The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon #3) by Dan Brown 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! After reading Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code, I was ready for the next Robert Langdon mystery. They both blew me away. I could talk about The Da Vinci Code all day; I could talk about Angels & Demons all day (and all night); but, I could talk about The Lost Symbol for maybe 15 minutes before I got bored.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows a Masonic seal holding together a torn coded page, above the city of Washington D.C.. The cover fits well with what the book is theoretically about. Or, at least, it fits the good parts of the story, what I expected the book to contain. A- cover. 

Official Description:

WHAT IS LOST...

WILL BE FOUND
The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling - 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, DC., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.
As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object - artfully encoded with five symbols - is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation...one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.
When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon - a prominent Mason and philanthropist - is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations - all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.


My Review:
I was disappointed in The Lost Symbol. It's focus was much less on decoding and solving a mystery while explaining a secret organization (in this case, the Masons) than the previous books. While the decoding was still an element, the book centered more on how crazy the bad guy was. The majority of the book was from the villain's point-of-view to try and prove how crazy he was. 

Large chunks of narration from a villain's point-of-view is one of my writing pet-peeves. It makes the main characters look dumb, while making the book uncomfortable to read and boring. This style made The Lost Symbol feel less like a Dan Brown book, and more like a Silence of the Lambs book. Specifically, it felt about 80% similar to Red Dragon.  

The Lost Symbol is much the same as the earlier amazing books by Dan Brown, but it replaced some of the unique code-breaking and conspiracy-style history with thoughts from a madman. It really wasn't my style, and I'm disappointed to say the least. This book has taken me three weeks to read, and honestly, wasn't worth my time. It just didn't hook me like the other ones did. 

I think I'll still try book four, Inferno, but I know I'm going to wait awhile and catch up on other books first.

Phrase:
Tattoos

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Da Vinci Code
Angels & Demons
Silence of the Lambs

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookshelfSecret

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret

Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon #1) by Dan Brown 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! After being blown away by The Da Vinci Code, I couldn't stop myself from reading the first book in this series. I loved this one, too. Maybe even more than The Da Vinci Code but for different reasons.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Langdon running toward an explosion in one corner and the ceiling of a church on the other side. The contrast of heaven and hell, angels and demons, while still being heavily related to the plot! A cover

Official Description:
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned 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 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 even 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.


My Review:
One of the hallmarks of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series is its catchy writing. The pace of the book flies by, to the point where you look up and realize that you have been reading for hours.

I imagine that is also due to how action-based this novel was. Comparatively, The Da Vinci Code is a lot more about history, while Angels & Demons centers on cults (the Illuminati) and action (racing against a literal time bomb). 

A book is nothing without it's characters, and Angels & Demons definitely had some good ones. Robert Langdon is a mix between your typical nerdy professor, a suburban dad, and an adrenaline junky. It's an odd mix that works very well for his character. As a result, he is very easy to route for, and his character feels very natural. The other leading character is Vittoria, a strong, smart female who is portrayed not simply as "the love interest" but as a capable woman who can (mostly) handle herself. Vittoria is a strong character, who I'm definitely glad was added.

Another hallmark of the Robert Langdon series is tackling religion. Angels & Demons talked much less of the "theory" of religion, but it definitely covers it. It discusses the politics of relgions, namely involving naming a new Pope, but also it's relationship with the media and the public. Also, about how it's had to adapt with the times. It was really interesting and the way that Dan Brown handled it was masterful. It wasn't made to contradict any religious feelings you may or may not have. Instead, it dances all over the issue without treading on anyone's feet. As a Catholic, I wasn't offended by anything but rather intrigued.

Yet another thing I loved about this book was that there wasn't much from the villian's point of view. I find that that always ruins the element of surprise and suspense. While there were a few moments from the antagonist's POV, they didn't give too much away and kept the element of suspense alive. 

Overall, this book sucked me in like no other has been able to in a long time. I was in the world. While reading, I actually gasped out loud at some points. There are copies of this book in every library and used book store in America. Do yourself a favor and grab one the next time you see it. 



Movie Thoughts:
After enjoying the book so much, I found a copy of the movie somewhere. I thought I'd give it a shot. I cannot recommend reading the book first more! The movie takes all of the main plots points but leaves the significance of this events behind. 
You would ruin the suspense and genius of the book without understanding the actual point of the book. The movie changes the whole point of the book (in much the same way as The Shinning). The movie does a poor job of showing motivation for actions. 
It's a decent movie, but pales in comparison to the book.

Phrase:
Branded

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Da Vinci Code

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookshelfSecret

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret