Rating: 
Summary: A Mystery All the Way to the End!
Review: This is a great book. I was lucky enough to find the UNABRIDGED version of the Audio CD.I won't go into details about the book. What I will tell you is that it's written very well. The characters are all realistic and so is the story. Dan Brown has done his research and it completely comes through in the books. Though some of the theories in the books are his own, I couldn't help but wonder what was fiction and what is real. I listen to a lot of audio books because of my commute to work. It you haven't tried it, try it, it helps the long drives. It came to a point where after arriving at my destination, I would often sit in my car for an extra 10-15 minutes just to get to a part that I could pause the book for. On the version I have, the book is broken down into many sections, so it's easy to go back to where you were, even if you take the CD out. You won't have to "SEEK" to find your place. The reader: Paul Michael, brought the whole book to life. He has a great voice for reading, and changes his voice according to each different character, of which there were many. However, listening to each character, all of them stand out from the way he uses his voice, even the female characters are done great. The pace is also great, fast enough to keep you going, but slow enough to be able to take it all in. If you are looking for the unabridged version of the book, simply do a search for "The Da Vinci Code Unabridged." Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Great thriller
Review: This is a great fiction book, for those who see it as just that, fiction. It takes you on a quest for the Holy Grail, which , in the book, turns out to be the quest for the bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, though symbology in DaVinci's work, among others. If you follow it as a work of fiction, you will be amazed by the possibilities. If you take it as "truth" then you might feel betrayed by what you thought you knew. I recommend you do not try to change history through this book. I'm sure a lot of historians will agree. This book will keep you going until the last minute; couldn't put it down! I definitely recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: a great potboiler, but nothing more
Review: This is a great potboiler, a page turner, as they like to say. And why not, with chapters averaging a little over four pages per chapter and thrilling writing to rival Edgar Rice Bourroughs. (How many of you are familiar with the great Tarzan series, as originally written? And would you rely on these books for information on life in Africa?). But it's nothing more. And surely anyone who reads this book to discover what the reality is is in an advanced state of idiocy.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely hard to put down once you start!
Review: This is a great suspense book that really keeps you on your toes! The basic outline is that a museum curator gets murdered and a cryptic message left via the Mona Lisa. His cryptologist granddaughter, Sophie, must then try and decipher the code and figure out who killed her grandfather. I don't want to give anything more away, you really have to read it for yourself! The book is gripping and really makes you think. It gives you the codes to try and crack yourself along with Sophie. It also is chock full of information about history and art, this book ended up being quite educational! I highly recommend this book.. the plot twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat! Believe me, once you start reading it you won't be able to put it down!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Fiction
Review: This is a great work of fiction and was delightful to read. It can open your thoughts to another aspect of how to look at the subject matter of the story. The settings are richly presented, the writing flows, and the story moves at a good pace. Do not select this book and expect historical facts in every aspect. It is a work of fiction based on some historical fact. Dan Brown is an excellent writer and presents his view in a spellbinding story. This book is thoroughly enjoyable and shouldn't be missed.
Rating: 
Summary: Finally, a great story around this premise!
Review: This is a great work of fiction. A fun book to read, and very well written. Dan Brown keeps you in suspense for the first three-quarters of the book with fast pacing, quick editing, and an engrossing tale! The book is truly hard to put down as the clues are revealed slowly - always just out of reach. I resisted the temptation to read ahead often. Sadly, I was disappointed that the ending wasn't better, but perhaps that's because the agenda of the author became increasingly clear as the book progressed. At last we have a good book about the tired old premise of the Knights Templar and Mary Magdalene, and the secret society. However, just when he was really moving with the story I about fell out of my chair laughing when all of a sudden some of the truly comical books on this premise are woven into the story as if they mean something. On page 253 he mentions one book prominently: The Templar Revelation. This is a truly hilarious book, and unlike 'The Da Vinci Code', it fails to actually admit it is fiction and tries to pass itself off as scholarly research and therefore fails miserably. See my review of the book here on Amazon.com. On page 267 he weaves in another work of fiction called: The Greatest Story Ever Sold. But again, unlike Mr. Brown, the other works are not nearly as well written, and are simply bad 'docu-drama's'. His not so subtle theological agenda is woven into what is otherwise a great fictional mystery. He quotes some of the Gnostic Gospels that have been clearly depicted as frauds by most Biblical scholars of any merit. Unfortunately, Mr. Brown gradually lets go of the fictional story he starts with and it seems he actually believes what he is writing. The first clue that this is truly a work of fiction is before the prologue where he tries to make his fiction look like fact. On the top of page 234 he gives the sad worldview of the Jesus Seminar. Also, as mentioned, he tries to incorporate other works to make it look like his premise is founded on something more than "X-File" level conspiracy nonsense. This is unfortunate because he is obviously a talented writer, and has written the best book on the subject yet - a mystery, a fictional tale, and a fun conspiracy story. A fun book to read - so four stars! Well written, and despite the theological nonsense he tries to weave in as fact, it is a good work of fiction. Well done!
Rating: 
Summary: Rubbish
Review: This is a horribly researched book. Brown knows so little about Europe (and the UK in particular) that you have no confidence in anything else he is trying to sell with this novel. An awful read which will have you tearing your hair out at the mistakes.
Rating:
Summary: The Holy Grail----the eternal McGuffin.
Review: This is a moderately interesting post-millenium Grail quest set in France and England, and using vague myths and legends surrounding the Priory of Sion (combining the 20th century writings with the ancient order absorbed into the Jesuits), the Knights Templar, the Holy Grail, and various gnostic theories of the true role of Mary Magdalene. The McGuffin in this adventure story is not just the Grail itself, but a key that unlocks the mystery of the Grail's location. Alfred Hitchcock said the McGuffin in a suspenseful adventure story doesn't really matter----it's just a device to fuel the chase. In this story, however, Dan Brown makes the McGuffin the centerpiece, and the retelling and weaving together of lore surrounding the Grail, the gnostic gospels and Mary Magdalene means the adventure runs out of gas about half way through the book, and the characters become cartoons jumping from one situation to another in a rather half-hearted resolution. Criticism aside, I enjoyed the book and Brown's writing style is generally very entertaining---the 3 star rating simply comes from the loss of momentum in the last half of the book and a certain lack of character development (although this is common in some adventure stories). The book is a good, workmanlike effort in a classic genre. If you enjoyed Spielberg's Indiana Jones movies, Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," "The Thirty-Nine Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes," you'll enjoy this book. If you've read Agatha Christie's "The Man in the Brown Suit," you'll recognize the plot device that resolves the suspense.
Rating:
Summary: The Da-Great Code!
Review: This is a mystery full of great mystique and surprise. I loved the cliff hanger chapter endings and couldn't stop turning the pages to unravel the code. I shall reserve further commentary as there are spoilers potholes abound when discussing The DaVinci Code. I recommend this one enthusiastically! Geena Brighton, columnist for Sherrington
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read...
Review: This is a novel of breathtaking quality and mind-blowing sophistication. Quite simply: brilliant! Dan Brown weaves historical facts and architectural and religious wonders into a hard-hitting, fast-moving story, with twists at every turn. I simply cannot believe anyone who claims to have figured out the ending of this book before the last chapter.
I won't rehash the story line, but will say that for anyone looking for a fantastic, fascinating story, this book is a must-read. It is not a reference text, so those who are concerned with cross-checking every little detail of the story would do better to simply go to a library and study a history textbook.
Read this book. You won't put it down...
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