teen years as a pop idol with hit records and a sitcom with his family. It was that money that allowed Fred to buy and develop the technology to create Golden. However, it wasn’t enough money and the Golden Foundation was set up through a government charter. The Foundation is run in the Real World by Fred’s daughter, Jenny. Like all new technology, there are some glitches that need to be worked out. And because Golden is dealing with elderly patients interfacing with nanotechnology and a virtual reality town, sometimes it is the mind that gets sick. That’s why you need a staff psychiatrist. For Golden, that is Dr. Billy Watson, who is the only person who goes in and out of Golden on a regular basis. Not only is it his job to welcome new residents to the town but to serve as a Grim Reaper when it is time for a resident to die. Golden is the perfect retirement village for a generation that isn’t ready for retirement. This world is shattered, though, when things go awry. Now it is up to Fred, Billy and Jenny to set things right before government agents shut down the town.

288 pages, Paperback

Published March 20, 2016

About the author

Rory McClannahan was born and raised in the Rocky Mountains, but now calls New Mexico's high desert home. He spent more than 20 years in the newspaper industry as a reporter and editor, and does his best fiction writing in the middle of the night when the kids and the pets are asleep.
McClannahan has published five books with the sixth and seventh due in 2025.

Reviews

[Christine Beverly]

This was a fun and pleasant read. The idea of the story itself was unique and surprising: the creation of a cyber town where those who are terminally ill can mentally live any life they wish while their bodies break down in the Real World. The conceit led to constant questions about character abilities: Wait...if they can make x, can they do y?

The maintenance of two story lines that intersect is challenging for any writer, and this book does it well. As a reader, I was never confused as to which story line I was reading and where the plot was heading. The characters were interesting and there were little puzzles planted throughout the plot that kept me interested.

There may have been a few holes...sometimes time seemed to pass in Golden while only a day passed in the Real World (maybe that was supposed to happen?) or the possible criminal charges facing some of the characters in the plot buildup were unclear. However, the suspension of disbelief allowed this reader to put those aside and just enjoy the ride. And the mystery lover in me appreciated the mystery in the plot line as well. (No spoilers here...pick up a copy and read it for yourself.)

[Elisabeth Kidd]

Golden is the ideal retirement community, where resident nearing the end of their lives get a chance to relive the happiest times of their younger lives—usually by going back to the 1950s, which to some was when America was great the first time. But like our faulty memories, Golden isn’t what it seems to insiders. It’s not even real.
A smooth blend of the science fiction, utopian fantasy, and suspense genres, Welcome to Golden’s protagonist is Dr. Billy Watson, the only scientist in the project who travels between the real world and the fantasy that is Golden. He’s become friends with many of the residents and notices right away when things are a little off. Like when he spots Elvis lurking behind the shrubbery, or when one of the residents dies unexpectedly. Death is expected in Golden, but not when it’s a violent one.
All the characters in Welcome to Golden are sympathetically drawn and believable despite the fantasy setting, and the suspense builds to an exciting climax.

[Tj Thompson]

It was a fine mixture of science fiction, fantasy, romance, and mystery with a touch of reminiscence. The characters felt like people I've known, and the feelings and emotions in the book are those I empathize with constantly. Some good reading in this book.