Rating:  Summary: awful book by writer whose other works are awesome Review: I love Dan Brown's other books and I couldn't believe how bad this one was. Clearly the publisher is capitalizing on readers like me who have high expectations based on Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Deception Point. The dialogue was bad, the characters were unlikeable and the plot progression was ridiculous. I kept reading thinking this book couldn't possibly end without a good twist or some redeeming feature. But it did.
Rating:  Summary: For an IQ of 170, she's not so bright Review: i'm no cybergeek but i was WAY ahead of the protagonist Susan. it's a good thing that the colonel is patient.
Rating:  Summary: Awful dreck, publisher should be ashamed Review: I thoroughly enjoyed The DaVinci Code, so I rather eagerly bought this book, thinking it was new. But in fact, it is an older (1998) attempt at writing about technology that is just dreadful, and should never have made it out of manuscript form without a rigorous edit and rewrite (or two or three). While it is nice to realize how much Dan Brown has grown as a writer, I simply felt ripped off by the publisher. Absurd dialog, absurd plot replete with not-believable characters with about as much appeal as old carpet remnants. Clearly this was rushed into publication to capitalize on the success and fame of The DaVinci Code but for goodness sake, couldn't the publisher have run it through the editorial mill? I'd send my copy back to the publisher but paying for the postage would be throwing good money after bad.
Rating:  Summary: Techno thriller? Try techno-babble! Review: I knew I wouldn't enjoy this book when 21 pages in the author completely botched the explanation of public key encryption. I'm not a cryptographer, computer scientist, or national security expert, just an average guy who uses a PC. Anyone who's ever read a single newspaper or internet article about encryption probably has the facts more correct than this author did. Reading techno-thrillers, like sci-fi or big-budget action flicks requires a "suspension of disbelief." But if the author is going to try to pass himself off as an expert in something he clearly isn't, and make a huge mistake, it's hard to take anything after that seriously. The rest of the cryptography discussion is over my limited knowledge, or completely made up, doesn't matter. The computing terms thrown in read like the author made a laundry list of every acronym, protocol, and technology he'd ever read about and just dumped them in every-other sentence to impress readers. If you can use your computer for more than email and web browsing, you'll be thoroughly insulted by this. And, yes, the plot is weaker than the single digit "kill code," as are the paper thin characters.
Rating:  Summary: An intelligent thriller ! Review: An intelligent thrill ride from cover to cover ... I was hooked from the very first page ... and if you like this one then your going to love Dragon Man The Adventures Of Luke Starr http://www.dragonman.tv
Rating:  Summary: Decent but not good Review: I loved Angels and Demons and I loved the Da Vinci Code but this book was not on the same level. Don't get me wrong, it is a good book and a fast read but there were several things that decreased the overall enjoyment of this book. For one the action seemed forced and the book was fairly predictable, also the book describes the NSA as being a mega powerful, top secret agency with far reaching powers but during the course of the book it seems as though this agency wasn't powerful nor even intelligent. In fact we only see three agents for most of the book. If you need to pass time on a flight or read a book while waiting for your doctors appointment, get this. If your expecting to be entertained and learn as well as enjoy yourself, get Angels and Demons.
Rating:  Summary: Intelligent idea. Futile story. Review: The idea is intelligent, but the books feels like you are going thru a bunch of people having a really bad day. Everything that can go wrong, WILL go wrong in this book.I made it to page 255 but wanted to give it up a 100 pages back. All that keeps me going is the thought that hopefully the conclusion is worth the trouble of wading thru another 250 pages. It's like a cyber soap opera! The author, Dan Brown keeps stretching things. I bought the book because of all the talk about his latest book, The Da Vinci Code. I'm waiting for that book to come out in paperback and so I thought this book will give me an idea of how Mr. Brown writes. Now I'm having second thoughts about The Da Vinci Code. Will it be just as numbing as this one? This book is just another pot boiler. Sheesh!
Rating:  Summary: Could not put it down! Review: Wow, this was a great book; much like watching an exciting thriller movie.. edge of seat action up to the last page and more importantly, it grabbed my attention and kept me from the first page.
Rating:  Summary: Mastermind Review: Brown never ceases to amaze me with the complex novels he creates. I started out the Da Vinci Code, moved on to Angels & Demons, and now this one. Of the three, Digital Fortress is my favorite. Perhaps this was because I really didn't expect Mr. Brown to be able to "keep up" with himself as far as the quality books he turns out, and interesting plots. Also recommended: McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD
Rating:  Summary: Enthralling thriller Review: O.K. Let's not kid ourselves. Dan Brown's inclusion of cryptography, somebody myseriously dying on the first page, a sexy intelligent female protagonist, a college professor who becomes the reluctant hero, & a mysterious assassin in every one of his books IS bordering on a sick obsession. That being said, his formula DOES work. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Seeing as Digital Fortress is his inaugural work, Dan Brown makes a few rookie mistakes that unequivocally engender some implausibility throughout the book. So as not to give away anything, I'll just say that the ostensibly intractable quagmire that the characters are engulfed in is hardly realistic, let alone believable. Having said that, Brown's mastery of suspenseful prose more than makes up for his shortsightedness in other areas. After all, this is why it IS fiction - not nonfiction. I enjoyed it and recommend it to those who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code. As a caveat, just don't expect 100% accuracy on the computer minutiae.
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