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Summary: What an AMAZING book
Review: I expected this book to end one way, but then it completely changed and then changed again. The pace is fast and you'll actually learn something by reading it. A great book!!
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Unreadable
Review: I picked this up because I had enjoyed the 'Da Vinci Code.' While I found the writing style of the Da Vinci Code pompous and insipid, it was a great story, and that more than made up for it. Sadly, this early work is unreadable, at least for me. The characters are so unidimensional, and the dialogue so stilted and contrived, that the reader is too distracted to suspend the disbelief necessary to submerge into the plot.
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Summary: The one that started it all...
Review: From Dan Brown comes the story that started it all - introducing us to his main character Robert Langdon who will appear again in each of his next two books "The Da Vinci Code" and a new one to be released early next year. A fast-paced fun read in which Langdon must figure out a mystery surrounding a new scientific discovery and how it has the potential to prove the existence of God. The truth could change religion (most notably the Catholic Church) forever. The story begins with the assassination of a scientist at one of the greatest think-tanks in Europe where an incredible discovery rocks the very foundations of religion and science. Langdon is called in due to his immense knowledge of symbology - the calling card of the assassins. From there the reader is taken on a non-stop thrill ride as the men behind the assassination go after key leaders in the Catholic Church who are next in line to possibly become Pope. Langdon becomes a target himself while attempting to solve the symbology behind the killings. It is not difficult to see why this book has remained on Amazon's Top 100 best-seller list for months now. It is a fun read that makes you really think while you are being entertained. I can't wait for the next installment in the Langdon series. Enjoy this great read for yourself!
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Summary: Can't believe this guy was published
Review: I just finished Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. A colossal waste of time. Book marked by cascading cliches, amateurish prose and characters that would not even fit in a comic book. This is perhaps the worst book I have read in forty years! I cannot believe this guy got published! The writing style would cause a high school sophomore in his first creative writing class to blush in embarrassment!
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Summary: Good quick suspense - get a European proof-reader next time!
Review: This book has the same structure as the later Da Vinci Code (which I read first), to a remarkable extent: we've got a devious inside source leading an idealistic brutish assassin to do his bidding, the brilliant Langdon, beautiful European woman, family ties revealed at the end, dashes across countries, secret societies, hidden symbols placed by a great master, etc. But that's okay. Nobody expects Dan Brown novels to be Pulitzer-standard, and assuming you enjoyed the Da Vinci Code you'll like this one too. It's an unbelievable story requiring more than a little suspension of belief, but is an exciting, fast moving page-turner (I read it in 3 days flat). Brown obviously did his research (the acknowledgements at the end include an artists who designed the 'brands', and somebody who got him an audience with the pope!) and captures his locations well. Those of us who have actually visited Vatican City and Rome can appreciate the wonder he instills in Langdon for the art and architecture. And secret societies and fine art are fascinating things - similarly to Da Vinci Code's Leonardo and Priory of Sion references, I found that there is enormous value added in that the book led me to read more about the Illuminati and Swiss Guard, and revisit images of the chapels and sculptures he mentions. Overall a good, light, read with a higher IQ than most popular thrillers (except the last line, a real groaner of a bad smutty joke). Perfect for a long wet weekend or for train commute reading. Recommended. One minor complaint from this European though - all those experts Brown consulted and he couldn't get a native to check the dialogue? Europeans don't refer to "city blocks", american sports or use american slang. They don't know who Peter Jennings or Dan Rather are. They wouldn't turn to MSNBC for breaking news (ahead of BBC or local Italian television? Yeah, right!). And BBC producers/reporters referring to MSNBC and US networks as their superiors? Would never happen in a million years. Sorry Dan!
Rating: 
Summary: Less then mediocre
Review: Just like the DaVinci code the book is filled with innacuracies, does this guy really do any research?? Too many errors to even bother, he can't even get one Italian sentence spelled correctly, are you kidding me????
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Summary: Riveting and Suspenseful ... Very Highly Recommended!
Review: I was introduced to Dan Brown through the mesmerizing THE DA VINCI CODE. I loved it and decided to read his previous works and I just finished reading ANGELS AND DEMONS. Brown's writing is extremely captivating and informative. You will find it hard to put this book down before reading the very last page of it. If you like religious thrillers, I highly recommend you read this book. Similar to The Da Vinci Code, this book deals with a secret brotherhood, religion, mad authoritative figures, dark assassin, and of course, Robert Langdon, Harvard's fictional professor of Religious Symbology (and one of my favorite characters.) I have learned a whole lot about the Vatican and numerous other things from Brown's impressive and extensive research with which this book is rife. There is plenty of information in this book it will definitely satisfy your need for knowledge in both science and religion. In a nutshell, Angels and Demons is another well-researched, intensely-entertaining and highly-riveting religious thriller written by one outstanding author. Do yourself a favor and read this book. Do it for the religious spirit in you; do it for the skeptical one as well.
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Summary: Nice book. A precursor to The Da Vinci Code
Review: I started reading Angels and Demons, after I read The Da Vinci Code, so I was used to the way Dan Brown plots his mysteries. I must say that he does not deviate much from his modus operandi. You can say that Angels and Demons is his blueprint for The Da Vinci Code because the structure did not deviate at all, even though the bad guys, the premise and the conclusions changes. I liked the book, I liked the Da Vinci Code too. But it was just a real nagging feeling of: "been there done that" when I am reading the book. Brown repeated use the same plotting gets real tiring real fast. Now, I did enjoy the way he fleshes out his characters and the way he weaves historical facts into the story. He is an excellent writer of fiction. He knows how to build suspense, slowly give the reader details and he is very good at saving the big surprise for the end. This story, however, has an apocalyptic moment that is really hard to swallow. I will just leave it at that. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I read it in a period of three days. But once again, there was a nagging feeling that we have seen the story structure before.
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Summary: not as much pace as DaVinci Code and sort of melodramatic
Review: This is the predecessor of DaVinci Code, Langdon's first adventure which takes place in Rome. It has the same elements than DaVinci Code like: a killer doing the dirty work of the master plan, main characters moving from an artwork site to artwork site in order to get clues for the next site, a bumbling law enforcement body (in this case the Swiss Guard) and another round of Vatican bashing. The parallel plot forming at first seemed like a replay of DaVinci Code but just the same the book still was interesting to read because of the mystery of who was responsible putting the antimatter bomb within the Vatican. Also Dan Brown did a good job of teasing the reader by throwing in plot twists and using suspense. The plot twist at the end of the book was kind of a disappointment because it just seemed like one too many twists but you'll be the judge of that. The book reads pretty easily as the chapters are short and the prose is simple. This genre of book isn't the type of book that needs esoteric words that slow down the comprehension to the reader. Buy the book if you enjoy suspense or like Dan Brown's style of writing otherwise I would think that if you're a casual reader there may be a chance you won't like this book.
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Summary: Indiana Jones meets Conspiracy Theory
Review: Put simply, this is one of the best books I've ever read. DaVinci Code was excellent, but Angels & Demons was more compelling. I would recommend this book to lovers of Indiana Jones / Raiders Of The Lost Ark. The book is very plot-driven so don't expect deep characters here, but it is the first appearance of Robert Langdon - Brown's symbologist main character - who becomes more developed during The DaVinci Code. At the same time, the plot moves at such a fast pace that you feel very much in Langdon's shoes as he tries to sort out who is and who is not entangled in the plot to destroy St. Paul's Basilica in Rome. This is a great adventure - lots of action, twists and turns, and just enough facts to make the whole story believable (just don't look too deep!).
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