Rating: 
Summary: Loved It! Liked It!!! Hated It!!!!
Review: This book had such possibilities, but fell terribly short of achieving them! I'm running somewhere inbetween the person who gave it rave reviews and the gosh-awful trash-reviews. It's true, the very clever people in this book couldn't solve most of the clues fast enough for me (who in the world couldn't tell the one clue was written backwards -- come on!!!) This book was so interesting at times, I actually took notes - and so painfully boring at others, I had to force myself time after time to pick it up again just to finish it. Wish I'd stopped about 2/3 of the way through - my opinion and enjoyment factor would've been a lot higher! What a bunch of bunk at the end!!! For those who swallowed the bait Brown was dishing out - -here's some interesting info: Rearrange the letters in ELVIS and you will see LIVES - - therefore ELVIS LIVES!! It's a miracle!!!
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent test of one's faith
Review: Secular readers of "The Da Vinci Code" have been given a unique opportunity to "proselytize" amongst their believer friends; all they have to do is recommend this historical-fiction best seller to them.By some stroke of good luck, I read the "Da Vinci Code" shortly after I had just finished "The Skeptical Feminist" by Barbara Walker. And while the Walker book was published in 1987 (million or so copies sold), I was totally unfamiliar with it until recently. I mention Brown's work at this time, because, if your readers really want to fully appreciate "The Da Vinci Code" reading "The Skeptical Feminist" first, will prove to be invaluable. While "The Da Vinci Code" is historical fiction (as is the Bible) there is enough merging of "actual" history, with an engaging mystery story, to make this book an easy, enjoyable read.
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging, original, yet somehow plodding...
Review: Forget the controversy surrounding the origins and credibility of the Catholic religion. The Da Vinci Code is an engaging read from a historical and symbological standpoint that clearly places it a cut above you're average 'thriller.' The book makes you think, much more so than the usual formula employed in a James Patterson novel (Patterson, by the way, is very entertaining, he just doesn't require you to think, his stories just activate the DVD player in your brain.) All of the elements of the classic good vs. evil formula are present. The religion thing just adds to the engagement and complexity of the story. There are endless historical examples of demonizing a defeated cultures religion in favor of the culture who defeated it. In Thailand, in the city of Attullyla (spelling? it's right outside of Bangkok), was left in state after an anti-Buddist battle in the 14th century. What is interesting is how the victor (the anti-Buddists) cut off all the heads of the Budda statues inside of the defeated city, as if to say "My God is more powerful, better than your god..." The analogy to the book is Mary Magdalene casting in history as a whore, when the book states she was Jesus' spouse before modern catholism rewrote religious history and demonized Mary Magdalene as a prostitute... This element is sure to raise controversy in Catholic circles. Though I highly recommend the book, I do agree that the it is a bit long at points, and could have been pared down. Dan Brown's prose reminds me of early John Grisham works, circa "The Firm", fabulous story, but bad prose in the moments of climax never seem to make you say "wooow!" In fact, there are at times when he builds it up to point where you're waiting for the 'wow' that never comes. Bottom line, very worthwhile, typical elements, creative story.
Rating:
Summary: Good read, weak ending.
Review: My fingers bled from turning the pages so fast, but when I got to the end, I was disappointed. My hopes were built up throughout the book through amazing storytelling and compelling chapter endings that kept me reading through the night. The search for the Grail kept me enthralled, with clue after clue leading me on the journey along with the characters. Then with about 50 pages left, it all unravelled with a sappy ending that leveraged the author's power to instantly manipuliate his characters to fit a pre-conceived climax. Overall, it's an anticlimactic, but exciting way to pass a weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Finished book. Moan. A Lisa
Review: Two stars for telling me some stuff I didn't know. 0 stars for talent or style. I didn't know people wrote like this any more, nor did I know anyone wanted to.
Paul Nassau
Rating:
Summary: Weak and disappointing
Review: For a thriller billed as intelligent, I was disappointed in how easy many of the clues were to figure out. As supposed experts in their fields, the characters should have solved several of the puzzles much more easily. When the reader figures out the clues before the characters, it makes the story development slow and frustrating. The writing style was pedantic and plodding. There are other books on this topic written with more flair. Give this one a miss. If you'd like a similarly detailed historical over-the-top mystery, check out The Eight by Katherine Neville.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Thriller and History Lesson
Review: I learned more about history (both political and religous) in the Da Vinci Code than I did in high school. The book is a page turner, from the first word on the first page to the last word on the last page. Brown keeps the chapters short and intriguing, making this an easy read, even for those who do not read regularly. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A riveting, intelligent thriller
Review: Written with both intelligence and breathless pacing, THE DA VINCI CODE is the perfect thriller. The curator of the Louvre, Jacques Saunière, is attacked late at night in the deserted museum. Left to die with a wound he knows will be fatal, he fears his ancient secret will perish with him and so desperately struggles in his last minutes to construct a series of cryptic messages, all designed to reveal the location of the truth. The bizarre murder scene orchestrated by Saunière seems to implicate Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who happens to be in Paris for a conference. When, unaware that he is a suspect, Langdon is brought to the crime scene by police captain Bezu Fache, he meets Sophie Neveu, the cryptologist on the scene. Together, Langdon and Neveu work frantically against time and personal safety to uncover Saunière's hidden life. All clues point to the existence of a clandestine and powerful group, the Priory of Sion, and as the two track down and solve the clues, both historical and present-day, the shocking truth gradually begins to emerge. THE DA VINCI CODE, with its plot revolving around a secret religious society, has echoes (pardon the pun!) of Umberto Eco's FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM, although Dan Brown's novel is less dense and more easily read. Brown's research into alternative Christian history may startle some people, perhaps even offend them, but the premise makes for an original thriller, one which isn't about terrorism or failed diplomacy or common murder. I found the author's head-on acknowledgement of current technology refreshing for the genre. For example, when characters use a cell phone or travel in a stolen vehicle or use a credit card, there are realistic implications that many thriller authors might have conveniently ignored. As odd as it sounds, these details make THE DA VINCI CODE the bestseller it is; it embraces the modern world in the race to discover a historical treasure. Almost every plot twist is both logical and surprising. Even those elements that can be easily foreseen end up with plot complications that enrich them, thus making this book a satisfying read. Though the ending is not as strong as the rest, this book will give readers much to consider after they have finished reading it. THE DA VINCI CODE delivers everything a reader would want in a thriller - and more. Perfect for vacation or weekend reading, this 454 page novel will keep readers entertained from start to finish. I highly recommend this book for a general readership, excepting those offended by an unorthodox look at Christianity. As thrillers go, THE DA VINCI CODE is one of the best.
Rating:
Summary: Too Much Waste
Review: THE DA VINCI CODE starts out as a murder mystery and then slowly evolves into a search for the Holy Grail. It reminds me in some ways of Hammett's MALTESE FALCON. The big difference is that THE DA VINCI CODE contains too much waste and is sadly lacking in stimulating characters and memorable dialogue.
Rating:
Summary: do your own research before making snap judgements
Review: As one previous reviewer noted, this book is very interesting, but it contains several errors in its creative "re-telling" of the history of Christianity. Because it is fiction, the author's, or at least his "historian" characters' theories, did not require attribution. Good thing too, because with a little research into early Christian documents, anyone could spot the mistakes. In my opinion, if you are going to attack a religion and its history, even in a fictional novel, try not to sound so pompous when you conveniently blur the facts to help your story.
It makes one wonder what the public's reaction would be if this novel focused on defaming the history of Islam or another world religion.
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