Rating: 
Summary: An Astonishing Book
Review: Factually flawless and thoroughly thought provoking, this book will make you think, make you question, and it might even make you angry. The research that went into this book was extensive. Brown then demonstrates the ability to present all the research in a mystery so full of intensity, interesting characters, and believabilty that you feel yourself scrutinizing everything you have been taught since you were born as you journey through the steps of the puzzle with the characters. Even Brown's detractors have to have learned something from this book. The material on Da Vinci alone was worth the read. To say this book brings into question much of current day religious doctrine is quite an understatement. The style however, allows the reader to believe or not believe the premise, while still enabling one to enjoy the mystery. I finished the book quite looking forward to the possibility of new revelations of a religious nature which may be earth-shattering or merely enlightening, but decidedly new and provocative. Archetypes, symbology, subliminal embeds, historical concepts and events out of the mainstream, and language clues make this book a challenge to one's intellect, yet it is such an enjoyable and easy read that the experience is genuinely delightful. (It was so good I postponed cracking open my new Harry Potter!)
Rating:
Summary: A FAST PACED PAGE TURNER
Review: I loved this story; couldn't put it down. The blend of fact & fiction made for a great read. The author knows how to tell a suspenseful story and the ending was just perfect!
Rating: 
Summary: Read the dust jacket
Review: Good book. Suspensful read. Let-down ending. Also, too many contrived lectures between the characters. It was a lot like a watered-down version of Sophie's World and really dumbed-down version of Foucault's Pendulum. But for that it would have been five stars. BTW, there are more clues in this book than many realize. Check out the dust jacket liner notes for one. Notice any oddly bolded letters? Also, what's the significance about the number of pages? More here than meets the eye of many of the reviewers. BTW, got through the six levels of the website in 22 minutes....
Rating:
Summary: Mind blowing! Bu-u-ut . . .
Review: THE DA VINCI CODE will eat up my next paycheck. The story-within-a-story is so fascinating, I've already added 4 related books to my Wish List. A great big *thank you* to Dan Brown for writing about one of the most ancient, intriguing, enigmatic mysteries! As a thriller, however, it doesn't work well. Some of the plot twists struck me as unnecessary -- there for their own sake, not smoothly weaving themselves into the story. The premise for the murders never quite made sense to me. Maybe I missed something? And listen, if I can figure out the encoded clues long before the Harvard symbologist and the professional cryptologist do, they're way too easy. With that out of the way, I loved this book!! It's easily one of the most fascinating I've read. Despite its faults, I highly recommend it. *After* you've read THE DA VINCI CODE, do yourself a favor and visit Dan Brown's website. 'Nuff said!
Rating:
Summary: Dan Brown's 4th and best book
Review: This mystery thriller doesn't disappoint as it examines how history might have been rewritten if certain historical events had played out differently. Multi-layered, the book takes readers on a trip through a puzzle that requires a different set of operating instructions for each of the levels. And here's the fun part: when you've finished the book, you can go further in the quest via a website!
Superb.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: This book was one of the most intriguing, suspensful, intelligent, and well-written books I have read. It was absolutely worth my time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I thought this book was fantastic; I couldn't put it down. Brown, no doubt, takes some liberties with history, but I can't wait to research what parts of the story were based in truth and which were fragments of his great imagination.
Rating: 
Summary: Negative Stereotyping of Christians
Review: First, the good things about this book: it's fast paced and well written. The mystery elements are engaging. For Christian readers-- or even non-Christians who prefer an honest intellectual debate-- the enjoyment of these assets may be forestalled by strong negative stereotyping of both the Christian characters and the faith. The main Christian characters are, in order of appearance:
- A murderous thug (page 1)
- A shadowy power-broker, akin to the X-Files "Cigarette Man" (page 12)
- An honest but merciless police captain, like Javert in Les Mis (page 20)
- A wealthy and unscrupulous bishop, motivated by power (page 28) It is the non-Christian characters (several of whom are goddess-worship afficionados) who exhibit the intelligence, resoursefulness, and daring to discover the truth despite the suppressive efforts and persecution of the aforementioned Christians. The faith itself also comes under direct attact at times, most prominently in a lengthy section from pages 230-250. The discussion draws heavily on teachings of the Jesus Seminar. Many of the more controversial statements are presented, not as attributed theories with supporting evidence, but as prima facie historical facts. Some exerpts:
- "The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God." (page 231)
- "Nothing in Christianity is original." (page 232)
- "It was all about power... the early Church literally stole Jesus from His original followers, hijacking His human message, shrouding it in an impenetrable cloak of divinity." (page 233)
- "Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false." (page 235)
- "Behold... the greatest cover-up in human history. Not only was Jesus Christ married, but he was a father. My dear, Mary Magdalene was the Holy Vessel." (page 249) For those who hold the Church as an organ primarily of power, violence and deceipt, this book with make comfortable reading, in the vein of Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose". For the rest of us, the central ideas fit uncomfortably into a novel; space requires they be simply layed out as exposition, without evidence or discussion. Especially for the Christian, it makes the book a frustrating experience.
Rating:
Summary: A great mystery for those who like to think outside the box
Review: The Da Vinci Code is an extraordinary book for people who prefer the road less traveled. It is an exciting story that encourages you to think about the world we think we know and the possibilities of a world only a few speak openly of. Interwoven into your typical summer mystery is a peek into the world of the religious underground. An exciting, interesting, and possibly controversial book. This has been my favorite book of the summer.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT READING!
Review: One of the best books ever - weaving a good mystery with history. I will definitely get his other books.
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