Area 51 [Mass Market Paperback]

Robert Doherty (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 10, 1997 | Series: Area 51

When nine atmospheric crafts of unknown origin were discovered in the Antarctic in the late 1940s, the U.S. government established Area 51 to study the abandoned technology. Dr. Hans Von Seeckt, who is the only original member of the secret research committee, has observed the marvelous craft in flight and witnessed a fantastic array of bizarre, unexplained phenomena. But Dr. Van Seeckt fears that the technology of the mothership is beyond our scope and an explosive threat to the entire planet. He must race against time to unlock the secret of the ship--and to the origins of mankind itself.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

When nine atmospheric crafts of unknown origin were discovered in the Antarctic in the late 1940s, the U.S. government established Area 51 to study the abandoned technology. Dr. Hans Von Seeckt, who is the only original member of the secret research committee, has observed the marvelous craft in flight and witnessed a fantastic array of bizarre, unexplained phenomena. But Dr. Van Seeckt fears that the technology of the mothership is beyond our scope and an explosive threat to the entire planet. He must race against time to unlock the secret of the ship--and to the origins of mankind itself.

From the Inside Flap

When nine atmospheric crafts of unknown origin were discovered in the Antarctic in the late 1940s, the U.S. government established Area 51 to study the abandoned technology. Dr. Hans Von Seeckt, who is the only original member of the secret research committee, has observed the marvelous craft in flight and witnessed a fantastic array of bizarre, unexplained phenomena. But Dr. Van Seeckt fears that the technology of the mothership is beyond our scope and an explosive threat to the entire planet. He must race against time to unlock the secret of the ship--and to the origins of mankind itself.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Dell (February 10, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440220734
• ISBN-13: 978-0440220732
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (177 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #559,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 69 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Outstanding Series Out There November 21, 2000

By The Ever Present Matt

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Bob Mayer (AKA Robert Doherty AKA Greg Donegan AKA Joe Dalton AKA Bob McGuire) is truly one of the more masterful newcomers to the sci-fi genre in many, many years. Intermingling sci-fi with edgy military techo-thriller action, Mayer weaves some of the most enjoyable and imaginative fiction I've ever read with each novel. I look forward to every book he writes and have yet to be disappointed. The Area 51 series has been one of the most exciting I've ever read and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, along came the Atlantis series, which is equally as good, if not better.

For those in the know about government secrecy on UFOs and the various black projects and secret operations that they have undertaken over the years, you'll find that Mayer truly did his homework on this series. Mayer name-drops numerous actual military projects from Operation: Paperclip to Project Aquarius as bits and pieces of a puzzle that the government has been piecing together since the accidental discovery of an alien mothership hidden in the Nevada mountains so many years ago.

From clues hidden in the most remote locations on Earth for thousands of years to new discoveries on the Martian landscape, the complex story continues to unravel the true origin of humankind and each subsequent saga is more fascinating than the last. Being a special forces trainer himself, the attention to detail as far as the military aspect in Mayer's stories is phenomenal as well. Bob Mayer is very quickly making a name for himself as one of the finest action authors of the modern age.

If the Area 51 series intriques you, be sure not to miss his Atlantis series (under the Donegan pen name) and his military thrillers such as The Omega Missile (Dalton pen name), The Gate (McGuire pen name) and Psychic Warrior (Doherty pen name). All smashingly good reads!!

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An action-packed novel (not fact disguised as fiction) June 15, 2002

By Daniel Jolley HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This book is a compelling tale built on a conglomeration of some of the world's most fascinating mysteries and conspiracies . Those interested in UFOs and government secrets will have no trouble understanding the basic premises, but readers without such a background may have trouble immersing themselves in the story. In this novel, Majic-12 is the group of individuals working inside the secret government to oversee all matters of alien technology, specifically the one mother ship and nine UFOs which have been found and stashed away at Area 51 in Nevada. The leader of the group, Gullick, is determined to undertake a test flight of the mothership within the next four days, despite the fact that no one knows how to control it or how it works. Von Seeckt, a transplanted German scientist "acquired" by the U.S. in 1942 after taking part in a secret Nazi SS mission that entered the bottom chamber of the Great Pyramid in Egypt (years before the chamber was officially discovered) and took possession of a mysterious, important black box housed in the sealed sarcophagus, is convinced that a flight of the mothership will bring disaster to earth, but Gullick ignores his concerns. The President has sent his scientific advisor, Dr. Lisa Duncan, to join Majic-12 and find out what is really going on, and she in turn has recruited a Special Forces operative named Turcotte as a mole within Area 51. Meanwhile, a Brooklyn scientist has managed to decipher some of the prehistorical high runes found in the Great Pyramid, among Mesoamerican ruins, and on Easter Island. The scientist eventually joins forces with Von Seeckt, Duncan, Turcotte, and a freelance reporter, and the group embarks on a mission to save mankind from an unknown catastrophe. It is a riveting story, full of action and daring, and makes for an exciting read. This is important because this is only the first in a series of novels based on these converging storylines.

The one weakness I find in the book is probably a result of the author needing to provide background information to those unfamiliar with the sorts of conspiracy theories which have been floating around the UFO community for years. For instance, I almost fell out of my seat when one of the members of Majic-12 asked what foo fighters were. Anyone interested in ufology knows these were strange orbs which often flew around both Allied and German warplanes in WWII. Also, the idea that the President has a representative on the Majic-12 board goes against most speculation that the President himself does not have adequate clearance to even be informed of such a project. Such plot points are necessary, however, in order to inform any reader of the basics. This is just a novel, after all. It is important to note that there are elements of this story that are purely invention, so one should not read this book hoping to discover a UFO conspiracy book cleverly disguised as a novel. I imagine that the majority of people interested in these Area 51 books will be UFO buffs already, but those who scoff at or know nothing about ufology can still find great enjoyment in this fast-moving, action-packed novel because the author does provide all of the background information you will need in order to understand what all of the action is about. This isn't literature, but it is certainly a fun read.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and thought provoking. September 21, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Doherty has managed to tie together just about every aspect of UFOlogy from abductions to crop circles to the Great Pyramid of Giza to the statues on Easter Island in a coherent tale. Even if you don't have much interest in this topic I recommend this book simply because it's a fun, fast paced story. Then go and get the sequel, AREA 51 THE REPLY. Can't wait for publication of AREA 51 THE MISSION next March. In the author interview it says that Doherty is the pen name for Bob Mayer. Checked out some of his books-- interesting also and much more down to Earth in his special forces series-- he was a former green beret. If you like this book, you might want to read any of the six books in that series-- try Dragon Sim-13, Eternity Base, or Cut Out. This is action with a realistic edge from someone who's been there.