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Summary: I couldn't put this book down!
Review: Whew, what a rush! I loved Mr. Brown's, "The Da Vinci Code!" If you are into page-turning suspense...I'm talking about the kind of stories that hold the reader literally captive until the last page has been read...then this is without doubt the book for you! Take "10" Dan Brown, you have certainly earned it with this write! Fabulous Book...Fabulous Writer, to be sure!
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Summary: superb read, very fun
Review: I could not put this book down and had to finish it in 3 days. this was my first Dan Brown novel and I hope he can continue writing great stories such as this one.
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Summary: Like a well painted Da Vinci
Review: This book, a brilliant foray for relatively unknown author Dan Brown (though be sure to check out the Robert Langdon thriller that came before, "Angels and Demons"), "The Da Vinci Code" is as engaging as it is smart. The factoids contained within the work ( the "Divine Proportion" being a terribly interesting example) are well-spaced and many are totally mind-boggling. They teach the reader without drawing him/her into the spiraling abyss of a pedants mind. The characters are humanly possible, quite life-like actually, and the scenes are well-described, yet still seem to stay to-the-point. I won't bore you with a long-winded summary, considering you have probably perused one in one of the previous reviews. The bottm line is that this book is a great read and should be enjoyed by all who can get their hands on it. As Poe once wrote, "Quoth the Raven, read this book." (hehe)
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Summary: Compelling Read.
Review: One of the most interesting mystery books I have read in a long time.
I really enjoyed the historical references and facts about codes and secret societies woven through out the entire tale. I will definately look for this author again.
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Summary: Umberto Eco, but you can understand it
Review: A few years ago, i actually managed to read all of Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum even though I got utterly lost several times. The end was disappointing - all that pretension never paid off.This is vastly better - a thoroughly entertaining adventure. It starts off kind of weakly but quickly becomes engrossing. By the end, I was sorry it finished...it's the first book I've read by him but I'm going to read more.
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Summary: Best thriller read of the year!
Review: I had a blast reading this book ~~ it was fun, fast-moving and chock full of interesting information about a conspiracy and theories about Christ and his followers ~~ that I couldn't stop turning the pages. Dan Brown knows how to write to captivate an audience ~~ and I have to say that you shouldn't walk to the nearest bookstore ~~ you should run and buy this copy! Don't wait for the paperback to come out ~~ this is such a fun book that it's worth every penny in buying this book! Robert Langdon, a professor from Harvard, gets a middle-of-the-night rousing from the French Police while speaking in Paris. The curator of the world's most reknown museum has been found dead in the museum ~~ and Robert, who was to meet this man, is one of the top suspects in this man's murder. And thus begins this book. With the curator's granddaughter Sophia, Robert begins a run for his life while solving the mystery from the dead man's last message in finding the answer to where the Holy Grail is. Some parts of this book is predictable ~~ it was for me as I had guessed some of the answers early on ~~ but it's because I love reading books on conspiracies and religious themes ~~ not because he gave away the hints. But the historical studies and theories that are written throughout the book are very fascinating and some of the ideas are new concepts for me. It piques my interest enough to read more on them. With Robert and Sophia on the run for their lives and in solving the last riddle ~~ it does become tense in several places. I wouldn't hesitate in picking up this book ~~ it's a definite thriller and must-read of the year. It's an intelligent book ~~ meaning that the author explains how they decipher codes and languages from the past ~~ and in such a fun way, you find yourself trying it out. Now I am hooked on Dan Brown's writings ~~ I plan to read more of his books. I have asked my husband this, "How come I have never heard of this guy before?" No fear, I will be reading more of his books! 4-17-03
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Summary: Good story but it carries too much personal baggage
Review: This story has a great premise and is well written. Unfortunately the author uses the story as a vehicle for expressing strong anti-Christian views. While the story is fiction, its clear that the author's distaste for Christianity is very real.
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Summary: Ya gotta pay attention!
Review: This book reaches out, grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go. The author dug deep and did his homework. He even tells you in the Prolouge what FACTS are contained in his fictional work. One reviewer on Amazon says the anti religuos people will like it. I don't now how he got there. This isn't a historical account it's a great fictional story. The details are superb and the author writes in a style that allows the reader to instantly visualize the characters and the settings. You do have to pay attention the details are many but never cumbersome. This is a great book for the beach or a quiet room where you can start and stay with it for several chapters at a time. I've never ead Dan Brown before but I will again!
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Summary: Secret Societies RULE and Make for a Breezy, Fun Read
Review: Anyone who has read Brown's first Langdon novel, "Angels and Demons" will recognize the familiar formula used again in "The Da Vinci Code." The murder of a celebrated personality entwined with the bizarre use of a symbol that only Robert Langdon, noted Harvard symbolist, can decipher, let alone fathom, links the unassuming Langdon with a beautiful girl related to the victim and embarks him on an intellectual chase that unlocks the door to history's most guarded secret societies and the treasures they protect. Since this equation obviously worked for Brown before, he does not hesitate to use it again, but leaves a few loose strings in particular Langdon's affection for Vittoria from the previous book which is not-so-neatly dismissed and substituted by his relationship with French cryptologist, Sophie, in this one.
In spite of its similarity to the first Langdon adventure, the reader cannot help but get involved in this story full throttle. The insight into some of the historical characters intrigues and delights; the knowledge of secret societies, their roster of historical luminaries and their interplay with age-old adversaries like the Vatican boggles the mind. Dismiss Langdon and the other characters who are not fully fleshed out--- its important to realize that they are mere conduits who provide speech and action for the true main characters--the puzzles and ciphers that account for the page-turning effect that you will experience once you start this novel. True conspiracy theory aficionados will guess many of the puzzles, but honestly, that just adds to the smug fun---the final resolution is one that I never guessed and yet fully enjoyed.
"The Da Vinci Code" provides at least 24 hours of mind stimulation that anyone who wishes a fully engaged break from today's reality will appreciate. Brown documents his work with a sprinkling of book citations mentioned through the dialogue; he should have provided a bibliography for those who want to separate fact from his imagined fiction. The novel's format--short chapters told third person from the different vantage points of the police, the religious operatives, and the hero and heroine, Langdon and Sophie move the plot along at a breakneck speed that is reminiscent of Michael Crichton's style in Jurassic Park and Timeline. I recommend this book to anyone who indulges in escapist fiction with that hint of reality that keeps you wondering if what you believe in is really valid or simply propaganda.
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Summary: Great story telling, BUT . . .
Review: Dan Brown has done a good job of story telling but it is a travesty to call it an "intellectual thriller." The believability depends heavily upon readers having a very limited knowledge of real history. This is much like the non-fiction(?) book HOLY BLOOD HOLY GRAIL, though the authors of that book hope you'll believe what they propose. Readers should also consider IN HIS IMAGE by James Beauseigneur for the same flavor and story-telling ability but much greater believability (despite its unusual premise).
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