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Product Description
In teeming Victorian London, where lavish wealth and appalling poverty exist side by side, one mysterious man navigates both worlds with perfect ease. Rich, handsome and ingenious, Edward Pierce preys on the most prominent of the well-to-do as he cunningly orchestrates the crime of his century.
Who would suspect that a gentleman of breeding could mastermind the daring theft of a fortune in gold? Who would predict the consequences of making the extraordinary robbery aboard the pride of England's industrial era, the mighty steam locomotive? Based on fact, as lively as legend, and studded with all the suspense and style of a modern fiction master, here is a classic novel, set a decade before the age of dynamite - yet nonetheless explosive...
From the Back Cover
In teeming Victorian London, where lavish wealth and appalling poverty exist side by side, one mysterious man navigates both worlds with perfect ease. Rich, handsome and ingenious, Edward Pierce preys on the most prominent of the well-to-do as he cunningly orchestrates the crime of his century.
Who would suspect that a gentleman of breeding could mastermind the daring theft of a fortune in gold? Who would predict the consequences of making the extraordinary robbery aboard the pride of England's industrial era, the mighty steam locomotive? Based on fact, as lively as legend, and studded with all the suspense and style of a modern fiction master, here is a classic novel, set a decade before the age of dynamite - yet nonetheless explosive...
'A nineteenth-centure version of The Sting... Crichton fascinates us'
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
'A work of intelligence and craftmanship... Written with grace and wit'
LOS ANGELES TIMES
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is brilliant! Not only are you treated to a great thriller, and the clever plot of the crime itself, but almost submlinally you receive a lesson in the history of the time. Little fascinating facts are dotted throughout, and you can't help but bore your companions senseless with 'did you know.....?' at far too regular intervals. This book was passed around a group of us who were travelling together, and everyone was totally enchanted. Read and thoroughy enjoy!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a suspect when it comes to Michael Crichton - he's my favorite author - but having read almost all his novels on science fiction this time I chose to read The Great Train Robery. I can say that, together with Prey, this book ended up being my favorite from this author! The way Michael tells the story and puts it into historical context while always giving interesting historical facts along the way simply pulls you in until you finish, and then, then(!) you'll find yourself with a big smile!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Following Michael Crichton's untimely death, I decided to complete my library with his works. The GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY was the only one missing and, I must say, although not the usual Science-Thriller Crichton had accustomed us to, it had the writer's signature iconoclastic approach to everything he wrote about.
Set in mid-19th century London, this novel is half historic travelogue through all strata of Victorian society and half an interesting roller-coaster ride on setting up and carrying through the infamous heist.
The period dialogue gave me trouble in more than one occasion at first but after a while you get used to it and you barely notice it. This is one of the early works of Crichton and although some of his flaws as a writer are present, so are most of his strengths: the secondary characters are barely fleshed out; on the other hand, his acute perception, solid research and multifocal vision does not pause before shattering long-held misconceptions and prejudices.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Set in mid-19th century London, this novel is half historic travelogue through all strata of Victorian society and half an interesting roller-coaster ride on setting up and carrying through the infamous heist.
The period dialogue gave me trouble in more than one occasion at first but after a while you get used to it and you barely notice it. This is one of the early works of Crichton and although some of his flaws as a writer are present, so are most of his strengths: the secondary characters are barely fleshed out; on the other hand, his acute perception, solid research and multifocal vision does not pause before shattering long-held misconceptions and prejudices.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good yarn spoiled by poor research
Although Michael Crichton has clearly done considerable research into Victorian society, this novel took extreme liberties with the geography of London and Kent, and with the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by nom de plume
Really fascinating social history of London
This book is a really fascinating social history of London in the mid 1800's. The story of the train robbery, while interesting, takes a back seat to the social and cultural... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Nancy DIppolito
good holiday read
Advertised as in good condition, but I did feel it was a little less than this, but was cheap and a great holiday read. It served its purpose and was delivered promptly.
Published 12 months ago by wady
History lesson
We've learned a great deal about life in the 1800's from this book.
Michael Crighton was nothing if not thorough in his reaearch and did not hold back in sharing his... Read more
Michael Crighton was nothing if not thorough in his reaearch and did not hold back in sharing his... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Captain Nemo
good insight into victorian social attitudes
A fascinating novelised account of this most famous of Victorian era robberies. The preparations for the theft read as being so unlikely that one would think them too far-fetched... Read more
Published 19 months ago by John Hopper
great combo of thrills and historical fiction!,
I have never been the biggest Crichton fan, Stories about Brining Dinosaurs back to life just seem a bit too farfetched to me, but maybe I need to give some of his other books a... Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2007 by Sara Chung
One of Crichton's best
It is such a shame that Michael Crichton has taken recently to churning out film scripts masquerading as novels, because as this story shows he really is an extremely adept... Read more
Published on 28 July 2006 by J. C. Duff
If you like reading and learning, then you'll love this book
Having recently rubbished 'Timeline' I felt a little guilty, but I still had faith in Michael Crichton and so turned to an older book I handn't read. Read more
Published on 7 May 2001 by stephen.leeman@talk21.com
The truth is stranger than fiction.
I knew very little about the Great Train Robbery before reading this expertly written account, but now I feel as if I understand the event much more fully. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2000
I wanted the money....
Famous lines from Edward Pierce, Michael Crichton's imfamous character. A novel of intense scheming, skullduggeery and thrilling execution of the final plan, this is not a novel to... Read more
Published on 13 July 2000
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