Rating: 
Summary: A good afternoon read
Review: This is Greene's first such "entertainment". I read this work only after having read much of Greene's other work. Unlike many of his pieces ("The Power and the Glory", "The End of the Affair", 'The Heart of the Matter"), this particular work does not focus particularly upon the moral nature of the actions. If you come to this expecting something of the depth of one of the aforementioned pieces, you shall likely emerge disappointed.On the other hand, this is an intensely suspenseful, quick, and pleasant read. The story lends itself perfectly to a rainy afternoon: set upon the Orient Express, this is the no-frills (as is typical of Greene's style) telling of the interactions between Myatt, the Jewish businessman, Coral Musker, the incredibly naive chorus girl, and the Doctor, an exiled revolutionary. While lacking the moral resonance of Greene's later work, this is still a fun and deserving piece.
Rating:
Summary: A good afternoon read
Review: This is Greene's first such "entertainment". I read this work only after having read much of Greene's other work. Unlike many of his pieces ("The Power and the Glory", "The End of the Affair", 'The Heart of the Matter"), this particular work does not focus particularly upon the moral nature of the actions. If you come to this expecting something of the depth of one of the aforementioned pieces, you shall likely emerge disappointed. On the other hand, this is an intensely suspenseful, quick, and pleasant read. The story lends itself perfectly to a rainy afternoon: set upon the Orient Express, this is the no-frills (as is typical of Greene's style) telling of the interactions between Myatt, the Jewish businessman, Coral Musker, the incredibly naive chorus girl, and the Doctor, an exiled revolutionary. While lacking the moral resonance of Greene's later work, this is still a fun and deserving piece.
Rating: 
Summary: 5 HOURS OF MAGIC
Review: what amazes me is how much information greene crams into 215 pages. how much suspense he packs in. and how artfully he weaves the stories of his several characters. not only that, he rounds it off with a sensational twist that leaves you pondering how bitter-sweet life really is. for lovers of mystery, and especially those who love the romance of "the orient express", it's a great way to kill a few hours.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read - Not Greene's Best
Review: With the momentum of a hurtling steam engine, Greene brings together on board an Istanbul-bound train characters from all walks of life: business magnate, journalist, novelist, socialite, chorus girl, clergyman, revolutionary, and criminal. Exciting adventures befall this group, and each character emerges distinctly above his or her "type." At the same time, the reader is presented with an interesting look at a microcosm of Europe in the '30s, seen through the cynical and class-conscious eyes of Greene. With this work, Greene has not yet turned his attention to the weighty spiritual issues and moral crises that would shape the center of his later novels. Rather he permits the reader to observe the class conflicts and cultural tensions between the characters and draw his own conclusions regarding morality and duty. Greene has a wonderful way of succinctly capturing ideas and images and operating his story-line on many levels at once. My only criticism of the work is that it is rife with confusing shifts of point-of-view, an awkwardness Greene leaves behind in his later novels. Also wonderful are The Heart of the Matter, The Power and The Glory, and The Honorary Consul. For biting satire, try Our Man in Havana and then see the recent Boorman film The Tailor of Panama.
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