Rating: 
Summary: Great Fun and Clever Premise
Review: "Deception Point", would have rated as my second choice out of the novels that Dan Brown has written if I had not already read his newest, "The Da'Vinci Code". And this is hardly a negative comment as his books continue to get better, and if I were to read, "Angels And Demons", once again the best I might do is pick a tie for my favorite. But his newest is the most recently read so Angels will get the number two spot.If you have not read this man's work you will enjoy him if you enjoy the work of Mr. Cussler. His characters are not recurring as in Mr. Cussler's work, but they share the pace and a bit of the fantastic that both authors often are known for. Dale Brown is also a fan of Dan Brown, and he too is known for his ability to have readers flipping pages as quickly as they can be read. This author has also come to be endorsed by others such as Nelson DeMille, so if you enjoy these other writers and have not tried Dan Brown, you have a great find waiting for you. The author begins by explaining that every piece of hardware/technology used in this tale exists, and by doing so places himself in the company of others who use reality as the basis for a fantastic tale. There is plenty of existing technology that is a marvel; it does not always need to be invented to entertain. You may remember a few years ago that NASA suggested some rock from Mars demonstrated the fossilized remains of bacteria. The author has taken a version of this idea and placed it several hundred feet under the ice above the Artic Circle, added an embattled President, and has let the fun begin. What he does particularly well in this book is to mislead the reader. He supplies all manner of undesirable people or persons so consumed with themselves after soaking in the unreality of Washington D.C. for so long, he offers plenty of people to suspect. Our nation's capital offers plenty of smarmy individuals, creating new and interesting villains and possible villains is to be commended. Dan Brown's first book was a good read and his books have continued to improve. My favorite was easily Angels and Demons, but I think his new book will be my favorite. "Deception Point" is also worth every bit of your time if you enjoy a great yarn.
Rating:
Summary: Deception Point
Review: NASA has found a 190 million year old meteorite buried in 200 feet of ice in the Milne Ice Shelf, complete with oodles of fossils. Is it real or fake? Was it planted there by NASA and the current US president to boost their credibility for the billions of tax payers dollars they are spending or is it a genuine discovery? Involves scientists, Delta-force personnel, NASA, and all sorts of security agencies including the NRO, politicians, murderers, backstabbers, etc. Can't read fast enough. A page turner for sure. Will definitely recommend this one to our customers.
Rating:
Summary: A compelling page-turner
Review: Dan Brown prefaces "Deception Point" with a seemingly innocuous announcement: "All technologies described in this novel exist." The novel proceeds with descriptions of a remarkable array of military technology, from airplanes that fly at three times the speed of sound to guns that manufacture their own ammunition from nearby supplies like snow or sand. If this matériel does exist, Brown has accomplished a remarkable feat of research in discovering it, and it's worth reading "Deception Point" just for the descriptions of it. The novel's relentless pace and plot twists furnish another reason to recommend it. Other Amazon.com reviews have already touched on this point, so I will not explore it further in mine. In general, though, they make it possible to recommend "Deception Point" with enthusiasm. "Deception Point" is not perfect. It's implausible in two respects that I want to mention here. First, the characters perform feat after feat of extraordinary ingenuity, cheating death time and again. At points the novel becomes cartoon-like in this respect. But it's well-written and engaging enough that I think most readers will happily suspend disbelief, allowing themselves to be carried along as a vivid chain of events spools out. Second, the plot of "Deception Point" relies on extensive American operations on, and removal of a priceless physical object from, Ellesmere Island in the high arctic. The novel treats Ellesmere Island as if it were U.S. territory, and as if U.S. government agencies could do what they want there unnoticed and without interference. In reality, Ellesmere Island is part of Canada; it lies in the territory of Nunavut (itself formerly part of the Northwest Territories). The northernmost island in the high Canadian arctic, it has a Canadian military station (the outpost of Alert) and a tiny civilian community (Grise Fiord or Aujuittuq). (Ellesmere Island lies only about 14 miles (26 kilometers) from Greenland; thus, a little-known geographical fact is that Canada is about as close to Denmark as is New York City to suburban Connecticut!) So, contrary to the plot of "Deception Point," it's unlikely that exploration of Ellesmere Island could proceed undetected and a priceless physical object removed from it without objection. Notwithstanding the foregoing comments, I do recommend "Deception Point." It's grippingly written.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting premise, abysmal writing.
Review: I had high hopes for this book, knowing full well that it was a thriller without pretensions at being great literature. Sadly, the book was so poorly written that what should have been fun was overshadowed by silly characters, and plot points that were horribly contrived. The supposedly "brilliant" characters were repeatedly flummoxed by the simplest deductions, and saved by the most outrageous luck. Stick with Katherine Neville, or even the Garforths for more intelligent escapist entertainment.
Rating: 
Summary: Hooked on Brown
Review: I am hooked on Dan Brown. This book was great from page one until the final page. I never read anything of Browns but I will from now on and will hope he continues. The characters are absolutely believable. His imagination, although the gadgits are probably real, has inspired me to read more political thrillers. He is up there with Clancy and the rest. I not only enjoyed the book but learned about the ice caps as well. And by the way isn't that what is suppose to happen, learning? Well Brown is a good teacher and this student is ready to move on. Let's go!!!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating "what if" story
Review: I found Deception Point quite by accident, never having read any of Dan Brown's work before. I was intrigued by the premise, and decided to give it a go. Don't be mislead by the synopsis on the back cover of the book. It suggests that the book consists largely of a "bug hunt" across the arctic ice, but this is not the case. There is a lot of military hardware, political intrigue and scientific discovery. Top it off with a female protagonist who takes no bull... from anybody, and I'm sold! I gave the book four stars because in my mind a five star rating only applies to the greatest of all novels, such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Those are few and far between and that takes nothing away from Brown's work. Deception Point was a lot of fun to read, and I'd recommend it to anyone!
Rating:
Summary: I learned a lot and enjoyed it
Review: This story centers on the Presidential race between incumbent President Herney and his opponent, Senator Sedgewick Sexton, whose daughter Rachel is an analyst on the staff of the NRO (National Reconaissance Office) and is asked to participate in a mysterious and confidential assignment on behalf of President Herney. It seems NASA has made an amazing discovery that might secure the dubious future of the organization and revitalize the President's flagging campaign. The interesting detail contributes to the realism in this fascinating story of political rivalry. Frequently writers research the topic about which their plot revolves to the point that we are bored to death but Brown injects his factual material in a surprisingly interesting manner. It enhances the plot and makes the incredible aspects of the story appear to be true. By the time I finished this book I had learned a great deal about NASA, Sattelite surveillance, new and imaginary military weapons, asteriods, and deep sea exploration and enjoyed it all.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent story suffers slightly from shallow characters
Review: This book has all of the pieces of a masterful story: An interesting plot, lots of twists, extreme settings, and complex characters. Mr. Brown did an incredible job building conflict into the situations and keeping a very complex plot moving while still adding layer after layer. I was slightly annoyed by little quirks in Mr. Brown's literary style (specifically reminding me of factual points he made in previous chapters and weaker characterizations), but mark those up to personal preference. This is one of the stronger books along this line that I have read in a while. Mr. Brown has earned a place on my list of authors who I look forward to reading again!
Rating:
Summary: Flawless Page-Turner!
Review: In Dan Brown's Deception Point an amazing discovery above the Arctic Circle awaits verification by Rachel Sexton. Rachel is the best person to verify this discovery for the President: not only is she on his staff (as a low-level analyst for the NRO) but she is also the daughter of his most dangerous political opponent in the upcoming election. This gives her the perfect status as a skeptic to join the team of civilian scientists in the verification of this NASA find. Within hours, however, the lives of the team are in jeopardy as they discover that not everything is as it initially appears. Thought the factions of the NRO, NASA, Senator Sexton's office and the White House are far away in Washington, someone has set into motion a series of events which makes it unlikely Rachel will escape the Arctic Circle alive. In the background of the story is Rachel's estranged relationship with her father and a budding attraction to Michael Tolland, a celebrity oceanographer on the order of Jaques Cousteau. Deception Point is the kind of flawless page-turner that can keep you up far past your bedtime. I lost an entire night of sleep just trying to keep up with the plot twists. When a hapless geologist is pushed out of a helicopter by nameless thugs on page 2, you know you're in for something exciting. This story of political intrigue and survivalism continually turns the reader's expectations upside-down. It is escapist literature at its finest.
Rating:
Summary: ROCK OF AGES
Review: Imagine this...in the dark remote reaches of the Arctic Circle, you find proof, undeniable, irrefutable truth that there is life on other planets? Wouldn't you be the most happy person on earth, particularly if you were the embattled and waning NASA? Darn tootin you would. And thus sets off this intricate and exciting book by the talented Dan Brown. Brown follows up his breathtaking "Angels and Demons" with this tale of deception, power, greed, murder, skullduggery and just out and out non-stop edge of your seat thrills.
Rachel Sexton, a "gister" for the United States, is approached by the president to verify that this remarkable find is indeed the truth. Once she lands at the site and joins with several civilian scientists, including a handsome Michael Tolland, who is also the host of a popular "real life" adventure series, she begins to suspect all is not what it seems. And thereby spins this tale. Brown has peopled his book with some outlandishly evil and suspicious characters such as the downright ugly Marjorie Tench, who seems almost as powerful than her boss, the President; Senator Sedgwick Sexton, the incumbent's opposition in the upcoming election, who also happens to be Rachel's father. Sexton will stop at nothing to get what he wants---the power of the presidency. We also meet William Pickering, Rachel's by the book boss; Gabrielle, Sexton's assistant who has her own agenda for power; and lots of other good and bad guys. The suspense is relentless, as Brown shifts from scene to scene, leaving mini cliff-hangers along the way.
A technical master, Brown has obviously done his homework and his addition of realistic facts and dilemmas adds to the nightmarish tone of the book.
A great adventure, maybe not quite as electrifying as Matt Reilly, but still good on a more cerebral level.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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