Customer Reviews

GENESIS (Projekt Saucer, Book 2)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The amazing Projekt Saucer books are the most fascinating story ever writen about flying saucers. The whole story consist in five books : Book 1 INCEPTION (1991), Book 2 PHOENIX (1995), Book 3 GENESIS (1980), Book 4 MILLENIUM (1995), Book 5 RESURRECTION (1999). Just like George Lucas, Harbinson wrote Eposide 3 first, in 1980, and then the others. If you want to read just one book, read this one, GENESIS. Those books are quite hard to find, but they are all available on website. These five books, representing about 3000 pages written over 20 years are a must-read foranyone interested in flying saucers.

Good read. The characters are believable and the pace is excellent. Don't neglect the research that's added after the ending. Harbison details something called Projekt Fuerball, that I'd like to hear our UFO researchers say more about.

Just where did he get his info, anyway?

The author has constructed an almost plausible tale about the terrestrial origins of UFOs. It is centered around the incredible American genius, John Wilson, who is Leonardo, Goddard, Von Braun, Machiavelli, and even more. It brings a new perspective to the fields of UFOology and post-WW2 history. There is, however, one obscure, but well documented fact the author did not use. The computer was invented in Nazi Germany by one Konrad Zuse and this did not interest the military one bit. Were the Germans generals less astute than their American counterparts or did they have a much better computer? And would such a computer have allowed them to solve the mysteries of gravity & inertia? So also read the autobiography of Zuse (available in English) and think about it. This, Mr. Harbinson, might give you material for a third volume in the "Genesis" series, nicht wahr?

I read this book as a young man (at the time quite fond of science fiction) shortly after it was first published. I remember that at the time it seemed to be a 'hard read' and difficult to stay interested in. I recall that only the subject matter kept me plodding through until the ending. Years later I would remember the central concepts fondly, although I had forgotten the author's name and title.

I finally decided now, in the early years of the 21st Century, so figure out if the book was really that bad, or if my relative youth during that first reading was to blame. After some Googling on the recalled subject matter, I decided that the book must be Genesis by Harbinson. I got a copy for my Kindle and dove in.

Within the first few pages, I realized that my general dislike of the book back then was not due to my youth. It is quite simply a poorly written piece of literature. However, the central conceit remains strong and engaging. It is just too bad that the man who did the 'research' and put the story together does not happen to have the skill or talent one expects from a good author.

My major issues with Harbinson's writing 'style' are listed below:

- Boring structure, word use and syntax. In an opening passage about an encounter of a US Army bomber over WWII Germany, it seems like all statements issued by crew members are followed with the descriptive, "he bawled". For example (and with paraphrasing on my part); "We're all gonna die", bawled the captain. "They're coming at us again", bawled the waist gunner. "Aaiiieee", bawled the nose gunner. It really does read like that. While descriptive the first time it is used, it grows noticeable and tiresome after the first couple repetitions. Skilled authors know how to avoid this kind of thing.
- Poor editing on the part of both the author and editor. Reading extended passages puts one in mind of History Channel documentaries, where after each commercial break a lot of the same information and personal introductions are repeated for those who joined the show in progress, or who have short memories. In a single paragraph, the same piece of information is restated, as if the author decided to relocate it and forgot to delete the original. This happens a LOT and draws attention to itself.
- Lots of typos. We all make them, and I have probably made some in this hasty review, but jeeze! Maybe somebody made these errors when the text was retyped/scanned for Kindle....? I don't have the original printed version to check. But in what I am reading, there are many words that are missing, incomplete, or replaced by similar looking words that are clearly wrong.
- Descriptive passages that just go on and on. Authors usually try to find a balance between not fleshing out characters, locations, and events thoroughly enough, and bloating the text with too much exposition. Harbinson goes for the latter, and my interest fades after a while. I have noticed many times that the text seems to be offering nothing new, with nothing advancing the story or my understanding of what is happening. Then I start skimming ahead, and two pages later it is still going on and I realize that if those two pages were deleted nobody would notice. It is almost like Harbinson simply thinks through the longest list of details, or longest rambling pointless discussion between two people, and just writes it all down without any authorly editing.
- Inconsistent character identifiers. There are times when I just cannot get a grasp of who the author is talking about after the plot jumps around in time and place. It might be later in the paragraph or on the next page that I finally know. I finally say to my self, "Oh! Last time he just referred to this character by his last name and now he is using the first name." Since I don't have this problem with any other books I read, I conclude that this is the author's shortcoming.

(spoiler)
Run-on sentence coming: Anyway, if you really like reading about an American genius who works with the greats of early aviation and rocketry development after already being far beyond their accomplishments, only to grow bored and defecting to the Nazis, only to use the German war resources for his own gains and finally running a secret empire with hidden bases and moving around by various flying saucers and pulling the strings of governments and research, you will still find this worth a read.

By no means is this the best fiction book I've read. I know that Harbinson put an incredible amount of research into the book, even fleshing the premise out to an entire series (Projekt Saucer) and a non-fiction book describing the theory of earth-based flying saucers. The plot, in spite how far out it may seem, is laid out such that it seems chillingly plausible.

While large sections of the book are long, and seem too much like I'm reading a textbook, I find the premise facinating. The idea that these flying saucers, and "alien" abductions are some sort of pre-cursor to one man's desire for world domination gives me chills. So much so, this book is one on a short list of books I've read more than once (I'm finishing my second go-around with it).

I guess my largest issue isn't what he says, but how he says it. The book can be very dry at times, and there are long stretches of dialogue that sound more like a college professor lecturing a class than what you might expect in a sci-fi thriller novel. The book itself never really draws me into it; I enjoy the book because I've already been interested in UFO's ever since watching the X-Files growing up.

Thus, I would recommend the book really only to people who believe in UFO's and the air of conspiracy that surrounds them. They would be far easier converts than someone looking for a fast-paced sci-fi novel.

Did the Nazis develop advanced technology during World War II and manage to hide it from their conquerers? Did they have round aircraft that could attain speeds beyond the sound barrier with unmatched maneuverability? In short, did the Nazis build flying saucers?

This book alleges that they did, and although it is a novel, the author has based it on actual reports and used real people and real events in the story, which revolves around UFO investigators who manage to find the truth. That truth, as explicated in this book, is that all modern sightings of flying saucers, beginning in the 1890s, are NOT from outer space, but are from earth. They are the descendants of the highly secret Nazi programs to build advanced weapons. If any of this is true, it is a good thing WWII ended when it did because the outcome might have been very different if it had lasted longer and the Nazis could have completed their weapons programs. Truman's decision to drop the bomb may have been a very good one.

The actual story of Genesis has some flaws and I thought some of the characters were a bit over the top, with crude profanity, drunkenness and insane behavior. Of course, facing threats and ridicule is never good for one's mental health, but I did not find the characters endearing, and the book does not actually have a main character. What makes this book a really good read is the ideas in it and the possibility that there could be some truth in these events.

If this subject interests you, do a Google search on "Nazis" "flying saucers" and "Antarctica" and see what turns up. At the least, you'll find the listings entertaining, if not a bit frightening. Harbinson wrote this book way back in 1980 (I acquired a 1983 printing of the paperback at a used book sale) and it seems the speculation on this topic is as strong as ever. More information has been made available since the fall of the Soviet Union, and the conspiracy theorists have been embellishing the basic plot as more bits of information appear about the Nazi dispersion after the war. Did some of them escape to underground facilities that had been built during the war in Antarctica?

I don't think Nazi flying saucers is the answer to all the UFO sightings and alleged encounters, but neither can I dismiss (or forget) the intriguing plot of this book.

The author looks at the documentary evidence of Nazi technology and how the allies aquired much of this technology. He uses logic and deduction to extrapolate the most reasonable scenarios. He tells the story in novel form that blows the tired mainstream dogma of "aliens amongst us" out of the water with it's believability. If anyone has had reservations about the idea of UFO's originating from another planet, this novel will give voice to that nagging doubt. If you can get this book, look after it! It's a gem!

This book is the text for the next century. Although it seems fantastical now it has opened many doorways. Harbinson seems to have the inside eye on the goings on of governments all around the globe. This book is one that was a definite never put down. Finally don't read it at night it scared me.

Having read this book almost a decade ago, I was recently struck by the similarities between events in the book to the popular TV show, The X-Files. I found my old paperback copy of this book (now quite dog-eared) and re-read it. What a ride! Harbinson has written a a meticulous, spellbinding - and absolutely credible - treatment of UFO phenomena, the Men in Black, and government coverup. A must read for anyone interested in UFO conspiracy theories.

This is a fantastic example of historical fiction. W.A. Harbinson blends facts and obscure bits of history into a dynamic and gripping tale of conspiracy, UFO hysteria and the truth behind the Nazis. An abosolute must read - Also, never let your friends borrow your copy, you might not get it back.