Rating: 
Summary: an ok book but with three major flaws
Review: This was a good read that I had trouble putting down. However, I was disapointed by three big flaws that made the book much less enjoyable.
First is the length of the book and explanations. The forays into religious theology got preachy and repetitive as time went on. You kept finding that what was explained before was merely a lie fabricated by the enemy, but by the umpteenth explanation you ceased to care. Also, the trail of codes was way to long and had many steps that did not build the excitement or add to the plot. For example, the charachters, after working and thinking as hard as they can to unlock the codex they find only another codex inside! this shows the tone of the entire book
The second flaw may not bother some, but it did me. This is the fact that the author treats religion as a tool used by leaders to gain power, that they manipulate and rewrite as they please. You get the feeling that the author does not really believe in God, or not enough to introduce the possibility that the religious people in the world are following something real, not just the changing stories of leaders.
Finally, the information is too obscure to have any effect on most people. Many of the symbols and conections the characters use in solving crucial mysteries were completely unknown to me. I have only the author's word that they even exist, and this is a fiction book. I like mysteries if i can think and solve along with the heroes, and that just isn't possible when the mystery is built on ancient sybols of fertility goddes worship.
As a final gripe, the ending is highly implausible and unsatisfying, and the character development leaves a lot to be desired.
Rating: 
Summary: Speed Reading made Easy
Review: This was a GREAT BOOK. Once I started, I couldn't put it down until 8 hours later when I got to the last page - a little disappointed that it was over, but glad that I had gone along for the ride. Mr. Brown gets the reader into the pattern of breaking codes and by the time the main characters are opening scrolls and secrets, the reader is trying to solve the mystery along with them. I'm only sorry I started with his last book, and not his first ... I'm glad he's all ready working on another Prof.Langdon story. He took just enough facts / blended them with fiction, and created a tale that made you want to help him with his research. This was definitely a good book to read on a rainy weekend ... I look forward to reading his other novels.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent thriller
Review: This was a great, quick read. Often when I read mysteries or suspense novels, I find them to be poorly written and glaringly obvious. Often they are so outlandish that you are unable to lose yourself in the fiction of the story. Not so here. This story is fast-paced but well-crafted and well-researched.The story begins as Jacques Sauniere, the top executive of the Louvre, is murdered. Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of religious symbolity, is immediately suspected because of a note Sauniere left at the scene of his death. Sauniere's grandaughter, Sophie Nouveau, is a cryptologist with the French equivalent of the FBI,and becomes involved upon learning of the death message. The parties learn that Sauniere was actually grand master of the Priory of Scion, an ancient organization dedicated to keeping a secret about Jesus Christ that would devastate the Catholic Church and Christianity in general. Obviously, the Catholic Church is also seeking the secret kept by Sauniere--in order to destroy any evidence of it. This novel features an elaborate cat and mouse game. Sauniere's killer is pursuing Robert and Sophie. Robert and
Sopie, meanwhile, are attempting to decipher code after code left by Sauniere which will ultimately lead to the secret. Largely based on an actual alternate theory about Mary Magdalene and Jesus, I found this novel's research into Paganism and the Catholic Church to be fascinating. I am not sure how much of the novel is accurate, but prominent people throughout history have subscribed to this theory. I looked back at Leonardo Da Vinci's painting of The Last Supper after reading The Da Vinci Code. I was able to see the symbols and clues described by Dan Brown concerning Mary Magdalene and the Apostle Peter. This is an intelligent thriller. I was never bored, and couldn't wait to plow through all 450 pages. The chapters are also very short, which I find annoying in some books but added to the novel's fast pace in this case. Surely this book is detested by the Catholic Church, but the controversial nature of the story makes it all the more interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting and educational
Review: This was a heart pounding thriller that had you thinking about religion, art, and important and interesting issues. Who cares if it's not 100% accurate? You'll learn more in the 80% that is accurate than if you didn't pick it up at all. I need to read something mellow after reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fast paced and fun
Review: This was a page turner, a murder mystery with an historic plot that will keep your attention throughout. The only fault was the end seemed a little hastily written, like the author ran out of time and had to feed you a condensed version to get it to his publisher on time! I still give it 5 stars!
Rating:
Summary: Really now!!
Review: This was a page turner, until almost the end, when it all fell into the totally same old same old. The narrow escapes, the graphic sex required, the beautiful super intelligent, super achiever heroine,paired with the handsom man to assist her, the sad, ugly badguy, the narrow escapes, etc,etc,etc.The last third of the book totally fell apart! I am a devout catholic, this book in no way under- mined my faith. I love bible and religious history. Some interesting premises here. Not really worth the time to read this book, though.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun Read, Disappointing Ending
Review: This was a page turner. It was fast moving and filled with interesting facts (whether they are true facts/fiction) I really didn't know so I was able to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy. I had trouble with many things though. First off the entire story takes place almost entirely in one extremely long night. With all that happened in that night it really took me out of the story trying to accept that all that happened happened in one night. I kept waiting for the sun to come out. Albeit the events probably were more effective in a night sequence, but it was pretty unbelievable. Additionally the extremely long winded conversations between Sophie and Robert Langdon were also amazingly unrealistic considering they were on the run. Same thing when they were at Teablings house. They sat and talked like they were at a dinner party. I never felt any sense of urgency in their discussions of religion, symbols, cryptography.....Aside from that I was really hooked on the build up of this story, but in the very end I was let down. I waited for the big climax, whether they got to the grail or not, I did not feel the finish was worthy of the set up. On a whole I enjoyed this book. whether it is historically accurate or not I don't frankly care. This IS a work of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: things my monsignor never taught me
Review: this was a real shocker, a real eye opener for this girl from st paul's catholic school in butler pennsylvania --
sort of answered some questions that sister paula mary never wanted to answer when i was in first grade. mr brown, my hat is off to you - finally someone has given me the answer i've been waiting for, the "mystery" is no mystery after all!
Rating:
Summary: The Code is too Trivial
Review: This was a really disappointing book. I enjoyed "Angels and Demons", and from the first few pages this book was just too similar. It seemed like an obvious attempt to capitalize on the formula. I'm not concerned either way by the religious issues, by the way, and I'm no grail scholar. That said, the puzzles were insultingly simple. How long can it take for a cryptologist to recognize a Fibonacci series? Does anyone not know that Da Vinci was known for using mirror-image handwriting? The big puzzle at the end of the book (I won't spoil this one for you) was introduced fully 100 pages before it was solved, but as soon as the full poem was printed (after 10 pages) the answer was obvious. I spent the next 90 pages hoping that the answer would be something more clever, but it was exactly as I thought. Am I some sort of puzzle-solving genius? Not likely. I know plenty of people better at it than I am. If you haven't read "Angels and Demons" and try not to think too hard, you might like this book.
Rating:
Summary: "Everyone loves a conspiracy."
Review: This was a well put together suspense novel. (Emphasis on the word novel.) I thought I had the villain figured out and then it surprised me, which is a plus! It had quick pacing, until it hit about 40 pages of explanation of the Holy Grail theory which went slightly over the top. However, the pace picked up again for the rest of the story. Overall, a good, fun read, but I wasn't able to see what qualities have left this book up so long on amazon.com's top 10 books sold list. Take it with a grain of salt (after all, it doesn't have a bibliography) and enjoy it for the puzzle-solving and chase elements.
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