The Da Vinci Code

Rating:
Summary: Grail Quest Eventually Grates
Review: This story began with great promise. It appeared to be a non-stop type of novel. About midway, however, it became clear that the author had a personal agenda to pitch. When the plot ultimately degraded into a "car chase" I actually put it away for a month or so. I finally finished reading the book this morning, and the ending is clearly designed for a B-Rated Hollywood film (Hmmm, maybe Richard Gere could play the lead role.) This book went from great to a grating disappointment!

Rating:
Summary: Bad writing, plot and history...at least it's consistent
Review: I admit it, I read this book because of the hype. I expected a deep book, with careful research.

What I got was a book of tin-foil hat conspiracies, weakly intertwined and excruciatingly thin characters. The characters only exist to move along his poorly executed plot.

Dan Brown is a bad writer. Worse, he's a lazy researcher. I have no idea why this book is a best-seller.

It's impossible to care about any of the characters. The plot is full of holes and improbabilities. He makes amazing omissions. He goes on through the entire book about how the church wanted to minimize women by limiting the role of Mary Magdeline, but avoids ever talking about Mother Mary.

It has an utterly predictable hollywood ending.

The most laughable thing about this BADLY written book it that people are now going around quoting its psuedo-history and made up theology as facts.

Rating:
Summary: Just one more historical inaccuracy...
Review: I have already reviewed this book, but I have just remembered what is perhaps one of the most important inaccuracies of this book.

It says that the Divine name (YHVH) is taken from Jehovah, a combination of some male God's name and eve, however it is the other way around.

Around 400BC the jews stopped saying the divine name, saying 'Adonai' (my lord) or 'ha-shem' (the name) instead. Now, hebrew is written without vowels, so around 1000AD the Masorites (jewish monks) put in vowel points because they realized that hebrew was dying out as spoken language, so they added vowels so that people would still be able to read and pronounce the words of the tanakh (kind of like the Old Testament...same books, differant order. Refers to Torah (law), Nevi'im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings)) When they came across the divine name, they had a dilema, someone reading the Tanakh out loud may accidentally say the name outloud, defying 1400 year convention and rabbinic law. They had a simple solution, they did not put in the vowels for YHVH (modern reconstruction would say that it was originaly most likely 'Yahveh') but rather added the vowels for 'adonai' making Y+a+h+o+v+a+h = yahovah, this is an unpronouncible word in hebrew (two sylable word, because the 'o' is frequently not written, the first vowel is whats called a 'vocal sheva' something which cant be alone in a sylable-take my word for it) so anyone reading would say 'Hey! I can't pronounce that, must be ha-shem'. So jews (being intelligent people-I'm a christian by the way, we are the 'dumb' ones) knew not to say it, but in 1000-1500AD period, christian (german) monks came across it and without pause, with no regard for the language, simply said 'Jehovah' while I imagine the jews just looked on either shaking their heads or laughing hilariously.

So there you have it! The Christians invented the name Jehovah, it's not our God's name after all! Plus, Jehovah came out of YHVH, not the other way round, this male god plus eve stuff is nonsense.

So, if you've read to this point, congratulations, you have had an actual history lecture, perhaps Dan Brown should read. If I have inspired you to learn Hebrew, good! It's a great language, I love it, makes Greek look so silly.

Rating:
Summary: A 'Page Turner' as long as you remember that it is fiction
Review: First of all, this book is an exciting read, there is no denying it. However, it is only exciting if a) you can keep in mind that it is a fiction, nearly all alleged historical facts are complete fabrications or b) you have no knowledge of the subject areas in which Dan Brown is writing.

Dan Brown is a professor in creative writing, and he gets high marks for this, he is creative, and he did a lot of writing. Good Job Dan!

I am not an art historian, and therefor can't comment on this aspect of the book, I am, however, studying for my degree in Theology. Every single 'fact' in this book about the early church is either inaccurate, or just plain wrong, I can only go through a few.

First of all, the council of Nicea's vote on the divinity of Jesus. The Nicene creed does affirm the divinity of Jesus, however it is based the apostles creed, an older document, possibly going back to the apostles, hence the name. Councils in the Church were held when there were significant problems with heresy, and this council was no differant. Regardless of whether many people denied Jesus divinity, the belief in his divinity is the original going back to the apostles.

The church threw out many 'apocryphal' gospels, this is true, however, the reason these the four gospels in the New Testament were chosen is because they are simply the oldest.

The church did not choose the old testament cannon, Brown never makes a distinction, and even speaks of the 'Torah' as a seperatee book, where in fact it is the first five books of the Bible. The old testament cannon, although largely already chosen through popular use, was chosen by the rabbi's in Jamnia after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, the 'christians' in the later councils had nothing to do with it.

The idea that the Dead Sea scrolls contain mention of Jesus' marraige to Mary Magdelaine is quite frankly idiotic. The scrolls found at Qum'ran contain no mention of Jesus at all, this was a community of Essene Jews who were characterized by a strict adherance to ritual purity through bathing three times a day. They also believed in the use of a solar calendar for temple sacrifices instead of the traditional lunar calendar. These people had no association with Jesus what so ever.

Finally, a minor point. The woman with the alabastar jar spoken of in Mark's gospel is not Mary Magdalaine, in the story she is annonymous, but most likely she is the Mary of Bethany found in other gospels. In another gospel Mary Magdelaine did a similar thing, but it was a seperate event.

I will try to end on a positive note, this book is a very interesting read, but do not take anything it says as fact in 'real life'. If you are interested in the early church read The Lost Letters of Pergamum, by Bruce Longenecker. Most importantly, find out about all of these things for yourself. Read about art history, read about the early church, read about 'secret societies' and the holy grail (which plays a prominant role in 'The Waste Land' by T.S. Eliot), read the Bible. You will have something that Dan Brown obviously never thought of.

Rating:
Summary: A great book if you can suspend disbelief and get into it
Review: First off, this book is a great example of a suspense thriller that is original is concept (not just another hack job from some writer taking what others have done successfully, throwing it in a blender and coming out with their own version of the same book). Brown delves deep into the pasts of Christianity and Western history, but makes it accessible to those who haven't taken a religion/humanities course since high school. The only problem with the book is that it does take a great deal of liberties while interpreting The Last Supper, some which are a little more than far-fetched U.F.O-esque conspiracy theories. The characters are somewhat trite--but all main characters in modern literature are trite in the 21st century. To suggest that The DaVinci Code would become a classic piece of literature used in schools around the country is laughable, but it is good book on the current best-sellers list that everyone who likes reading should really consider picking up.

Rating:
Summary: Simply Irresistible
Review: I had heard so many wonderful blurbs about this book and after reading it for myself I can't give it enough praise either!

The opening chapters of the books reveals the dying moments of the curator of the famous Louvre museum. This curator holds a secret that dates back to the days when Christ walked the Earth. However, with the death of the curator the secret is in jeopardy of being lost forever. Before he succumbs to death, the curator must find a way to pass along this secret and deliver it into the right hands.

Dan Brown takes the reader on a thrilling, nail biting journey chock full of historical references and fascinating symbolism. You won't be able to put this book down!

Rating:
Summary: I agree...this is an excellent thriller!
Review: This truly is an extraordinary book, and I honestly could not put it down! THE DA VINCI CODE goes well beyond the primary plot and takes us on a quest for knowledge unlike anything we currently believe. With excellent research on his side, Dan Brown reintroduces us to history and Christianity that we never even considered possible. My personal thirst for knowledge and answers were brought out in this book. As much an excellent and entertaining read as other books by Dan Brown, such as ANGELS AND DEMONS, DIGITAL FORTRESS, and DECEPTION POINT, not to mention certain science fiction and fantasy books that also captured my imagination and mind over the years, such as STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, I, ROBOT, RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA, FOUNDATION, RINGWORLD, CRYPTONOMICON, SNOW CRASH, NEUROMANCER, DARKEYE: CYBER HUNTER, ERAGON, HALO: FIRST STRIKE, SPEAKER OF THE DEAD, and many, many other great and highly imaginative books.

Rating:
Summary: Well, I paid twice and I finally read THE book
Review: I just couldn't get into this one, and I gave my first copy away without reading it. Then, the pressure building from those I love who read it and LOVED it, I bought a second copy, which I also set aside. I also bought "Angels and Demons" with this second copy. And after reading "Angels and Demons" two nights ago, I finally earnestly opened "DaVinci" and read it.
This one is a better write. Dan Brown shows more polish with the second Robert Langdon tale. But it does go on, doesn't it?
I admire Brown's obsession with facts, and I like his web site that backs up his phenomenal best seller. But I feel as if the super escapes that Brown's Langdon and his new female quester pull off are a bit more than super improbable. Great fantasy entertainment.
Of course, all the Grail mystery and that of the Knights Templar and even Leonardo, are good bases for a new version of a suspenseful novel. I think the folks reading this to bide their time on airplanes and in transit otherwise are sure to find the book up there with the Clancy's and Cussler's of the last century.
Obviously, the whole world is still searching for the truths to things that are steeped in legend. And not discounting the faith of millions, I can see why true believers in Christ will be more than a little offended by the "Code's" telling.
I will be amused to see what Dan Brown creates for Robert Langdon's next adventure. I understand it will center on Florence, Italy. Hmmm? Can Michaelangelo be next as we have examined Bernini in "Angels and Demons" and Leonardo in "Code"? With Blythe Brown being an art historian, I guess that symbologist Langdon can be assured of a long path to come, as written by Dan Brown, her spouse.
Whatever he comes up with, I hope his writing continues to improve, and I do think he owes me a good story, as I have added to his coffers by three hardcovers already!!! :-)

Rating:
Summary: A little fun with the front flap of this book
Review: I liked this book, and noticed somthing to try out after you buy your copy- if you look at the front and back flap, you will notice that some of the letters in the text of the book's description are in bold, others are not. it's a code- They spell out a phrase, so have some fun decrypting The Da Vinci Code!

Rating:
Summary: "It will open your eyes"--but I'd rather not look at crap
Review: The reader is drawn into this book with truly fascinating examinations of various theories linked together quite nicely into a thrilling tale. Most of the material is believable because the author is good at what he does--telling stories--and he does so in a very popular scientific tone via a skeptical (cynical) protagonist. But in order to make this tale so engaging, truths are bent and sometimes fabricated leaving what was an interesting theory to suffer and negating the character's validity. Many of the theories examined in the book look more like conspiracy theories by the time Brown's stretching of the truth is done with it. The example that jumps out is the assertion that Leonardo was "a flamboyant homosexual." This lends well to many of the themes in the book and it's clear why it is unequivocally asserted. But there is no solid proof, no scientific proof, whatever to this claim. No true scholar (like the protagonist is supposed to be) is going to make such an assured claim about a subject that has no certain proof.

Reading fiction, one is prepared to accept bending of the truth--in fact one may well desire it. In this regard, the lover of fiction (for fiction's sake) should enjoy this book. Meanwhile, the nearly absurd assumptions made in the book and precarious themes are more than enough to turn away anyone who wants more than just a series of events to follow.