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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!