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timburbage's review against another edition
5.0
This is a historical heist, with enough Michael Ctichton pace and style to make it a thrilling adventure.
This is a true story, though Crichton doesn't let that get in the way of a tale full of suspense, commentary on Victorian society, and a daring and complicated heist.
You think Michael Crichton and you think techno-thrillers, but this is one of his bests.
This is a true story, though Crichton doesn't let that get in the way of a tale full of suspense, commentary on Victorian society, and a daring and complicated heist.
You think Michael Crichton and you think techno-thrillers, but this is one of his bests.
swelshimer's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
library_ann's review against another edition
5.0
It's a historical recreation, it's a heist story, it's a tale full of competency porn. What's not to love? Oh, AND it's Michael Crichton, who really did know how to catch you in the web of his story.
The only thing that I found truly jarring was finding out that Pierce never actually practiced walking on the train to accurately time that. I suppose he figured it would be like walking on the ground. I don't know, for a man who left so little to chance, who planned all the other aspects so carefully, it strikes me so odd that he would just leave that assumption untested.
Spoiler
...The only thing that I found truly jarring was finding out that Pierce never actually practiced walking on the train to accurately time that. I suppose he figured it would be like walking on the ground. I don't know, for a man who left so little to chance, who planned all the other aspects so carefully, it strikes me so odd that he would just leave that assumption untested.
lalulorlor's review against another edition
2.0
This was nowhere near as exciting as it should have been. It was actually kind of tedious.
kimberly_b's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as other Crichton books, but it is entertaining.
mjtucker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
emerali's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
mundinova's review against another edition
3.0
This book blurs the lines between fiction and non-fiction, but in a good way.
After reading The Boys in the Boat, I got use to a specific style of non-fiction writing: descriptive and prose-like. The Great Train Robbery reminded me of that style ... but it's labeled fiction.
You'll learn a lot about Victorian London. What you learn will be more detailed and reliable than any steampunk or historical fiction you normally read set in the same time period. So in that way, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves non-fiction.
But it's also a great tale. A daring daytime robbery which reminds us why we all secretly want the villain to win. We want to believe that if we ever turned evil we'd be smart enough to get away. And they did! They got away, but not before telling the world (in court!) exactly how they did it. Genius.
After reading The Boys in the Boat, I got use to a specific style of non-fiction writing: descriptive and prose-like. The Great Train Robbery reminded me of that style ... but it's labeled fiction.
You'll learn a lot about Victorian London. What you learn will be more detailed and reliable than any steampunk or historical fiction you normally read set in the same time period. So in that way, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves non-fiction.
But it's also a great tale. A daring daytime robbery which reminds us why we all secretly want the villain to win. We want to believe that if we ever turned evil we'd be smart enough to get away. And they did! They got away, but not before telling the world (in court!) exactly how they did it. Genius.
rosalind_barden's review against another edition
5.0
“The Great Train Robbery” by Michael Crichton shows why Mr. Crichton is such a popular author. Originally published in 1975, it holds up as a fast-paced and fascinating dive into the criminal underworld of Victorian London. Inspired by true events, Mr. Crichton tells the story of a charming, well-dressed gentleman rogue who masterfully plans the heist of the century: stealing a large quantity of gold bars from a moving train. The historical research the author did shows, and the author masterfully weaves the history with the characters and plot to create an unforgettable story. I read the paperback several years ago and decided to “re-read” it by listening to the audiobook. Some of the Victorian criminal slang may be harder to follow in the audio version, but the delightful narration by Michael Kitchen more than makes up for this. Mr. Kitchen makes the scenes and characters come to life.