Rating:  Summary: This is NOT a reference book - Be more cynical! Review: This is a novel, and not a very good one at that. I was disappointed to find that this was yet another quest for the Holy Grail, and I guessed "who-dunnit" as soon as the character was introduced. I also found Brown's one and only plot device, of not revealing important matters of fact to the reader, tiresome after awhile. It was entertaining enough to actually warrant 2 stars; however, the misinformation that it conveys as truth requires a demotion. I cared so little about this book that I had no intention of adding yet another review, but I became greatly concerned by all the comments by readers who believe they learned so much from this "informative read." To say that you have learned about Christianity from this book is the equivalent to learning about the Kennedy assassination by watching Oliver Stone's "JFK." Dan Brown takes a smattering of truth and mixes it with bits and pieces of multiple theories in a clumsy attempt to support a fragile hypothesis. As a religious scholar, none of the theories was new to me, as they obviously are to most readers. The reason so few are familiar with the concepts outlined in the novel is that there is no evidence to support these theories, so they have not been incorporated in mainstream history, religion, and art texts. I am neither a Christian nor a fan of the Catholic Church, but Dan Brown's novel both obfuscates and detracts from the historically valid arguments denouncing organized religion. Read this book for fun, but get your history elsewhere.
Rating:  Summary: Not Impressed Review: This is a poor example of a novel. I place this book on the same literary level as a trashy romance novel (and I don't see Daniel Steel writing bestsellers). There are FAR TOO MANY coincidents among the main characters. It is VERY VERY poorly researched and the "facts" are quite inaccurate. Any FICTION writer that has a "FACT" page at the front of their novel should be shot. This one page is leading people to believe what Dan Brown writes is true and highly accurrate, when in truth, his writing is just the opposite. If you don't believe me, then buy the book and waste your money. I actually had to force myself to finish reading this novel.
Rating:  Summary: "awesome"? more like "awful" Review: This is a poorly written book in which unlikely non-characters chase after one another at breakneck speeds or make hairbreadth escapes, pausing only long enough to impart to one another unreliable information. I can't remember when I last read such awful prose. If you can stomache sentences like the following -"Everyone in the reception area gasped in wonderment at the sight of the half-naked albino offering the bleeding clergyman" - then be my guest. You have been warned.
Rating:  Summary: Great Book But....... Review: This is a riveting story from the first page, or in my case, the first word. I'm listening to the CD version in my car, and have already missed a few turns down famliar roads. But the reader has the worst faux-French accent I've heard since Peter Sellers, and he assigns it to every French character in the book; male or female. If the story wasn't so compelling I'd have tossed the five disc set out the window (even though it's a rental). The fact that I will hang on every word is a tribute to Brown, who keeps getting better.
Rating:  Summary: Absolutely stunning! Review: This is a rock solid book, filled with historical facts, trivia, and information. Beautifully written, grips one from the first few pages and doesn't let go till the end! I recommend this to anyone with an open mind.
Rating:  Summary: This Code is Not Worth Deciphering! Review: This is a run of the mill novel mixing old fashioned Catholic bashing and New Age nonsense - it's a wonder so many readers are willing to park their brains to find "meaning" in so lightweight a book. In 454 pages, this book has 105 "chapters" - even the author can't string enough nonsense together to write anything more than a few paragraphs at a time to make his feminist/religious points. This "Code" is just not worth deciphering!
Rating:  Summary: Sift through the controversy for the truth Review: This is a superb supsense thriller, well told. The raving angst some readers are registering here is a typical response to books that are critical of certain religious institutions. Da Vinci Code reminds me very much of another outstanding religious suspense thriller that generated a lot of heat a few years ago, Glenn Kleier's "The Last Day." Many readers were even more upset about the controversial theme of that novel (which was equally well researched and spellbinding). To read some of the reviews for Da Vinci Code or Last Day, you would think these books threaten the very foundation of Christianity -- and perhaps they do!
Rating:  Summary: The page turner to end all page turners! Review: This is a SUPERB thriller! But let's be clear - it never intends to be fine literature, with richly developed characters. The characters of this story are merely props, to propel a FABULOUS plot. You will literally not be able to stop reading! Sure, it's a guilty pleasure, and junk food for your mind, but life's about more than diet and exercise, right?
Rating:  Summary: Pass it along Review: this is a surpisingly easy book to read in spite of it's heady material. It is very easy to get onboard w/ Brown's premise particularly if you do a little digging of your own and it is about time bibilical, art and religous history are given more than "mueseum" treatment. Pass it along to others, it is a boolk that begs to be discussed.
Rating:  Summary: Davinci Code Exceeds all expectations Review: This is a surprise reading adventure from a reader who bought this to read while my spouse read Tom Clancy's newest. Soon each of us was waiting for the other to put Davinci Code down long enough so we could sneak a peek. It is such a compelling book that we actually considered buying a second copy for a simultaneous read. It is an intellectual trip for anyone interested in religion, symbology, linguistics, and history. The historical accuracy is noteworthy. At the same time, it is a mystery writer's masterpiece. The ending actually brought a tear or two. It will remain in my permanent library if I can recover it from the family members waiting to read it.
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