Rating: 
Summary: Same recipe as Davinci Code
Review: I have never read two books by the same author that had the exact same plot. Some different names, and different places but if you've read Davinci you're already read this book. This guy must have some real issues with the Catholic Church.
Rating:
Summary: Poor Research; Great Thriller
Review: I read THE DAVINCI CODE before reading this; and while DAVINCI is a book I could not put down, this does not meet that same level of interest.
The main flaw in ANGELS is that, while THE DAVINCI CODE seems wholly plausible and has all the appearance of being well-researched (Brown certainly knows his Opus Dei material), ANGELS can't even get the facts of how a papal conclave is run correct. Winston Churchill is said to be a devout Catholic (he was neither), and an easily researched Latin phrase is botched.
All of this reduces the book's credibility. And it all could have been so easily avoided, if the author had done a little research, such as reading Peter Hebblethwaite or Andrew Greeley on the papal elections of 1978, checking a basic Churchill biography, or doing some research on just who is and who is not eligible to be elected pope (yes, Dan botches this too; the answer is, any male Catholic is eligible for the papacy; he need be a priest, let alone a cardinal). And Mr. Brown would learn that, upon the death of a pope, the papal apartments are sealed with red tape and a wax seal. He also gets the layout of the area beneath the floor of St. Peter's Basilica (where recent popes are buried) wrong. John XXIII, for example, is buried in a tomb that is virtually flush with the floor. Brown gives us information on papal burial practices that are incorrect also. Not only are popes not buried in a stone casket with a sliding lid, they are in fact buried in three caskets, one of pine, one of lead, and one of a rich wood.
The plot is thrilling, as I said in my title; but when factual errors permeate virtually every page, it is hard to take such a book seriously.
One thing, though, that ANGELS should prove: Mr. Brown is NOT writing out of a sense of malice against the Church (I suspect some of the criticism against THE DAVINCI CODE is predicated upon this false argument). Anyone reading ANGELS would reach the exact opposite conclusion.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh, Please...
Review: I think the worst part about this book is that people are considering everything it says as absolute truth. It's FICTION, folks, an old-fashioned thriller. Old fashioned is right: I felt as if I were in one of those boys' adventure books from the early 1900s, where Our Hero goes rushing from one crisis to another and emerging relatively unscathed by great turns of luck, complete with secret codes. All Dan Brown did was toss in some violence, sex, religious mumbo-jumbo and phobias, and voila, Tom Swift reborn!
Rating:
Summary: Angels and Demons
Review: Both Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code have wonderful fast paced plots, but Dan Brown needs to work a little on character development. Brown gives beautiful detail, but leaves little room in his story to create any real relationships between any of the characters, excluding the obvious love, which Robert and Vitoria feel toward each other. The books greatest asset can also be viewed, as it's greatest fault. Brown spends the much of his time explaining in detail, the settings, and the information, which he has attained about the ancient group, The Illuminati. Though the detail is fascinating, it becomes slightly tedious near the middle to later half of the book.I have however found a book here on Amazon.com that gives an interesting twist to how I view Heaven/Hell. It is called The Book of Thomas by Daniel Aber and Gabreael. It starts by providing proof for the existence of reincarnation. It then gives a detailed description of the organization of Hell/Hevean such as the different levels, the overseer's, the divine purpose of angels, and much more. It wasn't until I read this book that I had even considered that there were different levels to Hell/Heaven. The concept that the angels that oversee Hell are appointed by God rather blew my mind as well.
Rating: 
Summary: It is fiction.
Review: I can see the point that Robert Langdon is not the most realistic character; he's a less attractive, more intellectual James Bond, but I have to like him. :) The book is incredibly fast-paced, and smart, and fascinating. Dan Brown's style makes you just fly through a complex, enthralling story - I read it in one sitting - and while the characters could certainly be filled out more, it's the plot that captures your interest. I'll admit, I'm not a history or symbology major, nor have I ever done extensive research on the book's topics, but I didn't go into this book expecting to get a ton of information out of it. Some of the other reviews critique every error, but it IS a work of fiction; read it as such. If you want concrete facts, try a history book, but if you're looking for a thrilling, adventurous novel that will definitely hold your interest, try Angels & Demons. (Not to mention it was the book before the Da Vinci Code, and has a more satisfying ending.)
Rating:
Summary: I liked it.
Review: I really, really liked it. I'm uneducated so wouldn't know whether his facts were true or false but it made for a good story. Some things were a bit beyond belief (like the plane) but all in all it was great entertainment and that's what I am looking for in a book. I liked it even better than The DaVinci Code.
Rating:
Summary: Fast, interesting, wonderful reading!
Review: I had to laugh at the few low ratings by raving zealots. If you are a person, that has always asked "too many questions," this book is for you! Whether you are a Philosopher, Theologian, or Agnostic, this book is a welcome addition to your fiction collection. This book makes you think, so Fun-dam-entalists should probably skip this one. Right or Wrong, this book will get your wheels turning...which is all that really matters, right? As a voracious reader, I have read the best. "Angels and Demons" is a heart-stopping thriller that keeps you turning pages until you arrive exhausted at the end. You're truly "in on the chase." Improbable as it seems, Dan Brown has combined nuclear physics and antimatter with Renaissance art, old Rome and the Vatican. You conjure up the images in your mind, but the icing on the cake is Brown's Web site, which shows you the CERN facilities, the plane and then the exquisite artwork of Bernini and others as well as a peek inside the Vatican. It's a book that teaches, makes you think, and entertains, all at the same time. Few authors can accomplish that. For those who say this book goes against their beliefs and their dogma, consider this: The tip of the iceberg: Numerous authorities who had noted the errors in the K.J.V. such as William Kilburne (1650's) 20,000 errors, John Wesley (in 1755) 12,000 changes in the New Testament alone, the Revised Version of 1881 consisted of 36,000 errors and on and on. The NIV, RSV and The Living Bible are also replete with thousands of errors. Do some research! If you like conspiracy books here are a few. Having read the TOP books in the Government Cover-up Genre; "Unconventional Flying Objects" (NASA UFO Investigator for 30 years) by the scientist Dr. Paul Hill; my FAVORITE is "Alien Rapture" by Brad Steiger and Edgar Fouche (Top Secret Black Programs Insider) - (Great fiction-soon to be a movie); "Alien Agenda" by the best selling author of 'Crossfire' Jim Marrs; and "The Day After Roswell," by Colonel Corso - I'd say these books are fun and a MUST READ also!
Rating:
Summary: Fun and Entertaining, but laborious to read
Review: _
Reviewed by Randy Farnsworth, author of "A Stand Yet Taken" This is my first Dan Brown novel and I have to admit, I was almost taken in. I thought, wow, this author has done some incredible research into this work. I figured with all the money he made from The Da Vinci code, he must have a staff of researchers around him, hired just to check out facts. But partway through the novel, I started to realize that many things just didn't make sense, like how can a small wireless camera, or even the BBC camerawoman's camera, transmit through so much rock and walls and distances. The problem is, I'm not quite sure how to criticize that - it is a work of fiction after all. I guess my problem with it is, it's written in a way to make the reader believe that all of these "facts" are real, and many people are taken in. That's why I gave it two stars instead of one or zero - Brown has really fooled a lot of people. But you need to realize that almost all of what is described in this book is just fiction and nothing more. Especially Langdon's splash landing at the end - impossible. For most of this book, conspiracy theorists will be overjoyed by all the "facts" thrown at them, proving all the insidious conspiracies that abound. The ending must be a real letdown for them. Here's a "fact" for ya'll: if anyone really had enough ambition to design any big conspiracy, then they wouldn't be wasting their time conspiring - they'd be putting their ambitions to something more useful. As other reviewers have mentioned, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to accomplish the things that the characters did in this book in such a short time. I've never been to Rome or the Vatican, but I've walked around on my own two feet and I know how long it takes to get to places. All the rushing around in this novel, however, sure made for a breathtaking read - and I think that's what Brown had in mind. As for Brown's writing style, I found it fairly distracting. Jumping from scene to scene like a movie just isn't enjoyable to me. I've read other books like this, and I think the authors were writing screenplays, not novels. Some people like that, though. Another thing is the point of view issue. Many times, I didn't even know who's head I was in. I wish he'd have just picked a point of view character for each chapter and stuck with it, rather than jumping from one person's head to another. But that said, it was actually kind of a fun book to read. Some things were predictable and stereotypical, but there were enough plot twists and strange events to make it exciting. In fact, I almost gave it three stars for that.
Rating: 
Summary: Coming soon to theatres near you....
Review: I find it interesting that so many people got sucked in by this book. I guess that the willingness of readers to accept what this author wrote as gospel simply reflects the poor state of our world today. I won't list research and factual mistakes that this author made, since other reviewers, more qualified than myself, already did this. What I want to talk about is the writing itself. Am I the only one who thought that reading this book was like watching a very, very long movie? With every change of narrative I could almost hear the director yell "CUT! Alright people, good work. Now lets set up for the next shot! Make-up!!!" Then you turn to the next chapter and what do you hear but "...aaaaand ACTION!" The author, most assuredly was seeing a big movie deal while writing this book, since it reads almost like a script. I was only waiting for "and cue the evil Illuminati dude, stage left. Lights!" This type of thing was very distracting, not to mention annoying as hell. And the plot? Oh my, it's got everything. Really, it does; just close your eyes, think of something, anything and boom, it's there. All except believable characters, plausible events (hint, like at the end) and time continuum! I mean, are we in current time mode here or 30 years in the future (i.e. Mach 15 plane, anybody???) Lastly, I am just a bit sick and tired of people taking crack-shots at the Roman Catholic Church. Why can't they find some other religious organisation to pick on for once. That would be a novel idea indeed!
Rating:
Summary: Very Suspensful Book
Review: This book will leave you on the edge of your seat, I could hardly put the book down once I started reading it. It takes you through secret societies and leaves you hanging until the very end of the book.
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