Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely unbearable.
Review: Absolutely unbearable. I think I gave it about 80 pages of very small type. Another one of these "weird" books that is trying to be clever. It is possible that there is a palatable story in here somewhere, but I really didn't care enough to find out.
Rating: 
Summary: The Most Frustratingly Perfect Book Ever Written
Review: First, dont be deceived by the plot summaries listed above...though masterful in its own way, this book does not have a fast paced, detective style plot. Eco does tell the tale of three editors of who weave a compelling yet fictitious Plan culled from the writings of crackpot would-be authors, (a fake Plan that becomes menacingly real when the crackpots take it seriously). However, if you are a reader who judges a book by how well the author tells a compelling story, and how well the author keeps you gripped by the interaction of his characters, you are likely to judge this book a failure.This book is not a failure. True, entire chapters meander along, seemingly contributing nothing to the premise of the story, but Eco's true story is not found in the plot, or the interaction/evolution of his characters, but rather the fascinating evolution of the Plan his characters are creating. The story of human thought, human philosophy, and humanity's desire to control the very rotation of the World itself is masterfully told through Eco's amazing ability to meld actual historical facts, philosophical axioms and scientific discoveries with fictional connections, interrelations and motivations. Eco's numerous oblique references to historical figures and events, to works of literature and art (secular, religious and occult) may annoy some readers as overly showy (Eco's writing can give even a philosphy Ph.D an inferiority complex), but I think that is partly Eco's aim...to inspire his readers to higher standards of learning, preception and appreciation. I think many readers feel the last hundred pages of the book are the best, when Eco's plot focuses more on his characters as they reap what they have sown. I agree, but more because the plot is now empowered by the full weight of their/Eco's intellectual journey/descent (just as some feel that Shawshank Redemption was way too long a movie, but the ending's emotional impact is due largely to the fact that the movie had time to properly build it up) Read it all, its worth it. I gave it 4 stars only because all this having been said, I believe Eco could have done a better job with the story...its as if the magnitude of his creation was too much even for him to control to the full extent of his skill as a writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Foucault's P
Review: This book holds much promise to the reader: a good mystery, lots of arcane knowledge, recognizable real-life cults. Unfortunately,
it's the sort of book only professional critics love. I found it interesting in idea, but cumbersome to read. It has moments of brilliance,
but all too often resorts to long lists of names which the reader, presumedly, is supposed to recognize. To my mind, a novel should
not be this much work to read.
Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderfull book
Review: Are you satisfied when you find a book that join history, adventure, mistery and an intelligent dose of esoterism? If true Foucault's Pendulum is your book The Eco's erudition is here an atractive component, even more than The Name of the Rose where Eco was a little more dense. In Foucault's Pendulum all is fun, even the more philosophical parts (less evident here). When you have a limited time to read, you have to select very carefully your readings. Foucault's Pendulum is a really good alternative.
Rating:
Summary: The Conspiracy Theory
Review: This book is one of the best fiction books I've read. Readers have complained that the book is too complicated and hard to read, but consider this before you side with their criticism. Foucault's Pendulum is a not just a story, but a story grounded in our world to a great extent. The characters in the story set out to create The Conspiracy Theory, one which will rival all those theories created by the credulous. These three men set out to explain everything from Jesus, the Rosicrucians, and Foucault's Pendulum. For those with some knowledge of history, the exposure to mystical interpretations of history will provide not only entertainment, but actual knowledge about history. In addition to the great historical component to this novel, Eco creates characters that are eccentric, yet believable. His characters are not two-dimensional, but all contain a depth which Eco explores in detail. Read this book!
Rating:
Summary: I Liked It?
Review: I like to think that I am an intelligent human being, but after reading this book, I feel like I do not know anything. I enjoyed the concept of the book, and the story involved, and did recognize some of the fun Eco was having with history, but I guess I have a heck of a lot more to learn. As someone always searching, I did find endearing the overall idea that was conveyed to me: We may not recognize the best life offers us until it is too late.
Rating:
Summary: Too complicated, Too long
Review: I decided to try this book because this book came highly recommended, I battled my way through 300 pages, and at no time did I enjoy the book. Reading it became more like a chore than an enjoyment so I gave up. The book is full of obscure historical references, people, events and places. And to understand the significance of these events one would have to be an expert on the last one thousand years of European history. The language was too complicated and academic, and the book was about 200 pages too long. Just when I thought an ineteresting scene was developing, the main character goes off to Brazil, and wastes a couple of dozen pages undergoing some cultural experience, whose meaning was lost to me. I'm not saying this is a bad book, because I could see that for someone who can follow it and understand it they could get a lot out of it, but be warned potential readers THIS IS ONE TOUGH READ, if you feel up to it get the book, if you have your doubts don't waste the money.
Rating:
Summary: A very unusual, deep book
Review: I read this book without an unabridged dictionary, and had no problems with it. I think the problem that some people have with Eco is that he is a very educated man, and if I'm not mistaken, he's also a university professor. I'm sure that this may make his works hard to understand sometimes, but what I like about him is that he treats his audience like they have intelligence. He doesn't dumb down his works because he doesn't feel the need to, though I'm sure it would make him more understood if he did. Having said that, I found this book to be very unusual. The characters are radically different than the ones in The Name of the Rose, which is the only other book of his I've read so far. Although all of these men are highly educated, they all have different, unique personalities. I also like how this book addresses the issue of the Knights Templar, and how there are so many people out there that seem to have "a theory" on what the Knights were doing, or what they had "discovered". I wouldn't be surprised if Holy Blood, Holy Grail was an influence, but while those authors call their "discoveries" fact, Eco at least has the good sense to call his work fiction. The Knights Templar has long been an interest of mine, and I think it helps somewhat to know a little about the Templars, but for the most part Eco has presented much of what he's talking about in the course of the book, as the characters discover new information to create their theory--which, of course, they claim is made up, but unfortunately others take them seriously. I can't help but notice how the Knight's Templar fanatics (you know, the ones that claim they're carrying on the tradition) in his tale take everything so darn seriously. One of them even states, "These men know more about us than we do ourselves." I don't know about anyone else, but to me that signals there's a problem--that these fanatics really don't know anything about what they claim to uphold. I was wondering if Eco was making a subtle commentary about these people and their claims that their discoveries are "Fact" when they should more likely be categorized in the realm of "Fiction". At the end of the book Eco seems to claim, or is claiming, that there are no mysteries in the "mystery societies". I guess the real mystery then is why these things still exist. This book is about more than the Knights Templar, though. It seems to bring in just about a little bit of everything. If I recall correctly, it even has some of the Kabbalah in it, as well as the ideas behind lei lines and the use of secret codes. This book mixes humor in many unexpected places. I thought this book was going to be serious all the way through, but couldn't help but notice that it had me laughing in a number of places. It also goes into the lives of the characters fairly deeply, especially the main character, and I found these characters fairly well fleshed out. I would have liked it if the chapters that had excerpts from other books be translated. I haven't a clue what most of them are, or what they say. I can't honestly say it detracted from my enjoyment of the book enough for it to be considered an issue, but I suppose my curiosity had the better of me and I wondered what those excerpts said. I can't really comment on how important they would be for my understanding of the book, but since I feel like I understood it very well, the excerpts may not be all that important. I remember when I read this book it had a very profound impact on me, but for the life of me I don't remember what it was. This probably is due to the fact that the impact was very subtle, but profound. I know it's pretty much changed my life in a spiritual sense in a very permanent way. I don't think this book is for everyone--a friend of mine was very unimpressed with it--but I would have to say that it was a very enjoyeable book for me. I like deep plots, and this book has a very deep one.
Rating:
Summary: Vanity Press is dangerous
Review: I was in this story...running and hiding and discovering. It pulled me in and kept me there. I have read the book a total of three times over the years and each time I find the whole thing so new. The desire for the secrets of the Knights Templar and the RoseyCross sects are so engaging. I had a wonderful time in this book. It is like going on vacation with the characters, not a sane vacation, but a vacation. The realm of vanity press offices around the world are in fear of ever trangressing their customers beliefs again, for fear the absurd may be real.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: It's an amazing book...kind of intense but very deep. It's a work of art.
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