A Report from Group 17

by Robert C. O'Brien

210 page hard cover book. A Novel by Robert C. O'Brien. Top Secret spy thriller.

Genres: Thriller, Science Fiction, Fiction, Politics

Unknown Binding

First published March 1, 1972

About the author

Robert Leslie Conly (better known by his pen name, Robert C. O'Brien) was an American author and journalist for National Geographic Magazine. His daughter is author Jane Leslie Conly.

For more complete information on this author, please see:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1972, in between the publications of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and the posthumous post-apocalypse novel Z for Zachariah, Robert C. O'Brien came out with A Report from Group 17, which was... a very different sort of book.

I was turned on to this one by Paul Di Filippo, from his "Curiosities" column in the back pages of the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction—yes, a print magazine that's still publishing, still vital, even in this day and age. I had to have my local library dig A Report from Group 17 out of the stacks, though, and the copy I received still had a card pocket in it, with checkout dates stamped in red ink, from March 19 (hey, my birthday!) in 1982, through July 13, 1983. The book is almost a half-century old, after all, which means that a lot of it is dated, from the politics to the science to the relationships.

Even so...

A Report from Group 17 is a thriller. The world in which it's set may have gone away—the notion of Russians harboring Nazi war criminals in a palatial dacha just outside Washington D.C., where they can pursue their evil World War II-era biochemical research without interference (save from those meddling kids), seems more than a little ludicrous now. There's even a scene where Fergus O'Neil (Our Hero, in case that wasn't already obvious just from the name) actually goes to a card catalog to find more information about his opponents. Only after his search through those scraps of paper fails does O'Neil go to the guardian of the computer holding the database which ultimately contains the reference he needs.

Despite all that, the tension remains. And even though the prose in A Report from Group 17 is very dry—rather like a scientific report itself, actually—I found myself being drawn inexorably into the story O'Brien was telling.

The plot reminded me, a little bit, of Dean Koontz's creepy novel Night Chills—still one of the few Koontz books I've read. Dr. Helmuth Schutz, whom we can't really call an ex-Nazi because he's still the same detached, amoral experimenter he was when he worked for the Third Reich, continues to pursue his research into biological warfare, including an engineered version of anthrax (remember, this was in 1972) that could survive being introduced into the District of Columbia's water supply.

That in itself would be enough for most thriller writers, but... believe it or not, that's not the worst of what Schutz is contemplating.


Allison Adam is the plucky twelve-year-old who's been climbing a convenient tree overlooking the estate where Schutz has been working, the so-called "Villa Petrograd." Allie is mostly interested in the chimpanzees that are Schutz's subjects. Her younger brother Willis can't get up the tree, so he has to rely on Allison's reports about what's going on behind the high walls of the Russian ambassador's estate. But then... Allison goes into the suspiciously open gate of Villa Petrograd—and she doesn't come out.


What Dr. Schutz was really researching—what happened to Allison—what Fergus O'Neil can do about it—those drive A Report from Group 17 to a conclusion which, despite its age and diminished relevance, still resonates.

I agree with Di Filippo, in other words—this one's a curiosity that's worth investigating.

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

YA science fiction, plausible and careful with the details but, how shall I say, lacking intrigue. The threats to the world never seem all that imminent, and it never seems likely that the kidnapped girl at the center of it will come to harm. (O'Brien's other books indicate that he's perfectly willing to harm adults, but not kids.) A couple of compelling characters, but languid plot.

[MisterFweem · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://misterfweem.blogspot.com/2013/... Review is here. Excellent book for the story and for analysis of the craft. No spoilers.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally read the last of the four short novels O’Brien wrote in his lifetime. I really think all four are exceptionally imaginative and unique, and wish he had written more. Since he had a career as a journalist (writing fiction in his spare time), and also died relatively young, I guess we should be grateful for what he did leave us. I like how in this novel, his most adult, he revisited the theme of animal experimentation we saw in Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, but from a much darker angle. I tried to find a used copy of this one for years, and the mass market paperback I ended up reading is from 1973, and probably on its very last read. That’s too bad, because it’s really good! A creative and suspenseful sci fi thriller that I raced through, and wanted to be longer.

[Spridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, for lack of a better description was terribly boring.

I really enjoyed O'Brien's limited other works, but he's not known for fleshed out characters and this seriously lacked in plot.

It doesn't help that the science in this book is based on out dated and debunked theories.

A complete slog to get through and a real shame.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel supposing the Russians are trying to find a way to scientifically kill Americans through germ warfare. Very intriguing storyline...I read it in one night past midnight! (Candace 11/05) Great fictional look at Russian/German cold war times plus biology and science.

[John Rapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

😱 Came here by way of Z for Zachariah.

[Robin Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan, but this book was a slow read, and the twists were quite predictable (and a long time coming). I think the author was brave to no have a totally happy ending (the girl survives but...) . And the ideas at the core are interesting... but Z for Zachariah is far, far superior, a real classic.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. O'Brien's third published work is a taut, subtle Cold War thriller centered on mind-control through a now-debunked theoretical substance called polywater. There is little action, so some readers may find this boring. This has the usual intrigue between USA and USSR, but the real evil is the ex-Nazi concentration camp scientist held prisoner by the USSR, and the nefarious experiments he carries out without their knowledge.

[Jan- Content Advisories (Ratings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this b/c the author wrote one of my all-time favorite books for children, The Silver Crown! This was interesting, especially considering that it was written so long ago. He was ahead of his time about gene manipulation, but in 2014, it was a bit blasé. It was a good read, not a great one.
Content note: anyone could read.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real page-turner, this came close to a 5 star read for me. I don't get why people are complaining that they never thought anyone was in danger, it seems quite clear to me that not only are the characters in the story in mortal danger, but the entire world (aside from German Nazi sympathizers) is as well.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought I would love this. Didn't. Gave up. There's a reason Mrs. Frisby is a classic and this isn't.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of a slow starter, and kind of a slow finisher, but somewhere in the middle there were some exciting and interesting bits.

[Dan Groth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good read. Ahead of its time science wise. No car chases or shoot outs. More of a scientific thriller.