A review by richardlvargas
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by John Godey

5.0

Before the movies came the acclaimed 1970's era novel, and after reading this book, you will wonder as I did why there has not been a more faithful adaptation. Four men hijack a subway car underneath Manhattan just before rush hour, demanding $1 million within the hour, or the execution of a hostage for every minute past the hour. But unlike the movies, everyone - from the stretched-thin police and transit forces, a Mayor's office with a sick mayor and a nearly bankrupt city government, to the hostages - one of which is an undercover cop contemplating the choices of taking a stand - has an intriguing story. The most intriguing story is that of Ryder, the former mercenary who has run out of wars to fight, and masterminds the plot against the subway system. And as the world watches how these men plan to escape, the decisions they make in that hour will define a city's future. It's an incredible and pretty honest portrayal of how people would react in the stress of terrorism - many of the people in the story are not heroic, and a few make poor decision or decisions that are not in the best interests of the hostages. It's a pretty astounding story.