Helpful Score: 3
read the whole series....it was great for a person who wasn't into sci-fi hi-tech....loved it....would read it again.......these books are keepers
Helpful Score: 2
Very good story. This is the start of the Area 51 Series. I was so impressed that I ordered the whole series.
Helpful Score: 2
Great fun - I've already read two more in the series!
This was an interesting book. It went along with what you have heard about Area 51 over the years except there were no aliens intact. A good book.
You don't want to put it down.
This is my second Area 51 book and I must say these books are entertaining, well written and fun. It's like Strieber crossed with a military genius.
The weaponry is amazing, as is the concept of ongoing interaction with an alien species. The plot is interesting... if a bit fantastic.
The writing is solid and the characters are well developed. There is a bit of tongue-in-cheek involved which makes these books even more fun. I will definitely read the rest of them over time.
The weaponry is amazing, as is the concept of ongoing interaction with an alien species. The plot is interesting... if a bit fantastic.
The writing is solid and the characters are well developed. There is a bit of tongue-in-cheek involved which makes these books even more fun. I will definitely read the rest of them over time.
The truth is out there. Really. And while that tag line may be the property of Foxs X-Files, it applies equally well to Robert Dohertys Area 51. In fact, if you replace a few of the characters in Area 51 with Fox Mulder and Agent Scully, it would make a splendid episode of X-Files. This is a novel that explores almost as many mysteries as Leonard Nimoys In Search Of television series did, and ties them all together in an entertaining and thought provoking read.
Area 51 introduces us to a secret government program called Majjic 12 that operates out of Area 51. The program is so secret that even the President doesnt know exactly whats going on here: the reverse engineering of alien technology by the United States military. In fact, the military is already flying the saucers; they just cant understand how the technology works.
As the story unfolds, General Gullick, the head of the program, is about to take the program one step further by extending flight tests to the saucers mother ship, something that has never been done before. Hes cautioned against this, however, by Dr. Von Seeckt; a former Nazi recruited to the US atomic program in 1942 and member of the Majjic 12 project since its inception. Gullick, however, will not be deterred from his single-minded vision of flying the mother ship.
The suspense intensifies when Von Seeckt is contacted by Professor Nabinger, an archaeologist who has translated an unsettling message from ancient runes found in an Egyptian Pyramid:
POWER SUN
FORBIDDEN
HOME PLACE (???) CHARIOT (???) NEVER
AGAIN
(???) DEATH TO ALL LIVING THINGS
Nabinger has no clue as to what these runes might refer to, but he does discover a link to Von Seeckt and contacts him with the information. Meanwhile, an out of work reporter is slowly unraveling the mysterious disappearance of a colleague who saw a bit too much of Area 51, and a military operative who has been planted by a presidential advisor tries desperately to contact his superiors with what he has learned. Inexorably, the characters are drawn together in an attempt to stop Gullick and inform the world about the truth of Area 51.
UFOs, ancient pyramids, Atlantis, Easter Island, Nazis and Government conspiracies. Area 51. covers all that and a whole lot more. The book does a great job of tying so many mysteries together in its plot, slowly leading up to the revelation during the explosive conclusion. Area 51 moves along at a brisk pace; theres always something interesting going on that will keep you glued to it, unable to put it down. Youll plow through its 373 pages in no time, as I did.
Area 51 is not without flaws, however. The characters are extremely one-dimensional, and it is difficult to connect with any of them. Fortunately, the action and mystery more than make up for that. There are a few factual errors too, such as an attack by a flight of F-16s from the carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. F-16s are not carrier planes; the navy flies F-14s and F-18s from carrier decks.
Minor quibbles, though, in an overall fun read thats recommended to anyone but especially to those with an interest in UFOs or lost civilizations. Area 51 is the first in a lengthy series of novels. Ill be in search of the sequels, to be sure.
Area 51 introduces us to a secret government program called Majjic 12 that operates out of Area 51. The program is so secret that even the President doesnt know exactly whats going on here: the reverse engineering of alien technology by the United States military. In fact, the military is already flying the saucers; they just cant understand how the technology works.
As the story unfolds, General Gullick, the head of the program, is about to take the program one step further by extending flight tests to the saucers mother ship, something that has never been done before. Hes cautioned against this, however, by Dr. Von Seeckt; a former Nazi recruited to the US atomic program in 1942 and member of the Majjic 12 project since its inception. Gullick, however, will not be deterred from his single-minded vision of flying the mother ship.
The suspense intensifies when Von Seeckt is contacted by Professor Nabinger, an archaeologist who has translated an unsettling message from ancient runes found in an Egyptian Pyramid:
POWER SUN
FORBIDDEN
HOME PLACE (???) CHARIOT (???) NEVER
AGAIN
(???) DEATH TO ALL LIVING THINGS
Nabinger has no clue as to what these runes might refer to, but he does discover a link to Von Seeckt and contacts him with the information. Meanwhile, an out of work reporter is slowly unraveling the mysterious disappearance of a colleague who saw a bit too much of Area 51, and a military operative who has been planted by a presidential advisor tries desperately to contact his superiors with what he has learned. Inexorably, the characters are drawn together in an attempt to stop Gullick and inform the world about the truth of Area 51.
UFOs, ancient pyramids, Atlantis, Easter Island, Nazis and Government conspiracies. Area 51. covers all that and a whole lot more. The book does a great job of tying so many mysteries together in its plot, slowly leading up to the revelation during the explosive conclusion. Area 51 moves along at a brisk pace; theres always something interesting going on that will keep you glued to it, unable to put it down. Youll plow through its 373 pages in no time, as I did.
Area 51 is not without flaws, however. The characters are extremely one-dimensional, and it is difficult to connect with any of them. Fortunately, the action and mystery more than make up for that. There are a few factual errors too, such as an attack by a flight of F-16s from the carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. F-16s are not carrier planes; the navy flies F-14s and F-18s from carrier decks.
Minor quibbles, though, in an overall fun read thats recommended to anyone but especially to those with an interest in UFOs or lost civilizations. Area 51 is the first in a lengthy series of novels. Ill be in search of the sequels, to be sure.
I thin this a series. It's a believable idea and interesting.
Easy read, lots of action, and a touch of scifi. Looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
UFOS? DEAD ALIENS? The U.S. Military has been hiding something big for years. Four days from now it may kill us all.....
The most chilling experiment of all time is about to begin. The President doesn't know about it.The press doesn't know about it. Just a few scientist and military personnel do, and they are about to make a very big mistake....
The most chilling experiment of all time is about to begin. The president doesn't know about it. The press doesn't know about it. Just a few scientists and military personnel do. and they are bout to make a very big mistake.
Best of the series
A very good book.
Pulpy sci-fi techno military thriller. I read the (first) sequel and liked this original book much more.
Good book for those into Roswell etc. stories. Well written, though it stretches a bit
Great book for the UFO fans. Part of a series about a team that is taking on the little green men who walk among us. Great action adventure book.
A great start to a great series
I am really enjoying this series. Since reading this book (book 1 of the series) I have read book 2 (The Reply)and have just received book three from a PBS member. Well written, interesting characters and good plot twists.
Excellent reading. Completely holds your interest until the very end. Suspenseful & exciting. Good historical facts mixed in with the story line. I recommend this to anyone that enjoys a military suspense.
I enjoyed this book so much that I purchased the rest in the series and all of another by the same author.
Excellent story.
