Rating: 
Summary: Not your typical 'Who done it?' ...
Review: As previously mentioned, "The Da Vinci Code" is not your typical "Who done it?" novel. Well researched and expertly written, the book presents an age-old religious secret under the guise of a tantalizing mystery. Definitely not an easy book to put down, the twists and turns wind you toward the solution, which is not as easy to figure out as some reviewers will have you believe. Of course, that is a relative statement. ;) I highly recommend this work to anyone wishing to take an exciting journey through the pages of a book, which will exercise also their mind. I might also recommend "Angels & Demons," the first of Mr. Brown's books to feature Robert Langdon. "Tight Lines!"
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Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Fiction but Historically false
Review: There is No doubt the book is written well and in a manor they cause one to become interested in the subjects but the information in the book is false. Let me give one example. Brown contends that the cannon of the scripture was put into existence in the 5th century AD., but the fact is, Tartillian a Lawyer and Early church father (in Alexandria Egypt) listed the cannon in total in the second century A.D. Most of Browns theories are not from the early church traditions, but from the middle ages, when the knights Templars came up with he holy blood line. Really this is a rehash of a rehash, holy blood holy grail also did the same thing 20 years ago. It would be better if people sake the truth. One good way would be to read the new testament, The Apostle Paul's epistles totally blow brown out of the water; Read Da Vinci if you must but look at is as fiction; Read the new testament if you want the TRUTH.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting
Review: A solid page-turner that rivets the reader's attention. Tends toward cliches at times, but, overall, reading this book is a good investment of one's time.
Rating:
Summary: Let me patronise you
Review: I don't want to be totally negative about this... Dan Brown is undoubtedly a skilled writer and has managed with The Da Vinci Code to write a book that keeps you going from start to finish, it is a genuine page turner which always leaves you wanting more. But I think of all the books I have ever read this is without a doubt the most patronisingly written, the most simple-minded. If you want a mindless thriller (but one whose thrills are fairly limited) then this is the book for you.... if on the other hand you want one that doesn't insult your intelligence (for example an expert in code cracking who cannot crack the most obvious of codes, an art historian who walks into a room and thinks "Salvador Dali the famous surrealist painter" - I mean, please, are we supposed to believe these people might exist and are respcted in their chosen fields?!!??) then this is definitely NOT the book for you. You might say its only a holiday read, only a thriller, but most thriller writers that I have come across do not attempt to map out every single point to the reader, do not end up making the reader feel insulted by the simple-mindedness of their style. Don't waste your precious time on this, its not worth it. The only reason I would recommend it is to give you a few hours amusement at how laughable the whole thing is.
Rating:
Summary: a realistic point of view from long island
Review: Being a man of worldly travel stature and reading the book from an objective point of view(that means non-bias). I felt that this book was in a whole minus the conclusion worth the 25 dollars I paid for it. This is with out a doubt one of those books that you cant put down. Each chapter leaves you wondering, what happens next? or I cannot believe that just happened! However the conclusion I found less then up to par... read but do not expect the finish of a life time. Priests and historians beware, I have researched both views for almost 3 months and niether side will be completely content with the contents of this book. Catholics because of some of the ideals, and historians because of the elaboration of ideas... overal this book should be read and disscussed though. It puts a question into light... what would we do if modern day christianity tottally vanished. In my opinion, CHAOS. read the book mates.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down!
Review: Most thrillers have the similar twists and turns that are somewhat predictable, but not too intelligent. This book, full of thriller novel might pull out some out the usual themes, but it is the most intelligent book I've probably ever read. You don't have to be a scholar to enjoy this -- heck, I'm a college student who majored in communications...you don't get much more basic than that! Just reading this book made me feel smart, and I did it in 3 days....a record for me! Definately give it a try, you won't be sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good fiction... but to call it "scholarly"?
Review: Whatever the entertainment merits of this book may be, it is nonetheless tragic that so many have mistaken this book for scholarship. Brown's idiosyncratic conspiracies have almost no relation to modern scholarship. That so many readers speak of Brown's "research" and the like is simply a scathing indictment of the modern NPR-listening armchair-intellectual.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Fast-Paced, and Smart
Review: I'll make this quick. While not great literature, "The Da Vinci Code" is an excellent read. I could not put it down, and a week after finishing reading it, it is still stuck in my head. Basically, the curator of the Louvre is murdered but leaves clues before dying for a Harvard codebreaker and his granddaughter. Code and puzzle lovers will be fascinated by this book. The clues left lead the two characters on a search for the Holy Grail. Dan Brown writes in enough twists and cliffhangers for four novels, so the novel moves at breakneck speed. At the same time, he takes the time to explain religious history and conspiracy, something I had read about in the excellent "Eve's Seed." Anyway you look at it, this is fascinating stuff. Overall...an easy, completely fun read that still delivers the smarts!
Rating:
Summary: Hoary ideas + New Age Feminolgy = Pot Boiler BS(best seller)
Review: If you want genuinely literary exploration of Dan Brown's Merry Magdalene rehash, read Nikos Kazantzakis magnum(gnostic)opus:THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST. Our Zorba-the-Greek man was excommunicated by The Greek Orthodox Church for this foray into theological sci-fi in an age where gnostic adepts "owned-up" to would be initiates. Dan Brown pushed his story telling energies to admirable limits in James Bond flavored entertainment, ANGELS & DEMONS[where dreaded ILLUMINATI essay to destroy the Catholic Church by assassinating prime candidates for Papacy on Prime Time TV; and finish the work with an anti-matter(get it?)implosion bomb]. HOLY BLOOD-HOLY GRAIL is well-known Masonic/Templar fairy tale Brown richly plunders in cobbling together this made-for-major-motion picture ersatz book of Revelation. Had Alan Moore done a graphic novel treatment of this material, its merits would be amusing entertainment because Moore is king of the ironic, literary Deconstructionists(and professess he's crafting COMIC BOOKS). Dan Brown fans seem to think he's illuminating them with hoary ideas + New Age Feminology stewage. If you enjoy literature of ilk of Laura Craft,TOMB RAIDER, this is the book for you.[OPUS DEI are bad dudes here...instead of ILLUMINATI...but it's the same tried/tired Mason mythology). If you really find Orthodox Christianity-under-attack fascinating, read POWER ON EARTH,the almost biography of "late"(as in assassinated-while-in-prison) Mafia/P-2 financial magus Michele Sidona by Nick Tousche. Otherwise, recognize DA VINCI CODE for New Age VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, Jacqueline Susann reprise it is. (2 stars)
Rating: 
Summary: A "glass is half full" 3 stars...
Review: Strong start to this book, but it definately tails off towards the end. Brown's secret society speculation is fascinating and the book is a page turner almost all the way through. But aside from some of the interesting tidbits the author throws in, the story itself is weak at best and annoyingly bad at worst. That said, I was fascinated by Browns discussion of religion. I guess I would have given this book one more star if not for the excess of praise heaped upon it by other reviewers and it's seemingly endless spot atop the best seller list. Thus, I deny it 1 star in protest...
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