The Da Vinci CodeFollow

Anyone else read this?

I figured, what with the movie coming out and all, I'd read this book to see what the fuss is about. I'm about halfway through it now, and I have to say I'm quite disappointed. I expected better after all the popular hoopla.

The mystery is well constructed (halfway through and I haven't solved it yet--Agatha Cristy never managed to pull that off), but the writing itself is just this side of amateur. With all the praise, I had expected something really meaty and substantial, the kind of book you have to read slowly to grasp every nuance of what the author is trying to say. Instead, this novel falls into the category of what I like to call "brain-candy." I started reading it this afternoon and I'll be done before I go to bed tonight. Definitely not weighty material. The dialogue is trite and obvious, the narration clumsy, the characters one-dimensional, and the author has a really unfortunate habit of telegraphing his punches. When the characters stumble onto a new clue, I've already been there for a few pages.

All in all, I'll give it a 7 out of 10, mainly on the merits of the mystery. On the writing alone, maybe a 4 out of 10.


Edited, Wed Apr 26 23:54:58 2006 by Ambrya

I enjoyed it because I don't over-analyze a silly book. @ Totem.

Well, on its' surface it was a'ight, but Dan Brown even says that all of his books take place in two day's time. But why? How in the world could they do all that in such a short time? And why force the storyline to take place in 48 hours? It would be so much more plausable if everything was over a three week period, but, hey, that's just me.

Totem

Well i read this book when it first came out and i went and baught a soft cover edition for 5 bucks, any more and i wouldn't have bothered.

The only reason this book is hyped is because it basicly puts "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" Into a story that is more easily readibly and entertaining. It takes the main aspects of "Holy BLood, Holy Grail" and tries to explain it through a story of a secret society that must pass it's secret on after all the higher ups die.

Without the religious crap thrown in and controversy i believe this book would be a good mystery to read. If nobody had ever heard of a man named Jesus the book would loose some of it's luster, but not much. The riddles are well thought out and everything in the book is unified. WHich is no easy feat for a mystery novel.

The charicters only travel from France, to Britan, to Scotland, then back to France if memory serves, in 48 hours. 48 hours with no sleep and they can still solve these riddles as if they had woke up from a full nights rest. Besides that the book is put together pretty well.

They switch from english to french randomly through the book,which helps add to it's realism in some sort, but can be confussing ifyou don't understand french, but even if you don't understand french many of the key words in a sentance sound similarenough to get the giest of a situation.

It presents things in a very one sided manor, and Sophie is a very wishy washy charicter, she would believe the moon will explode if you could make a riddle about it and convince ehr it's bene passed down from the centuaries. She go's from not very religois at all due to her grandfather, to searching for the truth about her family and Jesus. I guess it make partial sense.

Robert is at first just along for the ride, but for some unknown reason decides that he is in love and WILL help this crazy pycho-*****.

Dunno, the books alright, Take out the religious controversy and it's not as a good read, but is still quite fun. Some of the "facts" are disputable, but that does not take away from the enjoyment factor.

</lousymidnightbookreport>

It is still probably more on the ball than 1421 that book trying to state that the Chinese reached South America before anyone else.


Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanely Robinson ftw!

At halfway through the book, they haven't even left France yet, hmm...

It's her grandfather, actually. But yeah, the obligatory romantic tension angle is contrived.

Angels and Demons is miles better, but still has more plot holes than a block of swiss cheese.

It does have a few nice plot twists though.

Are many people actually taking the book as having true historical information?

Except that Umberto Eco is an absolute genius and a walking encyclopedia. And he's got a great sense of humour. Brown sleeps upside down. Thats about the only orginal thing about him i can think of. Comparing "name of the rose" with "davinci" is like comparing Laetitia Casta with Paris Hilton, in my opinion. One is a dirty, dumed-down, superficial version of the other.

Dan Brown is a decent mystery maker, but should leave the writing to a ghost writer or something.

(Having said that, if you ever ran for President, I'd vote for you man.)

I didn't mind the book, but to be honest I barely remember it. It just wasn't as earth-shattering a read as everyone makes it out to be. My mom just can't stop talking about it though.

I also thought Angels and Demons was better, though I enjoyed the Da Vinci Code as well. Probably due to it's a bit different from my usual read. I don't typically go for mystery type novels, and this one with the puzzels and whatnot was pretty cool. I don't remember a lot of the details as it's been probably 2 years or so since I read it.

I have not read either of these books. Are they worth checking out? Judging by some of your replies above it doesn't look like it?

On a side note, Tom Hank's hair in the movie trailer looks wicked scary...

Tried to reply but cant... stop... staring... at... freaking... avatar... must..stop...now...before...


Off to the toilet, brb.