**Title: A Disappointing Read from Dan Brown**

\\n  "Everything is possible. The impossible just takes longer."\\n


I am truly at a loss for words. I can't even begin to express how angry, sad, and confused I am right now. I am actually giving a mere 1 star to a Dan Brown book. One star! All I can think is (and please forgive my language) WHAT THE FUCK?!


What on earth is this? A part of me still refuses to believe that this was written by him. I want to think it's some kind of joke. But it's not. It's not because Brown's writing style is so unique and easily recognizable, and it's definitely present here. It's also not because the formula he always uses is here.


The same formula that I've said time and time again I didn't mind because I didn't come to his books expecting extreme originality. I just wanted an enjoyable read to entertain me for a while. But the thing is, I do mind the formula when I can't enjoy the story. It just makes the whole experience even more frustrating because I know exactly what's going to happen next.


And I simply could not enjoy this book. It was just so dull. Intolerably dull. I've praised Brown many times for being able to give me an action-packed, gripping plot from page one. But this time, all the action I got was in just ten chapters almost at the end of the book, after being bored to death for more than 400 pages. It's like he's put all the dullness from his other books into this one. And that's just not okay. Especially when the first thing I read, that damn prologue, made me so sure it would be his typical action-packed plot. I HATE being wrong, especially about things like this. I feel like I was deceived, and I hate that feeling.


It could have been better, though. It just needed one of those breathtaking plot twists that Dan Brown writes so well. But I didn't even get that this time! I'm not going to be fooled by the same twist twice, Brown. I'm sorry! You can use your formula over and over again as many times as you want. But do not use the same plot twist twice! And if you do, don't make it so blatantly obvious. I knew who the bad guy was even before I reached the 50% mark. In fact, forget the 50% mark. I knew it before I reached the 30% mark! That's not what I mean when I say I want to find the bad guy before the characters do! I don't want to read the whole story already knowing who it is! It takes away any interest the book could have had.


But even though I knew who the bad guy was, I still didn't know his or her motivations. So yes, the plot twist could have worked partially. The motivations were surprising. I expected the bad guy to just be bad, wanting money, power, or whatever. Which now that I think about it is stupid, considering the character's description. But anyway, my point is that they were surprising. Or could have been if only I was invested in the story. I wasn't. The characters could have all died for all I cared. In fact, they should have died. There was a chance the story would have been shorter that way, and my torture would have ended sooner.


This just goes to show how little I was able to connect with the characters. Zero. Objectively speaking, I guess I could say they were actually well-developed. Unfortunately for them, that means nothing when I have to spend all my time reading and trying not to fall asleep.


The bad things don't end there, though. One thing I've always admired about Dan Brown is his ability to give us information and "fun facts" about the theme of his books without making it overwhelming. That usually results in you actually learning something new while reading. But that's not the case here. All the information is just thrown at you all at once, making it completely overwhelming and resulting in you learning nothing. So not even this can be considered a saving grace for this book.


So what is the saving grace of this book? Honestly, I have no idea. I really couldn't find anything to like about it. Not the plot, not the twist, not the characters. Nothing!


Overall, I am completely and utterly disappointed. I never thought I would give a 1 star to a Dan Brown book. But then again, I never thought he would write a book this bad. I definitely do not recommend it and feel sorry for anyone who has met Dan Brown through reading this book. Because I would think a hundred times before picking up any other of his books, which is a shame because some of them are actually really good.


\\n  "Force a hand and it will fight you. But convince a mind to think as you want it to think and you have an allie."\\n


SCORE: 1.00 out of 5.00 stars


You can also find this review on my blog

Dan Brown was one of the earliest writers in whom I found comfort. It is truly amazing to be a tourist in his books. You are like a hippy traveler, and Brown is your guide at your feet.

I have traveled through the crowd of St Peter's Square, looking in awe. I set my path to discover the unknown Holy Grail in the 'city of love - Paris' and eventually find myself giving a lecture at the United States Capitol. What a better way to travel in times of distress than through his books.

The perks of reading his books lie in breaking the rule of following the series order. While Robert Langdon and his Mickey Mouse watch stole my heart, his independent books are no less captivating. And 'Digital Fortress' was my first independent Dan Brown book.

Clearly, I expected the elements of Robert Langdon's life to be followed. However, unlike his other books, this one follows the plot of a cyber crime, designed for a 24-hour duration. It allows the author to dive deep into the details of Spain, where David is sent to retrieve the belongings of a dead man for the National Security Agency.

The NSA is held hostage not by weaponry but by the brilliant algorithm of Ensei Tankado. He is determined to destroy the NSA and disclose its secrets to the public. Commander Strathmore and Susan Fletcher are battling against this conspiracy, trying to discover Tankado's partner and conceal the truth about the non-breakable algorithm 'The Digital Fortress'.

I always appreciate the time and effort the author puts into delivering well-researched material for his readers. He keeps his characters highly intellectual and high profile, spending considerable time in uncovering their history, secrets, and weaknesses. He sets up the backdrop like nobody else. You inspect the places through his lens, and he describes every nook and corner of the magnificent monument gracefully with his words. He takes you to the places, helps you hear the church bells, admire the buildings, run around the street lanes, and smell its cuisine.

The suspense lies in the very last chapter of every book. The curiosity shoots up from the first chapter itself. So, don't let yourself jump to the last chapter without experiencing the brilliance of his writing in each chapter.

Dan Brown CAN actually write.

Angels and Demons was inventive, with its unique plot and well-paced narrative that kept readers on the edge of their seats. It was truly an exciting read.

The DaVinci Code, although it could be argued that it was really just Angels and Demons repackaged, still managed to be a good summer read. It had its own charm and held the attention of many.

However, this particular book is complete crap. I have taken the liberty of reading it so that you don't have to endure the same disappointment.

I highly recommend that you avoid this book at all costs. It fails to live up to the standards set by Brown's previous works and offers nothing of value or interest.

Save your time and money and choose a different book to read.

The book I recently read failed to meet my expectations.

At the beginning, it showed great promise and had me hooked. However, as the story progressed, it seemed to lose its momentum and became rather dull.

Dan Brown is widely regarded as a "Must Read" author, and I was truly excited to delve into this particular book as well as his other works. But unfortunately, this book completely changed my perception.

I would even classify this one as an 18+ book due to some of its content.

Personally, I cannot recommend this book to others. It's a read that you should approach with caution and at your own risk!

Perhaps other Dan Brown books might offer a more engaging and fulfilling reading experience, but this one definitely fell short for me.

I hope that future works by this author can recapture the magic and excitement that made his earlier books so popular.

Until then, I'll be a bit more hesitant when it comes to picking up a new Dan Brown novel.