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Calling Dan Brown's latest novel, The Da Vinci Code, simply a "smart suspense novel"
is like referring to Harvard as simply a pretty good university. Incorporating massive
amounts of historical and academic information is no easy task, but Brown does it in such
a seamless fashion that it is almost invisible within the story's natural narrative.
Definitely the mark of a master craftsmanÉ
--THE MYSTERY READER
"Massive amounts of historical and academic information". The more the barrage of stuff like
that doesn't let up the less inclined I am to believe it and the more questions I have.
The backbone of the little conspiracy- sorry, did I say little conspiracy? Because it's
obviously the most earth shattering conspiracy known to man!- comes from looking
at a Last Supper painting and noticing that John the Evangelist looks kinda like a chick, and
that when two people stand a few feet apart they make the letter V. Hmmmmmm. That looks like the
product of hours of research. I can see where Harvard comes into mind.
Fast-paced, intricately plotted.
A skillfully written read, complete with secret codes, anagrams, elaborate technology,
pagan sex orgies, sudden reversals of fortune, age-old conspiracies, pre-Christian
fertility cults, the Knights Templar, Gnostic Gospels, corrupt cops, brutal murders,
feminist ÒtheoryÓ, and frantic midnight rides through Paris.
--NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER
No, no, no, no, no. Quit lying to people. C'mon, you're the Catholic Reporter. And here you
are, outright lying to people. There's no pagan sex orgies (although the author acknowledges
his familiarity with the concept). There's no corrupt cops. There's no reversals of fortune.
There's no elaborate technology. Let's take that review, and repost it without the lies.
A read with secret codes, anagrams,
age-old conspiracies,
fertility cults, the Knights Templar, Gnostic Gospels, murder,
feminist ÒtheoryÓ, and midnight rides through Paris.
--NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER
That's better, isn't it? It still sells the book shamelessly. You really don't need to lie.
Now, we'll just swirl the pan around a little bit more, to turn it into a good review.
Dan Brown's novel has all the secret codes,
conspiracies,
murder,
and midnight rides through Paris you could ask for while still managing a light, easy read.
--ME
Now I actually want to read the book again! And that's a challenge, because if these guys
were on the back of Asimov I'd have never read some of the best books ever.
You'll love this.
The Da Vinci Code has enough twists and turns in a short amount of time to give you over
to gasping "More, Dan, more!" It is thrilling that anyone could contrive such an adventure.
--THE SEATTLE TIMES
There's riding the cock, and then there's riding the cock. And then there's screaming "more,
harder, make me come" while people are watching.
This season's most spectacular read...
blends a high-speed thriller with a spellbinding re-examination of 2,000 years of religious
history. Hard to put down, and impossible to forget. The chief delights of "The Da Vinci
Code" are the endless twists and turns the story takes, from the streets of Paris to the
dark, airless cathedrals of England. In the end, Langdon is left alone to solve the final
mystery. Look closely at the epilogue, in which Langdon returns to where everything began,
and determine if the most viable truth is the one gained from personal discovery.
--THE ATLANTA JOURNAL
First off, it's impossible to forget because no one will let you. Second, it is
refreshing to see someone actually read the book, although it's telling that he felt he
had to prove it. Last, he wasn't kidding about that "Final Mystery" thing. Holy hell, how
many times was Dan gonna end that thing? It was like watching the end of Wayne's world, except
not, you know, funny. "Let's do the scooby doo ending! Alright, now the King Arthur ending!
Alright, now the Citizen Kane!"
Extraordinary reading.
This books sparkles with energy and adventure. It grabs hold of your imagination and
answers all riddles in the end. You will never look at a painting by the Italian
Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci the same way again.
--NASHVILLE CITY PAPER
Why do people keep saying that? I thought John the Evangelist kinda looked like a chick
the first time I saw the painting, no change there. Most of the people in it do, for that
matter. And, trust
me, I'm not gonna start looking for pointy things everywhere.
A real page-turner....
Readers are scrutinizing Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" and "Mona Lisa" for
secret codes just as Beatles fans once hunted for "Paul is Dead" clues on album covers.
--BOSTON HERALD
I gotta hand it to 'em, that's pretty cool. I almost wanna read the book again. I think I'll
just stop here. How many more of these damn things are there? One. Ahh, it can't be that
bad.
Word of mouth has pushed this top-notch thriller onto best-seller lists throughout the
country, and the word is right. The intelligent, deftly plotted story is the best that
the thriller genre can offer. "The Da Vinci Code" is chockablock with fascinating
historical detail (the true meaning of the pentagram, for example) that doesn't slow the
action but draws the reader into the story. The "code" and all the clues are a true joy,
giving this thriller the extra stuff that raises it above being just another spy and chase
story.
--KATHI KIRBY, POWELL'S CITY OF BOOKS
(courtesy of The Portland Tribune)
... why. Why didn't I just quit at the Boston Herald's review. I had to keep reading. Instead,
I get Tiny Tim tossing off the crutches and telling us the "true meaning of the pentagram".
I get chockablock. At least "code" is in quotes. Someone's admitting it. But, how sad would
the world be if this were "the best the thriller genre had to offer"? I don't actually care
if the book's on bestseller lists. Bestseller lists were worth something once upon a time,
before the world of Oprah and coffee tables and chicken soup for the transexual vampire's soul.
Hell, before viral marketing, word of mouth was worth something too. Now, we have books for
people that would be more at home with the Golden Look-Look variety being sold to us by
all our friends, who have to justify their decision to buy the crap they bought by getting
you to buy it too. There's the real coverup; I've cracked the code. Everyone's afraid to
say they don't really know why they bought this book. And when you think about it, that's
scarier than any conspiracy about cups and getting our freak on with divine royalty; it's
already out there, all your friends are in on it, and there's no escape from it. Boo.
That looks like all of 'em. I like to think we all had a little fun at someone else's
expense today, even if it means my gossamer thin faith in humanity gets stretched and torn
a little more.
Next time I'm gonna kidnap webmasters and force them to read eachother's
work while I feed them nothing but Cheetos and that Vault drink that isn't repackaged Surge
or anything.
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