By: Dan Brown Publisher: Anchor Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Anchor Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 496 Publication Date: March 28, 2006 Release Date: March 28, 2006
Amazon.com Review: With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteria culled from 2,000 years of Western history.
A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself. Brown (Angels and Demons) has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought. --Jeremy Pugh
Lets get real: Great FICTIONAL story, I thought my review of this work would be pretty involved given all of the hullaballoo around it, and the story. I have been under the impression that this book is some kind of very true to life story. I believe, even if it is based on a theory, it is and was never meant to be anything but a story. It is a fantastic story. I thought it was a fantastic book, very engrossing and a nice break from the real world!
It kind of reminded me of "Atlas Shrugged" or "The carpetbaggers"..... I don't know what else to say, If you LOVE picking up a book, and then raising your head three hours later to realize you have been immersed in the story for hours, then this kind of reading is for you.
Read it, but make sure you read it twice I heard all the hype, I saw all the criticism novels and I have to confess that I was intrigued. Then I was given this book as a gift and sat down to read it in one sitting and thought it was one of the best books ever. The suspense, the puzzles and the pace of it all. Two weeks later, I sat down and re-read it all and wondered what I saw in it at all. Interestingly, Tom Hanks said more or less the same thing in an interview.
I needn't outline the story, even on my first reading I found it a little far-fetched the theories surrounding Mary Magdelene. It may have been plausible, but I wasn't completely convinced. Then I found out that the whole thing about the Priory of Sion was a fabrication and that decided me. NONE of what is in this book is true, it's just a not-very-enjoyable pot-boiler that's going to be forgotten before too long and it already has, quite a number of books about the Da Vinci Code are now sitting on bargain tables.
This book may have been slightly better if Dan Brown was anything but a hack writer, but that's what he is. The Da Vinci Code is more than a blockbuster novel, it's a MOVIE disguised as a book! Brown should be a screenwriter and leave books to the more worthy, especially ones about dodgy conspiracy theories.
Read the book if you must but the movie is much better, Ron Howard's adaptation is much, much better anything that Brown could cook up.
This goes for a great book? I know that the world is still somewhat obsessed with this book, and I I guess I can understand why. It's a lot of fun, I will admit, and Dan Brown certainly did his homework, authentic or not, on some awesome bits of history and religion. This provides a super-fun mystery--hey, who doesn't appreciate a super-fun mystery with lots of fast-paced action?
However, so totally overrated! I think so much of the hype came from the supposedly controversial nature. You know what? Make up your own minds and stop letting fiction decide your beliefs for you!
It is definitely a fun read, but the characters are ridiculous, cliche, and flat, as well as the relationships.
Amazing book An absolutely amazingly fascinating book. It has made even the most die-hard atheists interested in religion. No matter how much is true, it just doesn't matter. This book has made the average book reader think, discuss and question so many things in our everyday life and existence. I spent an entire evening plus the following night reading it non-stop. DO NOT see the movie, it sucks!!
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ! I can't even go into detail about how amazingly compelling this book was to read, but one thing I have to stress is that nobody should watch the movie before reading the book first. If you have already watched the movie, read the book and then watch the movie again because it will make so much more sense and make so much more of an impact. Of course, the movie couldn't fit in everything that the book covered, but it did follow it fairly well.
The storyline, the characters, the dialogue, etc. in this book are all so incredible that you don't want to put the book down once you start reading it. However, most people would not be able to read this entire book in one day or even two. It took me a little over a week to finish it because most people can't read a book all day long if they work or even if they don't. I grant you, it's a lot of pages, but it is so worth the time because this is a very enlightening book in so many ways and gives insight into various aspects of not only religion, but things you never knew about famous art works. I was never very interested in art, but this book was quite eye-opening. I highly recommend this book to ANYONE.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
