Book Review: The Orion Protocol

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Orion Protocol     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Gary Tigerman
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction   Mystery   Government Conspiracy
Morrow, Nov 2003, $23.95, 322 pp.

The new American president is still trying to comprehend the true reason for launching Project Orion, the so called strategic defense shield. At about the same time TV hostess of PBS’s award winning Science Horizon Angela Browning receives a strange package containing pictures of archeological ruins on Mars sent by the lost Mars Observer probe that vanished in 1993. Angela is stone walled by government agencies as she tries to learn the truth about the photos

Exasperated Angela turns to moon walker Jake Deaver for help. Though he would prefer to remain anonymous, Jake agrees to help the science reporter learn the truth about the alleged ruins. They soon find themselves in danger as they begin to unravel a cover-up much greater than Roswell or Spielberg imagined and the true reason for launching Project Orion.

Science fiction conspiracy buffs will have a field day with Gary Tigerman’s tale that cleverly intermingles real events from the past several decades with a major effort to “protect” people from the truth. The story line jumps back forth in time and geography more often than Sam Beckett leaped yet in some weird way that augments the conspiracy theory. The action never slows down as even the afterward author’s notes hook the audience into believing that the White House regardless of party affiliation knows more than they let on so that believers will think Mr. Tigerman is a brilliant reporter exposing the truth while action thriller readers will say all’s “welles” that ends well whether it is radio or TV.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner