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Summary: OUTSTANDING WORK OF IMAGINATION AND RESEARCH
Review: The Da Vinci Code is an outstanding work of both fiction and history. The book starts from the murder of an elderly curator at the Louvre inside the museum, close to which the police find symbols. Come in Harvard symbologist Langdon, late at night, to try to decypher the code. The story goes from there, with Langdon joined by Sophie, the old man's daughter, to uncover clues left by her father that only her could understand. The story mixes a good murder mystery with esoteria collected through thousands of years in Western civilization. Such esoteria include the Holy Grail, Mona Lisa's smile, etc. Without giving much away, Langdon finds out that the curator was involved in a secret society that also included Isaac Newton, Da Vinci, Hugo, among others. This is an intelligent thriller, with a number of great plot twists that follow one another up to the very absolutely great ending. Despite the 400 or so pages, should be a book to read in two or three days...
Rating:
Summary: A Work of Genius
Review: The DA VINCI CODE is as layered as an onion. The imagination that author Dan Brown has revealed through his decision to write this story is beyond ordinary comprehension. The plot he has constructed, revolving around millenia old secrets, combined with the quantity of detail he provides and the depth of his research, is "awesome" in the most literal sense of the word--and "awesome" is exactly the appropriate word to describe this novel. The plot is as layered as an onion, the clues he offers are elusive and tantalizing and, ultimately, all but impenetrable. This is one of the best books (if not the best book) I've ever read. Appropriately, there are many who would remind me that it's the second best book, after the Bible. Well, THE DA VINCI CODE is, in many ways, a further exploration of the Bible. A warning: Don't start this book unless you have the time readily available to finish it. Once you get into the story, you will not be able to put the book down until you read the last page!
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Summary: The Da Vinci Code is not only the greatest book of the year
Review: The Da Vinci Code is by far probably the best book I have ever read. This thriller sets the hook of all hooks and drags the reader along. I couldn't put it down. I was on my computer researching the historical information from the painting just to see that they were true! Dan Brown is pure genius!
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Summary: A Winner! Fun and Fast Reading!
Review: The Da Vinci Code is by far the most interesting book I've read in a while. It's good enough just as an intellectual mystery novel, but it's the controversial theory that makes it truly intriguing. It brings up many points about faith while presenting quite a shocking view of Christianity. It is easy to view this as an anti-Christianity novel, but I see it as more pro-truth. Brown does not seem to be calling for denouncement of the religion but rather for the seeking of truth about it, something I'm sure Christ would be all for. If you're looking for a book that will challenge both your mind and your soul, look to The Da Vinci Code. It will make you look more closely at life itself. Two other quick, fun recommended Amazon purchases are: WILL@epicqwest.com by Tom Grimes, The Losers Club by Richard Perez. Happy reading everyone! Happy Holidays!
Rating: 
Summary: masterpiece-schmasterpiece
Review: The Da vinci Code is completely devoid of artistic value. It was designed to make money, which it certainly has. Let be an example to starving writers everywhere. P T Barnum was right.
Rating: 
Summary: The Da Vinci Code Review
Review: The Da Vinci Code is Dan Brown's finest work yet. Follow Robert Langdon and Sophie Nevue as they try to solve the mysteries of a secret society Sophie's grandfather was involved with after his murder. They follow clues to knowledge that died with Sophie's grandfather, and they're running from both the police and the Church. As secrets unveil and the plot takes twists and turns, the Da Vinci Code will suck you in from the moment you open it to page one.
One of the specifics I enjoyed from the novel was how interesting the historical facts were, and how much I learned about the truth of the Church. This book certainly does not support Christianity. Another enjoyable aspect of the novel is it's fast-pace read, and how it never stays in one place for too long. There are also many shocking twists in the book, and it makes you want to keep reading. This book is great, and you'll never want to put it down.
There aren't many things I didn't like about the book, but there are a few faults. One of them is that some of the characters were a little bit too made-up, and it was difficult to believe in them. It's difficult for me to relate to the personality of a character that doesn't exist. Another aspect I might change is how much the book resembled a movie. Instead of a traditional descriptive text, the story moved like a dialogue for a motion picture. I also think that you don't get a good enough description of some important characters. Yet, overall, I recommend The Da Vinci Code if you're looking for a great mystery novel, or if you want to pass time. It's full of interesting facts, and it's a creative way to pass the time. This book is the shortest 450-page novel I've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Good execution of a routine formula
Review: The Da Vinci Code is Dan Brown's suspense novel about the hunt for the Holy Grail and those who would stop its discovery. It is an intriguing presentation of theories about the Grail and various religious conspiracies, but fans of the suspense genre may sense a certain been-there-done-that feel to the book. The story begins with Robert Langdon, a professor specializing in religious symbols, being called to the scene of a strange murder at the Louvre. The victim has conveniently taken long enough to die to leave a riddle behind, a riddle intended to team up Langdon with the victim's granddaughter, Sophie, and send them off on a quest for the Grail. They set off on this quest, pursued by the police (who think Langdon is the killer), a mysterious figure called the Teacher, and a giant albino monk who is hired muscle (all these types of novels have some freakish killer) and part of an extreme sect within the Catholic Church. Apart from some interesting theories about the Church and the Grail and various pieces of art (such as the Mona Lisa), this novel doesn't offer much, but Brown does write well enough to keep things reasonably exciting. Though the story requires a lot of exposition, Brown does a good job of parceling it out in small doses mixed in with the action. Although the theories in the story sometimes cross the line into implausibility, Brown does put together some rather intriguing concepts. This is far from a perfect novel, and far from an original one, but it is a fun one.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a masterpiece
Review: THE DA VINCI CODE is disappointing. The problem is not that the book isn't fast paced and suspenseful - it is to both. But that's all it is. There are plenty of "hooks" and plot twists, but they occur on a page-to-page level. Once the story is established as a quest for the Holy Grail, the arc of the plot becomes highly predictable. That the story is about the search for the actual Holy Grail, and the biggest conspiracy in the history of western civilization, is another problem. The scope is as big as it seems. The suspension of disbelief becomes shaky less than halfway through the book and never recovers (side diatribes about the theological implications of THE LITTLE MERMAID don't help matters). As if that weren't bad enough, after we come to realize the story really is about the search for the Grail, even after its "true nature" is revealed, even after it is actually located... we don't get to see it. Had the book ended with some doubt about whether the Grail - and the massive conspiracy about it -- was real, hiding it would have worked. But by the end of the book there is no doubt about its authenticity. We are told somewhere in the middle of the story what type of thing the Grail really is (it isn't a cup), but we don't learn much more about it once its location is discovered. The whole thing has the unpleasant smell of the new-age self-help book, THE CELESTINE PROPHESY. Well, it wasn't quite that bad - but precisely because it wasn't that bad, it was even more disappointing.
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Summary: Couldn't Put It Down
Review: The Da Vinci Code is exceptional! It starts off a tad bit slow but really takes off after a hundred pages or so. The story is a good mystery with many twists and turns. I don't know how anyone could rate the story under a 4! Remember, don't be afraid to read this book if you are a devout christian. The book is not "historical" so do not read it as such. Focus on the story itself, not the "history lessons."
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Fast-Paced, Fun Read
Review: The Da Vinci Code is far from perfect, but that didn't keep me from flipping all 400+ pages in an afternoon. This book has much to offer: 1.) Interesting facts about artwork, the golden proportion, cryptography
2.) Details enough about Freemasonry, the Priory of Sion, Opus Dei, and the Knights Templar to make budding consipiracy theorists salivate
3.) Plenty of red herrings and foreshadowing to keep you guessing and revising your guesses
4.) Excellent pacing Some readers may find the short chapters unusual, but they work well in maintaining multiple concurrent threads. The result is a page-turner in the truest sense--the reader almost feels as if he is in the same desperate chase as the characters. The Da Vinci Code is far from perfect, however. The writing sometimes calls attention to itself, and the author often pauses the narrative to provide backstory and history lesson. The lines between historical fact and pure fiction are intentionally blurry, but that may be unsettling to some (devout) readers. And some scenes, including the ending, an interrogation early in the novel, and a climactic scene at Westminster Abbey, seem contrived. Also--don't believe anything Brown says about Harvard... Overall, this is a fun and entertaining book that doesn't deserve the harsh criticism it has received. I recommend it without reservation.
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