Rating: 
Summary: Do the Means Justify the End?
Review: If you find a book fascinating in the beginning and riveting in the middle but disappointing in its ending, is it a good book or a not-so-good book? I dunno, but like most people who have read "The DaVinci Code," I couldn't put the book down. Until the last part of the book that is, when I couldn't put it down because I couldn't pick it up. The hills are alive with the sound of people plunking money down for this book. Inspired by this, I, too, plunked. While I found the prose in "The DaVinci Code" hardly Emersonian and the characters cardboard cut-outs, throughout most of the book you HAVE to know what is going to happen next. Sometimes, unfortunately, I knew what was going to happen next before it happened because I had figured out the often rather puerile cryptic clues before the combined talents of the lead characters, who happen to be the world's greatest symbologist and one of France's best cryptologists. So much for character credibility. What bothered me most about this book was that although there was a cursory "Fact" page at the beginning stating a few items of non-fiction upon which the book is based, I couldn't differentiate what was fact, factoid, and fantasy, apart from what was obviously fiction. I thought Dan Brown could have added an author's afterword at the end to help the reader in this regard. I suppose I could read "De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of the Da Vinci Code" when it's released. But having put "The DaVinci Code" down a final time, I don't think I care anymore. "The DaVinci Code" is definitely a page-turner. You are driven to climb peak after peak of suspense. But the final descent is into a valley of disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: read the original - it was better
Review: if you found this book as lacking in intellectual stimulation as i did and you would like to read the excellent original from which the idea for this book were culled, read Focault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. THAT was challenging and none of the twists have predictable endings. To bad Mr. Brown, Angels and Demons was much more intriguing.
Rating:
Summary: Displeased
Review: If you have a good education you will find it hard to ignore this authors continuous factual mistakes. If I am too harsh, I can only say that I am not used to reading such poorly researched text. The fact that so many people find it so well researched makes me wonder about the sorry state of education in our country.
I am on page 217 so far, and I am still trying to push my way though it. It is not easy, for it is also not terribly interesting.
And the Silas character, what is he he supposed to be? , some kind of Catholic secret agent with a license to kill?
Please. This book so far feels like a waste of time.
Rating:
Summary: If your a christian, then dont read this book!
Review: If you have already read this book, then you can check the facts. He cant get the correct date for the Qumran discovery, how can he pretend to give any other factual information. I recomend the dictionary of Apologetics by Norm Geisler for the answers to these weak suppositions.( apologetics are NOT apologies, they are the giving of an answer for the REASON behind your faith). The christian faith has nothing to fear from this sort of sensationalastic endeavor, but I wanted to warn any new christians about this book. It is not a christian book! Those who think this book is good-natured fun are mistaken. Re-writing history is serious no matter what kind of history you're talking about, fiction or not. However I will say one thing about the gnostic gospels that may make it clearer... In a thousand years when someone discovers a copy of the national inquirer, who is going to explain it to them!
Rating:
Summary: Plot can be found in previously published books
Review: If you have read HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL (1983) or similar books you may find this story entirely too predictable to enjoy. The central plot twists are based on traditions, speculations and legends previously published in other books. If you are not at all familiar with these theories you will probably enjoy the story. Whether you believe them or not the theories are interesting enough to carry the plot.
Rating:
Summary: I can see the movie already
Review: If you like John Grisham novels, then you'll like Da Vinci Code. It moves at breakneck speed and keeps you in suspense, and it really is a good ride, but then like Grisham novels, it sorta falls apart at the end. The unlikely turn of events in the last part of the book will leave many groaning, especially when you find out who the bad guy is and his motivations. If you think really hard about it, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But it's breezy, light reading, so just suspend your disbelief for a while and enjoy what is essentially the book version of a hollywood thriller.
Rating: 
Summary: Christianity is a 2000 year old lie!
Review: If you like this book read "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh. I say DOWN with christianity! Wake up people, a new age is upon us! No more killing in the name of a false god.
Rating: 
Summary: For History Buffs
Review: If you like to read suspense and have a fondness for history this is a really good book. I loved this book. I don't know if I've ever been able to give a book 5 stars (wish I could find one) but this is one of my favorites. I only think the author dragged it on alittle to long at the end. But one of my fav's. Read it!!!
Rating:
Summary: Good, not great
Review: If you live in America and haven't been under a bridge the past 8 months, you have no doubt see the Da Vinci Code in stores and heard the raging controversy surrounding the novel. The book has found it's way onto nighttime news programs and sparked controversy in churches, and has reigned over the New York Times best seller list for 40+ weeks. So what's all the fuss about? The sensitive subject matter of the role of Jesus Christ. With renewed secular interest in Christ peaking with Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" the subject matter of "The Da Vinci Code" has struck a chord of interest in many many people around the country. This book has even brought the book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" written in 1983 back to the top of many best seller lists! Obviously, the Da Vinci Code is making the rounds. The problem I have is that when you look past the controversial subject matter, the book just isn't balanced and parts of it seem downright contrived. If you haven't read Angels and Demons(a superior book in my opinion), the character of Robert Langdon is severely underdeveloped for a main protagonist. And once you reach about the halfway point, instead of the characters following an intriguing path of clues, you just get them sitting around trying to figure out the Cryptex codes, interrupted with the requisite police chases. That's not to say there are no positive things about the novel. Far from it. The hook the book sets is very intriguing(which may add to the dissapointment of the rest of the book), Dan Brown has a great writing style, and the finale contains some great revelations, however it is dissapointing that Langdon never really does reach the ultimate prize. Overall, you could do alot worse than the Da Vinci Code, but you could do alot better too, i.e Dan Brown's three other novels.
Rating:
Summary: DON'T BUY THIS BOOK
Review: If you must read this book because it is a best-seller, borrow a copy or get it from the library. The Da Vince Code is actually a screen play in disguise and can only be palatable as a visual romp through France and England in pursuit of The Holy Grail. The premise is unbelievable, the plot adolescent, and the conclusion ridiculous. Religious scholars and thoughtful readers alike will find this book contrived and preachy. I found it ludicrous that a publisher would publish anything so silly or that readers would pay to read it. I only gave it one star because that was as low as the ratings go.
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