The Da Vinci Code

Rating:
Summary: Fun Read, Disappointing Ending
Review: This was a page turner. It was fast moving and filled with interesting facts (whether they are true facts/fiction) I really didn't know so I was able to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy. I had trouble with many things though. First off the entire story takes place almost entirely in one extremely long night. With all that happened in that night it really took me out of the story trying to accept that all that happened happened in one night. I kept waiting for the sun to come out. Albeit the events probably were more effective in a night sequence, but it was pretty unbelievable. Additionally the extremely long winded conversations between Sophie and Robert Langdon were also amazingly unrealistic considering they were on the run. Same thing when they were at Teablings house. They sat and talked like they were at a dinner party. I never felt any sense of urgency in their discussions of religion, symbols, cryptography.....Aside from that I was really hooked on the build up of this story, but in the very end I was let down. I waited for the big climax, whether they got to the grail or not, I did not feel the finish was worthy of the set up. On a whole I enjoyed this book. whether it is historically accurate or not I don't frankly care. This IS a work of fiction.

Rating:
Summary: Quite Possibly The Most Addicting Novel I Have Ever Read
Review: I don't even want to begin to describe anything within the book because I would feel that I would give something away to those who haven't read it yet. I can, however, say this: READ THIS BOOK. Quite simple, I know, but there is no other way for me to express myself. This book was FANTASTIC. I have read plenty of page turners, but I literally could not get any work done while I was reading this book. Dan Brown is truly a master story teller. I don't even want this book to be made into a movie in fear that the story will be ruined. I can keep going on and on for pages about this book, but I wont because I don't want people to spend time reading my review instead of reading The Da Vinci Code

Rating:
Summary: Immense and Important!
Review: Obviously this is one of the most controversial novels in recent history, made even more so depending on one's religious faith and perspective. This great work is immense and important because of the author's interpretations of theology and history.

The codes deal with Da Vinci, his art, history, and theories related to him and the Christian church. I found suspense, conspiracy, imagination, a fast moving plot, great writing, and endless food for thought. He has integrated the mythical gray areas of religion and history into a brilliant thriller. Religious zealots need not read this work as it will either cause them some doubt about their religion or much consternation as they read and become filled with rage.

I just finished reading 'Crossfire' by Jim Marrs, the highest selling bestseller about the Kennedy assassination and 'Alien Rapture' by Edgar Fouche and Brad Steiger, the best selling government conspiracy novel dealing with the UFO cover-up, written by an authenticated credentialed Special Operations 'Insider.' So if you like controversy, conspiracy, cover-ups, thrills and great plots, read all three.

Rating:
Summary: The DaVinci Code
Review: I must admit that this book gave me a scare. But I find that it only encreases my very strong faith inthe teachings of my Savior!

The book is well written and keeps the readers attention to the very end.

Rating:
Summary: An escapist's dream
Review: THE DA VINCI CODE has been on the top of the best-seller list for so long that I finally decided to read it and see why. The story of the book is common knowledge by this time so that much of the mystery author Dan Brown traces so well is now a bit passe. But THE DA VINCI CODE brings to light a few important lessons that inform about the reading public: first, there is obviously a large audience for 'who-dunnit' mysteries, second, there must be at least a little interest in matters ecclesiastic for a novel based on the Catholic Church/Knights Templar/Holy Grail/Opus Dei etc, and third (thankfully) there is evidence that the public is willing to dig in to a bit of art history and controversy that is in fact much more interesting that the information in the media today. As far as a book is concerned, Dan Brown begins his "Novel" with a FACT sheet: "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals [Opus Dei, Priory of Sion, Vatican, etc]in this novel are accurate". That alone makes this book in evidence of a lot of research. The action takes place in approximately 24 hours but the pace of the tale from France to England and back is breathless. While the delivery of the story is at the speed of breaking the sound barrier, with the accompanying 'can't-put-it-down' reading situation, Brown doesn't really write with elegant prose, or make his caper characters much more than chessboard pawns as far as fleshing them out into people about whom we care. This is not a book for those who love to languish in the beauty of the English language: there are no truly memorable passages that beg to be re-read because of their beauty of expression. But given that, this is an obvious crowd pleaser and seems a sure bet for a movie - if Mel Gibson's PASSION doesn't steal all its thunder.

Writers write for different reasons; readers seek books for different needs. THE DA VINCI CODE is a fine escapist route to take on a plane trip or to devour when the world is too much with us. Great literature it is not - and that really is OK!

Rating:
Summary: Escapism at its BEST
Review: If your looking for intrigue,mystery, excitement and an extremely well researched read....look no further. I read this book on a suggestion not knowing anything about the plot and was completely and utterly captivated. You will find yourself racing to turn the page. There were actually moments where I gasped out loud!!! If your a die-hard religious fanatic some of the content may upset you...take this book with a light heart...its just superb!!!

Rating:
Summary: The Da Vinci Load of ....
Review: If you are buying this nonsense, get a clue. Familiarize yourself with Leonardo's work. Check out his other portrait of St. John. The likeness is painted just as effeminate as in the Last Supper. Brown is yankin' the collective chain and getting quite rich doing it. Hopefully his next book will be entitled "How to Get Rich Appealing to the Gulliblility of the Public." Or There is Indeed a Sucker Born Every Minute."

I give this one 2 stars for Brown's mercenary genius. As for his writing skill, I think I'll stick with the Bobsey Twins.

Rating:
Summary: Dan Brown the master of the disguise!
Review: The substance of this book distorts the basis of the faith of one of the great religions of the world, i.e., faith in the Divinity and Integrity of Christ. Much of the book depends on distorting the painting of the Last Supper. Was Leonardo da Vinci capable of this? Although a genius in many fields, he was not known for formal religious faith, but neither was he a religious fool. No, it was not da Vinci who painted Mary Magdalane into the Last Supper scene; he wouldn't have thought of it.
Dan Brown's fantasies did. Shame on you for your distortion of Christianity and for falsifying the history and intent of a great Church.

By the way, is that Dan Brown dressed up like Mona Lisa on the cover of the book? Look carefully!
Yes, it DOES resemble him form the inside jacket cover; soft and femine, crossed over eyes, pasty complexion, and vacant eyebrows.
I think we have cause for a book here! "The Brownie Code!"
(The Autobiography of Dan Brown trying to become the next Mona Lisa)
I wonder if Dan could write it?
Probably! He does so well with fantasy.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Book
Review: I found this novel to be very interesting, I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: The Da Vinci Code
Review: In spite of the sophisticated subject, and the author's apparent exhaustive research of it, I found Mr. Brown's writing style extremely tedious, naive and boring, after the first 100 pages. There were definitely some interesting, thought-provoking passages, but all in all, he was far too heavy on the travel-guide writing style...Did we really need to know exactly where the restrooms were in the Louvre, and be twice-told that the American Embassy was "just a mile away", or "now just under a mile away", etc. Also, did we care that there was an inverted pyramid inside the building, as well as the pyramid-entrance outside the Louvre, and that they were designed by I.M. Pei? That sounds petty, I know, but I found his detailed descriptive asides a bore, after the first several hundred. His constant use of italics was another example of what I call his naive, "high-school writing class" method of handling conversations between the main characters. It was as though he thought we, the readers, might need to be helped to "get" what he was saying. Also, his having the characters too frequently respond to a statement with a question which repeated the statement was not terribly sophisticated, for a writer of his reputation. An example (not from the book, but similar in structure) would be: He: "It's raining now." She: "Do you mean it's raining (italicized) now?" Well, you get the idea. I have never seen so many italicized words and phrases in a book as were in this one...perhaps the author thought the italicized word or phrase added "mystery"?