خير الكلام ما قل و دل " رواية رائعة جدا " ...و شكرا :)

The book that introduced the world to Robert Langdon, although he didn't really become a global bestseller until The Da Vinci Code exploded on the best seller lists. Yes full of inaccuracies, faux Italian and faux science... but hey.. it's F I C T I O N!

My fave Dan Brown book, this is a compelling and mindbogglingly believable mystery thriller that gets at the heart of the Vatican, its history, the Illuminati, classic art and modern science! If you read one Dan Brown this is the one! A Four Star 8 out of 12... for a rip roaring mystery thriller adventure!

2022 read; 2005 read; 2004 read

I can't put it down and read it in one day. I remember my mom was mad at me because I'm like, "I don't want to eat yet, I'm reading a book!" After that I ate lunch, at our table while still reading and I'm holding the book in my other hand and holding the spoon in my other hand. That's how good this book is.

"شعر لانغدون بالصدمة تصيبه كأى شخص أخر موجود فى الغرفة (بالنسبة لمن يقرا الرواية فالصدمة لكل من يقرا الرواية )
" كان ذهن لانغدون مشوشا ... ويناضل محاولا ايجاد مركزا للجاذبية يشده من جديد الى الارض ويعيد اليه رشده "
وهذا بالظبط ماسوف تشعر به عند الانتهاء من الرواية وخاصة اخر 100صفحة تقريبا من الرواية
لاأنكر انى فى بداية الرواية قلت لنفسى " جماعة سرية اخرى وستكون الرواية شبيهة لشيغرة دافينشى " لكن بالطبع دان براون سيقلب تفكيرك وبعد ان شعرت بالملل قليلا فى البد��ية وعدم الحماس ادخلنى دان فى دوامته واعتقد ان مع دان براون لاتحاول ان تتوقع الاحداث لاتتصور انك ذكى وتتوقع ماسيحدث لسبب بسيط ان دان سيقلب كل شىء انه بالفعل داخل رأسك ويقرأ أفكارك وسيوهمك انك قد توصلت بالفعل للحقيقة لكنه لن يلبث ان يصدمك لكن كان هناك شىء وحيد على ماأعتقد هو ماتوقعته منطقيا ان يحدث وقد حدث بالفعل حتى ان لم تحدث النهاية كما ظننت
رواية مشوقة وممتعة وقلم مميز لدان براون

I read this after the drivel that is called "Da Vinci Code." I decided to give the author another chance, and take on something that maybe wasn't so formulaic.

No dice. I am convinced that Dan Brown does absolutely no research into the subjects he writes about. Or if he does, he decides it is not "titilating enough for him" so he makes it up. I mean why even include actual real things in his books if he chooses to ignore any facts about them. Opus Dei? I doubt he could spell it. Catholic Church? Has he even read any history about the Catholic Church at all? His descriptions of the Church seem to be based on whatever anti-Catholic propoganda he could find, Chick Tracts, and superstition.

So it comes to no surprise that he has 2 massive bestsellers that are more or less, anti-Catholic. Cuz you know, Catholic baiting and prejudice to the Catholic Church is the only real acceptable prejudice left. The underlying superstition and hostility towards Catholicism, priests, the Pope, Vatican, etc is very close to the same sentiments that lingered in the decades and centuries before WWII in Europe.

Think I am overreacting? If someone wrote these books but instead baited the Jews or Muslims there would be a huge outcry. Bashing Catholics and depicting them and their history in the way Dan Brown does in these books is outrageous and should be criticized and shunned.

And I didn't even delve into how awful of a writer he is, did I? The only thing more embarassing than his writing that will never be remembered 20 years from now, is the fact that so many people bought into his piece of shit and wasted their time with it. Including respectable people like Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. There's time you will never get back again. Congrats!

Like most I’d first became aware of Professor Robert Langdon because of the phenomenon that was The Da Vinci Code, but in his introductory story it’s easy to see why it caught everyone’s interest.

Brown has a formula and it really works!
Short snappy chapters with interesting hook of murder is instantly going to draw the reader in.
Whilst a famous historic city (mainly in Europe) alongside the architecture and symbolism of the location being just as important to the narrative to the story.

They are fun and engaging reads, especially the early books in the series!

This book was amazing. That's my one word to describe it. Throughout it, I had a diversity of emotions: At the beginning I loved it; at about 30% , I was still enjoying it, though it sometimes seemed a little convenient; by around 85-90% of it, I was sure I was going to rate it 2 stars, because of probably the biggest Deus Ex Machina I had experienced so far in books... but Brown saved the book in the cleverest way possible, and here I am, giving it a well-deserved 4-stars rating.

That is not to say the book was perfect, because it wasn't. Here is what I kept thinking while reading it (at it quickly became my main complaint): It read like a book made out of a movie, not otherwise, which was actually the case. I have in fact read books made out of movies, that is, the movie came first, then the book. What do they all have in common? The writing is deficient and tells me barely anything about how things look like... in other words, the descriptions are weak. Like, I didn't know how to picture things in my mind. I had to google some things because their descriptions were not enough to give me a clear image.

Truth be told, descriptions are very important. You cannot exaggerate with them because what you'll create is a tedious book no one will want to read. However, if barely no detail is given about the imagery of the book, you can't simply see the things how the author wants you to. That is why this book gave me problems. The deaths of some of the cardinals were impossible for me to picture. I even had to watch the movie to get an idea, if that tells you something.

Nonetheless, I still deeply ejoyed the book. It was one of the fastest-paced books I've ever read. Really, I can't remember a book that got in the action as quickly as this one did. Riddles, Illuminati, deaths, ancient books... I loved every piece of it and I do not regret reading it. I wonder why in hell it took me so long to start it. My father had gotten himself a copy of it more than 4 years ago, and till now I am reading it. Why, though, I know not. I totally recommend it. Now I'm immediately starting the next of Langdon's adventures.

P.S.: I'm perfectly aware I spoke next to nothing about the plot, but believe me, it's better the less you know about the book. I went completely blind to it. Believe it or not.

Książki Dana Browna to mój nowy comfort read

Esta historia es cronológicamente anterior a la de El código Da Vinci.

Todo comienza cuando convocan a Robert Landon para decifrar algunos códigos dejados en el cuerpo de un científico muerto. Esto ligará a la iglesia contra la ciencia en una legendaria historia de odio.

Y el origen de todo es totalmente inimaginable.

La película no es tan buena adaptación como la anterior y se pierde totalmente el motivo del origen de toda la historia.

When The Da Vinci Code phenomenon happened, I read most of Brown's novels and I enjoyed all of them. But for some reason I didn't read this one, his first one with his famous hero Robert Langdon. And now I really wonder why... because I loved it!

Dan Brown combines action with mystery, historical and science elements in an outstanding way and he creates an action thriller that you just cannot put down.

One of the greatest aspects of his books are the historical elements. There are times that it feels like you're watching a documentary, but an exciting one at that! Sometimes it feels like all those information are too much, it even feels like Dan Brown wants to impress the reader with his knowledge, but after you are done with the book you will still find yourself wanting to learn more about them.

Another great element that really is one of the reasons that I like his books so much is the setting. Brown always uses a gorgeous place as the background of his story. Τhis time the setting is Rome, one of my favorite cities in the world. The descriptions of the city and the places are breathtaking. Mesmerizing. You feel like you are there. And what I also like is that he uses places in Rome that most tourists don't know about. He presents a hidden side of the city. Places that when you read the book you will want to visit.

The whole story takes place in 12 hours and this really is a great idea that Brown fully takes advantage of. You can feel the pressure of the time. I found myself many times throughout the book wanting to scream at the characters to hurry up! This energy that radiates from the pages is what made me read this book in two days. You feel like you are there with the characters, you want to solve the mystery.

What I don't like sometimes about Brown's books is that he rushes the ending too much without giving a full explanation to all of my questions (Dear "The Lost Symbol", I am talking about you). But this is not the case with this book. The ending is as amazing as the rest of the story. There are three huge twists at the last fifty pages that really took me by surprise! After that three twists everything is positioned into place perfectly.

You rarely find such enjoyable, action-packed thrillers and this is why his books are so popular! They are nothing more than what a popcorn-blockbuster is for the cinema but we all need a book like that sometimes!

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1182548.html

You are the Director of CERN, and one of your senior colleagues is killed in his room with a peculiar word branded on his chest. Do you:
1) inform the authorities
2) google the word branded on the dead man's chest and then phone the first Harvard professor whose name appears in the search results
3) have a nice cup of tea?

You are the head of the Swiss Guard, responsible for the security of the Vatican during the conclave which will elect the next Pope. You receive reliable information that an explosive of unimaginable power has been hidden somewhere in the Vatican and will detonate in a few hours. Incidentally, four senior cardinals have also disappeared. Do you:
1) evacuate everyone, including the cardinals and most of the population of Rome
2) lock the cardinals into the Sistine Chapel and hope that the explosive device will be found by the Harvard professor and the cute physicist who have just turned up
3) have a nice cup of tea?

What was the fate of Copernicus?
1) executed by the church for heresy
2) died in his bed after a lifetime as a priest and senior government official in a church-run statelet
3) he had a nice cup of tea

How likely is it that a Catholic priest would be allowed to adopt a daughter?
1) if they are both interested in physics and she looks good in shorts, I can't see why anyone would find it unusual
2) you must be joking
3) perhaps they could have a nice cup of tea together

Was Winston Churchill a Catholic? Are only cardinals eligible to be elected Pope by ballot?
1) Boring technicalities!
2) A poor excuse for research
3) I've put the kettle on

Who do you trust most for good information on the historical relationship between religion and science?
1) Dan Brown
2) Richard Dawkins
3) Stephen Jay Gould

Dan Brown - image from Alwasat.ly

This is the first novel in which the character Robert Langdon appears (The DaVinci Code being the most famous) The well-known symbologist is called in by the director of CERN when a renowned scientist is found murdered. The scientist had created anti-matter, in an attempt to demonstrate that divine creation of the universe was scientifically explainable. The scientist has, of course, a brilliant and beautiful daughter. The tale has much payload regarding the Illuminati, an ancient group of scientists who had formed a secret society in opposition to the church. It is fast-paced, and a well made example of the action adventure tale. We learn much about the history of the illuminati, a bit about CERN, but the central questions remain ones of faith and science. It was a fun read, one I felt impelled to return to when free moments appeared.


Tom Hanks stars as Robert Langdon and Ayelet Zurer stars as Vittoria Vetra - image from AceShowBiz

A few other DBs for your consideration
-----The Lost Symbol
-----The Da Vinci Code
-----Inferno