Rating: 
Summary: What's the fuss about?
Review: When I saw that this book had made the cover of Newsweek (and what the attending stories were about), I was a little intrigued. When I saw that it had been on the bestseller list for so long, I decided it was worth a look. Well, I read the whole thing, and I have to agree with the other reviewer who found the purple prose simply awful. The ideas about the Holy Grail were interesting but the story did an awful job of carrying the information. Nicely researched, but this guy could have used a co-writer or a literate editor/reader. On the other hand, it was a (formulaic) page turner, and I can see it making a pretty easy transition to the movies -- probably what the author had at the back of his mind. I'll recommend my friends wait for the video. So if beach reading is what you're picking this book up for, go to town. You could easily do worse. If you're looking for a great presentation of a scholarly idea, I'd suggest looking the Holy Grail or Mary Magdalene up in the non-fiction section of the library. You'll probably get as interesting a read and certainly more brain food.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Mystery Thriller
Review: When I saw the back cover blurb by one of my favorite authors, Nelson DeMille, I had hoped I was in for a good read. I wasn't let down, this read kept me up late turning page after page, waiting for conclusions to problems and answers to secrets. It takes a huge amount of skill, research and patience to make a book of this scope come together, to be concluded well and not leave stings untied. This is indeed a mystery/thriller that is highly recommended and I must mention I had my doubts when I saw that it was selling so well. The controversial portions of this book are good reading too, and shouldn't be taken necessarily as fact, or even supposed fact, this isn't a scholarly thesis, it's a work of fiction. Before the book starts, Brown notes that "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." This is good to know and makes the reading honest, however it is important to note he doesn't make the claim that all hypothesis and conclusions are fact, that would have been presumptuous on his part and he doesn't go that far. It is also fair to say that the fictional characters actually believe what they say they believe, and this can only be controversial if we suppose that some of the fictional statements are meant to be put forward as fact, especially conclusions that suppose the New Testament is itself mostly fictional. To what degree Brown believes or doesn't believe some of the conclusions reached by the characters about the nature of Christ and what secrets the Church has hidden over the years does not detract from the brilliance of this work, and I wouldn't recommend passing this over merely because of some of the controversy, however, be forewarned, some of the statements and conclusions drawn by the characters are indeed inflammatory and quite possibly offensive to some. I am not offended reading challenges to my belief's and I love mysteries, history, hidden meanings, and especially I love women so I found this work highly enjoyable and again recommend it highly to any that love well written mysteries especially those that have an historical backdrop.
Rating:
Summary: Addictive And Good For You
Review: When I tell my friends about this book I tell them it is like "Crack"...You can't get enough of it, and never want it to end. I went nuts for this book. It appeals to my interest in religious studies and history, but mostly it appeals to my escapist desire for an excellent mystery/thriller.
I've given three copies to friends in the last month. When ever I find out someone is a reader, I ask "have you read The DaVinci Code?" I'm gushing...hope you like it as much as I do.
Rating:
Summary: The Da Vinci Code
Review: When Jacques Sauniere, the elderly curator of the Louvre museum in Paris, is mysteriously murdered, he leaves a chain of clues, in the last minutes of his life, that lead to one of the most important historical secrets. These clues bring the curator's granddaughter, Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist who is staying in Paris at the time, together. As they follow the clues, they discover that Jacques Sauniere was part of a secret society called the Priory of Sion, whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Leonardo Da Vinci, among others. As the two race through Europe they find secrets and symbols hidden in the works of Da Vinci and in famous churches. What Langdon and Sophie don't know is that the clues which the late curator left behind lead to two different secrets that are connected by one pinpoint.
In this novel about history, deception, conspiracy, secrets, and puzzles, there is nothing not to like. By the first paragraph of the book you are riveted, and can hardly put it down before you are done. Dan Brown's writing style is terrific, you read from a variety of different characters' points of views. With Dan Brown constantly switching the novel from the point of view of one character to another it makes you want to keep reading. The characters are brilliant, none of them are perfect, and they all have faults. Dan Brown develops a ripe, full personality and voice for every character. The story is so believable that you might actually find your self wanting to go on a trek looking for the Holy Grail. The author is excellent at making you believe one thing and then changing it. For example, who the Teacher really is. Beware it will surprise you but once you figure it out it will seem perfectly reasonable. All the puzzles and secrets keep you hooked and trying to figure them out for yourself. The only thing that the author should do to the book is put pictures of the art and buildings that are mentioned, in the back.
There is not one place in the Da Vinci Code that you will become bored and want to stop reading. I recommend it to any one who is looking for a brilliant book to read, for it will appeal to all age levels and will keep you wanting to turn the page even when you know you have to put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing and Prosaic at Best
Review: When my AP English teacher recommended this book to me, she reminded me that it was not literature level material, but nonetheless, good. There are plenty of books that aren't at the level, but astounding, i.e. The Virgin Suicides, Requiem for a Dream. The first few chapters were tolerable, but it soon worsened after that. The writing is at an eighth grade level to speak purely in semantics, the book is terribly researched (i.e. the feminist argument: First of all, Europe was always a man's world, pre-Christianity. The Greco-Roman societies were perhaps the most male-oriented. Second, certain members of the Inquisition, such as Queen Isabella of Spain, were women. Third, it is right brain thought that is considered irrational, and left was associated with evil long before Christianity. Fourth, there were never female Jewish religious leaders, not because of Christianity. There's much more). The author spends half his time explaining little phrases in French that anyone with an elementary education in the language, or anyone cultured, would understand. (Deranger, anyone?) This occurence is not alone, as he proceeds to explain the Fibonacci sequence, the fact that Da Vinci wrote backwards (I learned this in second grade from a National Geographic World magazine cartoon), the size of the Mona Lisa, and the controversey of the Louvre pyramid. I cannot believe that anyone who bothers to read anything is so lacking in a common knowledge of culture that these things must be thoroughly iterated for them. The plot is weak, the ending is easily predicted and cliched. The only redeeming quality is its hooks at the end of each chapter...those were successfully executed, but that was all. This was a very disappointing book.
Rating: 
Summary: Indiana Jones for nerds
Review: When my daughter asked me what this book was like, I thought "Indiana Jones for nerds" was an apt description. The main character is even described as looking like Harrison Ford. Regardless, this is a fast paced story, helped along by short chapters. There are some really eye opening historical facts discussed in this novel, so much that I want to read more on this subject. So, in summary, the story itself is great, but I felt the writing style of the author was a little melodramatic. If you can get past that "over the top" style, you will enjoy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Trick to Reading Speculative History Fiction Books
Review: When reading this book one should always keep in mind that this genre of book is going to be frought with peril from a writing standpoint. Let's get to the point here. Mr. Brown clearly has a love for this topic. He has spent LOTS of time and energy seeking out knowledge about this. This book is a vehicle for him to express his ideas, concepts and theories in fiction form. True, the writing is contrived and clumsy. Also, his techniques for ramping up the drama and suspense are not very compelling. In addition, I would agree with several other reviewers that most of the dialogue sounds like a lecture series. Okay, the book has obvious weaknesses in terms of form and construction. That being said, Mr. Brown is giving us the fruits of his labors with regard to his research. That's what I love about speculative history fiction novels. The writer gives the reader a lifetime of investigation on a subject wrapped around some kind of half-way decent plotline. One learns a lot about something interesting without having to invest tons of time sifting through materials that may or may not shed any more light on the subject at hand. Oftentimes, these books introduce the reader to something facinating that the reader didn't even know existed before. I get the feeling that this is one of those books. Definitely, read this book and enjoy the exposition of Brown's theories. Hopefully, it will spur you on to look into this strange topic more closely on your own. Read, ponder, decide for youself.
Rating:
Summary: Good at first then....
Review: When the book begins, it definitely hooks you in with its creative storyline, promises of secrets, conspiracy theories, etc.; however once the main characters leave Paris, the story becomes absurd. As many other reviewers have said, the dialogue is horrible and ineloquent, the chapters are left with "cliffhangers" that are honestly really lame, and the lead character seems to know EVERYTHING. I mean, can he be stumped for more than 5 seconds? It gets so ridiculous. I'm not going to reveal the ending, but the longer the book progresses, the worse it gets. If you want a quick read with no pre-requisite for thinking, borrow it from the library.
Rating:
Summary: Completely engrossing!
Review: When was the last time you read a thriller that made you compulsively want to discuss it with friends, neighbors, other people in a restaurant?
Using a fairly standard thriller genre, Dan Brown packs it so full of fascinating scientific, historical, and art facts that you will constantly be hitting google to look for more information.
As in: I've got to see a print of The Last Supper immediately! What kind of airplane is that? I've got to find out more about the Priory of Sion right now! Where's a map of the Louvre?
The reader is given a chance to solve the puzzles before the answers are revealed, and the plot line is so compressed (the whole book takes place in under 24 hours) that you never get bogged down. Great for thriller fans or art fans or religous conspirators!
Rating:
Summary: Not Very Clever
Review: When you are used to reading material by Frederick Fosythe or Tom Clancy, this was really a sophomoric book by comparison. Yeah, the research was there, but I figured out most of the clues before they were revealed.
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