Rating: 
Summary: Shows a new side of Da Vinci
Review: The details about Da Vinci as a military architect were very cool. Lewis Perdue was on my favorite talk show this week on KAAA out of Bullhead City and I heard him talk about how this side of Da Vinci is rarely discussed. I thought he did a great job of explaining how the missing Da Vinci Codex played to this military side of things.Yeah, it could be farfetched to think that Da Vinci could have discovered something that could be relevant to modern day weapons, but the guy did draw tanks, helicopters, scuba gear and other stuff way ahead of his time. So maybe Perdue's assertion that the guy put something in the Codex Lester that would be important. I did think the typo on the cover with Curtis Davis not being in the book was sort of lame. Looks like Perdue changed the name of the hero and his publisher screwed up. This Perdue guy can really write and spin a great tale and what he needs is a publishing company that can do him justice. Regardless, Perdue's story was tight and convincing and really able to hook me into thinking it was true. Cool book!
Rating:
Summary: Rousing Good Read!
Review: I heard Lewis Perdue on the radio this week in Cleveland talking about The Da Vinci Legacy and Daughter of God. As it happens, my book club read Daughter of God and Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown's book) together last year and were astounded at how much alike they were. Because of that, I read Da Vinci Legacy and found even more things that seemed familiar. Be all that as it may, I really enjoyed Da Vinci Legacy. Its deftly written prose moves us quickly and smoothly from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, Italy and points in between. I found the Elect Brothers of St. Peter, who claim to be the bloodline of St. Peter and hold his bones, to be very worthy villains for a suspense thriller such as this. Perdue's creation of this group and their strange monastery in Northern Italy is a superb work of imagination. The Heroine, Suzanne, must have been a very gutsy move for Perdue back in 1983 because he went with a non-traditional woman. She's a strong character with a background in art and law enforcement and not beautiful in the thin, ascetic, blonde mode. This auburn-haired woman with her green eyes and resourcefulness saves the hero on more than one occasion and that's also unusual. I was struck by many, many similarities between this and the Da Vinci Code, especially things like the fourth Da Vinci scholar who dies and leaves his last message in his own blood. If I recall, Sauniere in Code was the fourth of his type as well and left his dying message in his own blood.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic thriller
Review: Da Vinci Legacy is a great thriller! I picked up this book in the Memphis airport, and didn't put it down until I had read the whole thing. The insights the author has on Da Vinci, religion and art are fantastic.I loved the descriptions of Lake Como and the other areas in Italy. I visited them and the author writes so well I can see them again in my mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Left A Foul Taste in My Mouth...
Review: I don't know that there was any one thing in specific about this book that left the bad impression that it did, but I am sure that the composite left me dissatisfied. First of all, the book points out, quite reassuringly, that it was printed in 1983, to tell you that it is not just a rip-off of The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. Then, there are glaring problems that make me wonder what types of revisions they made. For example, there is a reference to a politician who "been killed eleven years ago in one of the 9/11 aircraft that crashed into the World Trade Center." Hmmm...thats a bit quirky. This man accurately predicted a disaster some eighteen years ahead of time, and yet, no one ever heard of it. Then, there are the editorial problems, one of which was the worst I have ever seen. The back blurb refers to a Da Vinci scholar named Curtis Davis, who NEVER APPEARS IN THE BOOK! I can only assume that they changed all of the instances (or none) of Curtis Davis's name to Vance Erikson. Another lovely presentation problem was their placing on the cover: The Da Vinci Codex is missing, which is an obvious reference to it's competition, The Da Vinci Code. This way annoying and insulting, and when combined with the rest of the problems, made the format of the book very unenticing. On to the meat and potatoes of the book: First off, the pacing was not very good, which is critical for an action-adventure. There needs to be a smooth climb to the climax, not a herky-jerky stop-and-start roller-coaster ride. Furthermore, the antagonists were not unique, convincing, or interesting, thus making it a more intellectual exercise than it was a fight-for-your life thriller. I was more interested in finding out what the machine did, which was greatly disappointing, than I was in discovering if the main villain could be stopped. Overall, it was quite dissatisfying. The only redeeming merit that it had was that it seems fairly well-researched, which will earn it a bonus point from me. Don't but it. Borrow it from the library or a friend, read it once. If you disagree, go ahead and buy your own copy, but I don't think that I am wrong. Harkius
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, thought provoking
Review: When I first saw Da Vinci Legacy for sale, I thought it was a rip-off of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. However, I was surprised to see that it was first published in 1983 which makes it about the first novel to combine Da Vinci, art and religion into a thriller. I have also read Daughter of God and found the writing style there better than this one, but this was still very good. There were many echoes of "Code" here, but I suppose that is inevitable when you're writing about the same topic. I think that Perdue and Brown are different types of writers and that one should realize that. I prefer Perdue, but find Brown a good read as well. One thing I found interesting in "Legacy" is the strange way that the Elect Brothers of St. Peter kept their captives so dependent on them. I saw from the acknowdegements that Perdue credits a couple of Doctors at the UCLA medical school for helping develop this. Fascinating if this could somehow be true.
Rating:
Summary: The DaVinci Legacy
Review: The Da Vinci Legacy ..."Moments of Brilliance!" This book could have been wonderful, moments of brilliance, great potential if only... If only this extremely talented writer had taken his time. If only the editor had caught all the inconsistencies throughout the book. If only the publisher had demanded more from this talented writer. Moreover, if the main charactor is Vance Erickson, then who is Curtis Davis (back cover)? It states the book was published and/or written in 1983, then why are there so many current events, such as "Trent Barbour, the American congressman, powerful chairman of the House Armed Forces Committee, had been killed eleven years ago in one of the 9/11 aircraft that crashed into the World Trade Center?" Comparing The Da Vinci Legacy by Lewis Perdue to The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown is like comparing apples to oranges. They are utilizing DaVinci's talents in opposite directions. Dan Brown's book didn't have moments of brilliance....it was absolutely brilliant from cover to cover.
Rating: 
Summary: I'd Like to Compare the Original
Review: This book was originally published in 1983, and maybe it was a good idea to re-issue it, given all the DaVinci craze going on right now, but the idea to "update" the book for 2004 was poorly handled. The summary on the back of the book gives the hero's name as Curtis Davis, but he's nowhere to be seen in the book. Instead, we have Vance Erikson. The Acknowledgements in the front of the book say it was first published 20 years ago. But then, the reader has to deal with references to "the first Persian Gulf War," euros, beefed up airport security due to 9/11. Dates are given at each chapter, but there's no year with them. Finally, a phrase on page 209 places this edition in the year 2012. All this makes me wonder what the original was like. Was it set several years ahead like this one, so that these changes had to be made for the story to flow and make sense today? Was this just some really rushed-up and poorly done editing? The least they could have done was update the summary on the back to match the character's name.
I'd like to find a copy of the original edition to compare the changes.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable, exceptionally well written, well-plotted
Review: This is actually a remarkable book and is exceptionally well written, well-plotted and highly original in its plot and action. The fact that it was THE first thriller to write about Da Vinci, religion, awesome vatican secrets, secret societies and art is notable for its precedent and originality. I think that there are some awesome similarities here and in Da Vinci Code. Perdue was obviously the first author to visit this issue. He expanded on it in Daughter of God. I like the writing better than Dan Brown's, but that is my opinion.
Rating: 
Summary: Who the heck is Curtis Davis???
Review: I just started reading the (Vance Erikson) edited version published in 2004. I couldn't help but notice a certain reoccurring (Vance Erikson) theme throughout the book so far that I find (Vance Erikson) curious. You see a character's full name (Vance Erikson) keeps showing up sometimes even 2-3 times per (Vance Erikson) page even though the character (Vance Erikson) was sufficiently introduced at the beginning of the (Vance Erikson) book. I can't quite remember just what that name is (Vance Erikson) but I'm sure it will come to me. (Vance Erikson) Also, the strange thing is (Vance Erikson) that the main character in the book (Vance Erikson) is indeed that same person (Vance Erikson), yet his full name (Vance Erikson) keeps getting used as if the reader (Vance Erikson) had forgotten what it was. I wish I had a better (Vance Erikson) memory because if I did I'd be able to share his name (Vance Erikson) with all of you. Oh well (Vance Erikson) I guess I'll just have to wait till I get home and pick up the (Vance Erikson) book so I can be reminded once more just what the lead character's name is. (Vance Erikson) OK ok, so maybe that was overdone just a little, but it is based on the truth. Anyhow, I find the book a little entertaining and I'm certainly curious just where Perdue is going, so since I started it, I will finish it. But in all actuality, it's really written rather poorly. Almost gives you the impression it's written as a script for a soap opera or something. And just what's with that name!?! Only recommended to those who don't care about mindless repetition and poor writing. Of course that describes the majority of the reading public.
Rating:
Summary: GOT to be a movie!
Review: This book has GOT to be a movie! It is creative, visual, fast-moving and so totally non-derivative. I also like the way the main characters change and mature. Both Vance Erikson and Suzanne Storm start out as cocky, brash and self-centered. Erikson needlessly offends people and Suzanne is a total witch. The danger throws them together and forces them to depend on each other. Through the heat of this action, they both mature into characters that end up the book far more likeable than they started. I think I once walked along the same streets and visited the same places in Amsterdam as Erikson. Perdue describes his locations so beautifully that I can visualize them in my mind. This is a very pleasurable read and offers a lot more for the intellect than the average paperback thriller.
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