Product Description

In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world’s most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling that finds famed symbologist Robert Langdon in a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol is an intelligent, lightning-paced story with surprises at every turn.  This is Dan Brown’s most exciting novel yet.

Customer Reviews (2595)

Ultimately Unsatisfying
The first quarter or so of this book seemed pretty entertaining, & hinted at a truly dark, sinister, ominous plot against America.

By roughly the halfway mark, I was beginning to feel as if all of the myriad historical explanations were there for the sake of being there -- sort of a "show off" of historical knowledge, so to speak.

When I found out what the "dire national security crisis" was, I had two reactions. The first was, "You're kidding, right? Who the heck would care so much about THAT???" My second reaction was, "Wait a minute ... just how did the CIA find out about this to begin with???"

The denouement from that point on was dull, page-skipping thriller-fare. The final ending provoked no sense of wonderment or fascination, at least not for me. The Noetics Science subplot was left hanging, unresolved & "out there", perhaps for a future book to exploit, but because of that seemed like a gigantic waste of page space & a great deal of padding, particularly considering that it was never fully explained why it was a threat to the villain's plot. The villain's true identity, when exposed, left me unconvinced as well.

IMO, Steve Berry is entirely superior to Dan Brown.

Terrible.
I managed to finish the book only because I figured out pretty early which parts to skim: the pseudoscience, the ridiculously flat character development.Unfortunately, even though that was most of the book, there were still huge eye-rollers I managed to stumble on.Descriptions of Langdon's "physique?"the only female character collapsing in his arms so many times?the villain's "massive organ?"Come ON.

There were two or three really interesting parts, like the cat-and-mouse chase in the dark with the ethanol trick.But all in all, not worth the few hours of my life I wasted on this book, especially because the author's misinformation was sometimes so blatant that it insulted my intelligence.The "fontanel" described in the book as the sacred place on the top of the head, where the bones are not fused at birth, where the villain wants to tattoo something?It's not there.There are two, at front and back of the head, the posterior fontanel and the anterior fontanel.

That error made me lose all interest in whatever "scientific" or philosophical information the book held.Boo.

Anticlimactic and oh so predictable...
Of course we've all read Brown's other two famous novels, and we either loved or hated them, but we respected what he did.Looking towards The Lost Symbol I wasn't expecting another Angels & Demons, but I was certainly looking for another quality page turner.It was a page turner, but the story certainly wasn't quality.

The story itself is very formulaic and predictable.Brown purposefully went out of his way to make the most stereotypical evil bad guy, who just happens to always be one step of everyone, even when that train of thought is no where near the logical conclusion on where such and such will lead Langdon next (sorry for being vague, but don't want to give any spoilers).Add to that typical pushy CIA director/Authority figure and the similarly brilliant and yet dumb geniuses all chasing down puzzle after puzzle piece, while the other is chasing him down, and you have a page turner that is not satisfying in the least.And being a page turner can be good, a la Angels & Demons and The DaVinci Code, but in this case there is absolutely no need to have every single three to five page chapter end in a cliff hanger with a don don don moment.

Eventually something came up that took me by surprise towards the end, something that was not as predictable as the rest of the book, and thus the 2 stars.For that alone he redeemed himself a little and I truly was surprised.But then the book ended so anticlimactically that you put it down feeling nothing except, perhaps, that you had wasted your time.Please, Mr. Brown, end the Langdon series already.The character and themes are played out and I would love to see you write about something else as equally interesting (hopefully without the oh so cinematic chapter endings that always have to be a cliff hanger).Not a recommend.

2 stars.

The lost writer
Hope Dan Brown finds his way back to writing. This book was a waste of time.. formulaic and lousy. Don't waste your time reading it.

A ton of build up to nothing
CONTAINS SPOILERS

**********

I was a huge fan of Angels and Demons and thought The Da Vinci Code was pretty good, so I was really excited for this book. I never should have opened it.

Dan Brown spends 400 pages building up to this special thing and it's...The Bible. That's it. The Bible. I mean REALLY?! The murderer is caught and there is like...50 pages of him preaching about how we need to look deeper into THE BIBLE? I was so pissed. The twists were ridiculous. The drowning thing was a JOKE. I was so disappointed. I never start these novels thinking I'm going to read remarkable writing, but I do expect a good plot. This one was just too jumbled and had way too much going on. Also...I agree with another reviewer. He stole Sato from The Incredibles.

A very sad showing from Mr. Brown. I don't think I'll be reading one of his books again. ... Read more

Product Description

When a new NASA satellite spots evidence of an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory...a victory that has profound implications for U.S. space policy and the impending presidential election. With the Oval Office in the balance, the President dispatches White House Intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to the Milne Ice Shelf to verify the authenticity of the find. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic academic Michael Tolland, Rachel uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery -- a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy.

But before Rachel can contact the President, she and Michael are attacked by a deadly team of assassins controlled by a mysterious power broker who will stop at nothing to hide the truth. Fleeing for their lives in an environment as desolate as it is lethal, their only hope for survival is to find out who is behind this masterful ploy. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all.

In his most thrilling novel to date, bestselling author Dan Brown transports readers from the ultrasecret National Reconnaissance Office to the towering ice shelves of the Arctic Circle, and back again to the hallways of power inside the West Wing. Heralded for masterfully intermingling science, history, and politics in his critically acclaimed thriller Angels & Demons, Brown has crafted another novel in which nothing is as it seems -- and behind every corner is a stunning surprise. Deception Point is pulse-pounding fiction at its best.Amazon.com Review
Penzler Pick, December 2001: In the world of page-turning thrillers, Dan Brown holds a special place in the hearts of many of us. After his first book, Digital Fortress, almost passed me by, he wrote Angels and Demons, which was probably one of the half-dozen most exciting thrillers of last year. It is a pleasure to report that his new book lives up to his reputation as a writer whose research and talent make his stories exciting, believable, and just plain unputdownable.

The time is now and President Zachary Herney is facing a very tough reelection. His opponent, Senator Sedgwick Sexton, is a powerful man with powerful friends and a mission: to reduce NASA's spending and move space exploration into the private sector. He has numerous supporters, including many beyond the businesses who will profit from this because of the embarrassment of 1996, when the Clinton administration was informed by NASA that proof existed of life on other planets. That information turned out to be premature, if not incorrect. (This story is true; I repeat, Dan Brown's research is very, very good.) The embattled president is assured that a rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice will prove to have far-reaching implications on America's space program. The find, however, needs to be verified.

Enter Rachel Sexton, a gister for the National Reconnaissance Office. Gisters reduce complex reports into single-page briefs, and in this case the president needs that confirmation before he broadcasts to the nation, probably ensuring his reelection. It's tricky because Rachel is the daughter of his opponent. Rachel is thrilled to be on the team traveling to the Arctic circle. She is a realist about her father's politics and has little respect for his stand on NASA, but Senator Sexton cannot help but have a problem with her involvement.

Adventure, romance, murder, skullduggery, and nail-biting tension ensue. By the end of Deception Point, the reader will be much better informed about how our space program works and how our politicians react to new information. Bring on the next Dan Brown thriller! --Otto Penzler ... Read more

Customer Reviews (784)

Great story, terrible writing
On very rare occasions, you come across a story wherein the events that unfold are so compelling that you're willing to deal with terrible dialogue, overuse of exclamation points, and obvious inconsistencies.Dan Brown's Deception Point provides such an occasion.

If Brown had written the outline and sold it to a(n even slightly) better writer, this would have been a wonderful novel.As it stands, however, I found myself wanting to throw the book out the window for the poor writing--only to find myself too entranced by the story it nearly ruins.

That said, it really is a good story.Brown uses national politics, military intrigue, and science & technology to drive the reader along an exciting and dynamic path.

You won't necessarily be guessing the entire length of the novel, but you'll be compelled to read on to check your predictions.If you're expecting major twists, the books biggest strength will turn into a major downfall as you read on.Brown does a wonderful job of building up scenarios, detailing pieces of personalities, technologies, and scenery that come into play later on.The problem is that Brown seems to stick to a pattern; by the climax I was able to predict where individual set pieces would end up, and how that would affect the outcome.Still, I read on to "see" it unfold, and it was a good ride.A couple of details were surprises, but they did not change the inertia of the plot at all.

At some point, I started visualizing the story as a Michael Bay film (though a good one), so I forgave the pieces of bad dialogue.The characters, while mostly enjoyable (I say "mostly" because one character, Corky, was close to being the Jar Jar Binks of Deception Point), are flat; again, this is surprisingly forgivable once you tune your mind correctly.

Unfortunately, I could not recommend this book as a purchase.It's definitely worth a read for the story itself, but the terrible writing is distracting at best.I found myself counting the exclamation points per page and dog-earing pages with inconsistent thought identifiers or conflicting actions.(The biggest offender of actions: someone "stands back up" twice, though there's no mention of them sitting in the first place.)

In the end, I can honestly say I enjoyed this book--enough not to toss it out of a window.Find yourself a copy sitting on a friend's bookshelf, or check it out from your local library.

Deception Point - another magnetic Dan Brown book
Excellent story line, fast paced, couldn't put it down! 500+ pages of excitement read in less than a week!

Non-Stop, Breakneck, Nail-Biting, Spine-Chilling Thriller
Take a President of the United States who will do almost anything to get re-elected, add in a smart (170 IQ) and beautiful intelligence analyst (a gister), who happens to be the daughter of the president's rival, throw in a devilish handsome, world famous oceanographer who has a widely popular TV show, then toss in a few top scientists, a special forces unit to keep an eye on everybody else, mix them all up and you have the ingredients of DECEPTION POINT, one of the best thrillers to come down the pike in a long, long time.

Rachel Sexton is the daughter of Senator Sedgewick Sexton who is running against President Zach Herney for America's top job. President Herney has been a strong supporter of NASA, but everything they've done lately has been a boondoggle and Senator Sexton is exploiting this in his campaign.

Then one of NASA's satellites locates something buried deep under the Milne Ice Shelf in the frozen north. Herney seizes on the change to upstage his rival by sending Sexton's daughter, Rachel (the beautiful analyst), the TV guy and the scientists way far north, to find out just what is under that Arctic island and when it looks to be something from another world containing microscope life forms all hell breaks loose.

And that is the basis for this non-stop, breakneck, nail-biting, spine-chilling thriller that is darn near impossible to put down. You have bad guys galore, chase scenes, double crosses, twists in the tale -- it's all hear in spades. I just loved this book, can't ya tell.

Awesome Thriller
This was one of the best books, I read in a long time. I likes this one a lot. Great plot. Little different from the symbology that we are used to from the Robert Langdon series. I just couldn't put the book down. Very good novel.

day old french fries
Boy did this s*ck!
Good journalism gives you who what when where why and how. Good reviews tell you something about the content, story line, theme, and writing style of a book. Mash-ups online melt genres into each other. Since my brain atrophied from reading this drivel, a mashup is about all I can muster anymore.

Why? I had no intention of reading this book but was stuck in a house in Cambodia for a week with absolutely nothing else to read.

When: on the cusp of an election with an embattled but good hearted U.S. President. Exciting times!

WHAT: Deception Point tells the story of A SECRET GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION!!! WHO: And the BRILLIANT BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO WORKS THERE!!! I'm sorry, she isn't a girl, she's a woman, the daughter of a U.S. Senator no less. And he is an EVIL EVIL REPUBLICAN WHO IS SHALLOW AND PHONY!
Good lord, just for once I'd like for the red-herring villain to be an old fashioned democrat closet commie abortionist for a change. Shessh. The brillcreamed evil republican politician is wearing thin.

But back to the plot: Guess what? There is a HUGE GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY! Designed to MANIPULATE DEMOCRACY!!!

It is called "global warming."

Naw, that's a cheap shot. It's called extraterrestrial life. (Yep!).

Of course, the soldiers in this piece are unthinking order following robots who kill U.S. civilians at the order of their masters. Rules of engagement anyone? Anyone?

Where: Washington, D.C., sleazy apartments and chambers of power! The Arctic: but set up at taxpayer expense as if it was a Four Seasons resort. A submarine! Of course! The Hunt for Red October! (sorry, I meant "C" not "H").

The "surprise villain" is so obvious. If you were drunk and you half remembered the list of characters, and remembered that no other one of them could ever be the shadow villain, you are left with ONE and ONLY ONE obvious "surprise" villain behind the whole thing.

Tack on a scientist as love interest for our heroine and you get a completed arc of a thriller so formulaic you think you are reading a book on first-order polynomials.

Reading this is like drinking a mug of lukewarm french-fry grease. Your brain will be dead by the end of it.

Dear Dan Brown: please give me those hours of my life back.
... Read more

Product Description

Although there's enoughglobehopping in this book for James Bond, the real battleground iscyberspace, because that's where the "bomb" (or rather, thenew encryption algorithm) will explode. Yes, there are a few flaws inthe plot if you look too closely, but the cleverness and the sheer funof it all more than make up for them. There are enough twists andturns to keep you guessing and a lot of high, gee-whiz-levelinformation about encryption, code breaking, and the role they play ininternational politics. Set aside the whole afternoon and evening forit and have finger food on hand for supper--you may want to read thisone straight through. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1007)

Dan has woefully abused creative liberty here
BS can get you to the top, but it can't keep you there.This is what goes through my mind while reading this book.

Maybe it's because I'm a computer science graduate, like how the high clergy of the Catholic church must have tasted bile when they read The Da Vinci Code, but I couldn't stomach the glaring inadequacy of Dan's technical research.

Like what, you ask?Well, let's see what we have here:

Encryption algorithms like ZIP, Diffie-Hellman, and PGP?Sorry, wrong, and nope.0 for 3.Try again, please.I would accept AES, [Triple-]DES, SHA-1, and even MD5.Just Google the words, Dan, and you'll find you named a compression format and/or utility; a protocol for exchanging encryption keys -- hey, that one was close; and an encryption utility -- also close, but unfortunately, it is not an encryption algorithm itself.

Obviously he tried to understand.He got the concept of key length as the deciding factor in determining the time necessary to decrypt a code by brute force.Unfortunately, he then proceeded to mix up Bits and Bytes.That one's excusable for a novice, but if your plot revolves around a technical subject, you should probably make an effort to get this right.You're off by a factor of 8 every time you say "64 characters" while discussing a 64-bit key.

To make it worse, he says the TRANSLTR can't tell the difference between encryption algorithms -- a key is just a key.No.No, no, no, no.A key is not "just a key".It is keyed to a particular type of lock that must match just as your car key won't fit into the front door of your house, regardless of the tumblers inside.Commander Strathmore goes on to warn our heroine that the source code to this unbreakable encryption algorithm is freely available, but encrypted by itself, so no one can open it until they have the key.But in reality, even the key is only useful if you have the DEcryption algorithm that knows how to use it.FAIL, Dan.

But then.. the grand daddy of all verbal excrement:(Are you ready for this?)The villain has written a rotating cleartext algorithm -- *GASP* that sounds bad! -- whereby, the data within a file can magically transform itself over time, with no outside influence.THEREfore, a computer won't know even if it HAS found the right key since the cleartext within shifts while being decrypted!Um... I have a question, sir.All encrypted data is cleartext?Wouldn't that mean I could theoretically foil the NSA by sending -- I dunno, lemme think -- a binary image file instead of a text document?But that would make this a way less interesting story!

Oh, I so wanted to believe that intangible data could mysteriously alter itself on the physical media on which it was written.If that were even remotely conceivable, I could hope that, by shutting the book and waiting a while, maybe the words on the page would have rotated to form a better novel!

Alright.I admit, these are the grumblings of a know-it-all computer geek.But if you don't know your TCP from a hole in your firewall, the story itself is still good, yes?No.No, not really.You ever watch South Park?You know when they relay bad news that's completely ridiculous, and someone says "Oh.Oh god.Oh god, no.", and starts weeping?That was the whole chapter where The Commander informs Susan of the downfall of NSA's intelligence gathering ability.

I just can't do this.I can excuse technical ineptitude OR poor writing.Not both.It is still fast-paced, and if you're stuck in an airport on a 10-hour layover, there are far worse ways to pass the time.But I just read Deception Point, and the characters and their reactions follow precisely the same tiring formula, except the premise is also crap.

What the eff, Dan?I remember your Robert Langdon novels being pretty good.

AMAZING!!
This book is awesome!I love Dan Brown.I never read thrillers until I read the DaVinci Code.Now I can't get enough!

Good fiction story
If you are looking for this book to debunk the mystery about decoding, then you should pass.If you are looking for a fictional tale, with well developed characters and action, then you may enjoy this story.The plot moves quickly and never became disinteresting.

I just read this book, now 10 years old, and liked it.The fact that the technology piece is dated now didn't bother me or affect the enjoyment of this story.This tale is not nearly as dated when compared to another 10 year old story about technology, like Hackers (the movie).

Non-Stop, Pulse-Racing and Good to the Last Page
NSA cryptographer Dr. Susan Fletcher receives a call from her boss Deputy Director Commander Trevor Strathmore. It seems NSA's super secret, super code breaking computer, which has the capabilities of checking everyone's e-mail without them knowing and invading American citizen's privacy in so many other ways as it monitors the internet, has apparently come across a code it can't break.

Susan figures out that a Japanese man named Ensei Tankado, an employee fired by Strathmore, is responsible for writing the code, called "Digital Fortress" It seems Tankado, a numbers genius and computer geek extraordinaire, was born with deformed fingers because his mother was a survivor of Hiroshima in 1945. Tankado grew up hating America, but later came to love it after he learned the real reasons for the war. However, he's turned into a human rights activist and when he found out how the government could invade privacy with TRANSLTR (that's what the supercomputer is called), he wrote "Digital Fortress", which will not only stop the computer from spying on ordinary Americans, but it'll also cripple all of NSA's global intelligence and in this day and age that's a very bad thing.

However, it seems Tankado has the secret to this seemingly unbreakable code in a ring he wears, so Strathmore sends Susan's boyfriend, linguistics professor David Becker to Spain to get the ring. David goes without telling Susan, but when he gets there he finds Tankado dead and the ring gone, stolen by a hooker, who is also dead. And the guy who bought the ring from the hooker is dead too. And now the assassin who has done them in has David in his sights.

So, there you have it. Can Susan break the code before America is left defenseless, intelligence wise? Can David evade the Assassin and find the ring? Is the code really in the ring, or is the ring just a ring? Why was Tankado killed? Who is the real bad guy? These questions and their answers will keep your pulse speeding as you race through the pages looking for the answers in this non-stop thriller. Dan Brown just delivers when it comes to thrillers. I just wish he'd write faster.

Good
I would give this an excellent 5 star rating but I feel that the book could have been wrapped somewhat better.The wrappingwas starting to come apart by the time it got to me, causing the book to be a little damaged. ... Read more

Product Description
When a contented youth living in an overseas British military base is told that his parents' car has tumbled over a coastal bluff on a fatal accident, he is struck with a blow from which he will never recover. Years later, as a degenerate guard at a London tourist attraction, he is met by an impassioned Interpol agent who informs him that his parents' caskets are empty and that the funeral was a hoax.
The two find themselves on a common quest for answers and it becomes clear that the only man who can solve the riddle is the guard's own godfather - a scientist, ex-colonel and current fugitive who was last seen ten years ago. With a couple tricks up his sleeve and an agenda of his own, the guard vanishes to follow the trail alone. Meanwhile the agent deciphers clues a decade old on his own hunt for the retired colonel, learning as he goes the very unique circumstances of the colonel's past and the catastrophic consequences that could occur if he should fail. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Obviously not the same author
Like the other reviewers I was extremely disappointed that Amazon allowed me to buy this book without any notification it was not the same author as DaVinci Code, etc.Shame on you, Amazon!I love to read so I figured I would give it a shot anyway.I am one who very rarely starts a book and does not finish it, I always like to complete it, bad or not.I'm sad to say I had to stop after a few chapters.I absolutely could not stomach this book.The writing is horrible, the plot is stagnant and stale.Sorry, Mr. Brown, but you may want to find a new career/hobby.

Race the Pale Horse
I got confused with the author's name.This is NOT the Dan Brown of Angels & Demons, DaVince Code and other such novels' fame.I couldn't finish this book.

look out.
Haven't read it yet and it might very well be good but it's by another Dan Brown.

Wrong Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan Brown is my favorite author, anything he writes, I buy. This book is not writted by Dan Brown. Luckily Amazon is allowing me to return this item.

Horrible writing
This is my first review of a book on Amazon.com, but I felt it had to be said. I knew this book was not written by Dan Brown of Da Vinci Code fame before I bought it.

However, I read only the first two chapters before I got disgusted and erased it from my ebook reader completely.

The writing is absolutely horrible! How did this get published? Example: "Her and her father went to...." Good lord, no editing? It appears that the author wrote a story, then went back through it with a thesaurus substituting "big words" for all the "little words" -- for instance "the rotund rabbit" when fat would have worked much better. It makes for choppy, sloggy reading. I gave up. ... Read more

Product Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code comes the explosive thriller that started it all.

An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to his first assignment to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy -- the Catholic Church.

Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.

Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

Critics have praised the exhilarating blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit found in Brown's remarkable thrillers featuring Robert Langdon. An explosive international suspense, Angels & Demons marks this hero's first adventure as it careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.Amazon.com Review
It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, a papal conclave, mysterious ambigrams, a plot against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, particles of antimatter, jets that can travel 15,000 miles per hour, crafty assassins, a beautiful Italian physicist, and a Harvard professor of religious iconology. It takes talent to make that novel anything but ridiculous. Kudos to Dan Brown (Digital Fortress) for achieving the nearly impossible. Angels & Demons is a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's The Eight (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (but more accessible).

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out, and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, antimatter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches, and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilization.

Brown seems as much juggler as author--there are lots and lots of balls in the air in this novel, yet Brown manages to hurl the reader headlong into an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. While the reader might wish for a little more sardonic humor from Langdon, and a little less bombastic philosophizing on the eternal conflict between religion and science, these are less fatal flaws than niggling annoyances--readers should have no trouble skimming past them and immersing themselves in a heck of a good read. "Brain candy" it may be, but my! It's tasty. --Kelly Flynn

Look Inside the Motion Picture Angels & Demons (Sony Pictures, 2009)
Click on each image below to see a larger view

Ewan MacGregor as Carlo Ventresca with College of Cardinals

Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon

Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon and Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra

Armin Mueller-Stahl as Straus and Ewan MacGregor as Carlo Ventresca

Customer Reviews (2433)

Decent Purchase
While I haven't actually read the entire book yet, so far so good... I did, however, want to leave a comment/review on the product itself for any future potential buyers.

In the description, it says that this book is illustrated - and that is not a joke. There are pictures on every 3 pages it seems (slight exaggeration here) and the book itself is large... like 8.5x11 large. Keep that in mind if you are trying to decide between this version of the book and the mass paperback version. I am deployed to a far away country right now and I should have bought the mass paperback version, simply because it is a challenge to lay in bed to read it... Quite honestly, it is easier to read it at a desk and then, with the size of the book & the pictures - it feels more like a text book.

Anyway, for what it's worth - that is my assessment on the actual physical product - not so much the story, simply because I know I will enjoy the story as I love all of Dan Brown's works.

Angels and Demons
Good reading.Left me wanting to find out more
This book is far better than any others Dan Brown
has written

great book
This is an excellent read, better then The Da Vinci Code.You won't be able to put it down.

Good story, makes me think, but annoyingly wordy
First off, I enjoyed this book, especially the second half when the plot thickens and twists unpredictably. I read the entire second half in one sitting. I also liked the photographs and maps in this illustrated edition, which I found helpful to trace the action and ponder the symbolism.

Having said that, the book suffers from drawbacks that puts it well out of the league of good literature. I am not sure if this is because it's Dan Brown's first book, not having read others.

The writing style is completely amateurish. I found it too wordy, slowing me down when the plot is supposed to be action-oriented and fast paced. Things are explained ad nauseum, with much repetitiveness, insulting the reader's intelligence. There are many irrelevant details and descriptions. For example, Robert Langdon, upon entering a church or a room, first takes the time to survey the place, admiring the artwork, even when he well knows there's a killer in the room. Something about this kind of timing irks me. The whole novel is supposed to happen in the span of a few hours, but I cannot believe so much action could take place, not at the pace it is written out in.

More annoying is the language used. Every character, whether Italian, CERN scientist, Harvard Professor, Vatican Cardinal, Swiss Guard, or British reporter speaks with the same accent, peppered with "I'll be d*mned". At least one "D*mn" has to pop up on every page. It cuts the believability of the story and constantly reminds me I am reading a work of fiction - an imperfectly-crafted one at that.

As many other reviewers pointed out, the characters are unreal. A Harvard professor who is a champion diver and swims 50 laps a day? The author has no idea of the amount of time and devotion it takes to be a successful academic.

There were also problems with the research and with consistency. The editors could have done a better job spotting those things. A poison that darkens the gums, then the tongue is found to be black. A Middle Eastern assassin who "speaks Islamic" [Islam is a religion, not a language], with a "cold Middle Eastern accent" [Middle Eastern accents I heard can be described as anything but cold]. The springtime sun in Rome setting at 9 PM? Even in midsummer the Mediterranean sun barely makes it past 8 PM. Or how about the scientist who secretly works on the CERN accelerator late at night to produce anti-matter? [Large accelerators are operated 24 hours and there are several people in the operator room at all times].

The greatest faux pas of all? The Rome in which action was taking place, at 7 PM, 8 PM appears as if it was deserted. This is quite unlike my experience of Rome, with mountains and mountains of people, packed piazzas, packed churches, packed tourist sites.

In summary, I enjoyed it, but I won't bother reading his other books. Go straight to the movie instead.

I love it.
It was good condition when I got it. I love this unabridged version. I say thank you for quick shipping and reasonable price. ... Read more

Product Description
The most explosive bestseller of 2009 . . .
Over 5 million copies sold . . .

Now available in a beautifully illustrated gift edition just in time for the holidays!
 
 Dan Brown’s record-breaking novel The Lost Symbol weaves a breathtaking trail through the hidden artwork, chambers, tunnels, and temples of our nation’s capital. Now the fascinating visuals appear right before your eyes, making for a sumptuous reading experience that brings alive Robert Langdon’s heart-stopping race through a little-known Washington, D.C. Revealing a world of ancient mysteries, stunning history, and secret societies, this Special Illustrated Edition unveils a whole new level of intrigue and fascination within The Lost Symbol. Over one hundred full-color images are featured throughout this lavishly illustrated gift edition—an essential companion to the original. ... Read more

Product Description
Dan Brown's 'The Lost Symbol' was the most anticipated novel of 2009, and was the literary event of the year. Alex Carmine examines all the themes in depth, and provides a chapter-by-chapter analysis of 'The Lost Symbol'. From Alex's assessment of the novel, it is very much apparent that Dan Brown has not only been adhering to his own formula, but that he has also been following Joseph Campbell's concept of the hero's journey.We know that Dan Brown likes to play with the names of his characters, so Alex explores these in great detail.In this way, Alex reveals the name of the real American family upon whom the Solomons are based.Alex also shows that, following its development within 'The Da Vinci Code', Dan Brown's still very much in tune with his 'sacred feminine' side, with his stunning representation of womb envy.Dan Brown's fascinating depiction of masculinity within this novel is studied too.In addition to this, Alex explores the literary devices that Dan Brown employs, and the magical sleights of hand that he uses to make the reader look the wrong way.Indeed, one of the main arguments in this book is that Dan Brown has hidden much of the true meaning of 'The Lost Symbol' behind various veils of allegory, much as the Masons do with regards to their secrets, and like the Symbologist Robert Langdon, Alex reveals these meanings to you.However, Dan Brown is an author who also likes to reward his readers, so Alex examines the clues about the novel that he disseminated prior to publication via Facebook and Twitter. Furthermore, Alex considers the various Masonic practices depicted within the novel, and bring to the fore the conspiracy theories that surround this mysterious fraternity.Alex Carmine's very close reading of the novel literally leaves no stone uncovered, and will transform your own interpretation of the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A brilliant analysis of The Lost Symbol
This comprehensive guide to The Lost Symbol really explains a lot about the decisions Dan Brown made in his plotting of the novel. Alex Carmine's argument that Dan Brown is following the theory of The Hero's Journey makes a lot of sense in the context in the novel, and in this light, a great deal of the plot becomes a lot more profound and perverse (in a good way). Although The Lost Symbol has got a bit of a lukewarm reception at the moment, I am confident that through Alex Carmine's expert critique, readers will begin to appreciate a lot more of the complexity that Dan Brown has built into it. Just as The Empire Strikes Back took a while to emerge from the shadow of Star Wars: A New Hope, so I'm sure that via Alex Carmine's interpretation, The Lost Symbol will soon be seen as Dan Brown's most mature achievement in the wake of The Da Vinci Code. Alex Carmine's book is certainly the most serious literary analysis ever undertaken of Dan Brown's work, and is undeniably the most rewarding due to this. Since Alex's book contains a chapter-by-chapter analysis of The Lost Symbol, it's very easy to dip into while reading Dan Brown's novel. Alex Carmine is also a very witty and entertaining guide, who pokes fun at Dan Brown's mistakes as well as pointing out his many successes.

A brilliant analysis of The Lost Symbol
This comprehensive guide to The Lost Symbol really explains a lot about the decisions Dan Brown made in his plotting of the novel.Alex Carmine's argument that Dan Brown is following the theory of The Hero's Journey makes a lot of sense in the context in the novel, and in this light, a great deal of the plot becomes a lot more profound and perverse (in a good way).Although The Lost Symbol has got a bit of a lukewarm reception at the moment, I am confident that through Alex Carmine's expert critique, readers will begin to appreciate a lot more of the complexity that Dan Brown has built into it.Just as The Empire Strikes Back took a while to emerge from the shadow of Star Wars: A New Hope, so I'm sure that via Alex Carmine's interpretation, The Lost Symbol will soon be seen as Dan Brown's most mature achievement in the wake of The Da Vinci Code.Alex Carmine's book is certainly the most serious literary analysis ever undertaken of Dan Brown's work, and is undeniably the most rewarding due to this.Since Alex's book contains a chapter-by-chapter analysis of The Lost Symbol, it's very easy to dip into while reading Dan Brown's novel.Alex Carmine is also a very witty and entertaining guide, who pokes fun at Dan Brown's mistakes as well as pointing out his many successes. ... Read more

Product Description
PREMIUM MASS MARKET EDITION

#1 Worldwide Bestseller—More Than 80 Million Copies Sold

As millions of readers around the globe have already discovered, The Da Vinci Code is a reading experience unlike any other. Simultaneously lightning-paced, intelligent, and intricately layered with remarkable research and detail, Dan Brown's novel is a thrilling masterpiece—from its opening pages to its stunning conclusion.Amazon.com Review
With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts anintelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of aninternational murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteriaculled from 2,000 years of Western history.

A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals asinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by aclandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is ahigh-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments beforehis death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only hisgranddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, afamed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects anddetectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but alsothe stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere stepsahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leadsNeveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, andhistory itself. Brown (Angels andDemons) has created a page-turning thriller that also providesan amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroineembark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Westernculture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smileto the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with theveracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da VinciCode is an enthralling read that provides rich food forthought. --Jeremy Pugh ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3997)

Da Vinci Code: Christian Review
Religious symbolism expert Robert Langdon is urgently summoned to the Louvre to investigate a bizare murder.The grandaughter of the deceased knows that it is a sting operation and Langdon is the prime suspect.Sophie and Robert run through Paris and London, unraveling clues while staying ahead of the authorities.
There are very few people in America who haven't heard of Dan Brown's best-selling thriller The Da Vinci Code.The "conspiracy thriller" is based on the premise that the Church (meaning the Catholic church) has surpressed critical, non-Biblical facts about the life of Christ.
If you claim that Jesus was married and had a child, you will get flack no matter how many copies you sell.
The Da Vinci Code is a well-spun mystery (I hesitate to call it a thriller) that makes big claims backed up with almost completely phony research.Even liberal reviewers gave Brown a hard time.When attacked by historians, Brown affirmed that every thing in the book was fact.
I've gotten different opinions from Christian who have read the book or seen the movie.Some feel threatened, but Brown's dull axe, if you will, is only a threat to those unwilling to research.The majority of Christians I've talked to enjoyed the story and left the theology.
The final word?Read if you are willing to do some extra research.If you decide to read or watch The DaVinci Code, add The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel and Cracking the DaVinci Code (or a similar book) to your home library.

Pros:
*Exciting plot
*Believable dialougue
*Decent prose style (those who bash Brown's style have had the luxury of never reading truly ban prose)
*Clues and riddles actually solveable by real people

Cons:
*Religious sexual content (the worst is at the end of chapter 74)
*Language (not horrible; probably one mild every other chapter)
*Mild alchohol
*Heavily unbiblical theology and world views
*Occasional clunky language (once again, it's not as bad as many negative reviews make out.
*Evil Albino trope is getting old

[...]

Good story with tons of detail!
I have to join the ranks of those who enjoyed "The Da Vinci Code".Having watched the movie years ago, I recently picked up the book as there were similarities to the new novel, "By A Thread" - a thriller with religious overtones.While I enjoyed the movie I enjoyed the book more.The religious overtones to the story were unique.I also have to marvel at the seemingly never-ending instances of the grandfather's brilliance of symbolism upon symbolism throughout the story, with story telling making it all very believable.The story was fast-paced from beginning to end with characters coming and going to suite the story's needs.While I very much enjoyed the story I would have enjoyed stronger character development.We got to learn of the two main characters as the story unfolded while the other characters seem to come and go.I walked away from the story remembering its pace and the various intricacies of the story's symbolism, however the characters themselves did not stay with me.I wish there had been better character development as was done in "By A Thread".Also, there is no doubt a tremendous amount of research was conducted with a lot of information around which to frame a story.With that said at times I felt, when reading the book, massive amounts of detail to be used thus craft a story to support the details.With that said, however, still an enjoyable read!

A CLASSIC...WHETHER U BELIEVE HIS IDEAS OR NOT...THERE'S STILL TRUTH IN THIS BOOK
Humanity is going downhill, and this book, if nothing else, sheds light on a new perspective; the perspective they don't teach you or even mention to you in high school, college or Bible school.

You may disagree with Brown's ideas, but what it boils down to is that none of us were alive at the time of Jesus Christ, so none of us can ever really know what happened; we can only form our opinions based on the dispersed knowledge that is given to us. So if you claim Brown is wrong because he denounces the Bible, then who is to say the Bible is accurate? And if you believe Brown's side, who's to say the Bible doesn't hold truth? You simply have to pick your battles, all the while accepting that anything you believe is most likely based off of faith, and not real knowledge.

FULL REVIEW:

[...]

I could not put this book down!
I cannot think of another book that grabbed and held my attention like The Davinci Code.This novel was replete with little-known but factual information about the history of Christianity, the Catholic Church, Opus Dei, the Knights Templar as well as many other topics.Although it is a work of fiction, Dan Brown stimulates the reader to think about the possibilities that great artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, may have cleverly left hidden messages or suggestions in their works.I learned a great deal about people and places that I had been previously unfamiliar with.Most importantly, the story itself was riveting, and literally, I could not put the book down while I was reading it.I highly recommend this book!

LOVED it!
I'm a little late on the wagon, but nonetheless ...

Other reviews go into more details, but here is my own quick response to this book from an agnostic, English Lit major and English teacher: Well written, enticingly interesting, entertaining, and very enjoyable. I think this book is a good example of art reflecting life in that the religious world is full of hypocrites who really know little of their religions' historical pasts. Please notice the people who did *NOT* like the book are offended from their Christian standpoints and nothing more. ... Read more

Product Description
Poetry ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Matter
Totally did not enjoy.Was not what I thought it would be.Love Dan Brown's book, just not this one.

Good book, if it's what your looking for.
While I understand people being frustrated with Amazons computers lumping this in with the fiction writer because of the same name. I do not understand how anyone could confuse the two long enough to actually purchase this book thinking it was written by the fiction writer.

I mean, OK, if you don't read the reviews, do you at least read the product description? It becomes fairly obvious by the 4th word that this isnt another thriller by the fiction writer.

Reviewers that think this is unfair "marketing" are flat out wrong. It's the poets name,and he shouldn't have to change it to "Dan Brown Not The One Who Wrote The Da Vinci Code But The One Who's Mother Called Him Dan Too"
Even though Amazon makes it easy to click and buy, if you bought this thinking it was another fiction book and want to blame the author, or the book for your poor consumer practices, you get zero sympathy from me, but I will point out that this could be a good life lesson for you, read the product description/reviews first before buying anything.
I was looking for the new thriller by Dan Brown myself, and it was very obvious that this wasn't by the same author.

Okay Dumbar*es!!!
For all those idiots slagging off this Dan Brown for 'riding on a famous authors' name"etc.......Have you not realised that this was published in 1996? Well before the other Dan Brown was made famous.

Yes they are different people, get over it! and stop slagging the poet off for having written a book years before someone else with the same name did!!
Stars are to balance out the obnoxious fools giving this a low rating without even blimen reading it

Gift
Gave this book to my son also - I don't think I read the description well - didn't realize it was poetry but think he will like it anyway

Be Aware Before Purchasing
I have read all of Dan Brown's books, that is, Dan Brown author of The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Digital Fortress. This book called Matter is NOT the same author but a poet. Before making the same mistake as I did, unless you specifically want this poet and book of poetry, BEWARE that this is not the Dan Brown author most of us have become familiar with.

You know...I agree that everyone SHOULD be responsible for their own actions and decisions...and fine - this Dan Brown preceeds the Da Vinci Code Dan Brown...but it was an extremely peculiar way I must admit that Amazon grouped the two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT writers together for a "Combo" book deal. To me, it was a surprise finding a fictional book combined with poetry, much like a Vegetarian ordering a meat-free cookbook and finding the seller combined the purchase with a Gift Certificate to Outback Steak House. TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT PREFERENCES. However one looks at it, the point many readers find helpful is that this is probably NOT the Dan Brown they are looking for. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Muy Entretenido
Fortaleza digital, es la primera novela de Dan Brown publicada en 1998, los protagonistas de la historia son David Becker y Susan Fletcher, la trama consiste en la búsqueda de la clave para craquear un código indescifrable contenido en el programa fortaleza digital, que ni la súper computadora de la NSA Transltr no puede descifrar.

Con un estilo muy simple pero que cautiva al lector, Fortaleza Digital es un libro con una buena trama, entretenido y fácil de leer.

lleno de misterio...
Fortaleza Digital, Dan Brown
La agencia secreta, NSA, desarrolla la computadora TRANSLTR, capaz de descifrar casi cualquier archivo digital encriptado. Al mismo tiempo aparece el programa "Fortaleza Digital", al parecer a prueba de cualquier intento de acceso no autorizado, cuyo objetivo es divulgar al mundo la existencia de TRANSLTR y la información secreta que esta alberga.

Puede existir un código indescifrable? En un mundo en el que la información lo es todo, una simple palabra se convierte en el arma más poderosa. Susan Fletcher, la criptógrafa estrella de la ultrasecreta Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA) no puede dar crédito a sus oídos cuando su jefe, el subdirector de la Agencia, le informa de que han interceptado un código que ni siquiera la mayor supercomputadora conocida puede descifrar. La única pista para romper el letal código parece estar oculta en el cadáver de un hombre que ha fallecido en España, donde ha sido enviado David, el prometido de Susan. Mientras éste intenta hallar la clave y sobrevivir a la persecución de un metódico e implacable asesino a sueldo en las calles de Sevilla, Susan se enfrentará a su propio drama en las instalaciones de máxima seguridad de la NSA, durante una larga noche en la que la mentira y el asesinato acechan tras cada puerta.
Te lleva rapido de un capitulo a otro siempre cambiando de parecer al respecto de quien es el responsable de todo.. Cargado de sorpresas, crimenes que tambien caen de sorpresa.
Al terminarlo creo que jamas volveremos a ver ningun correo electronico o pagina de internet de la misma manera.

Bueno!
El libro es bueno. Es el primer libro que escribio el autor del Codigo Da Vinci, y de verdad, esta bien hecho.Esta vez la trama trata de un codigo de computadora (La Fortaleza digital), el cual no puede ser desencriptado por un supercomputador de tres millones de procesadores!!!!.

Vale la pena leerlo, aunque si ya has leido los otros libros, no tardas en descubrir quien es el "traidor" de la trama. ... Read more

Product Description
This book features the following titles: "Digital Fortress" When the National Security Agency's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, it calls in its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage - not by guns or bombs, but by a code so complex that if released would cripple US intelligence. "Deception Point" When a NASA satellite detects evidence of an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the space agency proclaims a much-needed victory...one that has profound implications for US space policy and the impending presidential election. The President dispatches White House Intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to the Arctic and what she finds once she gets there takes her breath away. "Angels and Demons" A breathtakingly brilliant thriller which catapults the reader through the antiquity of Rome, through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals and even the most secret vault on earth. The prequel to Dan Brown's worldwide bestseller, "The Da Vinci Code", it introduces the Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon."The Da Vinci Code" The curator of the Louvre has been murdered. Alongside the body is a series of baffling ciphers. Robert Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, are stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Da Vinci - and suggests the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history. Unless Landon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code a stunning historical truth will be lost forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An excellent collection and service
Each book is just good, and the complete collection is even better.
The lowest price i found, shipped in time and books in good condition.

Great Box set
Dan Brown has got to be one of the best aurthors,I love everyone one of his new books including his new one Lost Symbol.I suggest these books to anyone.

i have not received my purchase or a refund
I was really looking forward to these books, they never came.i contacted the seller and haven't gotten a response or a refund. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!

Dan Brown Box Set
Love the books.They got here really fast and in the condition indicated by the seller.Would order again

Dan Brown's Collection ...
The books are really awesome, but be aware ... the picture displayed is deceiving ... the books that I received got nothing to do with the one displayed here. Kind of disappointing but I forgot about that once i start reading the books. ... Read more

Product Description
Existe un secreto tan poderoso que, de salir a la luz, sea capaz de cambiar el mundo? Washington. El experto en simbologia Robert Langdon es convocado inesperadamente por Peter Solomon, mason, filantropo y su antiguo mentor, para dar una conferencia en el Capitolio. Pero el secuestro de Peter y el hallazgo de una mano tatuada con cinco enigmaticos simbolos cambian drasticamente el curso de los acontecimientos. Atrapado entre las exigencias de una mente perturbada y la investigacion oficial, Langdon se ve inmerso en un mundo clandestino de secretos masonicos, historia oculta y escenarios nunca antes vistos, que parecen arrastrarlo hacia una sencilla pero inconcebible verdad. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Excellent
I am happy with this item, everything was excellent.Dan Brownis a excellent writer.

Bueno y entretenido
Este es el cuarto libro que leo de Dan Brown. Sin ser un excelente autor de excelentes novelas, Dan Brown se distingue por mantener el interés del lector página tras página, y 'El Símbolo Perdido' no es la excepción. Brown es un autor formuláico, normalmente ya sabes lo que te vas a encontrar en sus novelas, y sin embargo, siempre te atrapa y te mantiene el interés y el suspenso a lo largo de toda la trama, y para mí eso es un mérito muy importante que me ha hecho comprar sus libros, y sin duda lo seguiré haciendo en el futuro. Leer 'El Símbolo Perdido', al igual que otras obras de Brown, es como ir al cine: acción, suspenso y entretenimiento al por mayor. Sin embargo a 'E.S.P.' le doy 4 estrellas de 5 porque aquí Langdon está disminuído, perdido en la acción, me pareció que esta vez no es el héroe como lo fue en las anteriores novelas. Lo que sí me gustó es que esta vez hay romance forzado entre Langdon y la "heroína", como en las novelas anteriores.

Recomiendo ampliamente este título si lo que has leído anteriormente de Brown te ha gustado. Si nunca has leído a Brown, dale la oportunidad a este maestro del thriller histórico y seguramente no te defraudará.

Lo Recomiendo
Buen Libro...sigue la línea de los dos anteriores, te mantiene inmerso en la historia y a la expectativa, lo recomiendo.

Entretenida
El símbolo perdido es una novela interesante de Dan Brown, tiene el mismo tono narrativo que sus el código Da Vinci y Ángeles y demonios.Como es de esperarse con el transcurso de la lectura DB crea un aurea de misterios que provoca al lector seguir leyendo, y como todas sus novelas un final inesperado. Vale la pena.

NO COMO LOS DEL AUTOR
SI BUSCA ALGO PARECIDO A LOS ANTERIORES NO LEAS ESTE LIBRO ,IGUAL CONTIENE BUENA CANTIDAD DE MISTERIO EN TERMINOS GENERALES BUEN LIBRO ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

La conspiracion
Como todas las obras de Dan Brawn, te hace sentir que estas en esos lugares y sobretodo el suspenso que se siente poco poco cuando te sumerjes mas en la lectura, yo Les recomiendo que Sihanouk a este escrotor ya que tiene mucho talento.

Not the worse
Buena historia.Pero muy repetitivo.Al voltar cada pagina parece que estas leyendo lo mismo en diferente orden.
Good plot but, way tooo looong!!!.Over and over the same thing.

Great, better than Da vinic code!
Muy buen libro, yo conoci a Dan Brown con el Codigo Da Vinci. Lei este libro como la mayoria imagino, el morbo de lo que habla el codigo. Me gusto mucho la forma narrativa de Brown decidi leer La Conspiracion y no me arrepiento, novela igual de atrapante e interezante que su ultima obra. La recomiendo ampliamente. El final inesperado y mucho mejor que el del Codigo DaVinci. Realmente si te gusto este ultimo que te menciono. La Conspiracion no te defraudara. Solo algo de l atraduccion al espniol que no me gusto es la repeticion excesiva del traductor, cosa que no sucede en la obra original en ingles that I read too. Mirada glacial....

Excelente Seleccion
Luego de haber leído El Código de Da Vinci decidí leer otro libro de Dan Brown.Seleccioné este porque Angeles y Demonios me pareció que seguía la misma línea que el Código de Da Vinci, y no me arrepiento.

El autor presenta la trama de manera que deja al lector en suspenso y deseoso de seguir leyendo para poder saber que va a suceder.

Anunque introduce algunos elementos utilizados en el Código de Da Vinci, el autor describe con lujo de detalles temas de alta tecnología y ciencia de manera que el lector pueda entender lo que está sucediendo sin perder el interés. ... Read more

Product Description
The follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mystery's Scholarly Substratum!!
Dan Brown is a very talented story-teller. And Freemasons are appreciative that he is sympathetic to the humane ideals of the Craft. What is also excellentis that his work give an indication of some familiarity withserious Masonic scholarship. Masonic scholars like myself are grateful that his story-telling will surely draw the real seekers, the ones who really want to know the hidden meaning, to investigate thescholarly layer that supports the engaging and captivating tales. Specifically, Masonic scholars are interested in making the nature of Masonic symbolism more clear, since as Brown's title makes show, that is of great popular interest. Yet, perhaps more importantly,it will have a very healing effect on our society. My article on Kabbalah and Freemasonry which now appears on the fine"Masonic [...]"site describes the Impetus for the Grand Lodge of 1717 which started the history of Speculative Freemasonry and its relation to the great mysteries of Kabbalah, and which continues asthe inspiration for the fascinating stories up until today.

=)
The book was in perfect conition; the signature utterly amazing, written in silver sharpie. The seller was great too, making sure that I recieved the product in time for the holidays even though it was ordered extremely close to Christmas. Overall I recommend this product. ... Read more

Product Description
¿Qué misterio se oculta tras la sonrisa de la celebre Mona Lisa? .Durante siglos, la Iglesia ha conseguido mantener oculta la verdad… hasta ahora.

Uno de los libros con mas tiempo en el tope de la lista de los Best Sellers del New York Times!.... El Código Da Vinci,ahora en un audiolibro narrado en español del bestseller internacional de Dan Brown,producido exclusivamente por FONOLIBRO, el cual no podrá dejar de escuchar hasta que llegue al inesperado final.

Mientras se encontraba en un viaje de negocios en Paris, Robert Langdon, experto en simbologia de la universidad de Harvard, recibe una llamada urgente a media noche. Jacques Saunière, el último Gran Maestre de una sociedad secreta que se remonta a la fundación de los Templarios, ha sido asesinado en el museo del Louvre. Saunière antes de morir transmite a su nieta Sofía una misteriosa clave. Saunière y sus predecesores, entre los que se encontraban hombres como Isaac Newton o Leonardo Da Vinci, han conservado durante siglos un conocimiento que puede cambiar completamente la historia de la humanidad. Ahora Sofía, con la ayuda Robert Langdon, comienza la búsqueda de ese secreto, en una trepidante carrera que les lleva de una clave a otra, descifrando mensajes ocultos en los más famosos cuadros del genial pintor y en las paredes de antiguas catedrales. Un rompecabezas que deberán resolver pronto, ya que no están solos en el juego: una poderosa e influyente organización católica está dispuesta a emplear todos los medios para evitar que el secreto salga a la luz.

FonoLibro, lider en audiolibros en espanol,les trae una afamada historia sobre un apasionante juego de claves escondidas, sorprendentes revelaciones, acertijos ingeniosos, verdades, mentiras, realidades históricas, mitos, símbolos, ritos, misterios y suposiciones en una trama llena de giros inesperados narrada con un ritmo imparable que conduce al oyente hasta el secreto más celosamente guardado del inicio de nuestra era. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Novela entretenida pero floja
Esta novela me pareció más o menos entretenida. Creo que lo mejor que tiene es su planteamiento, que es lo que la hace original y el hecho de que Dan Brown sabe sobre el tema de jesucristo. Sin embargo, le veo varios fallos. La trama es muy de película, más centrada en lo espectacular e inmediato. Los personajes son verdaderamente horribles, la mayor parte, especialmente el protagonista, son una caricatura de personas reales, plagados de tópicos que hacen que no te interese sus vidas ya que no les ves reales en ningún momento. Al antagonista le pasa lo mismo. Es literatura fácil, con buenos planteamientos, buenas ideas, pero un nivel de elaboración muy básico, muy de receta de best seller, entretenida, pero sin llegar al nivel de los pilares de la Tierra y obras de ese tipo.

el codigo da vinci
a good audio book to listen to, nice plot and conpiracy going on. good for people working to develop their spanish too, because its not a childrens book.


es un buen audiolibro de escuchar, la trama y conspiracion que figura este libro son de verdad cheverisimos. y tambien es un buen libro para el estudiante a desarollar su dominio sobre el espanol porque no es un libro para ninos.

Una buena historiah
Dan Brown con su estilo inconfundible, nos presenta una historia ágil, entretenida que es imposible de dejarla, adecuada para un fin de semana largo.

El Código Da Vinci
This book is beautiful,I'm catholic and this book is simply a fiction novel to me,this wont to change my catholics ideas never.

tremendo
buen libro lo leei antes de ver la pelicula y cuando vi esta la entendi muy bien y esta bien redactado ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Thank you
Pleased with condition of book and delivery time! Thank you....I always shop at Amazon first!

Thomas Beyer separates truth from fiction in this great read
This companion to The Lost Symbol is a must have. Thomas Beyer does an exceptional job explaining and providing details to the many questions raised by Dan Brown's book. Nicely organized into 6 chapters this book can be used as a reference text or a stand alone pleasure read. Beyer included many helpful and interesting links, photos and puzzles that led to many more hours of discovery and exploration. Beyer's book is not only a helpful guide but provides avenues for additional research and enjoyment. I highly recommend this to anyone who has read Dan Brown's books or is thinking of picking up The Lost Symbol.

Best Book in the World
I bought this book in hopes of understanding more of Dan Brown's historical references. The book gave me that and so much more. It is an informative, interesting, and a genuinely fun read. Thomas Beyer is truly talented and I really hope he continues to comment on and investigate other novels. ... Read more

Product Description
Did you know that many of America's Founding Fathers were not Christians, but were members of a well-known secret society? Or that the two mainstream Presidential candidates in the 2004 election were both initiated into the same exclusive secret organization, which goes under the name of 'Skull and Bones'? And how exactly did the esoteric symbolism on the dollar bill come to be put there?'The Guide to Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol' is the ultimate source for further information on the intriguing topics discussed in the long-awaited sequel to 'The Da Vinci Code'. The Guide will reveal to readers the fascinating truth about the hidden history of America and influence of Freemasonry upon the founding of the nation, the bizarre modern research unveiling the mysteries of the human mind, and the esoteric traditions from the ancient world which continue to influence some of the world's most powerful individuals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

cornucopia of info related to Brown's The lost symbol

This book is a relatively brief collection of chapters about various themes and subjects touched upon in Dan Brown's latest book. It explicitly _does not_ claim to be a 'gotcha fact-checker' type book. And it is not one. There is no criticism of Brown's book here except a few gentle nudges that he might have included this or that interesting bit which Brown chose to leave out. What this book is, is a series of interesting light essay chapters about various subjects related to The Lost Symbol, none of them very deep but all of them interesting and entertaining to read. I enjoyed the book for what it is, rather than bemoan it for not being something it never claims to be. It also has a good selection of books and websites to access for further information and photos of various buildings referenced in the novel. Frankly, I found this book more interesting and entertaining than Brown's novel, which I found disappointing in the extreme; boring, badly edited and annoying. This book is none of those things. :-)If you'd like some light reading on the freemasons, noetic science, the Founding Fathers, DC arcana etc ,then buy this and enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Exciting.Needs editing.
I agree with some of the reviewers of Dan Brown's other books.He should fire his editor.Brown gets a lot of basic information wrong in the book.For instance, he doesn't know the difference between a "church", a "cathedral" and a "basilica".They're all "cathedrals" to him.For a story that deals with intricacies of the Catholic Church his lack of understanding of some elementary terminology is amazing.He needs a better editor.

The first 80 pages or so were slow going and I almost gave up.But after that the story really takes off and carries the reader along a wild and exciting journey similar to that in THE DA VINCI CODE. A thriller but made less believable by glaring lack of understanding of the author.He needs a better editor.

On Par with "DaVinci Code"
Like "Da Vinci Code"--this was fast, enjoyable, a page turner--seemingly composed for easy conversion to the cinema. The characters struck me as more cartoonish this time around. Geeky tweedy Langdon transforming accidentally into a metaphorical "Superman"; Veronica Vetra (vetro=glass=transparent) the yoga-practicing physicist with the Mediterranean tan becoming "Batgirl". The camerlengo cloaked in false goodness turning out to be the "The Joker" (similarly to Sir Leigh Teabing in "Da Vinci Code"); Silas the albino monk of "Da Vinci Code" finding his equivalent in the Hassassin of "Angels & Demons" (Silas representing the masochist; the Hassassin being the sadist). There's some minor flirtation a la "Harlequin Romance" between Langdon and Vetra in "Angels & Demons". But no time for an affair, and that is best saved for the reader's imagination, given the velocity of this thriller. And once again, I loved the detail of the history and symbology within the context of "Angels & Demons", and appreciated and respected the research involved. So in closing, I will say that this book was both educational and entertaining.

Stephen C. Bird, author of "Hideous Exuberance: A Satire"

A shadow of "The DaVinci Code"
Though Dan Brown writes in the same vein as "The DaVinci Code," the novel doesn't have as much "oomph" as "The DaVinci Code." "Angels and Demons" was written before "The DaVinci Code"; I could say that "The DaVinci Code" was an improved version of its predecessor.
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Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

catholic church and american culture
This book is a "must read" for anyone who is interested in the American Catholic Church.It was written by a noted theologian, and covers such present-day topics as contraception, the role of women in the Church, and the priestly sex scandals of the past few decades.I recommend it highly as it was written in a plain, no- nonsense manner with the ordinary reader in mind.Highly recommended.

Fascinating reading for a wide audience.
I am not a Catholic or subscribe to any organized religion, yet I found this book fascinating on many different levels.It covers a wide variety of topics that anyone interested in history would enjoy.The book is thoroughly researched with extensive footnotes and an impressive bibliography.Eric Plummer's writing is engaging, accessible and surprising.This book is alive with grace, honesty and humor. There are no excuses or dogma here.I am an avid reader, and this book is clear, concise and one of the most interesting books I have ever read.I never thought I would be engaged by a theologian.

I wish there were more books like this!
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed and appreciated Dr. Plumer's book,The Catholic Church and American Culture.

I am a "recovered Catholic", and I enjoyed Dan Brown's book immensely, especially the treasure hunt through Paris that it provided.But I am still a Christian, and I was saddened not only by Dan Brown's twisting of basic Christian beliefs, but also by how the public focussed on that.

Then Dr. Plumer's book comes along to address this exact issue: How could Dan Brown's book create such a sensation?Why does the Catholic Church lack credibility such that no one even blinks an eye at such an attack on the Church?

I would have thought I knew the answer already, since, for example, I knew from school about what the Church did to Galileo.And no one has missed the news over the past decade of people having been molested as children by priests. But the details, the background information and the analysis that Dr. Plumer provides is fascinating, and I can't believe that I did not know half of this information!

I have learned more from reading Plumer's book than I have from any other book I have read in years, and I read a lot. Dr. Plumer takes things and provides the details and the point-of-view that blow you out of your seat.You learn so much, and yet, to be honest, the book is almost like reading juciy gossip.

Also, I am still laughing and shaking my head at Dr. Plumer's report of the Church's response to the accusation that they burned witches. Appparently, they defended themselves by responding that the accusation was a lie, because the Church had killed witches by other means as well!LOL!

If I could give Plumer a list of topics I need to learn about, and he could write the books, I would be an expert on many topics without even working at it, because Dr. Plumer's work is educational and at the same time incredibly enjoyable to read.

A "must read": insightful, well-researched, and highly engaging
Eric Plumer has written a riveting exposé of the religion and culture wars that dominate America, and one that packs more information into 300 pages than even the most demanding critic could ask for.He writes in the Introduction that the contents are to be considered as a buffet table: "take what you like and leave the rest."This is impossible.Readers who are accustomed to opening a book on page one will feel compelled to read this book cover to cover.

The book deserves five stars for the sheer amount of research that has gone into it and for the way in which this material is presented.Plumer writes in a lucid and highly engaging narrative style that includes many historical and contemporary references, all of which illustrate the various subjects he explores.But there is another reason his book gets five stars.It is a book that needs to be read, as there are no others that address the same issue.While numerous books have been written debunking the claims of _The Da Vinci Code_, this is the first book to raise the question: if this novel and _Angels and Demons_ are so full of historical inaccuracies and downright lies, then why are they such phenomenal best-sellers?Plumer answers this question not by speculating on the human propensity to believe a lie, but by exploring the traditions, movements, and cultural influences that have made anti-Catholicism the last acceptable prejudice in America.The goal of the author is to spur dialogue not only within the Catholic Church, but also between fans of Dan Brown's novels and anyone who takes a critical stance toward the claims in his books.This new book will certainly to that.The author, though Catholic, has chosen to write as a detached observer, presenting us with the reasons, some of which seem indisputably justified, for the widespread anti-Catholicism that has long been a feature of American life.

Any criticism I might have of this book reflects my own stance on certain issues more than it points to a shortcoming of the author, whose conscious intent, it would seem, was to stay out of the fray.While a detached perspective was, to a certain extent, necessary in this book, I myself would have preferred that the author give us a clearer indication of his beliefs in chapter six, where the role of Thomas Jefferson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and William James in shaping the religious consciousness of America is elucidated.As Plumer writes, these men were not Christians in the traditional sense of the word, because they denied the divinity of Christ.But then, in what sense were they Christians?Plumer distances himself to such an extent in this chapter that his own views are completely obscured until the very end, where they now appear on the other side of the horizon. (I might add that a defense of the orthodox teaching appears in the final pages of the book.)

There are ten chapters in this book covering ten topics.These include (among others) the Catholic Church and the sex abuse scandal, Opus Dei and the appeal of conspiracy theories, the controversy over homosexuality, the rise of modern science, and the place of women in the church, a chapter that includes a section on the sexuality of Jesus which I found both illuminating and insightful.Every chapter is an eye-opener, and every chapter will stir up a response.Having read _The Da Vinci Code_ or _Angels and Demons_ is not a pre-requisite to reading this one.Plumer's book is a "must read" for anyone who wants to know the signs of the times, and one that is certain to gain a wide audience. ... Read more