Lavish wealth and appalling poverty live side by side in Victorian London -- and Edward Pierce easily navigates both worlds. Rich, handsome, and ingenious, he charms the city's most prominent citizens even as he plots the crime of his century -- the daring theft of a fortune in gold.

But even Pierce could not predict the consequences of an extraordinary robbery that targets the pride of England's industrial era: the mighty steam locomotive. Based on remarkable fact, and alive with the gripping suspense, surprise, and authenticity that are his trademark, Michael Crichton's classic adventure is a breathtaking thrill-ride that races along tracks of steel at breakneck speed.

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!

It moves kind-of slow and uses language that is somewhat hard to understand. But overall, its a good story and a good look back onto history.

This book is great for history buffs and the more run of the mill fiction fans. Michael Crichton has veered away from his normal science fiction formula, but he has stayed with his classic fast paced action combined with intelligent dialog that his fans love. If you like Michael Crichton books then you should check it out. If you are a fan of historical fictions then you might enjoy this book even if his usual science fiction isn't for you. The only complaint is that there are a lot of era specific words being used that slow down the dialog at times. But, he usually does a good job of explaining them as he goes without too much distraction. Overall good book, I couldn't put it down.

In telling the true story of a major mid-nineteenth century crime, Crichton brings his novelist's sensibility to selecting the details that make the tale seem simultaneously real, and larger-than-life. His prose is straightforward and competent, and also evocative without being flowery.

At the same time, he manages fairly well as a historian, offering some biting social critiques of the time in question, but also putting events in their proper historical context and filling modern audiences in on the necessary background (although he does fall short in this regard a couple of times when he attempts economic analysis).

Despite the fact that the key figure, Pierce, is a contemptible blackguard, one has to admire his sheer daring and his incredibly intelligent cunning. It is almost as though he even planned his arrest and trial so that he would have an opportunity to tell his story on the record, and to make known his utter contempt for everything conventional (including the peers of the kingdom). If one could take this as a purely fictional novel, you could almost abstract these admirable elements of Pierce's character from the criminal specifics of his actions and consider him a sort of heroic character.

Crichton concludes the narrative rather abruptly, ending with a sentence or two about the fate of each of the key figures when it's known. Perhaps this is Crichton's way of prompting us to draw our own conclusions, or of suggesting that we simply take this story for what it is--a remarkable criminal caper.

Action, adventure, intrigue, romance, and social history are a fantastic combination. The little essays into the fabric of Victorian life ring like either Dickens or Victor Hugo. THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY is a fictionalized account of a famous heist where the perpetrators were never caught. Michael Crichton has you cheering for them as they plan and execute the audacious caper.
Takes time to read but it is worth every minute spent pouring over the pages.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS and QUALIFYING LAPS.