La Saisiaz, and The Two Poets of Croisicv - Robert Browning

Advantages: A surprisingly shocking poem which really stands out if u understand the whole meaning of Browning's words.
Disadvantages: Probably not the best of poems to read if the 19th Century literature and style doesn't appeal to you

...Robert Browning had a unique style when writing his poems. This is why I think this poem especially, is a work of genius. The thing that struck me about this poem, I have to admit when studying it, was the way it told the story of a shocking possesive relationship. In the pre-1900's, this theme of love probably wouldn't have been such a big thing in the society of that time. But today, I feel it is a much greater issue. I am not a great poetry lover, but this is what astounded me about Robert Browning especially as he is a poet from the 19th Century. Browning write the poem in a very different way, setting the mood almost immediatly. Through the poem, he tells the story of a Lady, quite rich in her class. coming to a cottage to meet her lover. He sets the atmosphere right from the beginning as being a cold, winter night... Read review

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Advantages: A cracking good yarn
Disadvantages: It's full of holes and poorly researched

...of this information, and to this day continues to harass and even murder the protectors of the “Divine Goddess”, yet another fictional secret society calling itself the Priory of Sion. ~ ~ Brown wraps up all this fictional speculation in an absolute corker of a thriller, once again using his character Robert Langdon, the Harvard art historian we were first introduced to in “Angels and Demons”. Then we have an albino monk called Silas, who is sent by the head of Opus Dei (an ultra-conservative Catholic order) to murder the secret leader of the Priory of Sion, a fellow called Jacques Sauniere, who also happens to be the curator of the Louvre Museum in Paris. His quest is to steal the “keystone”, which has supposedly been held by the Priory of Sion since the time of Christ, and which reveals the true location of the “Holy Grail”. Langdon, naturally... Read review

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Advantages: A cracking good read.
Disadvantages: tainted by allegations of an "anti-Christian" agenda

...~ ~ A comment on my previous review of the thriller “Digital Fortress” by American author Dan Brown, who also wrote the bestseller "The Da Vinci Code", gave me pause for thought. It was along the lines that Dan Brown was using his novels to promote an “anti-Christian” agenda. In particular, it's alleged by many people that his most bitter vitriol and criticism is saved for the Roman Catholic Church. Obviously, as I am both Christian and Catholic (in that order) that notion caused me some concern, so I went off to investigate the claim in a bit more detail to see whether or not it was true, and if the claims had any substance. I read my third novel by Dan Brown, “Angels and Demons”, with a far more critical eye than I had read the previous two as a result of having taking on board this perceived anti-Christian agenda which he... Read review

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