Rating: 
Summary: Much Ado About Nothing
Review: After much hype and many people telling me what a deep and interesting book this is, I was ready for a wonderful read. Instead I found a silly mystery that could be solved by my cat, insipid and vapid chacter development and a title some editor came up with to sell the book. Don't even bother.
Rating:
Summary: If only I could give 0 stars!
Review: After reading Brown's gripping novel, Angels & Demons, I expected The Da Vinci Code to be an exciting page turner. Unfortunately, I didn't expect that the novel would have essentially the same plot as its predecessor, making it completely predictable. The books even begin the same way: man gets murdered, Langdon is called in, and some beautiful woman turns up who is related to the victim, attracted to Langdon, and wants to help him solve the crime. Please, does he think he's the next James Bond? True, Brown weaves in many interesting tidbits of information, but that didn't make reading this book worth my time. Out of the two, I'd say Angels and Demons was the better read.
Rating:
Summary: Good Author, Bad Book
Review: After reading Dan Brown's "Deception Point", I now know Brown is a good author who missed the mark with the Davinci Code.I read somewhere where Brown's agent heard the plot and said "wow this is gonna be great" so they cranked up the promotion of this book. Unfortunately, I don't think the publisher read the book first. Da Vinci Code is about a symologist who gets brought into a murder case and ends up breaking codes after codes until he discovers the secret of the Holy Grail. Your view of Christianity will have a big impact on how you view this book. I happen to not believe Brown's premise, but the book could have been good if Brown had made it as good as some of his other novels. As Brown unveils each new answer to a code, it reads like an encyclopedia of art history and hidden symbols in famous paintings. While intriguing, Brown fails to make it interesting, especially for a novel. Brown would have written a better novel (in my opinion) if the characters had to overcome doubt about what they were discovering. But that wasn't the case. As each new "supposed truth" is discovered, the characters accept it as fact, in the same way that modern day Christians accept the facts about Jesus (and Brown criticizes this blidn faith). Brown has written good books, this just isn't one of them.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fun, and lots of HISTORICALLY ACCURATE FACT as well
Review: After reading some of the other reviews for this book, I just had to chime in too. First, the book. I found it engrossing and highly addictive, and had a hard time putting it down, even to tend to my own family. It is a fast read, and grabs the reader's attention from the very first page.
The facts of the book are NOT at all imagined. I find it hilarious and ignorant that review writers such as Ms. Low would foist their own, deluded notions of the "truth" of Christianity onto the rest of us when they're supposed to be writing a book review.
Through my own research, I have found that while the "seasoning" or the loose story line that the plot falls around, is Dan Brown's own fiction, the "meat" of the story, the legend of the Holy Grail, and symbolism involving the Rose and the Chalice, and the accounts of the true purpose and organization of the Knights Templars, is quite accurate and astonishing.
It is also ironic that in writing a book review about a book that talks about the Bible's "truths" as being only as "true" as the collaborators of the bible wanted them to be, that other reviewers would wretchedly refer to the Bible as the "real truth."
By the way, Ms. Low, how are you certain that the Gospel of Phillip is make-believe? I thought you said your degree was in Art. Not only that, but did you know that Messiah and Saviour are nearly interchangeable in the Aramaic texts? Although, since they both refer to a wonderous prophet of the Hebrew God, I don't know how you can assert that the use of the word Saviour inherently implies that Christ WAS indeed a deity.
The fact is, for anyone who will not be blinded by their own faith, the novel is excellent, and can be used as a springboard for one's own research. For those that are too blinded by the 1700 year old veil of Christian "truth" read it for fun, then put it aside.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book and here is another
Review: After reading the "Da Vinci Code" my friend recommended another book, and I was equally amazed. You will find this book to be totally fascinating- "The Golden Milestone: Over 2500 Years of Italian Contributions to Civilization."
Rating: 
Summary: This Da Vinci is no genius
Review: After reading the far better "Dream of Scipio" by Iain Pears, this book underwhelmed me. Granted it kept my attention and caused me to turn every page, but no better or worse then any other formulaic bestseller.
I was caused to recall "The Day After Tomorrow" as a similar novel that left the reader high and dry at the end just as this book predictably did. I wouldn't say it was disappointing, but if you want to have something good to read on the beach wait for the paperback and don't shell out the [money amount] cover price.
Despite the numerous twists and turns, I was caused to determine the identity of the arch-villain about a hundred pages before the end of the book...and felt that the book made a better work up for a screenplay then it did a full blown novel.
Overall, if you don't mind checking your intellect at the door and suspending all sense of reason, this is a shallow but somewhat entertaining escape for those seeking shelter from more trying day to day endeavors.
Rating:
Summary: fast, fun, thought-provoking read
Review: After reading this and Angels & Demons, I look forward to the next books in Brown's Robert Langdon series. If you have any interest in Church history, conspiracy theories, art history... even the roots of holidays and common phrases, these are great reads for you. Brown knows how to hook you, over and over and over... You'll want to start your own research, study the paintings and sculptures mentioned, read up on the Grail legend, etc. While Brown's writing style is pretty simple, the puzzles in the book will keep you on edge. I read both, so I see some pretty obvious patterns in his plots... I just hope the next Langdon book is a little less predictable with the arrangement of characters. Other than that-- this is just sheer fun!
Rating:
Summary: This book serves a Great purpose
Review: After reading this book, I think I can offer an opinion of the book itself with tainting it with religious dogma. This is a great book. The fact that it's at the top of the best seller lists restores my faith in the American reader. This book will without a doubt eventually be turned into an incredible film. I can see a film very similar in pacing and character to Grisham's THE FIRM.
As to the religious zealots that cannot even address the topics this book without injecting their dogma, I am reminded of how blind they are to the original meaning of the word faith. People with such strong religious beliefs should invite discussion and opposing views. One thing this book has certainly done is INCREASE the discussions of God and religion -- and that should be seen as positive by peoples of all faiths.
To react with anger and fright to this book shows a probable pre-existing crisis in faith in these reviewers and I can only hope that Dan Brown will follow this with an even bolder novel to shake these people thoroughly into fits of self-righteous delirium.
Rating:
Summary: Lost his creative spark . . .
Review: After the first 350 pages (which were great), we find out that "the butler did it". From that point on the book is hollow. Where's the punchline? Where's the crescendo? It seems that there was so much creative energy expended up front, that the author had nothing left for the ending. He lost his creative spark and the book sputtered to a contrived, plastic ending. I can understand why this book sold well. The first three quarters is well written, fast moving and interesting. In the end, it felt like they rushed it out with little thought to the last 100 pages. Sorely disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: minor blasphemy
Review: After the to do about this book, I expected worse. The basic story is that after all the guardians of the Grail secret are killed, Robert, the hero of Angels and Demons, and the granddaughter of the grand master team up to discover who killed the men and why. Through mathematical and etymological codes and clues the arrive at the truth about the murders and encounter the legend that Mary Magdalene was both Christ's wife and the mother of His child and would have lead the church had Peter not protested. Granted, the novel on a fictional level is deftly written and contains plenty of action and adventure. Those who have compared it to a romantic novel must have a stereotypical view of romance novels, for it has only a hint of that. Historically and theologically, it is replete with errors, and not just regarding the relationship between Mary and Christ. A good lawyer could demolish that allegation in ten seconds. Or less. Those who feel that this book threatens the church must have a low opinion of Christ's true bride. The true church, as noted by Lewis, is a thing to make demons tremble, and not as gullible as the mobsters of the historic Piece of the Action episode of Trek.
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