Rating: 
Summary: It speaks for itself.
Review: Nowadays, a standard suspense/thriller novel will undoubtedly have approximately two main characters (of the opposite sex, of course) and the reader will be plunged into a tale of murder or deceit or something of the sort, and somewhere along the line, the two main characters of the opposite sex will fall in love. Its the run of the mill storyline and it sells. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, however, takes some of the basic recurring elements of the suspense/thrillers and puts a lot of thought and complex plot weaving together to come up with something with a unique sound to it. The book not only solves a murder mystery, but the mystery of the "Holy Grail." This goes far beyond anything many people would have imagined. The complex use of symbols and double meanings within the plot itself is impressive. To incorporate these elements into something tangible, such as Da Vinci's works, is an even higher level of amazing. Whether the description of hte art in this book is accurate, and the book claims it is, does not matter. What matters is that Brown managed to take something that coulda, mighta, maybe happened and made sense. So what if Da Vinci's stuff was just a ficticious spring board for the plot? It is incredible that it could be seen as that at all. This book is good and shouldn't be read analyzing it for truth- the prologue claims the descriptions of things are accurate. Just read the book; the rest speaks for itself.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING story
Review: Despite the less than flattering reviews by some - I found this book to be extraordinary - this was my first Dan Brown book and I will definitely try others. The plot was absorbing and I found the story the same. As for those who found fault with some of the factual matter - who cares? - this is a fiction novel not a historical text book - and I liked the story - fascinating.
Whether all of the historical facts are absolutely correct or not this book is well written and well researched. The characters are less important than the story here and Mr. Brown keeps that perspective, focusing on the story rather than character development. With such fascinating material for the story, that is as it should be. The plot twists, which keep your attention and keep the story flowing quickly are masterfully worked into the story while keeping the story itself as the main focus of the book. There are a plethora of trivia questions and answers in this book that are fascinating and spellbinding. Interesting and fascinating material in a masterfully told story. All in all a wonderful book.
I wholeheartedly recommend the audio book. There is a very good reason why this book has been on the best selling list for so long - IT DESERVES TO BE THERE!!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not Participating In The DaVinci "Lovefest"
Review: I am constantly amazed at the assertions I hear people make regarding the excellent story contained in the DaVinci code. It was embarrassingly weak and the characters were very one-dimensional. The Bourne Identity it wasn't. I took solace in the fact that the derth of religious information, Brown claims to be fact, was really quite interesting. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to enjoy even that for very long as I have read or heard most of his assertions debunked by those far more in the know in their particular fields than Brown. I wish I could have the time spent reading The DaVinci Code back so I could substitute a read of real entertainment or intellectual value. In the past I have avoided reading fads. It was a mistake to deviate from that rule; I won't again.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Extraordinary!
Review: I know, I know, this book came out over a year ago and I'm only now getting to reading it. Let me just say, this is one of the most engrossing, exciting novels I've read in a long, long, long time! It's not just the fact that it's a thriller -- some of the thriller aspects are little hard to believe -- it's all the history and speculation we get to be a part of. From the very first page, the author draws you into secret sects, religous history, and ancient secrets involving Leonardo Da Vinci. Everything from speculation about Mary Magdalene to the Divine Proportion, this book has something for everyone. Christians, in particular Catholics, may find some of the speculation difficult to take, but as a practising Christian I was intrigued by everything. I may not buy all of it, but it sure makes for great reading. Don't be stupid like me -- get this book now!
Rating:
Summary: Bah
Review: The Gods of Eden has better history than this. That one does actually include the UFOs.
Rating:
Summary: Finally found three!
Review: Our book club finally found three books that we all agree are stellar. They are: THE LIFE OF PI by Martel, Jackson McCrae's THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD, and THE DA VINCI CODE. While all three are completely different, they are nevertheless great reads--each for different reasons. The Martel is fable/fiction and quite original, while the McCrae is hilarious yet horrifying, with scenes not to be believed! But the DA VINCI was enjoyed for what it was--a very accessible, quick and easy read, with some interesting facts and some interesting half-truths thrown in for good measure. Great fun!Also recommended: LIFE OF PI by Martel, and McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD
Rating: 
Summary: Good thriller, bad history
Review: Unquestionably entertaining to the average reader, this novel sadly presents only a popular rehash of old ideas, taken mostly from "The Holy Blood, the Holy Grail" and more extreme speculations of feminism. From among the usual host of heroes and villains (the Templars, Prieure de Sion, Leonardo, the Gnostics, etc., etc.), only the UFOs are missing. Enjoy but do not believe it!
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: I actually had to force myself to slog through this book. The writing style is similar to "The Bridges of Madison County" - a flowery style filled with gratuitous adjectives and ridiculously over-stated descriptions. The plot was alternately absurd and boring. I read this book based on all of the hype and I really expected something interesting. Except for a few brief moments, I found this book to be very easy to put down. The entire experience was an insult to my brain cells.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: Suspiciously so in fact. That this book is *still* on the top of the heap after this long speaks of a publishing industry that preplans its successes as well as American literary culture. As an earlier reviewer stated, it's a shame they decided to make this book a "bestseller." I found The Da Vinci Code's so called plot boring, the "astounding" revelations preposterous, and the writing amaturish. Mr. Brown presents a veritable smorgasbord of conspiracies and labors mightily to connect them all together. What results though is a mishmash of convolutions with which Sherlock Holmes would have a problem. As far as his awesome research, I knew we were in trouble when he mentioned the "ancient" religion of Wicca. Had Mr. Brown troubled to ask, any follower of Wicca could have told him that it was pretty much invented in 1950 by Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders. That hardly makes it ancient. I read this (from the library, thankfully) based on the tantalizing synopsis. I'm just glad I didn't waste money on it.
Rating:
Summary: Code Breaking Fun!
Review: This book was a page turner. I found the historical and religious information facinating (and I don't normally like too much history in my fiction.). Even if most don't agree with the information, it was a fantastic read. Dan Brown is a creative genius!
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