Ciao review formatting seems tottally screwed, sort it out guys its making it hard to read anything
Ciao review formatting seems tottally screwed, sort it out guys its making it hard to read anything
Member since:29.08.2002
Reviews:621
Members who trust:280
Having received an urgent phone call from his old mentor and friend Peter Solomon, Robert Langdon rushes to Washington DC to deliver a speech in the Capitol building. When he arrives however there is no conference and Langdon soon discovers he has been tricked into his visit to Washington and finds himself involved in something beyond his wildest imagination. He soon discovers that Peter Solomon has been kidnapped and Robert only has a few hours to uncover one of the greatest Masonic secrets in order to save his friend. This sets off another mad dash around another city for Robert Langdon as he tries to solve the clues and save his mentor.
With his previous book the Da Vinci Code becoming one of the bestselling books of all time the pressure was really on Dan Brown. The follow up would undoubtedly come under immense scrutiny and comparisons back to the previous book were bound to be drawn. I personally have been looking forward to Lost Symbol but I seem to come from a smaller camp of Brown
fans who think his best book was in fact Angels and Demons. Could he possibly deliver another book to follow in the success of the previous instalment of the Langdon saga?
Rather than following the formula for the other two books directly Brown has taken a slightly different approach to this book. The writing style and the short chapters are exactly the same as the previous 2 outings for Langdon, but the plot takes a slightly different twist. The previous two books were written as solely books, but this one has a real feeling that it's been written with the movie adaptation in mind. It doesn't take away anything for the plot but there are a few more twists than the previous books and they seem to be twists for the sake of the movie audience and whilst contributing something to the story, perhaps wouldn't have been in there had a movie not been in the offing.
The adventures of Robert Langdon have seen him largely involved in Religious mysteries, but this time there is a slight twist with the introduction of Freemasonry. One of the major appeals of Brown's work is the obvious research he does into the background of his next adventure for Robert Langdon. He has taken some real facts about the Masons and created his story around one of their greatest myths in a similar vein to the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons and I find it works. The puzzle breaking isn't quite as effective this time but what it lacks in interactive puzzles it more than makes up for with its insight into the Masons and sheer gripping storyline.
Obviously the return of Langdon brings back a character that probably 95% of the world's population already know and Brown seems to play on this. He gives slight recaps into the character but by and large he assumes his audience will already be familiar with the lead character and pretty soon you'll find yourself remembering details about him from the last two books. Aside from Langdon he creates some interesting characters with a degree of interesting twists along the way. With Peter Solomon we learn mostly about him through Langdon's memories and discussions with other people about him, but this makes him feel like a main character despite the fact as the reader we don't actually know if he's alive or dead.
Of course Langdon finds himself up against another delusional villain who wants to destroy the Masons and Peter Solomon. As the book progresses I felt that Brown gave an insightful and growing characterisation that kept the reader hooked wanting to know the real reason this evil being wants to destroy the Solomon family and the Masons. There are an assortment of other characters including Peter Solomon's sister Katherine, the Security Director of the CIA and the architect of the Capitol who all aide in the twists and turns of Langdon's 12 hours to solve the secret and try and save his friend.
Overall it is another success for Brown. It isn't perhaps as additive a read as the previous two books but it still works particularly well. There are a few criticisms such as Langdon's continued ability to cheat death and then just carry on but then that sums up Brown's work perfectly. This is another of his enjoyable thrillers that whilst having routes in actual events and theories is purely for the enjoyment of the reader. It's not a literally masterpiece but the reason for Brown's success is simple, this like the other books, is an enjoyable work of fiction that hooks the reader and keeps a reasonable pace and you know what, that works for me and for that reason I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Symbol.
Amazon: £8.99 Amazon Marketplace: £6.99
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Vehicles move through the murky night, carrying highly secret material. And that ... more
clandestine material will only be available--after midnight--to those who have signed non-disclosure notices. The plot of the new Dan Brown novel? No, its actually how rev...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Vehicles move through the murky night, carrying highly secret material. And that ... more
clandestine material will only be available--after midnight--to those who have signed non-disclosure notices. The plot of the new Dan Brown novel? No, its actually how rev...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Six years in the writing The Lost Symbol is Dan Brown's extraordinary sequel to his ... more
internationally best-selling Robert Langdon thrillers Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Nothing is ever what it first appears in a Dan Brown novel.
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Vehicles move through the murky night, carrying highly secret material. And that ... more
clandestine material will only be available--after midnight--to those who have signed non-disclosure notices. The plot of the new Dan Brown novel? No, its actually how rev...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Free!
Advantages: A good read with symbolic twists and turns Disadvantages: No WOW factor
Nothing-But-The-Truth 06.11.2009 (06.11.2009)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
Advantages: A good read with symbolic twists and turns Disadvantages: No WOW factor
Nothing-But-The-Truth 06.11.2009 (06.11.2009)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
Oct 15th, 2009
very helpful by (100%):
