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The Haigerloch Project
A thriller about a scientist and a spy racing against the clock to stop Nazi Germany from developing an atomic bomb that “will scare you out of your wits” (Publishers Weekly)—by an author who served in the U.S. Counterintelligence Corps during WWII.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1977
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About the author
Ib Melchior
42 books12 followersIb Jørgen Melchior was a novelist, short story writer, film producer, film director, and screenwriter of low-budget American science fiction movies, most of them released by American International Pictures.In world War II, he served with the OSS ,for awhile, then was transferred to the U.S. Military Intelligence Service, spending two years in the European theater of War as a military intelligence investigator attached to Counter Intelligence.
In 1965, he was dubbed Knight Commander of the Militant Order of Saint Brigitte of Sweden.In 1976, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films awarded Ib Melchior its Golden Scroll Award to Merit for Outstanding Achievement.
Melchior's novels include Code Name: Grand Guignol, Eva, The Haigerloch Project, The Marcus Device, Order of Battle: Hitler's Werewolves, Sleeper Agent, The Tombstone Cipher and The Watchdogs of Abaddon.
In 1965, he was dubbed Knight Commander of the Militant Order of Saint Brigitte of Sweden.In 1976, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films awarded Ib Melchior its Golden Scroll Award to Merit for Outstanding Achievement.
Melchior's novels include Code Name: Grand Guignol, Eva, The Haigerloch Project, The Marcus Device, Order of Battle: Hitler's Werewolves, Sleeper Agent, The Tombstone Cipher and The Watchdogs of Abaddon.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 18, 2022
The Haigerloch Project is ultimately nothing more than a World War II espionage/adventure thriller in which two American OSS agents are sent into Germany to prevent the Germans from building an atomic bomb. Along the way there are the usual cliffhangers, and our heroes are aided in their mission by a couple brave German civilians. They also have to deal with the typical evil SS officer who is out to stop them. Really, it's nothing original. It was nothing original when this novel was published in the late 1970's. Novels like The Haigerloch Project were standard fare in the 1960s and 1970s. It's an okay read. Good to have along with when doing a driving tour of Germany (which is how I spent the month of June in 2012). You read it and then give it to a used bookstore.
But there are a couple things that set The Haigerloch Project above its peers and deserve to be mentioned. First of all the author, Ib Melchoir, served in both Military Intelligence and the O.S.S. during World War II. So the man knows a thing or two about how actual intelligence operations went down during World War II. Second this novel has a bibliography at the end. Yes that's right a bibliography! So not only is it a WWII espionage novel written by a man who actually lived that life, but he researched it and includes his research. These two things alone kick The Haigerloch Project up a notch or two in my opinion. Is it better than Where Eagles Dare or The Eagle Has Landed? No it isn't , but it's not bad. As is the case with so many of my novels The Haigerloch Project is long out of print and you will only find it in thrift shops and rummage sales.
But there are a couple things that set The Haigerloch Project above its peers and deserve to be mentioned. First of all the author, Ib Melchoir, served in both Military Intelligence and the O.S.S. during World War II. So the man knows a thing or two about how actual intelligence operations went down during World War II. Second this novel has a bibliography at the end. Yes that's right a bibliography! So not only is it a WWII espionage novel written by a man who actually lived that life, but he researched it and includes his research. These two things alone kick The Haigerloch Project up a notch or two in my opinion. Is it better than Where Eagles Dare or The Eagle Has Landed? No it isn't , but it's not bad. As is the case with so many of my novels The Haigerloch Project is long out of print and you will only find it in thrift shops and rummage sales.
June 11, 2015
An exciting World War II espionage/adventure thriller
The Haigerloch Project rocks along at quite a pace right from the off. The story centers around two American agents are sent into Germany to stop the Germans from building an atomic bomb.
The action is virtually non-stop with the perquisite twists and turns as well as a dastardly SS Officer hunting them down.
It also appears to be very well researched, there’s even a bibliography at the end, not something you often find in a novel…. After reading the book I checked out the German atomic bomb research and found that the settings used in the book where the actual locations where the research was carried out.
The author also worked for OSS during the war adding a further layer of authenticity.
All in all an entertaining read in the same vein as Alistair Maclean, etc.
The Haigerloch Project rocks along at quite a pace right from the off. The story centers around two American agents are sent into Germany to stop the Germans from building an atomic bomb.
The action is virtually non-stop with the perquisite twists and turns as well as a dastardly SS Officer hunting them down.
It also appears to be very well researched, there’s even a bibliography at the end, not something you often find in a novel…. After reading the book I checked out the German atomic bomb research and found that the settings used in the book where the actual locations where the research was carried out.
The author also worked for OSS during the war adding a further layer of authenticity.
All in all an entertaining read in the same vein as Alistair Maclean, etc.
July 25, 2015
“The Haigerloch Project” eBook was published in 2014 and was written by Ib Melchior. Mr. Melchior published 8 fiction novels, various non-fiction works and was involved in many TV and film projects.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘R’ as there are instances of Violence, Mature Language and some Mature Situations. This Thriller novel is set in Germany in the closing days of World War II.
The Germans are desperately trying to complete their research and build the first atomic bombs. Allied Intelligence is aggressively trying to find out how far the Germans have progressed, and to stop them before they can succeed. Word comes out of Germany that they are near to initiating a sustained reaction.
A pair of OSS agents are quickly selected and prepared to be sent into Germany. Allied forces have liberated much of occupied Europe and are slowly closing in on Germany. The agents use their ingenuity and creativity to make their way through the front lines, then into Germany. They make contact with Germans opposed to Hitler. Once in the area where the atomic research is taking place they plan to seek out information on German progress.
The interest of the SS officer responsible for security around the atomic research facility is aroused. Soon he is on their trail, and unwilling to let anyone stand in the way of his capture of the agents.
This was a very enjoyable 7 hour read and it reminding me a lot of books by Alistair Maclean and Helen MacInnes. There was a steady flow of action and intrigue, with a little romance thrown in. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘R’ as there are instances of Violence, Mature Language and some Mature Situations. This Thriller novel is set in Germany in the closing days of World War II.
The Germans are desperately trying to complete their research and build the first atomic bombs. Allied Intelligence is aggressively trying to find out how far the Germans have progressed, and to stop them before they can succeed. Word comes out of Germany that they are near to initiating a sustained reaction.
A pair of OSS agents are quickly selected and prepared to be sent into Germany. Allied forces have liberated much of occupied Europe and are slowly closing in on Germany. The agents use their ingenuity and creativity to make their way through the front lines, then into Germany. They make contact with Germans opposed to Hitler. Once in the area where the atomic research is taking place they plan to seek out information on German progress.
The interest of the SS officer responsible for security around the atomic research facility is aroused. Soon he is on their trail, and unwilling to let anyone stand in the way of his capture of the agents.
This was a very enjoyable 7 hour read and it reminding me a lot of books by Alistair Maclean and Helen MacInnes. There was a steady flow of action and intrigue, with a little romance thrown in. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
June 1, 2015
The Haigerloch Project is more interesting for its factual references than for the fictional characters and plot. The information about the Manhatten Project, the attempts to discover how close the Germans were to producing their own atomic bomb, and the search for ways to derail its completion is a fictional plot informed by fact.
I.B. Melchior, novelist, screenwriter, and film producer, served with the U.S. Counterintelligence Corps during WWII. A decorated war hero, Melchior participated in the liberation of the Flossenburg concentration camp and the capture of a Werwolf unit in 1945, as well as other important missions.
I found the mention of individuals in the nonfiction Agent ZigZag by Ben MacIntyre and the fictional Haigerloch Project, even if they received little more than a few lines, especially interesting. Most fascinating was Moe Berg, an American professional baseball player who graduated from Princeton and Columbia, spoke seven languages, and during the war, worked for the OSS special intelligence branch. Parachuting behind enemy lines, he evaluated resistance groups and worked on Project AZUSA, moving across Europe interviewing European physicists and trying to determine how close the Germans were to achieving a bomb... among other things. Berg is mentioned in both Agent ZigZag an in The Haigerloch Project.
I researched a number of things I wasn't familiar with: ALSOS, Project Larson, Haigerloch and the German reactor, and more. Melchior's bibliographic material contained, perhaps not surprisingly, many of the same sources as Ben MacIntyre's bibliography. John Masterson's and William Pasher's WWII records also intrigue me.
NetGalley/Open Road Media
WWII/Espionage. 1978 and 2014. Print version: 289 pages.
I.B. Melchior, novelist, screenwriter, and film producer, served with the U.S. Counterintelligence Corps during WWII. A decorated war hero, Melchior participated in the liberation of the Flossenburg concentration camp and the capture of a Werwolf unit in 1945, as well as other important missions.
I found the mention of individuals in the nonfiction Agent ZigZag by Ben MacIntyre and the fictional Haigerloch Project, even if they received little more than a few lines, especially interesting. Most fascinating was Moe Berg, an American professional baseball player who graduated from Princeton and Columbia, spoke seven languages, and during the war, worked for the OSS special intelligence branch. Parachuting behind enemy lines, he evaluated resistance groups and worked on Project AZUSA, moving across Europe interviewing European physicists and trying to determine how close the Germans were to achieving a bomb... among other things. Berg is mentioned in both Agent ZigZag an in The Haigerloch Project.
I researched a number of things I wasn't familiar with: ALSOS, Project Larson, Haigerloch and the German reactor, and more. Melchior's bibliographic material contained, perhaps not surprisingly, many of the same sources as Ben MacIntyre's bibliography. John Masterson's and William Pasher's WWII records also intrigue me.
NetGalley/Open Road Media
WWII/Espionage. 1978 and 2014. Print version: 289 pages.
June 12, 2015
I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for a review.
You can tell this was written in the 1970's. I got this because I enjoy WWII fiction, and I also have an odd taste for things dealing with nuclear issues. A WWII novel about the Nazi atomic program? Yes please!
The first third of this book seemed like one big mess to me. The author launches into long action sequences with little to no explanations of what is happening, who we should care about, and why it is happening. Thankfully, it got a little better once you moved past that first third. The plot moved at a good pace and was quite fun for a while. The climatic ending scene seemed to go back to the messy style of the first third of the book.
Based solely on the plot, the book was pretty good. It moved along nicely and didn't drag. The characters were a constant disappointment. There really weren't any well developed characters in the entire novel. The two main characters seemed interchangeable and unremarkable. The women in the novel were weak and insubstantial. They seemed like they were there only to help the men, or have sex with them. This is probably a reflection of the time in which it was written, but it still sucks. The book does have a pretty unique and memorable death scene that still grosses me out whenever I think of it.
I don't know why I'm giving this three stars. It kept me entertained, and it did dabble in nuclear history. That's about all I can say for it.
You can tell this was written in the 1970's. I got this because I enjoy WWII fiction, and I also have an odd taste for things dealing with nuclear issues. A WWII novel about the Nazi atomic program? Yes please!
The first third of this book seemed like one big mess to me. The author launches into long action sequences with little to no explanations of what is happening, who we should care about, and why it is happening. Thankfully, it got a little better once you moved past that first third. The plot moved at a good pace and was quite fun for a while. The climatic ending scene seemed to go back to the messy style of the first third of the book.
Based solely on the plot, the book was pretty good. It moved along nicely and didn't drag. The characters were a constant disappointment. There really weren't any well developed characters in the entire novel. The two main characters seemed interchangeable and unremarkable. The women in the novel were weak and insubstantial. They seemed like they were there only to help the men, or have sex with them. This is probably a reflection of the time in which it was written, but it still sucks. The book does have a pretty unique and memorable death scene that still grosses me out whenever I think of it.
I don't know why I'm giving this three stars. It kept me entertained, and it did dabble in nuclear history. That's about all I can say for it.
May 28, 2020
Good read
Believable in the truest sense of war strategy on a need to know basis. This could be a recounting in non- fiction and it would ring pretty true.
Believable in the truest sense of war strategy on a need to know basis. This could be a recounting in non- fiction and it would ring pretty true.
December 6, 2016
I enjoyed this book as a teenager.
March 5, 2014
This is the second book I've read by this author. It's amazing how he takes history and turns one fact, one incident and asks "what if?" then shows how history could've been changed. In this page-turner, the question is "What if the Nazi Germany was close to being the first to develop the nuclear bomb during WWII?" Frightening thought! Melchior kept me turning the pages as I follwed the secret agents who sneaked behind enemy lines to investigate the Fuhrer's nuclear program. When they discover it's worse than they thought and they no longer have lines of communication with the Allies, they are left alone to deal with the problem - or be caught and suffer a fate worse than death.
Another historical suspense novel by Melchior! Five starts!
Another historical suspense novel by Melchior! Five starts!
February 13, 2014
Great book.
Great book.
Exiting, well researched, and full of twists. The author knows of what he speaks. I am starting one of his other books, Eva, now and can't wait to read more.
Great book.
Exiting, well researched, and full of twists. The author knows of what he speaks. I am starting one of his other books, Eva, now and can't wait to read more.
November 20, 2022
Great thriller. Could hardly put it down.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews