Rating: 
Summary: Brown takes on the Church and Science simultaneously.
Review: I must admit that picking up ANGELS AND DEMONS after reading THE DA VINCI CODE presented Dan Brown with the unenviable task of great expectations for this reviewer. While DA VINCI still garners disparate reviews, it is a very well told story. In any event, with the bar set so high, A&D had a veritable mountain to climb. While plausibility comes into serious play at the book's climax, the storyline and style crescendos were fabulous...this seems to be a quality Dan Brown enjoys to his benefit.For those who have read these books in reverse order (like me), the reader is reintroduced to Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist and hero of DA VINCI. The shrill ring of his telephone awakens Langdon in the wee hours of the morning only to be slapped with what Langdon feels is a prank call. As he has his morning tea, he receives a fax with a symbol; a symbol that chills his blood and makes him realize the earlier phone call was anything but a prank. A little known albeit preeminent physicist, Leonardo Vetra, is on a laser-focused mission to bridge the omnipresent chasm between science and religion. As a senior resident physicist at Switzerland's renowned Consiel European pour la Recherché Nucleaire (CERN), Vetra, also a closeted Catholic priest, has discovered how to produce antimatter, considered the most powerful element known to man (think of Star Trek). However, before he has completed his investigation and research into its appropriate use, Vetra is found murdered in his own apartment on the CERN campus. CERN's emotionless director, Max Kohler, has called on Langdon as Vetra's body has been mutilated and branded, branded with the ancient and esoteric symbol of the Illuminati. As Langdon attempts to piece together this bizarre and macabre scene, he meets Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, also a CERN scientist. Vittoria, grief-stricken yet determined to find her father's killer, informs Langdon and Kohler of the antimatter experiments only to find that a larger container of antimatter is missing. The killer has somehow gained entrance into the bowels of CERN in the super secure facility where the Vetras were performing their antimatter experiments. The killer, ostensibly a member of the Illuminati, has left a message claiming that he deposited the antimatter somewhere within Vatican City, where the cardinals have gathered to select a new pope to replace the recently deceased pope. Vittoria explains that the stolen sample will not only eradicate all of Vatican City but a great portion of Rome itself! Langdon and Vittoria make their way to Rome in an effort to divine their way to the killer, recover the antimatter, and save a great part of the Catholic priesthood. While A&D has a heady plot, Brown provides well-described explanations of the symbology, science, and religious overtones. Short of being a religious scholar, it is difficult for the layperson to discern fact from fiction however, Brown provides credible detail leading the reader to believe the veracity of the presented "facts." As with DA VINCI, Brown weaves "fact" and fiction in a wonderful blend designed to thrill and shock. Brown then develops further credibility by describing and, at the beginning of the book, mapping, much of the historical detail. For instance, the protocol, practice, and history involved in the selecting a new pope is explained in painful yet readable detail. And, to ensure the dark side receives its due, Brown details the somewhat nefarious brotherhood of the Illuminati. While certain visuals in the climax left me somewhat dubious, Brown has crafted yet another powerful yet controversial novel sure to whet the appetites of many. A very good read and certainly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: LUVED IT!!!!!!
Review: I read the Da vinci code and had no choice but to read Angels and Deamons. and guess what, i loved it. I'm only thirteen, but i read like any adult, and this is one of the greatest books of all time. i would steer you away from this author if your christian though. lucky for me, i'm not, so i wasn't at all offended by these books, and could simply enjoy them!!!
Rating:
Summary: Quicky Read
Review: I read The Da Vinci Code before reading this, which is good because if I had read this first, I would not have been as eager to read TDVC. TDVC was a better attempt at the plot and storyline. Angels and Demons kind of fizzles out towards the end. It seemed that it took almost 150 pages to end the final 2 hours of the story. The ending is what did it for me. Very disappointing and it becomes obvious that the author was having a hard time ending it and finding a place to stop. TDVC is much better and that is why I think I didn't like this story as much, so I gave it 4 stars. It was entertaining, but disappointing. Had I not read TDVC first, I may feel differently.
Rating: 
Summary: blech
Review: So much has been said about Dan Brown's books it seems futile to contribute but for this one I had to: IT AIN'T WORTH IT. I bought this at the airport thinking that, like Da Vinci Code, it would be good company on the plane. My money would have been spent more wisely on Jackie Collins. Even the moderately entertaining scavenger hunt through Rome doesn't compensate for the heavy-handed and boring dogma, the unidimensional characters and overblown sentimentality (that's right, I said Jackie would have been better). The writing lacks whatever charm and big screen drama The Da Vinci Code possesses.
Rating:
Summary: Quick and interesting
Review: A&D is a quick read that grabs you at the beginning and largely holds on for almost 600 pages. For all the pseudo-intellectuals posturing that the book is rife with mistakes - get over it, its fiction (and what are you doing reading best sellers anyway - isn't there some dusty text book in need of your attention?) Yes the plot is over the top. Yes the events could not happen in the allotted time. Yes there are predictable elements. And yes there are probably even mistakes (although I wasn't as aghast about the misuse of a latin word as others). All in all, its still pretty fun and compelling and I'll even admit to having learned a couple of things. I rate as 4 stars b/c I still think the DVC is better. But I'd gladly read this over most other works of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Silly but highly entertaining
Review: This is ingenious marketing by the publisher of the phenomenally successful THE DAVINCI CODE. Simon and Schuster decided to re-release all of Dan Brown's previous novels in both paperback and hardcover. ANGEL AND DEMONS, the book that introduced Robert Langdon, Harvard symbologist and hero of DAVINCI, has hit the upper reaches of the New York Times Bestseller List in both hardback and paperback at the same time. The public obviously hungers for more of this character and the intricate religion based thrillers.
At CERN, a Swiss research lab, a scientist is found dead with the word 'illuminati' branded on his chest. This refers to an ancient and secret scientific organization banned by the Catholic Church. Missing from the lab is a small amount of newly discovered antimatter. Enough, however, to destroy a small city. Robert Langdon is brought in to help investigate because he is a world expert on the Illuminati. With the help of Vittoria Vetra, daughter of the deceased scientist, Langdon investigates the murder. Their paths take them directly to Vatican City where the Illuminati threaten to kill five cardinals just as a pope is being elected. After killing the cardinals, The Illuminati will unleash the antimatter inside the Vatican thereby destroying the center of the Catholic faith. Can they be stopped?
ANGELS AND DEMONS is a fun and furiously fast read. The elements that proved so successful in THE DAVINCI CODE are all present in this earlier work. THE DAVINCI CODE's success is probably rooted in the hidden aspects of the life of Jesus. After all, the recent movie, THE PASSION, proves unequivocally that Jesus sells. ANGELS AND DEMONS does not have quite the same powerful premise. In this book we deal with the dichotomy of science vs. Religion in explaining the origins of the universe. A character in this book sets out a logical and provocative argument that both science and religion can exist side by side. As in DAVINCI, the pacing is relentless almost from page one. Villains are larger than life as are the heroes that must save mankind reminiscent of any good thriller. However, the action and the logic that propel the action are so farfetched that the book is downright silly but also highly entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Similar fast-paced plot as Davinci Code: a quick, light read
Review: As you may have seen with previous reviews, the plot leaves something to be desired. However, if you can look past some of the more untenable issues in the book (I will let you determine what those are), the book has a very quick, action-packed story line. As a matter of fact, it all takes place within the span of a day! Many of the characters lacked the proper background to make them more realistic/believable. Yet despite these problems, I enjoyed reading the book. Hopefully Brown can come up with a new formula for his next book, because I think the religious conspiracy issue has been done for now...
Rating:
Summary: Darned Good
Review: I loved the read! The characters were real, the dialog believable, and the story kept me up several nights. I'd recommend it highly! Raymond Austin
Television director of The Saint, The Avengers, Hawaii Five-O, Hart to Hart, Vegas, Quincy, Magnum, P.I., AirWolf, Spencer: For Hire, JAG and many others. And the author of, "The Eagle Heist" and "Dead Again" from the Beauford Sloan Mystery series.
Rating:
Summary: Just as good as THE DA VINCI CODE, but no better
Review: This one gets four stars as well and, I suppose, is worth being a bestseller, but isn't it about time people turned away from Dan Brown and looked at other truly worth authors and books? Especially science fiction and fantasy books like: THE LORD OF THE RINGS, ERAGON, THE TIME-TRAVELER'S WIFE, RINGWORLD, FOUNDATION, I,ROBOT, CHILDHOOD'S END, PUPPET MASTERS, RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA, NEUROMANCER, CRYPTONOMICON, SNOW CRASH, DARKEYE: CYBER HUNTER, and so forth.
Rating:
Summary: What a waste of time!
Review: Unfortunately this book is only being sold due to the success of The Davinci Code. Dan Brown was obviously still working on his "craft" when he was writing the book. It was far-fetched, ludicris,boring and so not the page turner. I got to the last 25 pages and really didn't care anything about the characters,so rather then waste any more of my precious hours on this earth, I chucked the book in the bin. Four of my fellow co-workers finished the book, told me the ending and ALL expressed disappointment. Many comments were down right vicious in their loathing. PLEASE, do not spend your money and especially not your lifes remaining heartbeats on this book. It really is that bad.
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