Rating: 
Summary: Easily one of the top 5 books I've ever read!
Review: The Da Vinci Code is one of the top 5 books that I've ever read. I need to catch up on my reviews here at Amazon.com, but I've read all the John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler, Dale Brown, Stephen Coonts, Nelson DeMille novels to give you an idea of my tastes.This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time - I had to take a break between mowing my front and back lawns to read another chapter on the first day, if that gives you an idea! I simply could not put this book down. The symbolism, history, religious background, the ideology of the theme really blew me away. The book not only has inspired me to learn more about PHI, Leonardo Fibonnaci, Leonardo Da Vinci, the Crusades, and Western European history - but it has really sparked my imagination about historical events in general. All-in-all, this is a great book. I wish I could give this a rating of six stars!
Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST Books I have ever read
Review: I NEVER do reviews, but I felt this one was up to the task. I could not put it down! The beauty of having history involved with the mystery and thriller aspects was simply page turning. Did I mention I couldn't put it down? Thank goodness for fall, rain, a fireplace and a GOOD BOOK! I wished it went on on and on! Get it!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read - Everyone Should Read This BOOK!
Review: I read this book over the course of a 48 hour period and have bought 2 copies as Christmas gifts. It provides a very fast, exciting read that keeps the reader breathless. What I really liked about it were the many nuggets of historical information that the world needs to know about.
P.S. Contrary to the opinions expressed in some of the above book reviews, the Internet is not a reliable tool for verifying the author's research.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent read
Review: To everyone who gave this one star and claimed it was blasphemous. CALM DOWN!! It's just a work of fiction. It doesn't make any claims that everything happened just as they are stating it...it's merely offering another view into spirituality and the birth of modern day christianity. Who cares if this book has some inaccuracies? It was entertaining. Some claimed to have found this book disturbing. It is more disturbing to me to see people who have such blind faith in what the Bible says. Try opening your mind just a fraction.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast-Paced Murder Mystery/Historical Thriller
Review: Robert Langdon is a scholar who is awakened in his hotel room one night by the Paris police. When he goes with the authorities to a murder scene, he's pretty upset about it. Apparently, the docent for the Louvre Museum has been murdered. And Mr. Langdon was supposed to have met up with the murder victim several hours prior to his death. But he says he never did. Does the investigating detective believe him? Sophie Neuveu is a cryptologist who works for the Paris police. She gets 'called' into action when it is discovered that the murder victim left a strange message scrawled on the floor of the Museum. She's also related to someone very involved in this murder case. Whoa! Mr. Teabing is a Grail enthusiast who has more money than God. He's been trying to find out the truth behind the Holy Grail and a secret society whom he has discovered was designed to protect it: The Priory of Scion. This group had some prestigious names affiliated with it too. Leonardo Da Vinci, Gallileo, Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and a slew of other historically famous people. Silas is an albino who works for a section of the church known as the Opus Dei. He's a hit-man with a serious job to do. If anyone ever found out what the Holy Grail really was and what it represented, the Christian faith might crumble into ruin. That can't happen. So Silas is sent out into the world to make sure it doesn't. He gets his assignments from someone called "The Teacher." An invisible person to all except for one person. Who is this Teacher? The Good: The pace at which this novel moves is mind-boggling. A reader can whip through it in just a few short days (even the slowest of readers, I would think). The action is excellent, and so are the historical references that Mr. Brown has thoroughly researched (the Priory of Scion, the Holy Grail, Mary Magdalene, Leonardo Da Vinci, etc. etc. etc.). The 'Not-so-Good': Do these characters ever sleep? After being awakened at an un-Godly hour, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neuveu don't rest for days! That accompanied with their multiple, miraculous epiphanies as they try to break codes that are designed to be nearly unbreakable, stretched believability several times. I also didn't care much for the ending. Mr. Brown loves to flip the protagonist/antagonist relationships of his characters. I don't mind that normally. But it happened so many times that it became ho-hum after a while. And I felt that the revealing of the prime antagonist was just a tiny bit forced. Something used for shock value more than possible reality. I know, I know, this is fiction, but let's not get too far out here. Even with these faults, I'm glad that I read 'The Da Vinci Code.' It was worthy of my reading time and it made me look at our current world religions with a new light toward the feminine. B+ read.
Rating: 
Summary: A fun airplane read, but don't take it too seriously!
Review: My cousin raved about this book and suggested that I would love it since I'm a bit of a Renaissance buff. Like the other reviewers, I found this an entertaining page-turner, but I'm a bit surprised to see references to his "impeccable research" since I recognized a number of inaccuracies off the bat and cursory research revealed several more. His stretches and distortions of history are forgivable--after all, it's a suspense novel, not a scholarly treatise--but it's a bit disturbing to see the faith with which readers embrace his dubious assertions. By all means, enjoy the story, but take everything with a grain of salt. And don't read it if you're already knowledgeable about cryptography or religious symbolism and are easily irritated, since the cryptographer and symbologist make an excessive to-do over some fairly simple allusions. I guess it adds to the thrill to be able to feel smug about solving all the puzzles before the experts. Brown manages to make cabbalistic mysteries transparent and accessible, which is a logical contradiction, but what the heck, it's fun. However, I can't resist quoting Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum" (which covers the same territory with defiantly inaccessible flair): "The lunatic is all idee fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars."
Rating:
Summary: Umberto Ecco light - less filling, less flavor
Review: I don't understand the success of this book. It follows meekly in the footsteps of many more insightful, intricate mysteries woven around this same plot. This felt like a Fox tv pilot of an Umberto Ecco novel.
Rating:
Summary: Who Was the First Pope?
Review: This is an excellent thriller. However, I must warn you, this book can be controversial. Essentially, the Da Vinci code focuses on the "Grail Legend." In reality, this book is an extention of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail." The Priory of Sion has an ancient secret about the Merovingian dynasty. This secret can potentially change history and firmly established religious beliefs. A misguided monk -- thinking he is doing God's work -- murders the Grand Master of the Priory of Sion and his three "Guardians." However, the grand Master of this secret society scrolls a message which implicates a American expert on ancient symbols. The American professor, Robert Langdon and the granddaughter of the murdered grand master, travel a dangerous journey to uncover the truth about the Holy Grail. The book is quick reading. Once you pick it up, you won't put it down. This book has been denounced as anti-Catholic. This is not even remotely true. As a matter of fact, this book helps people come to grips with the origins of the Roman Catholic Church. After reading this book, you will come to the realization that Constantine was actually the "first Pope." After reading this book, you will see evidence of the "sacred feminine" in the most unlikely places.
Rating: 
Summary: dopey
Review: A dumb-downed plot driven by corny action and cartoonish characters. Anti-Catholic, anti Christian, anti-religion based on erroneous, sensationalized conspiracy nonsense. The kind of bunk that fuels intolerence. Mr Brown should be ashamed.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Eye Opener
Review: I have to admit that I am not the type to read a book with any kind of religious component, however this was one of the best books I have read in a very long time! First and foremost this is a page turning thriller, a sort of Indiana Jones if the film were first a novel. The only difference being instead of the brash and daring Harrison Ford, this novel features more relatable symbologist Robert Langdon. What makes this novel stand out amongst the many other thrillers is Dan Brown's ability to take you on a journey through the intriguingly dense worlds of symbology, art history and religious theory without losing you along the way. By constructing his story as a treasure hunt we are able to learn as he does and in doing so become easily engrossed in his ultimate quest. And most importantly to those who do not possess any knowledge in these fields, Dan's main character is able to explain all we need to know without being condescending. Ultimately, if you believe his theories or not, care about religion or not, this is a compelling story full of twists and turns that keeps you wanting more even when the book is over. I would recommend anyone looking for a great eye-opening ride to pick up this book. It will be hard to put down! And I can't wait to see the movie!
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