The Taking of Pelham 123

By: John Godey

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

“You will all remain seated. Anyone who tries to get up, or even moves, will be shot.
There will be no further warning. If you move you will be killed…”

Four men seize a New York City subway train, and hold its passengers hostage. The identities of the hijackers are unknown. Their demands seem impossible. Their threats are real. Their escape would seem inconceivable. Only one thing is certain: they aren’t stopping for anything.
“Chillingly real.”–Newsweek

“A cliff-hanger.”–The New Yorker

“Harrowing, terrifying, and so, so good.”–Business Week
©2009 John Godey; (P)2009 Random House

Still Exciting After All These Years

Inspired by the recently released Travolta/Washington film, I redid Pelham after three decades. The work still holds your attention, riveting, compelling. The few anachronisms (no cellphones, no computers, references to Cuban hijackings and Vietnam) do NOT detract from the compact, precise, edge-of-your-seat story. Take Pelham; it's worth it.

very detailed

I liked this a lot a little different than the movie but still very good

Compelling!

I loved the movie in 1974 so I thought I would try the audiobook. I had only a little time one day to listen, so I thought I would just sample it, give it maybe ten minutes or so. Four hours later I was still sampling.

The reader does a great job of performing this audiobook. He changes his inflection and tone just enough at times to make this compelling mystery even more interesting.

I think it would be a great idea to hear the book prior to seeing the film, and I strongly recommend the 1974 version, which was a compelling experience in its own right. Hearing the book first is a good idea because the 1974 film varies from it at times in some really creative and surprising and exciting ways. I have not seen the new film, but reviews say it is not as good as the earlier one.

Great performance of a highly entertaining book

This is a very fine book and performance. Unfortunately the principal problem is that, well in all honesty, the 1974 movie is a bit more concise and tidy ... The screenplay for that movie manages to distil out the most memorable scenes (and the best of the humor) in a way that makes one feel that the book needed a bit more editing.

That said, if one discounts the 1973 film (or if on has not seen it) this is a very fine, exciting, entertaining and well-written crime story. At its heart it's a violent and exciting crime novel. However it's brought to life by wry humor and deep character development. Mark Bramhall's performance is well-paced and appropriate.