Rating: 
Summary: Excellent read - terrific novel
Review: For those who actually thought the Da Vinci Code was good writing, then this isn't your kind of book. This was VERY well-written (whereas the Da Vinci Code was hack writing) and an excellent story line and character development. This was the best novel I've read in the past five or six years - and I read quite a lot! I highly recommend this to all discriminating readers...
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty darn good
Review: I read this book in a single sitting after seeing the amazing reviews in People Magazine and the San Fran Chron. I have a natural aversion to ivy league preening, so some of the early sections at Princeton were a little tough to swallow, but what propels this book is a terrific story, some great scenes, artful writing, and a powerful message about friendship, which I especially liked. Without the Princeton stuff, certainly five stars...
Rating:
Summary: Scholar's Dream Book
Review: For anyone with a scholarly bent, this is an extraordinary read. I studied Renaissance history as an undergraduate and did some additional work in the field afterward, and I can attest that this book does a phenomenal job with the history of that period. Hypnerotomachia Poliphili is a real-life text (as some reviewers seem not to have realized), and it is exceptionally complex. An English translation is now available for those who are interested, and you will see the difficulty of the subject matter these authors were dealing with. The proposition they advance about the book's true meaning is so fascinating that it makes me want to hit the books again! Truly, this is a novel about the love of books and academic obsession, with prose so good that sometimes it makes you want to cry. Those without an academic bone in their bodies may find this too slow or too thoughtful (as a friend said, "It is not for the slow kids in the class"), so if you like Clive Cussler etc., think twice before embarking on this adventure of the mind. For those with more distinguishing tastes, this is a riveting beach read for the high-IQ set!
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: This is not as fastpaced as Da Vinci. It has a 'thinking man's pace' to it. It was recommended to me by a friend who reads more than anyone I know and he loved it. I enjoyed it too, especially when I got used to the intensity of it and the way it slowly grows on you. There are also some funny parts that no one has mentioned in the reviews. One scene in particular is esp. hilarious. It is fun to read once you get used to it. Definitely very smart.
Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable, but over-hyped novel.
Review: At Princeton University two friends have, almost, solved a mystery than many men before have been killed trying to do.The Hypnerotomachia is a renaissance text that has baffled scholars for years. The text is famous for it's hypnotic power over those that read it and within the Hypnerotomachia lies a world of strange sexual desires and extreme violence. Tom Sullivan and Paul Harris are the two friends who are on the verge of solving the text's mystery until a murder rocks the college, sending them on a race against the clock to unravel the mystery surrounding the book, as well as a quest of self discovery. 'The Rule of Four' is an enjoyable, if slightly over-hyped novel. The plot of this history and suspense mash-up is original, and there are some truly exciting moments, however, I did find certain parts hard to follow and boring. The writing style is smooth and easy to read, but the history included becomes tiresome and requires some work to follow. Character development is handled expertly and the coming-of-age aspect is a nice touch, but as a whole the novel loses track of what it wants to be. Many novels are following in the footsteps of 'The Davinci Code' by combining history, mystery and suspense in a literary thriller that will keep readers engrossed, and while 'The Rule of Four' does succeed on some levels it fails on others. Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason have crafted a novel that, while not for everyone, will appeal to those interested in the latest history/thriller trend and will most likely land on the bestseller lists making them stars. Not a bad novel, but not a great one either. Nick Gonnella
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable!
Review: I read somewhere that it took these two writers six years to write this book. It is truly amazing. I am a reader who did not enjoy The Secret History because I found it too slow and self important. I liked The Name of the Rose, but wish it had had a little more emotional heft to it. This book hit me where I live. It is brilliant, well written, and it has a lot of heart. (I should say that I hated Da Vinci Code, and am suspicious of anyone who liked it.) This is the real thing. The Princeton parts seemed a little slow at first (I would give the book 4.5 stars because of it, but that is not an option, thus 5 stars), but everything else was awesome. This book reminded why I love to read. Smarter than your average bear for sure!
Rating:
Summary: Have the right expectations
Review: The people who seem not to have enjoyed this book were expecting the wrong thing. If your idea of good writing is Dan Brown, if you think that's what character development and believable plot look like, then look elsewhere. Fine writing, meaningful scholarship, and real character development (particularly for a thriller) are what to look for here. This is for readers who are patient and sophisicated, not for those who want cheap thrills cheaply delivered. I was surprised -- very pleasantly surprised -- at what I found here. A fast-paced page-turner that can hold its own in the company of real writers, not cheap airport reads. Five stars for sure!
Rating:
Summary: I agree!
Review: I agree with other reviewers: Forget the hype! Don't be mislead into thinking this is another DA VINCI CODE or NAME OF THE ROSE. It is what it is--a well written and fast paced book that has some puzzles and twists and turns. Sure, it has some similarities to other books out there, but this one is different--it's fun! Also recommended: McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely boring, don't bother
Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book. However, I feel it was just a description of college life at Princeton--over and over. There was no suspense, not likeable characters, and was EXTREMELY boring and hard to hold one's interest. They had a good subject to make a fantastic book and they did very little with it. It was a disappointment for me. After reading all of Cussler's, Brown's, Preston's, and Rollin's books, these authors will never be anything like them. They know how to tell a story.
Rating:
Summary: Not exactly what I was expecting...
Review: From what I inquired from the book cover, I thought it was a Da Vinci Code copycat. It had a theme of mystery and suspense based in the summary... However after reading the book, this book is nothing like that. This book has more to do with friendship and the bonds of such a relationship than uncovering the mystery. Not exactly what I was expecting but it was very good and I liked it. The book can get boring and slow at times. It isn't a page-turner. I had to force myself to read the book at some moments. However it does pick up pace and does get exciting. This book is filled with details about the Rennaisance and Princeton. The information about Princeton was at times very useless. This is a good book and certainly worth your money. Just don't expect it to be a page-turner...
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