Rating:  Summary: Shocking and Suspenseful Review: Wow, I could not put this book down. It grabbed me right from the beginning. Although the storyline is controversial, I was not averse to hearing a new angle on the Holy Grail and the secret Da Vinci society. It's a shocking supposition about Christianity that has many people up in arms, especially after the "20/20" segment that recently aired regarding this book. Nevertheless, this is America - where you are free to speak, read, or write any story you want. True or not, this book is an exciting and suspenseful read. You don't have to believe in it to become absorbed by it. And you will. Enjoy!
Rating:  Summary: Wow Review: Wow, i just finished this book and i thought it was one of the best books i have ever red. Usually i am not one to read these kinds of books but my dad red it and loved it so i thought that i would see what it was all about. I couldn't put it down. It was just so compelling. It was as if it kept whispering to me to keep reading (I'M NOT KIDDIND)some of the things i did find a little far fetched but i thought that that just added to the fun. Over all, i thought i was SOOO good that i would recomend it to almost anyone!!
Rating:  Summary: Come on say it with me....FICTION Review: wow, talk about a morass of mediocre reviews(this included) in what way is an albino monk assassin stereotypical?, technically he's the opposite of stereotypical. Regarding the religious validity of this text, let's talk bible post Congress of Nice, where are the Book of Jasher and the texts for the other 9 books that are missing, where's the validity? But I divulge, I'm the furthest thing from a theologian in the world, believer even. But I am a writer, and I notice the severe dichotomy between the way we view fiction. Stephen King isn't blasted when he writes about vampires, ghosts or aliens; yet we seem to attack Mr. Brown for using fiction that is eerily close to the truth. Whereas King's topics are obviously fiction, Brown's tend to touch very close to an apparently fragile reality. Remember the book is FICTION...FICTION...not satire...not psuedo history...not even an attempt at validity...pure fiction...so settle down and read a good book...or stick to 'Inspirational Fiction'...you know the kind that says that married couples stay happy forever, don't lose their love, and are united by their 'faith'...and stay out of the mainstream
Rating:  Summary: Almost didn't finish it. Review: Wow, that was painful. This book had such high aclaim, I felt obligated to finish it, assuming that it would eventally get better. I admit the beginning of this novel was intriguing, but there was just too many details about the Bible and the lost pages. After having to read Brown repeat himself about the keystone over and over, I felt like I was going through a slow death. The reason why I gave three stars was for the character development. I enjoyed the individual characters (with the exception of Sophie--who was flat) and their independent personalities.
Rating:  Summary: A great thriller in the historical fiction genre. Review: Wow, this book has a range of reviews! I guess that is to be expected given the subject matter of the book. I am starting to think that the topics of religion and politics just should not be discussed amongst friends. I think most people are just too thin-skinned, self-important, immature and closed-minded to discuss either of these topics rationally. I will break it down to simple terms. If you are a fan of books in the 'historical fiction' genre (as I am), then you will love this book. If you are an ultra-conservative, bible-thumping zealot then maybe you should just buy another cook book. Read the reviews, even many of the book's detractors admit it is well researched and that the plot is quite suspenseful. This book appeals to me. I am not particularly pious, but I love much of the Renaissance artwork, perhaps even more so for its, often, very religous themes. So, this book appeals to me in many ways. If you have enjoyed books by Robert Ludlum, Ken Follet or Greg Iles, then I think you will enjoy this book as well.
Rating:  Summary: A must read for all open minded individuals Review: WOW, this has to be the best Novel that I have ever picked up. It has a great story yes and it has taken me on a journey through history with an introduction to facts that has challenged a lot of the things that I have been taught growing up. I could not put this book down and eventually when i did put the book down I found myself picking it up again. This novel is more than a suspense thriller, its a history novel told aboard a very intriguing story....its a must read
Rating:  Summary: The Da Vinci Code Review: Wow, what a book. I could not put it down and had to stay up until well past midnight to finish it! Not only was it a great story, it was very thought provoking for me, too. Although I am sure many of the "facts" were fiction, I really started to think about the role of women in religion and the concept of reconnecting with the feminine power within each of us.It will take me a while to buy another of his books as I need a rest. I was exhausted at the end from so much reading in such a short period of time!
Rating:  Summary: A detective story for the TV viewer mentality Review: Written with a screen-writer's sensitivity for pacing and disregard for the audience's intelligence, this book attempts to be a page turner - but keeps putting speed bumps in the way. A nice opening set of chapters, where a wee-hours murder in a museum gets all the main players introduced, and two mysterious secret societies revealed. Then the author's shallow understanding of Christian and pagan symbolism start getting ini the way. Or was his use of Robert Bly or Anthony Campbell as "research?" He wishes to pit "ancient goddess worship" against Christian history. Then he tosses in lines about "Isis, Wicca, Venus, and other ancient traditions..." Wicca was invented within our lifetimes (lifted whole cloth from Aleister Crowley), not withstanding the popular and uncritical acceptance of this hoax by popular culture.) The author has the "scholar" discussing the "perfect" pentagon that the planet Venus is supposed to draw in the sky every four years. The church stamped this knowledge out, too? I found myself wanting to toss this book across the room every chapter or two, for the silly "historical" notions that are introduced as fact. One could almost hear the author's thinking, "People don't know about this stuff, let's leave it in!" Just the way TV directors might leave in scenes with telephone wires in the background during a Western. "People won't notice, it is only on screen for 5 seconds, and everyone is half-asleep anyway. It's only TV." Not recommended.
Rating:  Summary: A riveting, intelligent thriller Review: Written with both intelligence and breathless pacing, THE DA VINCI CODE is the perfect thriller. The curator of the Louvre, Jacques Saunière, is attacked late at night in the deserted museum. Left to die with a wound he knows will be fatal, he fears his ancient secret will perish with him and so desperately struggles in his last minutes to construct a series of cryptic messages, all designed to reveal the location of the truth. The bizarre murder scene orchestrated by Saunière seems to implicate Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who happens to be in Paris for a conference. When, unaware that he is a suspect, Langdon is brought to the crime scene by police captain Bezu Fache, he meets Sophie Neveu, the cryptologist on the scene. Together, Langdon and Neveu work frantically against time and personal safety to uncover Saunière's hidden life. All clues point to the existence of a clandestine and powerful group, the Priory of Sion, and as the two track down and solve the clues, both historical and present-day, the shocking truth gradually begins to emerge. THE DA VINCI CODE, with its plot revolving around a secret religious society, has echoes (pardon the pun!) of Umberto Eco's FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM, although Dan Brown's novel is less dense and more easily read. Brown's research into alternative Christian history may startle some people, perhaps even offend them, but the premise makes for an original thriller, one which isn't about terrorism or failed diplomacy or common murder. I found the author's head-on acknowledgement of current technology refreshing for the genre. For example, when characters use a cell phone or travel in a stolen vehicle or use a credit card, there are realistic implications that many thriller authors might have conveniently ignored. As odd as it sounds, these details make THE DA VINCI CODE the bestseller it is; it embraces the modern world in the race to discover a historical treasure. Almost every plot twist is both logical and surprising. Even those elements that can be easily foreseen end up with plot complications that enrich them, thus making this book a satisfying read. Though the ending is not as strong as the rest, this book will give readers much to consider after they have finished reading it. THE DA VINCI CODE delivers everything a reader would want in a thriller - and more. Perfect for vacation or weekend reading, this 454 page novel will keep readers entertained from start to finish. I highly recommend this book for a general readership, excepting those offended by an unorthodox look at Christianity. As thrillers go, THE DA VINCI CODE is one of the best.
Rating:  Summary: AN INSULT TO INTELLIGENCE Review: Yeah I read "The DaVinci Code" Wanted to know what all the fuss was about. No question it IS a page turner. You will finish it quickly. I also read fairy tales quickly when I was a kid. The story is a fantasy. In fact the entire "wild goose chase" in the book takes place in France and England, through the Louvre, hyper secure Swiss banks, french countrysides, English airports, the Westminster Abbey, you name it -- all -- in less than 24 hours. Go figure. Paleese! Look I'm not shocked or insulted over the religious "revelations" but give me a break...make the darn story feasible! A total waste of time. Save your money.
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