Rating: 
Summary: Overrated
Review: I was really excited to read this book, and was really dissapointed to find that it did not live up to the hype. Dan Brown obviously did a lot of research to write the book and about the only thing that I found interesting was the art history. The storyline is weak and somewhat boring. The cliffhanger chapters get tiring after a while, and the end is unbelieveable and far-fetched. It is extremely overrated and is probably one of the worst books I have ever read.
Rating: 
Summary: It was just OK.
Review: I was really expecting this book to rock the house. I enjoyed Angels and Demons, and especially liked Robert Langdon. While The Da Vinci Code has some cool ideas, I didn't care one iota. Langdon became this incredibly passive and boring character with not much to do other than solve a puzzle with his brain whenever the story needed to move on. There were way too many characters that I didn't care about. Instead of spending time with Silas the not very scary Albino, I wanted more Langdon and Sophie. And what's with the 2 page chapters? I hope Mr. Brown's next book is a bit "deeper", and more engaging.
Rating: 
Summary: The Code of belief, not conduct
Review: I was really surprised in reading the reviews not to see more complaints about the nature of this book and some of the assertions in it. The book itself is almost a text book of how to hold a reader's interest while the author delivers large amounts information about old and arcane subjects necessary for the story line to hold together that the reader did not realize until right then that they had an interest in finding out more about. Some of plot points are a bit contrived, but by then you really don't mind because you just want to find out where this very interesting mind is leading you. While not a Catholic, I did find that the book bashed more often and more heavily than I thought was necessary a noble and important faith. On the other hand in the last 2000 or so years some people have done some literally unforgivable things on behalf of faith and the Church. So a balance of truth is the question and there the author gets the benefit of the doubt in order to tell his story, and what a story it is. I will not give it away, but to include the movie Eyes Wide Shut and Leonardo da Vinci in a story that begins with the story of Christ and ends in present day Paris is quite an achievement. The author does tie it all together. He faithfully, if at times obviously follows the rule that, if there is a gun on the table in the first act it most certainly goes off in the third, and again behind the curtain as it drops. Great stuff this.
Rating: 
Summary: Fact Fraught with Fiction
Review: I was recently reading a message board setup specifically for readers to discuss Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. I was shocked by the prevailing ignorance of most of the posters - Christian and non-Christian. I just can't believe that people would take a piece of fiction so literal. Then I remembered why - because of the pompous statement by the author at the beginning of his book stating that "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." Since when does a conspiracy THEORY become fact - I'll tell you when - when you're trying to sell to an unassuming public. This book is to be read with a grain of salt. Mr. Brown mixes fact with fiction and uses his characters to tout it as absolute truth. I will admit, this is a page turner - a definate thriller at the core. But this is far from any reputable history book. There is no second-guessing why this is in the FICTION category on Amazon.com. A few examples: 1.) Something called the Order de Sion existed in the Middle Ages up until, at the latest, the 17th century; something called the Prieure du Sion existed from at least 1956 to 1984; whether these two groups have any actual relationship to each other, we will never know. The duties and responsibilities of the Order de Sion is still unknown to this day. The idea that their purpose was to protect the secret of the Holy Grail is FICTION - THEORY. 2.) The Knights Templar were arrested on charges of heresy by the church because they were going to reveal the true meaning of The Holy Grail. Another piece of FICTION - THEORY. The Knights Templar WERE involved in heresy. King Philip the Fair was also after the wealth they had amassed by becoming bankers, diplomats, masons, etc. He used the heresy charge as an excuse to obtain that wealth. 3.) The Nag Hammadi Library which includes The Gnostic Gospel of Philip is taughted as one of many lost manuscripts predating the New Testament and early Orthodox Christianity. Supposedly, these documents reveal the true nature of Christ and His relationship to Mary Magdalene. According to Mr. Brown, Constantine canonized The Bible, burning documents like those of The Nag Hammadi Library only because Christianity was on the rise and paganism was out the door. This is FICTION - THEORY. Constantine converted to Christianity and was disgusted by gnostic pagan ritual. This wasn't a strategic business move as Dan Brown asserts. As far as the Nag Hammadi Library being a prelature to Christianity - this is a gross misrepresentation. Christianity predates Gnosticism, no matter how old the Nag Hammadi Library. Read the New Testament. You will quickly understand that Gnosticism is a sect, broken off from the early Christian church. Their beliefs were skewed and they mixed pagan ritual with Christian thought. Those are just 3 simple examples. This book is an interesting and fun read, but far from fact. If you read it, take the time to do the research for yourself and figure out where Dan Brown's fact becomes FICTION.
Rating:
Summary: A religious thriller anyone can be entertained by
Review: I was recommended "The Da Vinci Code" by a friend of mine who said that in spite of its religious subject, it was a great read and a great thriller/mystery. She was absolutely right. If you like thrillers but aren't into alternative religious studies, you will still like this book. "Da Vinci Code" is so strong as an adventure story, you don't have to be into any of the main characters' favorite subjects to enjoy it. It does help, however, to be interested by the mental twists and turns of the conspiracy theories, obscure history and anti-establishment viewpoints expressed here. It also helps to have a good vocabulary or a good dictionary -- the main characters are all academics, and they speak and think as such. In a nutshell, this book is a great ride for the nerdier crowd, but still plenty adventurous enough for the regular thriller reader to stay tuned in.
Rating: 
Summary: Lives up to the hype
Review: I was reluctant to read this book since it seems like everyone else did and was raving. In the past I have been disappointed by books that were getting big attention. An example is "The Lovely Bones". Anyway, "The DaVinci Code" lived up to all the great things I heard about it. Fast moving and it makes you think.
Rating:
Summary: Read For Thrill Only, Undeserving of Best of 2003 Accolades
Review: I was reluctant to read this only because I am not a fan of the "thriller-type" novels. However, I caved after hearing numerous word of mouth recommendations and seeing it appear on several newspaper's "Best of 2003" lists. Given that, I was expecting more substance than it had. Read the book if you like thrilling page-turners and/or are a history buff (like me), but don't expect anything more. The characters annoyed me! And for a novel with feminist overtones, the main female lead was an idiot and a prude! For a 32 year old "woman of the world" who was supposedly highly educated, she sure needed to be condescended to a lot by the other male leads (including one chapter in which the male lead comes achingly close to explaining to her the birds and the bees). I groaned when the supposed justification for why she didn't speak with her grandfather (and only living family member) for 10 years was finally revealed. And she had never been in Westminster Abbey even though she lived in London? All of this grated on me, although I found the historical/theological story quite fascinating, so much so that I'm tempted to pick up some of the books referenced by the author.
Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking after you are finished.
Review: I was slow to get around to this book and then finished it in 2 days. I simply couldn't put it down. You probably know the basics of the story if you've read the publisher's review. It's another suspense-thriller, this time wrapped in the ancient secrets of religion. The book is a thrill ride for the first half and then becomes somewhat predictable, but still fun. At times, I felt I was watching a soap opera where you can miss several days and still know what is happening. At the same time, I couldn't quit reading it because I was pulling for the hero. I predicted the finish and imagine most readers do but would still recommend the book as a pleasurable read to anyone. What I most enjoyed about the book is how it covers topics I'd heard about but know very little about. It seems the author did plenty of research and through that, has pushed me to begin doing my own research. If you are interested in religious history at all, you will enjoy reading this book and likely be challenged to learn more about the past.
Rating:
Summary: Remember to breathe!
Review: I was so hooked into this book I almost literally had to remind myself to breathe! What a challenge to figure out what is going to happen ahead of time. Please, PLEASE, to all those "lookers"....DO NOT READ THE ENDING FIRST....You'll spoil it!
Rating:
Summary: Can't wait for next one
Review: I was standing on the beach last summer talking to a friend when she recommended this book. I enjoyed it so much that after reading it, I went on to read every other book that Dan Brown has written, and I loved them all. Several times during the reading of this book I had to go to the Internet to look up items involved in the story, and felt that I ended up with a book that not only entertained me, but enriched me from a cultural standpoint. However, there's an even bigger story out there. What if Jesus returned and everyone missed it? "A Thief in the Night" by William Sears tells the story of his personal search for the answer to this question, and I'm hoping Dan Brown will pick up on it someday and turn it into another best seller.
| 
