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Summary: Pretty darned good story...
Review: Dan Brown's suspenseful tale of the search for the Holy Grail is what good fiction should be: intriguing, entertaining, and most of all, thought-provoking. Robert Langdon is a symbologist whose life's work is the study of feminine symbology. When Jacques Sauniere, the head curator of the Louvre, is murdered and Langdon's name is left in his final words, Langdon is dragged into a web of mysterious secret societies and obscure religious orders, all while being chased by police and those who killed Sauniere. His quest begins simply to prove his innocence, but rapidly evolves into the ultimate quest--the quest for the Holy Grail. Along the way, Langdon reveals hidden meanings in paintings and art spanning two millenia, all while racing to save the secret of the Grail and his own life. Taken at face value, this book is quite simply entertaining. Brown obviously did a lot of research, and presents some interesting ideas. To his credit (or perhaps to his discredit), he sneaks a couple of disclaimers into the dialogue text in an effort to be pragmatic and to lessen the impact of the some of his assertions. But the fact remains that the book is a work of fiction, and should be taken as such; looking for fact in a fictional work is an exercise in futility. As an author, Brown has license to twist reality, and whether or how much he did so is irrelevant. In my opinion, he did it well and in a very entertaining manner. The fact that so many people are talking about it is proof enough of this. The only problem that I have with this book is that the characters were all a little to clean; they were simple, with very little complexity. Brown also falls into the typical mystery author trap, where characters are endowed with magical cognizant powers. This book, as a work of fiction, is entertaining. It never failed to keep my attention, and was fairly stimulating from the first page to the last. Aside from the somewhat bland characters, I can't complain. This is a good, solid, entertaining book.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific, Smart Thriller
Review: Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is an excellent, compelling, intelligent thriller, one that grabs you from the first page, one that you won't be able to put down. Robert Langdon is called in for questioning regarding a violent murder at the Lourvre one night. The clues left by the victim, the museum's curator send Langdon and the victim's granddaughter, Sophie, on a quest to solve both the murder and the story behind the clues the curator has left. The story is smart and well-paced and it will keep you guessing. An excellent, thrilling read. Enjoy.
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Summary: unlike any other conspiracy theory book...
Review: Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code takes readers to factual places and exposes him to the art world. For someone who has very limited knowledge of the art world like me, Brown's clever story about Robert Langdon, as he searched for the legendary Holy Grail, will keep readers glued to their seats. His mastery of the written word, the suspenseful ambiance, the unexpected and surprising twists are elements that great thriller movies are made of! The novel, whether there are many inaccuracies and fallacies as some claim, is a gem in itself. It has all the right elements that make reading an enjoyable hobby. The Da Vinci Code is unlike the typical conspiracy theories novel in the market today. There are no sophisticated gadgets or technology nor aliens that want to wreak havoc on earth. It is about the most famous basis of all conspiracy theories, the motherlode of all--the Catholic Church. Whether or not you are a devout Catholic, readers must see this novel as what it is--an enjoyable and gripping novel. I simply can't wait for the movie version!
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Summary: .....from Oprah to the beach, skipping the seminary
Review: Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code is an entertaining page-turner that deserves its blip on the pop culture radar screen . The novel's atmospheric foci on either side of the Channel, starting in the cultural heart of Paris, the Louvre, and moving to London's Westminster Cathedral, are so well portrayed that even the ancient scents of both iconic places seem to rise from the pages. In this regard, Brown's book has that added content layering of a quality tour replete with historical and cultural tidbits imbedded along the way. The most innovative inclusion in this particular narrative is Brown's use of GPS locaters, broadband connectivity, and cell phones - all of which, when one thinks of it, would have undone many of the great mysteries of our lives, both real and fictional. As for the overwrought defenders of the orthodox church, they must be reminded that this is, after all, a work of fiction, a mystery. Period. Overall, a thoughtful and instructive adventure, a three-word combo rarely appearing together.
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Summary: Astounding piece of Literature
Review: Dan Brown's The Davinci Code is one of the finest books I've read in a while. Completely enthralling, I found it impossible to put the book down. Twists and turns a plenty are found in this historical treasure hunt. Completely turned my opinion of the Bible and the Catholic Church upside down. A fascinating read that anyone would enjoy. A virtual must read.
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Summary: An intelligent and coherent thriller
Review: Dan Brown's writing is grabbing, intruding, and entertaining to the end of this book. I definitely plan on buying copies of this book as gifts for friends and family. The Da Vinci Code is an intelligent and coherent thriller.
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Summary: Disgustingly overrated
Review: Dan Brown's _The Da Vinci Code_ is essentially the Hershey's of brain candy: tastes sort of like the real thing, but is filled with a disturbing quantity of rat turds. In essence, this is Umberto Eco's _Foucault's Pendulum_ for stupid people. If you thought Eco's book was too hard, and couldn't keep track of the references, and you didn't really get that the point was that maniacs will make connections between any two objects no matter how distant, and didn't understand that all the mad theories _are_ mad distortions of whatever historical data present themselves, then this book is for you. Want to believe a load of old cobblers about the Holy Grail and goddesses? Found _Holy Blood, Holy Grail_ a little too taxing and academic for you? This is this book you should read. Don't worry, it won't be all that challenging, even for you, and anything that's too hard will be explained within two pages, so if you get stuck, there's always a crib sheet provided. For the rest of us, that great punk album title had it best: Never mind the bollocks, here are the Sex Pistols. And this book could indeed use a little Sid Vicious.
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Summary: Modern day quest for the Holy Grail
Review: Dan Brown's, The Da Vinci Code is an intruiging and enlightening atypical adventure thriller with strong religious overtones. Jacques Sauniere, curator of the Louvre had been found murdered within a locked room in the museum. We learn that he has fallen victim to an albino monk called Silas working for the Opus Dei. The Opus Dei (translates to God's Work) is a radical branch of the Catholic church that has been given blessing by the Vatican. Opus Dei is headed by Bishop Manuel Aringanosa, Silas' mentor. Sauniere had a meeting scheduled with Robert Langdon, an esteemed Harvard University professor of religious symbology. Langdon becomes the prime suspect of Captain Bezu Fache, head of the Direction Centrale Police Judiciaire (French FBI), in Sauniere's murder. The learned Langdon suspects that Sauniere is the top man in the Priory of Sion, an ancient secret society and an offshoot of the Knights Templar entrusted with the keeping of the secrets of the Holy Grail. As top man, Sauniere would be one of four men entrusted with the secret of the whereabouts of the Holy Grail. Unfortunately the other three bearers of this precious secret have also been murdered on this night. Before his death Sauniere a talented cryptologist and expert of goddesses in religion left a series of clues to pass down the Priory secrets before they might be lost forever. He used Leonardo da Vinci references and even wrote a secret code on the Mona Lisa itself. The cryptology department of the Judicial Police was sent in to decipher these codes and clues. Amazingly the chief cryptologist on the case was Sophie Neveu, the granddaughter of Sauniere. Langdon and Neveu get thrown together as a team, as Sauniere planned, to unravel the many clues that would lead them to this carefully guarded secret. The path leads them to a series of mind boggling discoveries which leave both the book's characters and the reader flabbergasted. The Da Vinci Code was expertly written and compelled me to pursue additional research on te subject matter. I'm still finding it hard to separate what is fact and fiction in Browns thoroughly engrossing novel.
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Summary: The Satisfaction Code: Reader Enjoyment
Review: Dan Brown's, The Da Vinci Code, is great fun, a real page turner and, in the course being entertaining it stimulates the reader to investigate a number of subjects that he might never have considered. Lighten-up, all of you literary critics, Dan Brown isn't Tolstoy, Proust, or Dickens; and I don't think he intends to be. Compare him with Ludlum, Cussler, or maybe better yet, Irving Wallace; remember The Word?
So have fun, spend a week-end curled up with this book, and if it stimulates your interest in Leonardo, Templar Knights, or the Holy Grail so be it. If Harry Potter, can get kids to read again, maybe Da Vinci can do the same for adults.
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Summary: The DaVinci Code
Review: Dan Brown, a writer of many great thrillers has recently published The DaVinci Code. At first, when I saw The DaVinci Code and read its summary, I thought I would be ready for it because after all, Angels and Demons, which is another book by Dan Brown, is extremely gruesome. However, even reading Angels and Demons did not prepare myself for this. Although The DaVinci Code is not as gory as Angels and Demons, the psychological views it gives on Christianity is still rather shocking.
In The DaVinci Code, there were many things that I learned about which I had never heard before. For example, Dan Brown talks about the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei, which are real ancient societies with different, but strong beliefs. Reading The DaVinci Code has taught me more about history and ancient ¡§gangs¡¨. Not only is it an extremely intriguing book, it is also a great learning experience. The DaVinci Code is also a great book on the debate in Christianity. The ¡§evidence¡¨ that Dan Brown says against Christianity is so strong that at times, I found myself believing what Dan Brown was saying. In addition, Brown also brings a new light to the rarely discussed side of Christianity, which is rather interesting because as a reader, we can read about Brown¡¦s opinions on Christianity. However, for devout Christians, The DaVinci Code may be a bit derogative to the Christian religion. As a result, even though this book by Brown is enlightening, it may not be appropriate for everyone to read.
Out of all the latest books I¡¦ve read, I must admit that Dan Brown¡¦s The DaVinci Code is the most interesting and illuminating book. Not only does its reader learn about history of the world and of Christianity, it is also a fascinating suspense novel which keeps its readers on the tips of their toes all the way throughout the book. In conclusion, I believe that Brown¡¦s The DaVinci Code is without a doubt a book worth reading and not only does its readers gain knowledge through the book, they also gain new insight on different beliefs.
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