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Text File | 1980-01-09 | 11KB | 250 lines

====================================================================== <<UFONET I>> * 416-237-1204 * PC-Pursuitable * File Requestable * HST * 24 Hour Operation * Sysop - Tom Mickus * Toronto * FREE ====================================================================== ====================================================================== GENESIS.TXT - Text file that was scanned and processed via OCR by ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Harvey Stewart [UFONET I] . The file was run through the Microsoft Word 5.0 spell checker following conversion so most errors in character recognition should be ok. Now that I finally have OCR software that works there should be lots of files on the way so stay tuned. Do you have important material that needs to be shared? Contact us here at UFONET I and perhaps we can convert your document to a text file for you using our OCR software and hardware. You can contact either myself Harvey Stewart or the Sysop of this board Tom Mickus for details. ====================================================================== ====================================================================== The following book review was taken from FSR Vol 26 #4 (1980) and the response by the author of the book "GENESIS" is taken from FSR Vol 27 # 1. I believe that the "novel" Genesis is a must read item for anyone interested in the field of ufology. I personally fail to understand why the normally respectable Ms. Randles "beats up" on what is clearly labelled as a novel. REVIEW OF A NEW NOVEL THAT CONJURES UP A NIGHTMARISH PICTURE OF UFOLOGY Normally, Flying Saucer Review would not concern itself with books of the fictional kind, for that is what Genesis, a new Corgi paperback by W. A. Harbinson (published October 1950, 612 pages) turns out to be. The theme, however, is UFO'S, so it merited a mention. For me it proved to be a horrifying book. Not only horrifying because its content is a kind of souped-up horror story conceived around the UFO mystery, but also because of the dreadful image it conjures up both of the subject and the people involved in it. Again there must be UFO enthusiasts who, weaned on the cover-up idea that so obsesses the author, will find sinister undertones in what Corgi Books label " " . . .the epic novel of the world's most fearsome secret". Novels based on ufology are rare: the theme of the very reasonable Miracle Visitors by Ian Watson (Panther Books) was written around the Vallee/Jung school of thinking. This new offering, however, seems to be culled from the hard-line ufology of Kehoe, Stringfield and Co. There was scope for a literary exploration of the cover-up mythology. Genesis tries to do that, but its idea isn't entirely original, for our own Gordon Creighton touched on it - albeit in a light-hearted manner - in his article " "Those cunning British: the truth at last. , , The complex plot introduces elements from all over the world, but is centered on Britain - an abduction in Cornwall and regression hypnosis by a London doctor - and the plot revolves around the activities of two full-time American ufologists-cum-scientists, whose role is never. quite explained. Apparently they do not work for the government, yet they stroll in and out of military bases with a freedom that is ridiculous to say the least. Nor is it explained who pays these redoubtable workers during the course of the action between 1974 and 1975. One of them is an older man with an incurable disease the other is a Whizz-kid who either spends a globe trotting life following up UFO incidents, or wallows in strong drink in drugs. This younger one is hell-bent on breaking the great cover- up mystery before his buddy dies, and one is forced to assume that his methodology is standard both for him and other assoeiates of his: in one scene he heats the truth out of one participant who, soon afterwards, dies of. a heart attack. Other methods involve getting his witnesses drunk, in drugged, and then hurling four letter words at them he even resorts to rape to elicit the truth from one unfortunate. In parts of the text Mr. Harbinson actually inter- mingles real events and characters with fictional ones. even the late Ed Ruppelt of Project Blue Book fame, and poor James E. McDonaId who, unhappily, can no longer speak up for themselves. Other characters are paraded who seem to parallel living investigators, and FSR also gets a mention, but fortunately only in the authors notes, where it is recommended as " "mandatory reading, , - but with a " "selective eye". Basically the author presents a theory (based on obscure documents said to have been discovered in West Germany) that everything which we link with UFOS - 19th Century airships, the Tunguska explosion, Foo Fighters, ghost rockets and the Bermuda Triangle - are the work of. a mad genius, at one time associated with the Nazis, who has discovered - and applied - secrets of. longevity, and when has found a hide-out in Antarctica. Naturally this person is bent on world domination, but I'll leave the rest of. the story for anyone who may wish to read it. For myself., all I can do is shudder at the false picture of UFO investigators and researchers that will be created by this monster novel. The horrifying aspect is that many may read it who could well have their own UFO experience at a later date, and keep their peace when they recall the behavior of the fictional investigators. My only hope is that many readers will not be taken in by the fanciful and artificial nature of the book, which as far as the painstaking researchers and careful documenters of. ufology are concerned, belongs to the murky waters at the bottom of another barrel. HARBINSON RESPONDS: GENESIS: Miss Randles please note --------------------------------- Sir. - Any book published is going to receive both positive and negative reviews, and while all authors worth their salt should enjoy the former and keep quiet about the latter, no author should take lying down the sort of distortions purveyed by Jenny Randles in her review of my novel Genesis in the November issue of FSR. The following corrections are therefore to be noted. It is suggested that the author never explains who his two leading characters are working for. In fact, in the very first chapter (page 16), it is made clear that they are working for a civilian organization called the Aerial Phenomena Investigations Institute. based in Washington, D.C. The work of that institute, obviously based on NICAP, is discussed by both characters in the same chapter. I apologize for not discusing their income (another complaint by Jenny), but I can't imagine many readers being interested. lt is also claimed that my two scientists, who do not work for the government, stroll in and out of military bases with a freedom that is ridiculous no say the least.,, To say the least. my scientists pay calls on only two such establishments throughout the course of the novel: one to Winslow Air Base, Arizona, and the other to NASA. Regarding the former, Winslow is not a secret establishment and it would be perfectly easy for a journalist or scientist to obtain the sort of pass used by my character: regarding the latter. Rather than have my characters ""stroll in and out . . . with a freedom that is ridiculous,,. I clearly show them being refused entry to NASA. Jenny describes the younger of my two scientists as someone who ,"wallows in strong drink or drugs.,, In fact, that particular character, Stanford, has two major confrontations in the book - one with an alcoholic and one with a drug addict - but during neither scene does Stanford either ""wallow,, in drink or take drugs; and nowhere in the 612 pages of Genesis is it even remotely suggested that he has ever indulged in such delicious vices. According to Jenny, the reader is " " forced to assume. , that young Stanford's admittedly violent methods of interrogation (on only two occasions. I might add) is ""standard for both him and other associates of his.,, In fact, Stanford's only other associate is clearly shown to be a kind and gentle old man who treats everyone with unfailing decency. As for Stanford, contrary to the monster suggested by the unduly sensitive Ms Randles, he is drawn as an obviously intelligent, amiable but uncommitted young man whose two outbursts of violence in the latter half of the book arc borne of increasing frustration, fear and desperation - a not abnormal reaction under the circumstances described in the novel. Jenny suggests that one of the characters died of a heart attack because of a beating received by Stanford. This is simply not true. The character in question is actually murdered by someone else. Jenny claims that Stanford ""resorts to rape to elicit the truth from one unfortunate. ,, This, also, is untrue. The girl is obviously willing and Stanford uses no force; it's a mutual seduction by two people who hardly know what they're doing. Finally, Jenny seems particularly offended than I should recommend FSR as "mandatory reading" but with a "selective eye" ., To that l can only reply that no higher praise than ""mandatory reading" can be applied to any publication; and that judging by your own admirably democratic and therefore argumentative letter columns, a ,"selective eye", is frequently utilized by your most faithful readers. Any reviewer is entitled to dislike a book; no reviewer should be allowed to distort the contents of that book. Otherwise. l thank you for the review - and I shall, of course, continue to read FSR. Yours in hopes of democratic treatment. W. A. Harbinson, 44 Rosebery Road, Muswell Hill. London N10 2LJ March 31 , 1951 PS: The novel doesn't conjure up a nightmarish picture of Ufology it conjures up a nightmarish picture of the possible abuse of current technology: the Ufologists are not accused; the scientists are . . . So!