I don't remember where I first heard about this book, but I just happened to see it at the Book Lady (a used bookstore by my house) for $1, so I picked it up. It's a fairly quick read at 350 pages and was written back in the 70s, so you have to get used to some of the dialogue and technology used in the book. Anyhow, the book is about these 4 guys who decide to hijack a subway train and demand 1 million dollars in ransom.
The book jumps frequently to the perspective of different characters in the story like the hijackers, police, and even the hostages on the subway. It's an interesting story because you have to keep reading to see how the hijackers plan to get away with their crime. You see, the train cannot be operated without a motorman present...and just a tip, they kill the motorman midway in the book. I won't give it away, but it's interesting how they get away with the crime and it keeps the police guessing. The end, however, is where the book falters: the ending is pretty anti-climactic. It ends on a pretty blah, dull note and moved this book from good to pretty good in my eyes.
Overall, it's not a bad read: it keeps you interested an engaged and goes by pretty quickly. The movie was made back in the 70's and is well-liked. A made-for-tv remake was made in 1998 and was quite the opposite. And in 2009 ANOTHER remake will hit the big-screen, this time featuring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors, so I'll definitely try to check out the movie, and I'll be interested to see how they modernize the story to fit today's technology.
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