Credibility
2
Low |
Research Value
2
Low |
Cultural Interest
5
Very High |
Visual Information
2
Low |
Style
4
Stylish |
Silliness
4
High |
Wow Factor
3
Interesting |
Bargain
2
Low |
Explanation of Ratings
Credibility = Low: Author seems honest, but we are suspicious of her sources. In general, this catagory is a rating of the author's intellectual discipline
and the strength of his argument (which are low), not the veracity of his claims (which could be true in spite of the weak argument).
Cultural Interest = Very High: As a personal account, this book provides an interesting snapshot of the author's internet-based social environment, circa 1997-98.
Visual Information = Low: Poor quality photos in a book where all evidence is supposed to rest on photos.
Style = Stylish: We found the book engaging and easy to read.
Bargain = Low: Overpriced compared to other structures-on-Mars books. In general, items with a low bargain rating are not considered worth the retail price
as judged by the useful research data they contain. However, they may have cultural or
entertainment value, which is not included in the bargain rating.
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Argues in favor of an "Inca City" on Mars similar to the famous face.
The style is like that of a novel, describing the author's contacts
with the principle
investigator of the claim, one "Dr. Dan Burisch."
Burisch is a mysterious figure,
also going by the name of Crain, who supposedly worked at Area 51,
the Tonopah Test Range and Papoose Lake/Area S-4.
(Naturally, records of Dr. Burisch's Ph.D., not to mention
his employment, have been
erased by the Gov't.)
The author's contacts with Burisch are of the cloak-and-dagger
variety and Burisch seems less than forthcoming about his background.
(Sound familiar?)
Burisch presents the author with photographs showing remarkable
resemblances between features on the Mars surface and ancient Inca
ruins in Peru. There are many photos in the book, but they are
all of very low quality. (Disappointing, given that all evidence
is supposed to rest on photographs.) As with other structures-on-Mars
books, attempts are made to show that the Inca City could
not possibly be natural, but that seems like almost a sidebar to
the main story, which is a chronicle of who the author talked
to and exchanged email with.
The main setting is Las Vegas, home of the author,
Burisch and several other characters in the book.
(It is also our hometown, and we hadn't heard of any of them
before.) The whole thing sets off our B.S.
detector big time, but the book is still amusing.
There is a challenge in figuring out what the real story is
(The author herself seems honest.), and there
is something endearing and familiar
about the author's account.
We read the book as an exercise -- wondering what questions
we would have asked
under similar circumstances.
-- Glenn Campbell
By B.J. Wolf