Capricorn One

by Bernard L. Ross, Ken Follett

paperback

Genres: Fiction, Thriller

219 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1978

About the author

Bernard L. Ross is a pseudonym of Ken Follett.

Reviews

[Mikepottz · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two versions of this novelization. This is the UK version. The US version was written by Ron Goulart. The first sentence in this book, "If a city is a lady, than Houston is a whore". The author uses the term whore a lot. How much money does it cost to get to Mars? A shit tin. Before heading to Mars, the astronauts consume, half a grapefruit, a steak, two eggs, toast, and orange juice. Nice. The rocket has over 5 million parts, and this trip should be a 4-week mission. Space travel for the public had waivered somewhat with the exorbitant expense. This mission can not fail. Money and power are on the line. At T minus 3 mins and 45 seconds, the astronauts in the rocket are ready for the 7 million pounds of thrust, baby. The hatch is opened, and they are commanded to leave immediately. Minutes after the rocket is sent to space man-less. The director of NASA does the best speech. Captured brilliantly in the movie it does translate well to word. Remember this was a bona fide, made in America screw up. Money cuts, poorly contracted made life support systems would have killed the astronauts. This would have killed space exploration. Then the moment of true the director gives the astronauts. The unveiling of a TV studio of a red, Mars. A probing journo, his car tampered with, driving out of control, bumping cars, two wheels off the road, smell of rubber. The astronauts on the run in the desert. Using survival skills, eating snakes. More information of the ending which is slightly changed in the book. Governments doing nasty things, telling porky pies, all for power.

[Richard Dominguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great story. Lots of action and intrigue. The characters are likable and unlikable. The pace is very good as the story once it gets going never slows down. I remember as a kid hearing rumors that the Apollo moon flight had been faked and it was nice to see the rumor fleshed out.
At about 1 hour this is a good audio book to listen to.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always thought that those people who wanted to have subgroups for ratings were missing the point of one over all rating - until I hit that problem myself.

You see this book should be rated 4 for page and sheer rush of the story, but substantially lower for how dated the book is now - apart from the fact there has been many more decades of space exploration out there but also on more fundamental things like how they treat and present a coloured astronaut in the late 70s

but a step back - I remember seeing this film many many years ago and vaguely remember the plot but not its details. So when a local charity book shop were selling off "pulp science fiction books" their words not mine I saw this title and thought why not.

So I settled down in this heat and gave the book ago - and yes I very quickly felt the book had dated itself - reading pages you could feel the flares and questionable hair cuts waiting in the wings - but in seriousness the book itself definitely make not secret that it was written in an age and very much was stuck there.

So if the book was so dated why read it - well apart from the most audacious attempt at hushing up a fraud (something the moon landing conspiracists will all nod to) it is the fact of its age that makes it so compelling.

After all in this day and age you would question how would it be possible to pull off such a story as this and that to me makes me a little sad after all yes modern technology has simplified and "shrunken" our world but it has also removed a little bit of the mystery out of it too which is a shame really.

well either way I am glad I read this book and yes the memories are flooding back now. I wonder what else they have in their pulp section.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The capsule of the first manned flight to Mars burns up on re-entry into Earth's atmosphere but all is not as it seems. A reporter discovers that NASA faked the whole flight and landing with the crew in the desert, for the benefit of television. Only the astronauts can tell the world the true story, but the government wants them dead.
I saw the film a long time ago and only recently discovered it had been novelised (twice, as it happens - I only bought this version, so I have no idea if they’re the same), so I picked up a copy. My memory of the film isn’t good, so I can’t say how close the book follows it, but I remember the out-of-control car and helicopter/plane sequences, both of which are dispensed with in a couple of pages, so I imagine it was written from the shooting script. The characterisation is brisk and decent, there’s a lot of padding with regard to the NASA activities (nobody needs a verbatim countdown!) and the book has a wonderfully cynical edge to it, proving not much has changed between 1977 and today, in terms of politics and executives lining their own pockets. A gripping little thriller, I really enjoyed this.

[Joanne Parkington · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was Ok .. pretty basic stuff & word for word the film .. which, as it was taken from the screen play, it would be !! Rather watch it than read it again but if you have a couple of hours to fill then ... read something else a bit more stimulating !!

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novelisation of the late-1970s movie about the first manned American expedition to Mars which is not all that it seems. Due to problems with the capsule, NASA and the contractors decide to fake the flight and landing at a TV studio in the Arizona desert. When the capsule burns up on re-entry the astronauts must be disposed of but they escape into the desert as a reporter stumbles on the story. Despite dubious science and obvious flaws in the conspiracy theory it’s still an exciting read. 3.5 stars.

[Forked Radish]

Ever since NASA tacitly admitted the moon landings were faked by "losing" the original footage this book, based on the excellent movie of the same name, has become more relevant than ever!

[Kristof Czeczko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early works of Ken Follett, very entertaining and easy to read