Rating: 
Summary: It's a Soap Opera!
Review: Last night I rented "The Hulk" on DVD. During the movie we learn that Bruce Banner's crazy father genetically engineers him to be different, although we're not quite sure how. He later murders his mother when Bruce is 4 and is sent to prison, with Bruce winding up in Foster care. Later we discover that Bruce has followed, coincidentally, in his father's footsteps and become a scientist and, also coincidentally, winds up working along side the daughter of his fathers worst enemy studying the same thing his father did in days of yore. After being exposed to Gamma rays, and in connection with the early tinkering Dad did, Bruce quintuples in size and turns green while always losing all of his clothes and shoes except, Thank God, his pants. Later we find the Hulk doing battle with half of the US military and in one scene he grabs a sidewinder missle out of the air, rips off the warhead with his teeth and spits it onto a chasing helocopter causing it to crash. In addition to that he jumps on top of an F-18 fighter jet in flight and hangs on into the stratosphere, finally letting go only to plummet 60 or 70,000 feet into San Francisco Bay unscathed. He, incredibly, alludes all of his enemies in the end, particularly his father, and winds up tending to the basic medical needs of impoverished villagers in the jungles of Central America.The point here is that compared to Angels and Demons the Hulk is completely plausible. The paperback has 568 pages and I think there's an implausability on EVERY PAGE. Much like the Hulk...it's kind of fun! I definitely did get caught up in it and it certainly moves at a quick pace. My problem is that the Hulk is a COMIC BOOK and thus automatically one expects to have to suspend disbelief. Angels & Demons is perporting to be more and that's where I guess my problem with it lays. Much of the history here, particularly the Art History, is really fascinating...but this goofy story! The author seems to me to be interested in James Bond goes to Peyton Place and the last 100 pages or so were SO preposterous and over the top that I thought,on several occasions, that I was going to throw the book across the room. The real question is...why does this bother me? I liked the Hulk! It was really alot of fun. I guess I have a different standard for literature than for movies and I just found the myriad of implausablities in this book to be almost insulting. I long for books that express some truth about how people think and feel, because often I can see myself a little better as a result. There's not much room for that possiblity in this book. Sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Novel!
Review: In this Dan Brown book, Angels and Demons, Robert Langdon (who so many became familiar with in The Da Vinci Code, though this book was written before The Da Vinci Code) is on a mission to save the Vatican and figure out the mysterious Illuminati. Dan Brown again provides a book full of information about history, religion and science - making this book educational as well as thoroughly enjoyable. This book is full of suspense, twists and turns and surprises! It's a great story, and anyone who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code will love this book as well. I highly recommend it!
Rating: 
Summary: How to Write a Dan Brown Novel
Review: Ok- first off... I really did enjoy this book. However, now that I have read 3 of Brown's novels, I have noticed a certain formula that Dan Brown uses. 1- Use the word "Indredulous" as often as possible.
2- The bad guy MUST be known by a term/phrase instead of a name.
3- The bad guy is double crossing the good guys... and you are NOT supposed to suspect this.
4- The novel must take place in the course of one day.
5- Your hero must wake-up and not have a clue that he will spend his entire day many miles away from home, while being chased by bad guys.
6- All good guys must be experts at something very arcane.
7- The ending must be weak. If you follow these steps you too can write a Dan Brown novel. ORRRR you can use this formula to figure out the book you are currently reading after about 100 pages. This is clearly a case of diminishing returns. One book is Awesome, two is fun, but by the third... you are ready to turn on the television.
My suggestion- read the Da Vinci Code (However, remember it is still "fiction" and despite the authors claims- some of his facts are seriously flawed- for instance - "The Gosphel of Mary" is hardly widely accepted as legitimate).
Now for "Angels and Demons", this is a very fast paced and entertaining novel. However, do not accept everything in the book as factual, for it is not. Take it as it is worth... some time away from a television that will keep you happily occupied.
Rating:
Summary: Fast Read
Review: Don't turn the first page unless you have set aside enough time to read the whole book because you will not be able to set it down. In addition to tight dialogue, short, 1-2 page chapters, and exciting action, there's history and physics and art. The ambigrams (reversible calligraphy that looks the same upside down) are fascinating. I have been recommending this to all my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Liked the hard cover of the book
Review: I read this book before I discovered the formula that Brown uses in his books. It was a very quick read with lots of little details. My only problem was that I got a look at the hard cover editon and saw it was a very intersting ambligram, but none of the paperbacks have it.
Rating:
Summary: A Timely Re-Release
Review: Dan Brown's carefully researched material provides an authentic setting for this thriller. I enjoyed "Angels and Demons" even more than "The Da Vinci Code", which was educational and exciting. "Angels and Demons" is gripping and well paced, and also provides insight into the procedures for the election of the Pope. The timing of the re-release, given the health of the current Pontiff, is fortuitous. Thank you, Dan Brown, for another great read. I look forward to your future works.
Rating:
Summary: Thriller Philosophy
Review: The plot involves a plan to capture and torture Catholic Cardinals--the four highest contenders to be the next Pope--using four different methods of torture, each absolutely repugnant to modern, Western sensibilities, and yet, as educated readers may recognize, each perhaps reflective of methods used in the past by the Catholic Church itself to stifle dissent and scientific truth. Entwined in the fast-paced speed of a regular thriller--perhaps even faster-- is the book's central exploration of the arguments on both sides of the Church's former determination to hold the line on progress. It is precisely this exposition of the logic on both sides of the argument that make the book exceptional. Part of the reader's anguish stems from the knowledge that the Cardinals plotted against in the book are absolutely innocent of the acts of their Church--committed centuries ago--for which the tortures may be reminiscent, which leads the reader to the larger question of whether, and when, any group becomes innocent of the past acts of some of its members. The rest of of the book, like the Da Vinci code, is replete with intriguing symbology, and the reader will find that the first question on most others readers' minds is: "How much of this is true?" The proof of the pudding with respect to the books' fast pace is that even the most curious reader will not be able to set either book down even long enough to type a few words into their search engines to become illuminated. For those who simply yearn for an inside glimpse of how it would be to rummage around the Vatican's secret archives, and to explore by torchlight the Vatican's ancient,escape passages, this will be a rewarding read. Those who enjoyed the Da Vinci code will not be disappointed by this read, which, although similar, has a sufficiently distinctive central plot-line.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing ride.
Review: It's always a rare treat to find a book that just completely captivates you on page one, and doesn't lose it's grip for a second. "Angels & Demons" is one of those books. Dan Brown brings these unforgettable characters to life, and you find yourself traveling down those long dark hallways, and rushing around Vatican City, right along with them. It's a huge compliment (in my mind) when a book plays out like a vast movie inside my head. Where every last detail is brought to life for me. and Brown's style of writing...incredibly detailed and focused, is perfect for a story of this scale. While some may say that his attention to detail might slow the pace down, i found it to be one of the things i loved most about this book. He explains things in a way that makes you understand the thought process of each character. It's incredibly difficult to pull off a book that takes place over less then a 24 hr period, and do so over 500+ pages. But Dan Brown not only does it, and does it well...but leaves the reader wishing there was more...wanting the story to continue. Here's to many more adventures with Robert Langdon. I for one, will be along for the ride.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book Is As Bad As The Da Vinci Code Is Good!
Review: Let me start off by saying that I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code very much. However, Angels And Demons was a major disappointment. Is it possible that Brown improved as a writer so much from the time period between writing Angels And Demons and The DaVinci Code? While The Da Vinci Code isn't the most well written book you're likely to read, it is one of the more compelling, interesting and exciting books you're likely to read. In contrast, Angels And Demons possesses none of these positive attributes. The plot moves along at much too slow a pace, the dialogue is unrealistic and stilted, and the characters are not developed well enough. These contrasts are puzzling to me since these two stories are very much alike. Perhaps I've just solved my own puzzlement -- that is, having read The Da Vinci Code first, I was bored with Angels And Demons because it's essentially a much weaker version of essentially the same plot. Do yourself a favor if you haven't read The Da Vinci Code, go right out and get yourself a copy. BUT once you've read it and enjoyed it do NOT fall into the trap of wanting to read its prequel (Angels And Demons), as I did. Please learn from this reader's mistake. I'm sorry I read Angels and Demons not only because I didn't like it. But because it made me a bit uncertain about whether I want to read Dan Brown's next book -- i.e., which book is the fluke?
Rating:
Summary: Simply put
Review: Just needed to tell anyone who is considering reading this book that it is, simply put, the best book I have ever read in the mystery/suspense genre.
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