THE PILGRIM PROJECT

I did this one backwards. 

I saw the film COUNTDOWN (1968) a few years ago (and posted a review here on the blog). Then I read the Dell Movie Comic adaptation of the film. Finally, I read THE PILGRIM PROJECT (1964), the original novel upon which the film was based. Probably should have read the book first, seen the film, then finished off with the comic. Regardless of the order of encounter, I've now experienced this story in the three media in which it appeared and, as usual, it's the original novel that stands out as the best.

The Pilgrim Project is a secret space program developed by NASA to send one astronaut to the moon in an old Mercury space capsule. Once on the lunar surface, the astronaut will take up residence in a previously launched shelter. He'll be resupplied with other landings for the time it takes to successfully launch a three man Apollo mission to the moon whereupon the lone astronaut will be rescued and returned to Earth. Sounds like a crazy plan, right? 

Cockeyed as the Pilgrim Program is, it is scientifically proven to have a better than average chance of success if and when the United States ever has need to use it. Which probably won't ever happen. Until it does, when the Russians launch a one man mission to the moon from an orbiting Soviet space platform. Now, it's a race against time to find a volunteer, put him through rigorous training and send him on what could be a one way trip to the moon.

Author Hank Searls combines the hard science of 1960s NASA with political wrangling in the halls of Congress and the White House. The President and Vice-President are major players in the drama as is a powerful senator from California and an influential newspaper columnist. The German rocket scientist who devised the plan is terrified at the thought of actually going through with it while a Navy flight surgeon prematurely spills the beans about the program.

And then there is the man chosen for the mission, Steve Lawrence (what, no Edie Gorme?). Lawrence was played in the film by James Caan and here he's a conflicted man reluctant to leave his wife and son while at the same time feeling as if he has something to prove to his commanding officer and former Mercury astronaut known only as The Colonel (Robert Duval in the film). 

There's plenty of plot twists and it's not a guarantee that the mission will even launch. But launch it does in the novel's final pages which find Lawrence desperately searching the desolate lunar surface for the pre-launched shelter. Does he find it?

Read THE PILGRIM PROJECT and find out. Thumbs up.