Rating: 
Summary: Close to the best
Review: I had a very good time reading this book. I am fascinated by puzzles, word games and cyphers, and I have more respect for history and science than for blind religion. Therefore this book met all of my expectations. The author's style is particular (many very short chapters) but it fits the style of the story and it didn't bother me (unlike other reviewers). And the fact that the book (cover) contains a bunch of extra information you wouldn't expect (check out the book's web site) did feed my hunger for more puzzles and games. This book is close to the best you can get. Why not the best ? Because the author sometimes seems to add too much non-fiction (information) that is not enough related to the plot, just for the purpose of showing how much research he did - though the research is likely limited to the list of books included in the story. He should've avoided this pitfall, and the book would've been the best.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow and Cumbersome
Review: I had eagerly awaited the chance to read this book because of all the rave reviews I had heard about it. Unfortunately, the reality did not live up to the hype. While expecting a mystery thriller, what I got was mostly historical fiction.While the author seems to have done a lot of research into the history of the grail and secret societies, the mystery was poorly plotted and seemed to drag where it should be speeding along. Hot thriller? I'd say lukewarm at best. The first 150 pages were hard to get through, but I persevered. The story did pick up a little bit after that, but was so trite and predictable that I had it all figured out by page 200. What seems to fascinate everyone that reads the book is the "history" given- and some people actually seem to believe the premise given in the book to be real. (See other reviews.) However, this is a work of FICTION. There is just enough truth mixed in with the fiction to perhaps fool the masses, but any true Bible scholar knows better.
Rating:
Summary: Ho Hum
Review: I had expected a better written book after reading the glowing reviews. The story is fast-paced and exciting at first, but it soon got predictable. Nonetheless, I give credit to the author, for his imaginative ideas. But! do not doubt that this is a poorly written book. It could/should have been better.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun but Eco is better.
Review: I had fun reading this mystery novel, but
I agree with the reader from Columbia, SC, June 9th. Umberto Eco is much better. Brown's prose is often trite. Eco is a class act. Read Eco.
Rating:
Summary: Great Premise, weak characters
Review: I had heard of all the hype about the Da Vinci Code, and finally, out of curiosity, I picked up a copy. And I was immediately drawn in.
the Da Vinci Code is a fast paced intricate novel of secrets. The plot is well-researched and well-written. What I did not like about the book was the poor character development. Langdon and Co. were there only as plot pushers. The main story was the Grail. I felt that when the story was over and done we didn't know any more about Langdon than when we first started. He only sprouts information at the right moments, as with Sophie Neveu. They seemed to know everything under the sun about symbols and codes, and yet we didn't know anything more about them.
However, the premise was good, and that is why I give this book 4 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Irresistible
Review: I had heard so many wonderful blurbs about this book and after reading it for myself I can't give it enough praise either! The opening chapters of the books reveals the dying moments of the curator of the famous Louvre museum. This curator holds a secret that dates back to the days when Christ walked the Earth. However, with the death of the curator the secret is in jeopardy of being lost forever. Before he succumbs to death, the curator must find a way to pass along this secret and deliver it into the right hands. Dan Brown takes the reader on a thrilling, nail biting journey chock full of historical references and fascinating symbolism. You won't be able to put this book down!
Rating: 
Summary: I tried! I really tried!!
Review: I had heard so much about this book and about how fantastic it was. I tried, I really tried to like the Da Vinci Code, but I could not finish it. It has a great story line, and Mr. Brown could have created great twists and turns with it--but he ran out of gas. His style included a big twist (like a murder) in the story--then for twenty pages, the characters would talk about it. Another big twist; and another twenty pages of discussion. That, and the fact he took true facts, tweaked them considerably, and then presented them to the reader as fact. I would have even liked if the book if it had been well written, but it was not. Run on sentences, changes of person and numerous other discretions of writing made for a very choppy read. I really tried to like this book, but could not.
Rating:
Summary: Popularity doesn't make it a good book
Review: I had high hopes for this book... and it disappointed me in every which aspect it possibly could. The research verges on the pathetic, the originality is a joke, character development doesn't exist, and yet, it becomes such a huge best seller. It is obvioudly a work of fiction, but it should have been believable or else... I cringe to think what a disservice this book will do for the masses by blurring the line between the historical and the make-believe in such a gross manner. Judging by how badly conceived were the technological marvels the author describes, I can only imagine that the historical and the theological points it attempts to make are equally laughable. Do yourself a favour and read something well-researched, such as Foucault's Pendulum, by Umberto Eco. I found the writing style of presenting "a shocker" every couple of pages to be especially annoying; even more so because most of the "surprise twists" can be spotted miles away. This may ok for an airport read or to pass the time when you really have nothing better to do (as when you're shipwrecked in a remote island with nothing else to read).
Rating:
Summary: High hopes ... but disappointed
Review: I had high hopes when I started this book. Being a scientist I was intrigued by the symbology, numbers, codes, etc. But I have to say I was sadly disappointed as the book progressed. Not only are the heroines in this book exceptionally BRILLIANT (they can solve complex puzzles in a matter of seconds which many could not solve over millenniums), they are incredibly lucky ... always getting out of impossible situations perfectly. The book was shallow, predictable and too neat. Everything fell into place within a of matter pages - where is the suspense in that? Give me some depth.
One positive ... a good book for a coast to coast plane ride or a beach vacation.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: I had misgivings about buying this novel, but after the first 4-5 pages, I was hooked. This is an absolutely stunning tome of intrigue, riddle solving, cryptic messages, and religious history. Not your bag?? Guess again!! I had to force myself to read this novel slowly, so as not to miss any of the myriad clues needed to solve the mystery.
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