Rating: 
Summary: Gripping Page-Turner
Review: Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" is a gripping page-turner. It has the same pace as TV's "24" - a sleuth needs to solve an impossible puzzle in 24 hours.A museum curator is murdered, but in death leaves clues to a century-old secret. A Harvard expert on religious symbolism and a French detective chase the clues through murder and mayhem. Around each bend we meet multi-dimensional characters - a few on the border of genius and madness. The plot is creative, yet unpredictable. In addition to enjoyment, the reader gets and education in religious history and symbolism - although quite a bit comes from the author's rich imagination. The language is realistic. The speed is spell-binding. It is a great read and I am exploring Brown's last novel. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: The plot saved this novel
Review: Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" has been claimed as a masterpiece. "Da Vinci's" plot adds credibility to this hailing, however the writing style does not. Brown's plot is incredible. The symbology is amazing and the descriptions of architecture and art are impeccable. The connections made throughout the book are mind-numbing and thought-provoking, including pagan symbology with Christian history. Unfortunately, Dan Brown's character development is flawed. The characters do not have much depth, feeling too flat and inhuman. The most believable characteris the man who dies in the beginning of the book. Here, Brown's use of plot twists and puzzles comes to life, lending credibility to the character who left clues while expecting his death. Another shortcoming is in the suspense. Brown creates it rather than letting it flow from the plot, writing passages such as "the five words he would say would make her mouth drop." It would be desirable to let the suspense come naturally rather than trying to create hooks and cliffhangers. In all, the book is worth reading, and the ideology behind the plotline is stunning. Though it might offend some, the rationale and research behind the ideas presented in novel form is worth looking at. The connections of history and symbology are worth understanding even to the most unbelieving individual. It is only Brown's character development and artificial suspense that lowers "The Da Vinci Code" to three stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Fact filled and interesting, but dry writing style
Review: Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" is a must-read; anyone interested in mythology, history, and art, as well as thriller novels will not be disappointed. But I'm not going to rant about how wonderful it was, since you can read what others have written around this to get that---just bear in mind the writing isn't anything original, as far as format and style goes-it's very predictable and cookie-cutter.
Rating:
Summary: Separate The Wheat From The Chaff
Review: Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" is more than your ordinary good fictional novel because it is controversially unusual. If you keep in mind that it is fiction interwoven with religious and historical information, you won't be disappointed. Like a previous reviewer suggested, I "separated the wheat from the chaff" and found it to be wonderfully educational and entertaining. I also took a previous reviewer's recommendation who said, if you were drawn to read Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code", you should also read Norman Thomas Remick's "West Point: Thomas Jefferson..." which is also controversially unusual, but "separates the wheat from the chaff" for us, giving us, like Dan Brown's book, both education and enjoyment. Had that been done with "The Da Vinci Code", there would not have been so many disappointing reviews. But, I think the basis of those reviews is simply starting the book with great expectations.
Rating:
Summary: Here's a clue: It's Fiction, folks!
Review: Dan Brown's 'The DaVinci Code' has been atop the bestseller list for 40 some weeks. The 'fiction' list. And the surest way to reach the top of the bestseller lists is to write for the lowest common denominator (in the sports world read: NASCAR) which in this case means - the mystery hound. The DaVinci Code's appeal is that it is Grisham, Turow, or even JK Rowling, yet with a religious twist. Every chapter ends with a pointed gun. Come to think of it, isn't this how Frank and Joe Hardy move through life? Solve one riddle, and up pops another. Everything is life-threatening, world-ending, but avoided by sheer pluck of the hero and heroine. Turn the page, please. The hook is set on the frontispiece, "Fact:" We're in for a duel between the Priory of Sion - a secret society founded in medieval Europe (presumably still alive even in suburban Long Island according to the recent 'Eyes Wide Shut' movie), and the countervailing forces of Opus Dei, a devout Catholic sect to whom the Vatican is beholden. Immediately, on page one, a murder takes place under the watchful eyes of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. So, right away we know we are going to learn more about art and architecture in the next 450 pages than we do about the columns of Mississippi courthouses in a John Grisham novel. The plot is all go-go, and we're off quickly on a goosechase through Europe, ('mais Versailles, ce n'est pas nord-ouest du Paris, je pense, Monsieur Brun') replete with art, history, symbology and architectural lessons that qualify readers for a minor in liberal arts by book's end. Papal conspiracies, self-flagilating monks, the obligatory sex ceremonies, hidden gospels, unbreakable ciphers...all the trappings of a first-rate page turner. You have to read it, just to be current, and to fend off all the loonies on either side who scream 'Heresey!' or 'Truth!' I borrowed my copy from the library, but getting your paperback investment sandy at the beach this summer will be well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Good read...
Review: Dan Brown's book includes a good deal of information about a world that has been hidden in plain sight for a very long time. To a greater or lesser extent depending on the denomination, Christian religious practices include many pagan rites and rituals. The most obvious center on pagan holidays such as Samhain (Halloween = hallowed eve of All Saints Day) or the example in Brown's book that involves the rites of spring. Those with art history and/or comparative religion backgrounds will be familiar with most of the 'occult' information Brown shares (if you can find it in books I guess it isn't too well hidden). However, it is important to keep in mind that Brown's tale is a work of fiction, and as such, the comments and thoughts of the protagonist (Robert) and other characters may or may not be accurate. For example, the purported millions of people burned at the stake for "witchcraft" is exaggerated as are the assertions that they were all women and the Roman Catholic church was responsible for all the deaths. Research conducted in the 1990s shows: 1) The numbers of "witches" burned at the stake was much lower than previously thought; 2) Many of those executed for "witchcraft" met their fate in Germany, Denmark, and Scotland (nominally Protestant countries at the time of the witch burnings); and most of those executed were not killed by church or secular authorities, but by apparently hysterical illiterate villagers who were both Catholic and Protestant (i.e. Salem in the New World). Perhaps as a result, Italy-a nominally Catholic country-is purported to be the home of the "evil eye" and many modern witches. (Raven Grimassi, a hereditary Italian witch, has written extensively on this topic). Fiction versus non-fiction aside, my one irritation with Brown's storytelling is that he pulls his punches in the denouement-probably because the editors wanted to increase book sales. I can't say more without giving away the plot-but this book is not THE NAME OF THE ROSE. While I admit to reading the book non-stop, I wasn't "scared" after the first few pages. I read on because I found Brown's weaving of occult information, art history, pagan lore, technology, Templars, Masons, and Paris fascinating. I have a personal interest in the machinations of Rome and the Knights Templar. My grandfather was a very high ranking Mason (as have been most of the male members of my mother's family) and my grandmother was a member of the Eastern Star (as have been most of the female members of my mother's family). On the other hand, I was raised Roman Catholic because my father was RC (and a Knight of Columbus). To say I absorbed a good deal of conflicting information during my growing up years is an understatement. I could really identify with Sophia.
Rating:
Summary: Inspired me to create my own code
Review: Dan Brown's book is really great. So many reviews have been done that I will not repeat the same thing again. Just think that it motivated me to create a small game inspired by the book. If you read it well you can solve the code easily...or not. Check it ... and tell me if it's a tough one :)
Thanks and enjoy the book!
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: Dan Brown's books are interesting on many fronts. I like the way he weaves facts and history into a decent plot. While I do not rate this book as highly as "Angels and Demons" it is still very good and a worthwhile read. My main problem with "The DaVinci Code" is that the outcome is very predictable given that the author would not have the book's characters actually find the Ark. Some Catholics schooled by nuns will be shocked and upset by the truth about Mary Magdalene. The truth hurts.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Piece of Fiction
Review: Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code is a nice mystery story that has been read by many. Although many of his "clues" were a bit too obvious for me, it always helps the reader to know a little more than the characters within the story. Brown is effective in his writing style with simultaneous streams of action, moving from one story line to another, finally drawing all the story lines together in a "surprise" ending. But, he obviously wanted to do more... The premise of Da Vinci Code is related to the current trend in New Testament study of examining other "stories" of Jesus led by Elaine Pagels and Bart Ehrman. Non-canonical Gospels (extra-biblical stories of Jesus) are moving to the forefront of biblical studies. Sure, there are lots of stories of Jesus besides those that exist in the New Testament canon, but what is one to do with them. It appears that Brown would have us take the non-biblical traditions of a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene and their resulting children as "the" story of Jesus. While this is disturbing to many orthodox Christians (as evidenced by the reviews by the defensive, distressed found here), Brown doesn't succeed in overthrowing traditional Christianity. Da Vinci Code argues that the four New Testament Gospels were selected by a group within Christianity that chose to ignore or omit other writings about Jesus and early Christianity. This is true. The mere fact that there were other gospels at the time that the New Testament canon does not elevate the value of those non-selected gospels over Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Those who selected the New Testament canon appear to have some criteria besides establishing themselves as the power brokers in the Christian church. At least one criterion was use by Christians and Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John appear to surpass other gospels in this regard. Brown would have his reader toss the New Testament in favor of a god-goddess, male-female religion similar to Greco-Roman religions of the first century C.E. His argument seems to be, the church rejected the Mary Magdalene story and a "sexy" Christianity, but not everyone did. Since some continued to practice a fertility Christianity, it must have been the true story of Jesus and those in the New Testament canon were wrong. Unfortunately, for Brown, the best argument he can make is that a gospel of Mary Magdalene should have a credibility equal to the New Testament gospels. He does not develop a case for the outright rejection of the New Testament story. Still, Da Vinci Code is a good read and relates well to what will perhaps be the key topic in biblical studies and theology for the next few years.
Rating:
Summary: History +Mystery+Suspense= A Great Novel
Review: Dan Brown's fast-paced novel has all the thrills of a roller coaster packed into one book. It combines mystery, suspense, and history into one interesting literary work. Unlike ordinary, whodunit mysteries, The Da Vinci code gives historical information about Da Vinci, symbolism, and Christianity, while at the same time forming a complex plot. The novel makes the reader alert because of its numerous intriguing details. It tells the story of Robert Langdon, a Harvard profesor of symbolism, and Sophie Neveu, a police agent, who are chosen to solve a murder mystery and find the Holy Grail. Sophie's grandfather is murdered in a museum and he leaves behind complex clues for Sophie and Langdon to find the Holy Grail. Many plot twists occur, including secret societies, shocking religious information, and details about Sophie's family. If you want a unique mystery novel filled with surprises, then Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is a perfect choice.
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