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Summary: A Page Turner
Review: This book was well written with a very clear structure and plot that was so compelling that I finished the book in two sittings. The structure and logic was so overwhelming, however, that the characters and settings were quite underdeveloped. They were like phantoms that served as mere facilitators to drive the plot.I believe that Iain Pears has mastered the "art history mystery" genre and his books probably served as a model for "The Da Vinci Code". I would highly recommend the following: The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears Death and Restoration (Art History Mystery) by Iain Pears The Bernini Bust (Art History Mystery) by Iain Pears The Last Judgement (Art History Mystery) by Iain Pears The Titian Committee by Iain Pears
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Summary: Fiction is stranger than Belief
Review: If you never read the 1982 book HOLY BLOOD HOLY GRAIL (Baigent,Leigh,& Lincoln, New York:Delacorte Press), you might think that Dan Brown came up with some interesting 'facts' from the historical record. However if you do two things, read the 1982 book and do an internet search for "Priory of Sion" (use Google), you will come up with the material from which to craft the story of the DaVinci Code. And it's crafted from some very clever flights of fancy. But the reader should be prepared to face the question: which is closer to fiction -- Dan Brown's THE DA VINCI CODE or the claim that Jesus Christ rose from the dead?
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Summary: The Da Vinci Code
Review: What would you do if you were wanted for a crime you didn't commit? Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu asked themselves this question in the exciting book The Da Vinci Code. Robert and Sophie are wanted for the crime of murdering Sophie's grandfather, Jauques Sauniére. Jauques is a master of riddles, and he leaves a few to tell Sophie a secret.
Robert and Sophie are faced with many decisions in this book of murder, survival, betrayal, and friendship. Robert and Sophie must use the skills they know to figure out the trail of riddles that Jauques left behind. They must outwit their enemies and find out the secret Jauques tried to tell them in his last dying moments before their enemies and the police catch up with them.
The Da Vinci Code has an exciting twist at the end. I don't know if anyone could guess it. This book is a thrilling novel that will have you reading for hours. I liked how it had a little nonfiction in it as well as a fictional story. I would recommend this book to advanced readers from ages 14 and up. The Da Vinci Code would interest mystery readers the most. Even if you don't like mystery books, you should still try this interesting novel. Kelly Meric
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Summary: The danger of presenting fiction as history
Review: I did not like the Da Vinci Code. In fact, after the first 150 pages I felt manipulated and insulted as a reader showing faith in the author's good intentions. Along with its poor writing style, lack of essential argument, forced plot development, flat dialogue, absence of character development, and the lukewarm, impressively non-intelligent ending, the book manipulates the reader into believing that the author's references to history, art, geography and religion are facts and not his subjective interpretation or "poetic license" for the purpose of writing a mediocre novel. The inaccuracies are too many to count but the author makes no effort to remind the reader that his facts are, in fact, fiction. Instead, he provides a page titled "Fact" at the very beginning of the book as a priori confirmation that the ensuing narrative contains facts. This is dangerous for the uninformed readers. The author seems to use the same method on his readers that he accuses the church of having applied for centuries on the gullible folk to control and extort their faith, loyalty and money.
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Summary: ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ!!!!!!!!
Review: This book is simply amazing. The story is very exciting and there are so many interesting and incredible facts throughout the book that it...it...I forgot what I was saying. This book is sure to be one of the BEST BOOKS YOU'LL EVER READ IN YOUR LIFE!!! So buy it and read it! Right now!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Summary: Indiana Jones for the Intellectual
Review: What is perhaps the most striking element about The Da Vinci Code is that, in a sense, the book outlines a story that, in many ways, actually serves as a replacement for traditional Christian doctrine. This observation likely requires further comment. What I mean is, for a great deal of "modern" Christians, Christianity it's "literal" form has grown obsolete. As a result, in my opinion, the Church has been backpedaling so fast and furiously that many of its doctrines - let alone the credibility of the Church itself - have sustained serious damage in terms of veracity. Many Christians, again, in my opinion, now long for some sort of an explanation for the current state of affairs and how they came about. The Da Vinci Code paints a way out by offering Christians an entirely new way to view their religion that not only explains why, for example, the "sacred feminine" has been lost for all these years, but also in a way that may even succeed in reinforcing their beliefs while simultaneously upgrading them; Christianity 2.0, so to speak. This is not to say that The Da Vinci Code is without its (very few and somewhat unfair) drawbacks. The first I'd like to offer is that about three quarters through the book I realized that there was absolutely no way that in which this book could possibly end in a manner that did it justice within the remaining space. Stopping short of asserting that The Da Vinci Code ended poorly, my fears were at least somewhat realized by an ending that I found a bit unsatisfying (but what did I expect, really?). Second, and this complaint is closely related to both the first, third, and fourth, is that I would have liked a but more character development (if you haven't guessed by now, I looked upon the ending of this book with total dread). Third, I found some of the "puzzles" a tad bit too obvious. Last, our beloved stars all too easily pull off minor miracle escapes that tug at the reader's conscience (like in movies, I hate to be reminded that what I'm taking in is fiction). My musings aside, this novel is a brilliant achievement not just in its style and charm, but in its simple fascinating subject matter. In all, The Da Vinci Code was an absolute pleasure to read, and I hope that all of my "criticisms" reflect the fact that I did not want it to end. Awesome!
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Summary: fun fun fun!
Review: I rather liked the book. I read it in one night. night/morning. But the ending was rather...cliche or used too often. the ending is very corny and trashy. i don't like it at all. but the plot was pretty good and fast paced.
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Summary: debunking the Da Vinci Code
Review: If you want to read something that appears to debunk Christianity, you might enjoy this book. It is, however, utter nonsense. Surely there are real facts that some enterprising writer could employ to fly in the face of the Roman Catholic Church and Christianity. Or does it matter? What fun! What sport! to undermine the faith of millions. Count me in! Brown has used easily disproved "facts" to create a harmful mystery novel here. Harmful because he has presented his "facts" as the truth. Which they are not. I am not a Catholic, I don't even meet the definition of a Christian. I am a believer in the truth, so If you do choose to read this book, I suggest that you do a google search for "debunking the Da Vinci Code" when you are finished with it. If you CAN finish it.
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Summary: good for delays in airports etc +ERROR about train station
Review: Mr Brown, No train for Lille departs from Gare St Lazare!!!!
Check your sources: It should have been Gare du Nord.
Details matter in Fiction too.
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Summary: Much Ado About Mediocrity
Review: First, this book is poor fiction and one man's perspective based on questionable and/or purely subjective sources. As a thriller it works if one does not mind a story based on pure speculation. Albeit, it is well-written, but it is hi-lighted with pure speculative history. The book may have been 'well'researched' but many of the sources used are not respected or as highly revered and/or respectd as the author and unifomred 'experts' would have us believe. There are several major of flaws with the basis of the big secret. First, the spiritual/historical Jesus was the embodiment of God (who does not need to feed any of the hungers that mortals do- no marriage, children, et al). Therefore, this whole flimsy concept of a marriage is a non sequitor. If you are going to use a real historical figure, DO NOT change his character. Second, DaVinci was a self-proclaimed enemy and critic of Christianity. So is it any wonder that his painting renditions of Christ would contain insulting messages of contempt for the Christian faith and tradition. Third, there were no female apostles. Anyone knowing Judaic and social history of the times would know that woman did hold any positions of real power in the Jewish or early Catholic faith. Finally, Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute, rather an adultress. The only thing that Dan Brown has done is to give 'wings' to hearsay and gossip based on highly unauthoriative and questionable writings that cannot be taken without serious thought to their original intent. While he is at it, why not dig up the writings of old European navigators who thought the world flat and write a book about a secret - that the world is really flat. This book is pure garbage and an insult to anyone with any knowledge of history and Christianity. I am only thankful that I did not buy this book - I borrowed it and saved myself some money. If you want to read some good historical/speculative/thrillers, read the LaHaye and Jenkins books. They are well-researched and well written.
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