Rating: 
Summary: This is Evolution
Review: Most of you, like myself, proabably read the DaVinci Code first and then were wondering if he was up to the task. This book provides a solid foundation for the DaVinci Code. Yes, it does reek of the same story structure and character development. It is not that bad, somewhat predictable, especially if you've read the latter, but it does stand on it's own merit, to a degree. If this were the first you'd read of the series, you'd probably like it, but I doubt you'd give it five stars. I think Brown was working on his craft, and this is a valiant effort, headed toward, what I felt was near brilliance in DaVinci Code. If you haven't read any of Brown's novels, but think this will give depth to DaVinci Code, honestly, don't bother. DaVinci code stands quite admirably on it's own merits. There are some incredible literary stretches in this one, that altogether discredit the story as a whole, but, hell, like movies sometimes, the suspension of disbelief is enough to hold the viewer, or the reader. It's a good enough story, but doesn't transcend the ground the way that I feel the DaVinci code did. I won't talk about that novel in specifics here, it is inappropriate, but that is closer to fully realized than this piece. I am really interested in what Brown has to put forth following his latest. I would love to read it.
Rating: 
Summary: an excellent book
Review: A wonderful read. I grew up Catholic and mom, grandma and I all read and loved this book.A good mix of history, "myth" and murder.
Rating: 
Summary: Found it by Accident--Glad I Did!
Review: Recently, while en route to our family vacation destination I realized that I had forgotten my copy of the book back at home. We stopped at bookstores in two different towns, so I could purchase another copy to read in the car and during our stay. On the first night I sat on the bathroom floor of our hotel room until past 4 a.m. reading, while my wife and two children slept. I could not put this book down! The synthesis of fact and fiction, science and religion, tradition and conspiracy, church and state, and so much more made this book one of the best I have ever read. I particularly liked the way the author revealed bits of information, various story lines, character personal history, etc. spacing them out at unexpected--but appropriate (and appreciated)--points in the overall narrative. Questions were raised and later answered although not all at once, and that made staying with the book all the more pleasurable. As a professor at a large research university myself, I found Robert Langdon to be especially compelling as the protagonist. As with anything, there were a few blemishes, but the overall work was well researched and with an impressive attention to detail that left me feeling as though I had been introduced to worlds that I knew little about. I have since read much more on various topics encountered in the book. I do not get the chance to read much fiction, and this book was well worth it. I give this book my highest recommendation--warts and all.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! A TRUE PAGE TURNER!!!
Review: Do not read this book if you like to read a chapter and then put the book down! I lost 10lbs on this book as I rode the exercise bicycle and read.... one more chapter and then I will stop and I kept going! LOL. This is one of the most fantastic thrillers I have ever read!
Rating:
Summary: For Da Vinci Code addicts!
Review: Brown does an excellent job of describing the characters, as well as looking into the hearts and minds of each separate individual to give unique vantage points and emotions as the story progresses. He seems to have done lots of research on the sculptures, artwork and locations involved in the story, and it truly shows in his masterful way of intertwining fact with conspiracy and making a great fiction novel from it all. The basic plot dwells heavily on the 'war' between the logic of science and the faith of religion. This book is a must-read for fans of Brown's Da Vinci Code. Also recommended: THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez
Rating:
Summary: Empty but entertaining
Review: This story is as predictable (as another reviewer said) as a made for TV movie. You know most "twists" are coming at least 50 pages before they happen if you even moderately pay attention. The book contained one "shock," and it wasn't much to write home about. The end was somewhat surprising, but only because of the scale of what happened -- you know fairly well in advance what's going on because of deliberate and redundant hints. The beginning of the book contains several glaring errors (involving unrealistic cell phones and stupid security systems). These problems were so dumb and easy to remedy that it really made the rest of the book hard to believe. Brown spends pages drooling over how imposible the Illuminati ambigrams are to produce but was somehow able to include them in his book -- go figure. He credits the artist who drew them for him at the end of the book. While he's busy not getting things right Brown has the chuzpah to use foreign languages without proper translation -- here it's Italian, in Da Vinci Code (which I've just started) it seems to be French. For me, at least, it makes Brown seems arrogant. Knowledge of romance languages seems to be assumed -- I (thankfully) was able to roughly translate most parts. Despite these problems the book somehow remains an entertaining and quick (three-four day) read. He definately knows how to write cliffhangers but just lacks the factual depth to make this sort of "factual" fiction workable. Brown seems to attempting to emulate Michael Crichton, but for some mixture of a scientific, art, and religious crowd. He fails at this, at least from the perspective of a moderately educated (college-age) reader. This book would be good for someone with no scientific background or for someone who is very into religion and science. Otherwise the reader will just get annoyed at Brown's writing.
Rating:
Summary: WOW
Review: I don't write reviews for many books I read, but WOW, this one deserves it. Not only did it have a gripping story-line and a fast-paced plot, it had an extremely high IQ. This is definitely must-read you should all pick up. 570 pages seems like nothing when you are finished, longing for more. I haven't read The Da Vinci Code yet, but I picked it up after the first chapter of Angels and Demons.
By the way, to the fool who said the bit about the "triangulating" the camera: No one is impressed. Even if you know what you were talking about, it probably wouldn't work. Leave the logic up to Mr. Brown.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it
Review: I loved the Da Vinci code, and I loved this book, too, although I think I liked the Da Vinci code more, but still an intense thriller. It just rises in suspense and doesn't slow down till the ending.
Rating:
Summary: No da Vinci code, but a pageturner with a brain
Review: First, this book is a foreshadowing of what Brown gets right in the da Vinci code: conspiracy (or not?) theory, our inherent fascination with religious iconography, our inherent attraction to the Church versus Reason ("Agony and the Ecstasy", et. al). For embracing and weaving these themes Brown gets a plus. Brown also gets a tally in the "good" column for increasing his audience's vocabulary. I like learning about concepts and words like 'ambigram' and similar. So those are the two pluses, so let's move to the no man's land of "Hmmm...not sure I liked ...". I'm not so sure I like his writing style. I read this book in one sitting at a coffee shop, so it was a page turner with some (as I said above) intellect. But...when the story is a page turner it inherently becomes episodic, it loses that grand sweep of narrative that really distinguishes "literature" from "mass market fiction." But the counter to this is, Brown states on his website as elsewhere that he is a big fan of early Ludlum. Ludlum and Tom Clancey are both very episoding page turner writers and this is a sligtly more academically tinged version of their genre, if this is so, then the book is about par for the course. Why am I so rankled about this? Becasue with all his erudition and research I want Brown to write a literary work something that will show his passion and focus to the world - something lasting like the basilicas and cults that he often writes of. This episodic telling is great for airplanes and beaches -- but dammit Dan, stretch a bit and give us what I know you have in you! OK, now the not-so-hot thoughts: - THE ENDING: Convoluted and unnecessarily messy. Oh it's over, no it's not, oh this oh that. Too many plot twists for minimal effect. Brown fixes this in da Vinci. - THE CHARACTERS: First things first, when describing a beautiful woman, have you ever noticed that mail authors always have to put her breasts last, when anyone who credibly writes a man should put them first (or within the top 4 of : Eyes, legs, butt, breast?) Brown is no exception, his Langdon is curidously proper in this regard - Inconsistent mental ability. Sometimes his characters are absolutely brilliant, but other times they are dumber than a box of rocks. It's like how on Gilligan's Island the professor could make a radio out of coconuts, salt water, and dolphin bile, but could not figure out how to make a flare. Langdon unravels eons old mysteries but can't figure out mirror reflection writing (on the up side, he's a bit sharper on the matter in da Vinci) - The characters are rather flat. This improves in da Vincic considerably but the Italian woman (see, you're already getting that same mental cliche that Brown trades on ) is firey, brave, bold.... Brown's addition to the cliche trade is making her smart, ok, good. But she really doesn't feel like anything mor than "mourning mediterranean girl with a vengance". This is probably due to the episodic character of the book. All in all, I enjoyed the book, but da Vinci code is a much stronger effort.
Rating:
Summary: A thriller!!!
Review: I have been looking for a good thrilling book, fast pace and intelligent book to read. I was skeptical when my friend recomend this book and said the vatican was part of the plot and I thought another anti-christian book!! But it is far from that and it was a really really good book. Once I get in the middle, I could not put that book down. While Dan Brown research is amazing, I think the book retain his fictional characteristic. I did not go crazy and believe that is a real and actual event like other reviewers. But it does make you wonder and asked questions. This book was refreshing and I would recomand it to anyone who loves a bood reading!
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