Orion (novel)

Orion: The Living Superstar of Song is a novel by Gail Brewer-Giorgio, written in 1977.

Inspired by the life of Elvis Presley and written before his death, Orion is the story of a popular rock star who fakes his death to escape the pressures of fame. The history of the novel's publication--including its sudden withdrawal from the market--formed the foundation of Brewer-Giorgio's non-fiction works investigating the conspiracy theory that Presley is still alive under an assumed identity.

It has been released three different times and is currently out of print. The first edition has a white cover with a design on it and "Orion" written over the design. The second edition is blue with a face printed on it, showing just the eyes of a singer with a mask over it and Orion written in red. The third edition has a black cover and was released only in Europe.

Inspired by the book, singer Jimmy Ellis took Orion as his stage name. His voice sounded so much like Elvis that some fans thought he was Elvis. Orion always wore a mask, so no one would see his true face. In her investigative books, Brewer-Giorgio claims this was done without her consent, and that she had no connection with Ellis or his recordings.

References

• http://www.nashvillescene.com/1999-11-04/news/it-s-only-make-believe/