Rating: 
Summary: An Intelligent Thriller
Review: Dan Brown has produced a thriller that not only is a page-turner, but also covers a wide range of subjects as its protagonists fight an ancient enemy through the monuments of Rome. From nuclear physics through Renaissance art, the reader is swept along a path that will lead to a reluctance to turn out the light and go to bed, as the twists and turns of the plot force another page to be turned, and then another. Dan Brown's gift is to make it all connect in a plot that reads as if it came right from tomorrow's headlines. Dark and light, good and evil, religion and science all wind through Angels and Demons in unexpected patterns. A warning--you'll find it hard to put down and even harder to forget.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome thriller
Review: To fight the Catholic Church's inaccurate teachings, the most enlightened thinkers of sixteenth century Rome formed a fraternal organization The Illuminati. Their aim was to spread scientific information to the masses, but the Church condemned them as heretics and wanted them destroyed. The group was forced into hiding but promised to reveal themselves when they held the power to demolish their foe the Church.The Pope just died and the Cardinals are meeting in the Vatican to elect his replacement. The Church's security force, the Swiss Guard, notices a strange canister being broadcast by a video camera located somewhere in Vatican City. Maximillan Kohl of the CERN think tank in Geneva realizes that somebody has stolen the institute's supply of anti-matter, a weapon of mass destruction. Director Kohl sends symbiologist Robert Langdon and scientist Vittoria Vertra to Rome to assist the Church in the hunt for the deadly container that is set to blow up at midnight. The force of the explosion will destroy Vatican City and much of Rome. Robert and Vittoria race against time to find and defuse a doomsday machine before it savages a powerful organization and kills many innocents. Dan Brown, author of the critically acclaimed DIGITAL FORTRESS, has created another frantic paced, pulse pounding thriller that rivals the best works of Clancy and Cussler. The action-packed tale takes readers on an exciting adventure that feels perilously real. ANGELS AND DEMONS is one reading experience that the audience will never forget. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: The Awesome Power of History
Review: Astounding achievement. I would give it five stars except I think Brown misses the mark with some of his portrayals of human reactions to deeply emotional events. This is especially true of the heroine's reaction to her father's death and the "camerlengo's" reaction to a Pope's confession.
Even with this single objection, I believe Dan Brown brings history to life in Angels and Demons. Reading this book is like emersing yourself in the ancient waters of a forgotten time. You feel waves of history washing over you with incredible force as you wade deeper and deeper into the untold mysteries of Brown's coarsing imagination.
I believe this book is stronger and better written than The Da Vinci Code. I also believe the subject matter is far weightier. The story definitely strikes a chord in a world that is driven more and more by technology. Like fellow writer Michael Crichton, Brown doesn't ask, "What can we do?" He asks, "What should we do?"
There has always been a conflict between religion and science. There always will be. Religion deals with articles of faith that by definition CANNOT be proven. Science deals with articles of fact that by definition MUST be proven. Brown shows us the danger when faith slips into fact leaving us starved for MEANING, even though we are filled with TRUTH.
Rating:
Summary: High Spirited Fun!
Review: Deep in the heart of a Swiss research laboratory, a brilliant physicist is savagely murdered on the brink of a groundbreaking experiment involving the origins of the universe - an experiment that could debunk religion in favor of science once and for all. The scientist's corpse is branded with a single word: "Illuminati," referring to the centuries-old atheist cult that sprang up in opposition to the Catholic Church. Of more immediate concern is the theft of a canister of antimatter, an unspeakably volatile substance that annihilates anything it touches. Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology at Harvard, is brought in to examine the markings, even though he insists that the Illuminati have been dead for many years. Soon, however, it becomes obvious that the brotherhood is alive and well, and mounting an unprecedented attack on its archnemesis, the Church. Teaming up with the dead man's daughter, Vittoria Vetra (a beautiful and brilliant scientist herself, of course), Robert has only a few hours to solve an ancient puzzle that may lead him to the heart of the Illuminati lair, and help him thwart their diabolical plan to destroy religion. It's important, when reading books like this, to be able to unquestioningly swallow virtually any plot development at all. Superhuman physical prowess and a credulity-stretching range of expertise are the norm, as are a steady stream of unbelievable coincidences. And yet, you must believe them. Dark matter in a high-tech canister of doom? Sure! Secret satanic societies threatening to blow up the Vatican? Why not! Like the intrepid Robert Langdon, you just have to learn to accept these things as normal, and smear each page with a generous dollop of suspension of disbelief before reading it. If you can make yourself believe, though, there's plenty of gadgety, high-speed fun to be had. When you've got four hours to stop a global disaster, there isn't a whole lot of time for character development, and this is reflected in the story. Robert leads an Indiana-Jones-esque double life, effortlessly switching from mild-mannered religious studies professor to hardcore action hero (though he lacks the bullwhip that really lends credibility). Vittoria is your standard fiery, intelligent, beautiful heroine, basically lacking in any flaw except her inability to find true love, blah blah. Most of the other characters undergo at least one are-they-good-or-are-they-evil switcheroo as the plot develops, but that isn't really the same thing as having a complex and believable personality. No, these characters are painted with broad brushstrokes, and while they're concrete enough to hang a fast-moving thriller on, you wouldn't want to hear them sit down and have meaningful interactions about feelings and such. ANGELS & DEMONS is a fun, high-spirited and not overly serious romp, ideal for distracting yourself from the tribulations of daily life. Another very enjoyable (though quite different) Amazon-pick I recommend is "THE LOSERS' CLUB: Complete Restored Edition" by Richard Perez. Two wonderful fast reads.
Rating:
Summary: A page turner
Review: One of the most absolutely fabulous books I have ever read. It kept me trapped during a trip to South Africa. I was always looking for an opportunity to read it. Every free moment had to be used - while in the train, the bus, the plane, in my hotel room, the park. I couldn't stop until I had completed it. This book is a real page-turner.
Also recommended: DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, THE IDIOT
Rating: 
Summary: A poor follow-up.
Review: I started to read Dan Brown's book but could never finish it. He has a nack for performing all these feats in a matter of two or three hours that would take the ordinary person several months to accomplish...he's amazing for his lack of timeliness. I also think, and I came to the conclusion with this book after reading the DaVinci Code that he is anti-Catholic. I'm not sure what's eating him but something must have happened to him in the past. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, in fact I've got a copy that I could give away if anyone would take it. I won't read anymore of his books nor will I recommend them to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: The Prequel as Good as the Sequel
Review: Angels & Demons, the prequel to The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown's recent best selling novel, is another exciting thriller by this author, combining adventure, travel, history and science fiction. Brown creates an atmosphere of mystery, in which the reader has no idea what will happen next. His use of unthinkable objects like the super high-speed jet and the canister of deadly antimatter force coupled with the fast pace of the story holds the reader's interest.
The novel is about Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, being asked to help out on a case involving the death of a physicist, Leonardo Vetra. His body has been branded with Illuminati ambigram. The Illuminati are an anti-Catholic group who believes in the creation of the world scientifically. Also, Vetra's recent creation, antimatter, is missing. This substance can annihilate anything it touches within a certain radius depending on how much of the substance there is. It is known to be somewhere inside the Vatican, all this on the night of Papal elections. The antimatter will detonate within 24 hours of being removed and based on a Vatican camera, they can watch it tick down. At the same time they search for this, Langdon has to find 4 kidnapped Cardinals while following the ancient trail of the Illuminati. He is led to their secret lair and uncovers the truth about the Illuminati, its current leader and the groups famous, Illuminati diamond.
When I started this book I couldn't put it down. The overall plot catches your attention and makes you want more and more. The chapters are relatively short so it seems like you fly through it by chapter. I was also compelled to research more about the components of the book, such as the Illuminati or anitmatter. The topics will intrigue you and will make you wonder whether they are real or not. Brown uses these things as well as real European sites to make you become apart of the action. You can imagine the scenery the scene is occurring in and you picture yourself standing next to Langdon.
Brown also writes about a topic not widely discussed, the creation of the earth. The battle between science and religion as the creator is widely known yet not a popular topic. Brown courageously writes about this and it shows the reader, in the end, that there will always be arguments between the two sides for as long as we exist.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes excellent thrillers. You will love this book before or after reading The Da Vinci Code. This novel is one for all readers.
Rating:
Summary: New Light Shed On An Ancient Conflict
Review: Dan Brown has successfully created a book that has a good, fast paced story and a theme that can apply to just about anyone who reads this book. Brown identifies the conflict between religion and science, reveals the pros and cons for both sides, and ultimately proves that science cannot exist without religion and vice versa because they balance each other out. Brown also creates a compelling mystery/thriller novel that seamlessly blends fact with fiction with characters that are both intriguing and real. A must read for those looking for a good story with a deeper meaning.
Rating:
Summary: Can't Put It Down
Review: Neither my husband nor I could put this book down. If you aren't motivated to read momentarily, this book is the perfect cure. Having been educated in Europe many years ago, we found ourselves double checking some of the book's descriptions and references to historical landmarks, etc. as Dan Brown's descriptions are equisite. (Remember this book is classified as "fiction" by its author.) It's meant to be an interesting read and accomplishes that goal very well. We strongly recommend reading Angels and Demons first and then The Da Vinci Code.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: Angels and Demons introduces the character of Robert Langdon, professor of religious iconology and art history at Harvard University. As the novel begins, he's awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN, the world's largest scientific research facility in Geneva, Switzerland. One of their top physicists had been murdered, with his chest branded with the word "Illuminati." Since Langdon is an expert on the ancient secret society known as the Illuminati, he's asked to help solve the murder.
The murder victim is Leonardo Vetra. Not only is he one of the world's leading physicists, he's a Catholic priest. He's a priest who has adopted a daughter, Vittoria, who is also a scientist at CERN. Vetra and his daughter were using the world's largest particle accelerator to create antimatter which has mysteriously disappeared and will explode in 24 hours.The canister is quickly found on a security camera in Vatican City, with its clock counting down the time until the batteries run out and the canister explodes. The security camera, however, is nowhere to be found, leaving the canister's whereabouts a mystery too. Langdon and Vittoria Petra are quickly sent off to Rome and Vatican City, to help find the canister and return it to CERN before it explodes at midnight.
Not only does the canister threaten to destroy Vatican City, but with the recent death of the Pope, the cardinals of the Catholic Church are all within the city for the conclave to choose the new pope. They are all about to be locked within the Sistine Chapel where, according to church law, they must remain until a new pope is chosen. They are awaiting the preferiti, the four cardinals from four different European countries who are the preferred candidates to become the new pope. While Langdon and Vittoria are trying to convince the captain of the Swiss Guard and the camerlengo, the Pope's chamberlain who leads the church until the new pope is named, that the antimatter bomb is real, a phone call is received from a man who claims to be from the Illuminati. He has the four cardinals, which he will murder one by one, and then allow the bomb to destroy Vatican City, which houses not only the church hierarchy, but also its possessions and wealth. He has no demands; his only wish is the destruction of the Catholic Church in retribution for the church's treatment of scientists and the Illuminati over the centuries.
In Angels and Demons Dan Brown told a masterful story that takes you to the underground corridors of a Swiss laboratory to the darkest churches of the Vatican. You will be unable to put the book down until the last page of the book. Dan tells a story full of mystery, revenge, betrayal, and courage.
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