Rating: 
Summary: A must read ...
Review: Couldn't put the book down. Loved the detailed descriptions and the cultural aspects of the book as much as the suspense.
Rating: 
Summary: Unfortunate
Review: The Da Vinci Code was an absolute disappointment. The characters are undeveloped. The plot is predictable. The writing is uneven. The best part is the historical detail. But even that is many times inaccurate and twisted to fit the plot.Save your money and buy "The # 1 Ladies Detective Agency" instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging but Simplistic Plot
Review: Mix in a little Templar Knights, a little Catholic conspiracy theory, an albino monk, a religious symbologist, and a French cryptographer, and then write a plot that reveals the mystery of the Grail and the feminine goddess in a few circuits of the hour-hand on your watch.
The premise & topic of this book is one I can find very fascinating, and that's what kept me interested in the book. But just as throwing a bunch of ingredients & spices into a recipe doesn't assure a tasty meal, I came away from this book somewhat disappointed that the end result wasn't more satisfying. Plot twists and developments seem so conveniently contrived, and there's an odd mixture of solving things too easily and of being blind to the obvious. To me, one sign of a poorly written book is when the author has to go back near the end of the story and give explanation and foundation. I had suspected the character who turned out to be the "villain", but mostly dismissed that character on the basis of all the improbable storyline twists that would be required. Then, lo and behold, the author provides just the plot twists and background so this person can be viable as the villain, while also explaining why & how all the apparent coincidences weren't necessarily coincidence. There were still enough good plot twists to keep you wondering and interested. There's not a lot of character development, however, as most of the characters simply seem to serve the role of moving the plot along. Also, the compressed time span of the main story was something requiring suspension of reason.
All in all, this book offers up a lot of interesting facts and plotting, but ends up being something less than a reader expects.
Rating:
Summary: Incomprehensible tripe
Review: Every now and then I buy a book on the spur of the moment without looking up the usual reviewers or even flipping through a few pages. I almost always get burned doing this, and this purchase was no exception. A massive (and misleading) marketing campaign and relentless self-promotion are the only explanations for this book's success. Cloddishly plotted and populated with moronic caricatures instead of characters, this waste of paper routinely mixes spurious 'facts' with idiotic conspiracy theories while racing breathlessly--and with breathtaking dullness, not an easy task--to a senseless and contradictory conclusion. At first I was astounded that anyone could actually recommend this garbage, then I realized that movies like 'Dumb and Dumber' draw large crowds.
There really should be a 'zero star' rating available for this kind of puerile nonsense.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful and Thoughtful
Review: This book truly is a page-turner; each thread of the story grips you, propelling, rather than pulling, forward. As the characters struggled with the puzzles, I felt compelled to dwell upon them too, having read several books on the subject matter, including the mentioned "Holy Blood, Holy Grail." However, a reader does not need any pre-knowledge about the alternative history of the "Holy Grail" to enjoy the masterful and concise story-telling enhanced with believable and fairly deep, interesting characters.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I read this book in a weekend, because I could not put it down. Aside from the suspense, it intelligently incorporated some of my favorite subjects: art history, church cover-ups and conspiracy theories, brain teasers and of course, Paris. A super beach read!
Rating:
Summary: Spell Binding
Review: I, who rarely read fiction, have been spell bound by this book. Even if one does not like murder mysteries, the knowledge and research that is contained in these pages is an education unto itself.
BUY this book, it is wonderful, and then share it with your friends. Now we have something to discuss that is not the usual drivel tht is found in the news, on television, etc.
What a great author, the writing is crisp and clear.
Rating:
Summary: Fun but Eco is better.
Review: I had fun reading this mystery novel, but
I agree with the reader from Columbia, SC, June 9th. Umberto Eco is much better. Brown's prose is often trite. Eco is a class act. Read Eco.
Rating:
Summary: Oasis in a desert of books
Review: Haven't read a thriller since Kolympsky Heights or Fourth Protocol that is good as this one. It turned me on to Brown's previous books. Angels & Demons is even better than this one, but with the same Robert Langdon in charge. At any rate, get both of them, read A&D first, in possible.
You won't be able to put either one down. I read straight through them in a couple of days and am now on Brown's earlier work, Deception Point.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read
Review: A great read. It hooks you in from the beginning. Dan Brown weaves a great story around the the theories of the Holy Grail, Catholism and art. I really enjoyed this book.
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