I knew as soon as I started this that it was soon to become one of my favorite Christmas reads. It combines three of my favorite things (trains, Christmas, and cheesy love stories), so how could it get any better? This has been sitting on my shelf for at least two years, and I still can’t figure out why I didn’t read it before. I’ve read many a cheesy Christmas tale, and I’ve watched many a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie in my short life, but for those of you who aren’t so much into the cheese, this is still a good story. Although it’s heartwarming, it isn’t schmaltzy. There was never a moment where I thought, “Pfft, that definitely would never happen.” Granted, for those of you looking for serious literature, I wouldn’t recommend this as a great classic. It’s perfect for curling up with some comfy blankets and some hot cocoa, but is definitely not a literary masterpiece. That said, I enjoyed spending some time with these characters on their Christmas journey. Baldacci really excels at creating a distinct voice for each of the characters. This is one of those books that read like a movie (if that makes any sense). I had a clear idea of each of the characters, and I could really envision the scenes and the banter amongst the passengers. I loved Tom—he was hilarious! You instantly want to root for him from the very start. There were enough twists to keep me from completely figuring out the story, but I didn’t find them to be all that farfetched. The only time I had a reality check was at the end when we find out about the “set-up.” I didn’t entirely buy that, but by that time in the story, I was content with everything else that had happened. It certainly didn’t ruin the ending. I also really enjoyed how we also got a bit of history on the trains and a few of the places along the way. It kept this story from being complete brain candy, and added just the right amount of background information. Just the right book to put you into the Christmas mood, I recommend this one for this holiday season for those of you who haven’t read it!
A lighthearted read evoking a simpler time, the story centers around a disillusioned journalist and his chance to complete what his father had never been able to accomplish. Tom Langdon had known for years that there was a familial connection to Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain but he was not aware that his father had a last wish for Tom to complete a story that Twain had never finished. A story of taking a train across the country at Christmastime. Twain supposedly took many notes on the trip, but had never made a story from them.As it turns out, Tom is planning to travel across the country to be in California by Christmas to be with his girl-friend, and will be traveling by train because he is not allowed to travel by air due to a volcanic temper tantrum in the airport after a long, tiring flight and a probing search at the security gate. Thus he decides to follow through on his father’s deathbed wish. He decides he will take his own notes and compile them into a story. Traveling by rail he hears the stories of many people who have made the trip many times before. He also meets a young couple wanting to get married on the train, an eccentric old woman who seems to know everyone very well, a film director, and a person from his own past. At one point on the trip there also appears to be a bit of a thief, and this story runs along in the background.David Baldacci has created a little rolling world peopled with interesting and varied characters. Then everything comes to a screeching halt as they become trapped in this little world with apparently no way out. I really enjoyed this book, and particularly the subtexts and direction changes, red herrings and subterfuge with a dash or humour. This was a good Christmas story and the ending took me completely by surprise; I’m sure to be reading it again next Christmas. Surprisingly, this is the first Baldacci book I have read and I know this is not his usual fare, but of course I will be reading some of his other books in 2009! I definitely recommend it.
What do You think about The Christmas Train (2004)?
Ex war correspondent and journalist Tom Langdon decided to travel from Washington DC to Los Angeles by train, to arrive in time for Christmas. It was a long journey, and involved changing trains on one occasion, but he wanted to fulfil his father’s wishes, and do something that, according to legend, Mark Twain had set out to do, but didn’t complete! He wanted to write about the people on the train, the friendships forged, the adventures and magic that was there with the longer form of travel. (He was also banned from flying on any airline in the US, but that was another story!!)Tom needed to get from the East Coast to LA to meet up with his girlfriend, Lelia Gibson, as they were going skiing for the holidays. So The Capitol Limited was travelling the first leg, and the Southwest Chief took them on the second and much longer stage of the journey. The memorable characters, from the porters to the stuffy lawyer, the ex-priest and the young couple who were in love, and had eloped to get married on the train (against the wishes of both families)… everyone had a story to tell. Tom’s story of his old flame from his war correspondent days, Eleanor Gibson, also featured…This absolutely delightful tale had a little of everything…mystery, crime, intrigue, danger, and of course, the miracles of Christmas. Highly recommended.
—Brenda
Sorry not impressed. I started reading this book in December because it had Christmas in the title and I thought that it might enhance my pre Christmas mood, but apart from everyone trying to get somewhere for Christmas, Christmas had very little to do with it. I've read David Baldacci before and expected an adventure story but all I really got was a love story. Someone was stealing from the passengers, and it turned out, at the very end, that an investigation had been taking place, by a secret rail investigator, but we weren't privy to it. When the train gets snowed in there was the opportunity for for a wilderness adventure but the party sent out reached a ski lodge pretty much as soon as they set out to look for it and another opportunity was lost. Pretty much a nothing story for me. Anyone who reads romance may think differently.
—Roy Higgins
OK, so I bought this on sale as an audio for some light seasonal reading while I was doing Christmas prep last year. I have never read anything by this author and after this one, I may never again.After reading the synopsis I was not expecting or requiring great literature, but found this so trite and predictable and the characters, while not unlikeable, just too lightweight to hold my interest.The premise was nice - a writer taking a train cross country at Christmas and all of the "fascinating people he encounters." My reading has gotten me used to more substantial stuff and I couldn't even finish this one. I truly tried, mainly because I bought it and if I bought a book, the frugal side of me says I must finish it. There are just too many good books out there to be wasting time on fluff like this.
—Lori
