Rating: 
Summary: Superb Page Turner
Review: This book is everything a good novel should be. It's smart, beautifully written, paced with amazing precision, filled with action and bursting at the seams with religious insight and theories that have rarely seen such public attention. Although the latter is heavily borrowed from other source, Brown presents them in a story that compells you to pay attention through a page turning plot and full, dynamic characters. Brown's novel hits the ground running from the first page and draws you into the mystery of an ancient society and the secrets they were charged to keep. Throughout the story the main characters are struggling against time to decode the multiple messages left for them by the recently murdered curator of the Louvre. One of the great aspect of the novel is the reader own involvement to solve the riddles and codes. You are constantly toying with your own ideas of what the solutions could be. Most of the obstacles in The Da Vinci Code have solutions far beyond traditional logic and crytological methods. In fact, the relation of the answers to the character is one of the things that endears readers to the main characters of this novel. A few of the riddles are actually so easy that they discredit the characters (The bank code? Come on) but this is certainly very rare. Brown gracefully treads a fine line between fact and conjecture by constantly enforcing the fact that while the arguments in the book are extremely persuasive, they are arguments made by characters who firmly believe in what they are searching for. Truly and amazing book.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't read any more reviews!!!
Review: I am so glad I read this book even though I almost didn't based on the reviews I saw posted on this site. As usual, there are always those who get excited about the inaccuracy of certain facts or believers who are afraid of other ideas... Is it an attack on the Church? No, it's not. It's a work of fiction, folks! Lighten up! Only an open mind can access to the next level. Unfortunately, this world has its share of frightened and close-minded christians.The puzzle itself is a bit weak but the story line is entertaining. Light reading for those nights when there is too much reality TV. Don't be put off by these reviews - pick it up for what it is - a few nights of fun! Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: What a page turner!
Review: I haven't met a person who has read this book and not loved it. I just had to read it and am so glad I did. It was one of the best books I've ever read, and I read a lot. The conbination of fact and fiction really bring the story to life. It really makes you thing about everything that happens in this world that we don't know about.
Rating:
Summary: Page-turner to the end!
Review: I picked up this book at an airport as something to bide the time while I was sitting in a plane. What a great find. It held my interest completely. From beginning to end - it would not let me put it down! I highly recommend this novel!!
Rating: 
Summary: A fictional fashion
Review: I'm as partial to anti-Catholic conspiracy theories as the next man. I like reading those books about how the pyramids were built by a lost race from outer space, and how all world power stems from a Freemason/Knights of Malta conspiracy dating back 700 years, involving the Holy Grail and the nail-clippings of Christ. I'm also very much in favour of the ever-fashionable fictional technique of turning history to mush. Like most people, I'd much rather read a poorly written "thriller" with plot complexity and page mass in place of character, profundity or truth, catering to the paranoias and neuroses of the masses than, say, a history book. Here, finally, is apparently a book that combines all of my interests. I haven't managed to get around to reading it yet, however, because I'm still struggling through "The Lost Druid Tribe of Atlantis: How A Race Of Ancient Druids Invented The 'Popular Esoteria' Genre From The Primordial Soup". I fully expect a committee of Vatican Bishops to destroy all copies of this book before I get my hands on a copy, anyway, so my 3 star rating must remain conjectural.
Rating:
Summary: Good piece of work
Review: I read this book back in July. It peaked my interest so much that I took a trip to France and Italy in September to look at the things mentioned in the book. I was in awe seeing the paintings by Leonardo, for the first time. You come away feeling that you have learned something. Not many novels do that. After this book, I read all his previous ones. And I highly recommend them, especially "Angels & Demons", another exellent Robert Langdon's adventure, which inspired me to travel to Italy to see the Vatican for myself. I can't wait for his new book.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining read deserving of its bestseller status
Review: Though this novel won't go down as a classic of modern literature, this bestseller is a surprisingly good read. The pacing reminded me of "The Firm", one of those rare books that draws you in from the start and keeps up the suspense (and the reader into the late hours of the night). The beauty of The DaVinci Code is that not only does it provide suspense, but it also causes readers to analyze theology, art, architecture, history and organized religion. Even though the book is obviously fiction and undoubtedly takes liberties with its subject matter, this book will get your mind going. I would bet that online images of DaVinci's "The Last Supper" have gotten quite a few looks over the last year. I know that I took a second look at several of his works and did some online research while reading this book. Please note that Brown puts forth many ideas in The DaVinci Code that are contrary to established religious doctrine. If you are leery of any writing that introduces mythology, secret societies and pagan belief systems, then this is not a book for you. I am sure that this book receives many negative reviews solely based on a reader's disagreement with the subject matter. Remember that this is just an intriguing work of fiction, approach it with an open mind and I think you will enjoy it. There are several negatives to point out. The protagonists are Robert Langdon, an American symbologist and Sophie Neveu, a French cryptologist. That is about all you need to know about them because character development was sacrificed in the interests of maintaining the action and suspense. Unfortunately, the characters are used only to drive the plot and introduce the ideas/puzzles that make this book so unique. A bizarre murder forces them to race across Paris and England to unlock the clues to a mystery that has existed for centuries. Along the way, they must withstand vigorous pursuit from the French police, rogue members of an ultra-conservative Catholic sect and other mysterious antagonists. I must say that there were a few times during their adventure that I had to "willingly suspend my disbelief" a little more than I might for most novels. Also, I found that there were several predictable moments in the story. But for me, the biggest disappointment was chapter 105, when Robert invites Sophie to Florence. Gag... Brown did nothing with the characters along the way to make this relationship believable but story-telling convention required him to have the male and female protagonists romantically attached. Despite its weaknesses, The DaVinci Code is an entertaining read deserving of its continued bestseller status. This book goes beyond the traditional thriller and gets readers to think about the world around them, though definitely not in a way that the Vatican would approve!
Rating:
Summary: A great, fun read; an intelligent thriller
Review: It shouldn't surprise anyone that this book is the subject of criticism and has had its historical accuracy and the like seriously questioned. Those criticisms go a bit overboard, in my book. First and foremost, this book is an intelligently written thriller, one that will constantly have the reader on turning the page waiting to see what happens next. Dan Brown has written an ingenious series of codes that help the mystery unravel in a captivating manner. This isn't a garden-variety whodunnit and it was never meant to be. Rather, it's one of the few intelligent thrillers out in the market today. In fact, this book has sparked an interest to learn more about art, architecture and history on my part. Brown does a fantastic job of making each of these elements come alive in his story. It's impossible to come away from this book without a greater appreciation for the artworks that inspired it. All in all, this is a highly recommended book. There are parts towards the end that make the final twist rather predictable, but they weren't so transparent as to make the story unenjoyable. Solving the riddles is the true joy of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing suspense....
Review: This is the most suspenseful book I have ever read. And the story of the church and the Holy Grail... who cares if it is true or not? Who cares if some of his facts are not right? This is a fiction book, and a book you just can't put down! I suspect most of the criticism comes from people who don't want to see their faith challenged, or people that criticize this book based on factual truths/"untruths". Read this book for what it is... a fine work of fiction that uses the legend of the Grail to weave a masterful story. Do not look at this book as a scholarly doctoral thesis on the Grail... Do not look at this book as a religious scholar.
The book is an awesome story, the best suspense book I have read. I highly recommend this book for everyone!!!
Rating:
Summary: Extremely Interesting Can't put down
Review: I very much enjoyed reading this book and I could not put it down. Yes it's true that it's not the best written book in the world but it does keep you reading and wanting to learn more about the topics covered in the book. I think that the book serves its purpose, it entertains you, keeps you guessing and keeps you reading. I think that all the bad reviews are from frustrated authors that have not been able to publish their books. Books are supposed to entertain you not bore you to death so who cares if he has a one page chapter here and there and all the other ridiculous comments people have made. I have shared this book with other friends who have read it and they too have liked it. It's a good book! Of course if you want a book to put you to sleep don't buy this one. Ask the people who gave this book a bad review what they are reading. I'm sure that will work.
| 
