The Da Vinci Code

Rating:
Summary: Incredible - mind-blowing - thought-provoking - excellent
Review: This is by far one of the best books I've read in a very long time and I am an avid reader. I will have to say I picked it up and didn't literally put it down until the end. Where would you stop? The author isn't against the Christain faith as some have written. I believe he actually confirms it. Many scientists, artists and brilliant minds were ridiculed in their day and have been clearly accepted today. Is it a book of controversy? Absolutely. Does it make you think, look and pick up copies of old masters to see what you've never seen before. Definitely. Does it get people talking around the coffepot about a subject long forgotten? You bet. It is exhilirating. My favorite line was about the greatest book ever written - "you mean Harry Potter is about the Holy Grail?" - "I was speaking of the Bible." I would love to meet this writer. Kudos to you sir. And thanks from a female fan. May your tribe increase.

Rating:
Summary: Truth Disguised as Fiction - Brilliant
Review: This is by far one of the finest books I have ever read. Those giving it bad reviews fear the truths the book reveals. Yes, it is a "page-turner" and yes, it moves at breakneck speed, but that is what a good book is supposed to do. I could not put it down and frankly, didn't want to. Dan Brown has written a masterpiece that will live throughout the ages. Are all the ideas original? No, but it took brown to bring them into the mainstream and make it a convincing enjoyable read. Don't let the zealots keep you from reading this book!!!

Rating:
Summary: Genius!
Review: This is by far the best book I've read in a very long time. I consider myself a Christian and I didn't think this book was a slap in the face at all. I found it very intriguing and people with open minds will feel the same. Dan Brown intertwines clues and facts together with ease and makes for a book I couldn't put down. Definitely makes you think as well as entertains! Buy it!

Rating:
Summary: NO DOZE
Review: This is caffiene times ten. You won't get a nights sleep once you crack this book open because you won't be able to put it down until your done. Also recommended: The Little Guide To Happiness.

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing
Review: This is definitely a novel that I won't soon forget and will read again in the future. There are many facts to learn in this book. The only difficult thing to remember is that there are also fictional elements as well and it is sometime difficult to distinguish between them.
Brown has written a story the way it should be written. It is thrilling and leaves the reader wanting more. The story is a maze of ancient themed riddles that involve the most famous famous works of art, mythology, and history. I was fascinated by the many turns of events and now consider this book among my favorites. A definite recommendation for The Da Vinci Code!

Rating:
Summary: Too bad I didn't finish it...
Review: This is definitely one of the greatest books I've ever read. It was so hard to put it down after starting it. But when I got about half-way thru it, I decided it was time for me to stop. Dan Brown is a brilliant man, but he needs to check his sources if he wants to slag the Catholic church like that. I've been a Caholic since I was a week old and it's a huge part of who I am. Most of the historical information presented in the book is false, but he seems to clearly state otherwise in the introduction. Opus Dei is real, but nothing like what happened in the book would ever happen in real life. I just find it deeply offensive that Dan Brown writes about another instance where the Catholic church is being humiliated, even though it is ficticious, in the midst of the sex-abuse scandal wew are facing right now. So overall, enjoy the story, but ignore the historical info.

Rating:
Summary: This book lives up to the hype!!
Review: This is definitely one of the most exciting, fast paced, and easy to follow fiction I have ever read. This book also sparked a number of interest for me, i.e. Dead Sea Scrolls, Da Vinci, and the origin of Christianity. Every chapter was like a scene in a movie. I highly recommend this book, to both religious and non religious people!

Rating:
Summary: This is no Name of the Rose
Review: This is fundamentally a chase-scene thriller book, dressed up in codes and ciphers, ancient conspiracy theories, scavenger hunts, and a lot of silly stuff. As such, it's an ok beach read. But those reviewers who say this is the new Name of the Rose (or even a rich mystery) are exaggerating.

Rating:
Summary: Overrated Beach Reading
Review: This is good hack work, but for insights into early Christianity I much prefer THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JESUS CHRIST by Neil Elliott. This book begins with standard characters, then devolves into a so-called mystery the answer to which presumably will rock the foundations of the Catholic church. But it's just laughable that the New York Times gave this high praise, and shows how far their reviewers have fallen, and how little they understand Catholicism. Most Americans are not Catholic, and even those who are are not preoccupied with it. Da Big Mystery Exposed would draw a ho-hum from most of them.
This is beach reading that will impress New York intellectuals as deep and weighty, since they understand Christianity, the Vatican, and Catholicism not at all. But when the spook jumps out of the closet and yells "boo", most Catholic readers will just shrug and say "So what?"

Rating:
Summary: A rapturous web of words
Review: This is in the same vein as "The Crying of Lot 49" but without Pynchon's sought-after style. Nevertheless, "The da Vinci Code" delivers a page-turning, mind-churning bonanza. Brown's passion for detail is admirable, but his research is less than superior. Nevertheless, one delves not only into a captivating adventure but also an intellectual spree. The connections between different information a la any mystery novel is especially eye-raising and interesting. Albeit the denoument is somewhat lacking, the rest of the action definitely makes up for it. Hence the 5 stars...