Rating: 
Summary: This guy can write
Review: After enjoying The Davinci Code I was interested, like most people, to see what else Dan Brown had to offer. Deception Point is the only other book of his that I've read, and I must say, I enjoyed it. You can say what you want about wild, unbelievable plot lines, but whatever you want to call it, Dan Brown weaves it together in such a way that makes the book difficult to put down. The jacket of the book keeps most of the plot line hidden, so I'll do the same in this review. Basically, the novel starts with NASA making a major scientific discovery in the polar ice cap. Certain experts are called in to verify it, and from there we travel on an adventure encompassing geology, astrophysics, political science, marine biology, elite special forces - you name it, it's probably in here - yet the novel doesn't feel crammed with useless facts. He manages to use it all to enrich the plot. The praises are the fast pacing, great tension in practically every scene, characters with interesting histories, and unbelievable research depth. The intricacy with which he covers such things as special forces units and scientific issues rival Clancy and Crichton. Lastly, my biggest criticism with Brown is his dialogue. The Davinci Code was better, but there are moments in Deception Point that are staggeringly awful. Astrophysicists don't say things like "Bite me, virgin boy." He had a group of the world's most esteemed scientific researchers speaking to each other like teenagers at a mall. If you like Crichton or Clancy, I can recommend this book to you with confidence. I think Brown is establishing himself as a long-running novelist in the elite ranks of popular fiction writers, and Deception Point is certainly a step in that direction.
Rating: 
Summary: A mess
Review: After reading Davinci code I was full of hope in finding some more good reading in this novel. Well, it started out quite good (if you are good at suspension of disbelief) but later you cannot go on any further.
The characters are pathetic, the story line poor, the details and data used wrong and pathetic. Well, I kept on reading until about half way, saying to myself `it cannot get worse, it has to start picking up now'. Well, no, it did not. It went from bad to worse. How it ended I don't know as I could not force myself any further.
So if you are looking to buy this, please, please stay away. Read the DaVinci code and call it a day.
I see some people give it 5 stars, well I suppose that just goes to show - it takes all kinds .....
Well, what can I say. I am just being honest.
Rating:
Summary: A failed attempt to emulate Michael Crichton.
Review: Before burning up the bestsellers' list with THE DA VINCI CODE, author Dan Brown released three other novels. ANGELS & DEMONS introduced the recurring hero around whom CODE was based, and another was about advances in digital cryptography. The third was DECEPTION POINT, a bizarre misfire that reads like a weak pastiche of a Michael Crichton thriller. Fans of THE DA VINCI CODE now searching through Brown's backlist for a good read would be wise to steer well clear of this rubbish. DECEPTION POINT takes place in a parallel America with only passing resemblance to the real thing. In this parallel America, the top-rated show on television is a documentary program about Earth's oceans, and a presidential candidate can surge to the top of the polls by publicly bashing NASA's budget overruns. Clearly Brown's more interested in the thrill-a-minute set pieces he's arranged for his characters to endure than in providing an even slightly realistic backdrop. In the context of a bizarre contest for the Presidency, an incredible discovery is made in the polar ice. Teams of scientists, as well as a purely extraneous character meant to be the protagonist, travel to the Arctic Circle to verify the find. Brown spends the first hundred pages of DECEPTION POINT trying to cast a Michael Crichton-esque spell upon the proceedings, complete with mouthpiece characters spewing reams of expository data. Later, though, when evidence of fraud comes to light, the narrative devolves into a series of action sequences so wildly improbable that they would give Arnold Schwarzenegger pause. Dan Brown is no Michael Crichton. While Crichton can take even the most mundane of topics and infuse it with fascination and wonderment, Brown can only run his flat, poorly developed characters through the motions. His villains are one step away from twirling their mustaches and tying the heroes to the railroad tracks. The conspiracy around which the plot is so widespread and costly to enact that the reader is not convinced anyone would buy it. DECEPTION POINT demonstrates that no cliché is beneath Brown's consideration. The novel has everything: scheming politicians with a history of infidelity and dishonest financial dealings, wisecracking scientists, killers who can never seem to kill the heroes even when there's no escape, and villains who'd rather talk about their plans than dispose of their enemies. Perhaps if Dan Brown were trying to create an AUSTIN POWERS-like satire of technothrillers, DECEPTION POINT could be considered a success. As it is, the novel is a flailing mess even before it reaches its howlingly far-fetched conclusion. As mentioned, DECEPTION POINT will likely see its sales renewed thanks to Dan Brown's powerhouse hit, THE DA VINCI CODE, but it doesn't deserve the attention. Writing careers have foundered on books as worthless as DECEPTION POINT. Dan Brown and his publishers would be better off burying this novel deep in the polar ice cap. That's no worse than it deserves.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Cheap, Easy (Conspiratorial) Read
Review: Excellent beach book. Not exactly the intellectual thriller equivalent of Dickens, but overall, a worthy effort.
Brown's story here is that NASA - and two mud-slinging political opponants - are involved in a complex plot of (you guessed it!)...deception. NASA has "found" something in the ice at one of the poles, and is using this discovery to help swing the polls in time for an election. Needless to say, this is a superb book for anyone who enjoys reading about conspiracies; this seems to contain the ultimate governmental conspiracy. Is it far fetched? Yes. But forseeable, as well.
In my mind, this is what makes Brown such an excellent "suspense" writer: He takes the utterly feasible and transmorgifies it into something which, albeit far-fetched, is still probable.
While the story twists and turns innumerous times, it is still easy to follow. Rachel Sexton is a convincing character, and while she remains - along with the rest of the characters - only superficially developed, it's not much of a problem. This novel doesn't exactly pack a mental punch. While reading it, it seemed interesing and held my attention well enough: I finished this in about five days. The story was fast paced and everything was explained fairly well. Like the other Brown book I've read, "Angels and Demons," the ending had something to be desired: It seemed like Rachel and Michael fell out of character too far for me to believe the ending. Looking back, the characters seem blocky and superficial (definitely the latter), the dialogue is forced...
Truth is, Brown isn't such a good writer, but he sure as shoot knows how to craft an excellent story. If you can get past the mechanics and 'flow' problems, this is an excellent book to just kick back and read: It is easy to read and doesn't condescend the reader, unlike many techno-thrillers of the day.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book - however
Review: For me this book was a 5 star book - until the end which got rather laborious. A lot of information that really did not have to do with the plot, just filler and I WANTED TO GET DONE! Exciting all the way and a few goose bump moments.
Another Dan Brown masterpeice.
Rating:
Summary: A Roller Coaster Ride of Espionage and Intrigue
Review: From the start of "Deception Point", the suspense builds quickly as we meet our protagonist Rachel Sexton, a government intelligence analyst and a cohort of supporting characters including the President--an ardent supporter of NASA and the United States stature as leader in the exploration of space, members of the delta forces and a handful of other colorful persons who all play into this intricately weaved story.
In short, "Deception Point" revolves around the discovery of a suspected meteor encased in ice, two-hundred feet below the Milne Ice Shelf. The stakes rise when NASA scientists find fossils in the meteor which do not resemble any known terrestrial life form. Quickly a team of independent researchers is rushed to the Arctic Circle to verify the findings and announce the astonishing discovery to the world, Rachel is hand picked by the Commander-In-Chief to be one of these experts based on her past work with reporting intelligence to the White House. Once the team of unbiased experts is amassed in the frigid north, the situation begins to deteriorate as additional prodding pokes holes in the validity of the "alien" finding, deception and trickery are amidst and whoever is behind the hoax has called in some favors to the military and Special Forces in order to silence any naysayers.
Until the recent success of Dan Brown's other work, namely "The Da Vinci Code", "Deception Point" was overlooked by many readers including myself. However, it is clear after reading this story that Brown is no overnight success and that his writing prowess extends over many topics. As with all of Brown's books, "Deception Point" makes ardent strides to provide factual starting points for everything presented in the text, which enables the reader to learn while being entertained--an excellent accomplishment for any writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat predictable, but highly enjoyable
Review: Having started law school last year, I get very little time to read "fun" stuff. I had to take a break this week and read Deception Point, which has been on my bookshelf for a year. I wasn't disappointed. Deception Point is a fast read, with a quickly paced story and better-than average (for Brown) characters.
Deception Point is unlike Da Vinci Code or Demons and Angels, but it is a well researched, scientifically interesting story about a meteorite that just might contain proof of extraterrestrial life. Intrigue abounds, with insight into the foibles of NASA, a Senator making a run at the White House, a famous TV-oceanographer, and a headstrong young woman working in the Washington D.C. intelligence community.
Couple the interesting plot about the authenticity of the meteorite with an Arctic Circle setting and you've got a terrific page-turner that will most definitely keep you up late a few nights in a row.
I highly recommend this one...
Rating:
Summary: Some reviewers are paranoid
Review: I can't believe that a couple of reviews have mentioned that the book is biased against Republicans. I don't believe any party in mentioned in the book. Is it just that some people are so paranoid that they automatically think the "bad" politicians are suppose to be Republicans? (because that's unfortunately the way things are now!!!!)
Rating: 
Summary: Disapointing Read
Review: I loved Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, so I thought I'd try one of Brown's earlier works. I was sorely disapoointed, as you can tell from my title. It lacked the flash and panache of his works already mentioned. Too much invention, rifles that fire ice and sand bullets, ships capable of near impossible speeds, and of course "black" helicopters firing missles at the FDR Memorial? Uh uh, I didn't buy it, but I did finish it, mostly because it was a fast read, and I didn't feel like I was devoting too much time to a mediocre book. Not that they can all be great, maybe I should have started at the beginning and worked my up, might have been pleasently surprised.
Rating:
Summary: Is is the same Dan Brown?
Review: I was looking forward to another fast-paced, can't-put-down thriller after reading "Da Vinci Code," but this book started out slow and formulaic. Brown's writing style seemed much different too. It had some interesting twists, but the ending was predictable.
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