Rating: 
Summary: Giving Da Vinci a run for its money
Review: Boy, this book has taken off! It was only a matter of time before something came along to knock "Code" off its high horse. And while I'm usually one for safe bestsellers (think "Life of Pi" or "Bark of the Dogwood") I decided to take a chance on this book long before everyone else did. Call it intuition. Call it a feeling. But for whatever reason I read it before it was high up on the list. Thank goodness others are finding out that this is one incredible read, full of puzzles and twits, just like "Da Vince" only better. I sincerely wish this book and its authors the best of luck--even though they don't appear to need it!
Rating:
Summary: Great read
Review: When I heard that this book was like the DiVinci Code by Dan Brown I was a little dissapionted but I figured I would go ahead and read it anyways. It is so much better than the DiVinci code. The plot is more deveolped and slightly more believable. The characters are well developed and I think It fear surpasses anyhting Dan Brown has done to date. It is a little hard to get into but once your in hold on tight.I if you loke this kind of story I would also check out Footprints of God by Greg Iles. A little different but well worth the read!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not Quite "The DaVinci Code" But Still a Good Read
Review: I must admit, I picked up this book after hearing it be described as "this year's DaVinci Code" on the Today show. I know how excitedly I had read that book from cover to cover, in awe of Dan Brown's ability to weave fact and fiction.
While this book also combines code-breaking with mystery, murder, and romance, it just tries too hard. Some parts of the book are descriptive and perfect for a quotable quote, while others read like the dialogue from a high school play. The different types of writing jump from one to another, as does the pace of the book stumble from fast-paced to dull and slow.
I recommend reading the book; but don't expect it to hold a candle to last year's "must-read" book, or you will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: The Rule of Four is an excellent read!
Review: If you have just purchased a copy of The Rule of Four please make sure to clear your schedule because this book is difficult to put down.In this book, you will find the following: decent character development, an interesting plot and allusions to historical places, events and people from the Renaissance.If you have a love for mystery, history or if you are a romantic then this book will have much appeal for you.
Rating:
Summary: So much better
Review: I enjoyed this dazzling romp so much better than "Da Vinci." The writing was just superb, as was the plot. I'll admit that the idea of an Ivy League "thriller" turned me off a little, but after I was into the book, I was hooked. Thomason and Caldwell have done a remarkable job with the material presented. Also recommended: Bark of the Dogwood and The Seven habits of Highly Effective People
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read - terrific novel
Review: For those who actually thought the Da Vinci Code was good writing, then this isn't your kind of book. This was VERY well-written (whereas the Da Vinci Code was hack writing) and an excellent story line and character development. This was the best novel I've read in the past five or six years - and I read quite a lot! I highly recommend this to all discriminating readers...
Rating:
Summary: Pretty darn good
Review: I read this book in a single sitting after seeing the amazing reviews in People Magazine and the San Fran Chron. I have a natural aversion to ivy league preening, so some of the early sections at Princeton were a little tough to swallow, but what propels this book is a terrific story, some great scenes, artful writing, and a powerful message about friendship, which I especially liked. Without the Princeton stuff, certainly five stars...
Rating:
Summary: Scholar's Dream Book
Review: For anyone with a scholarly bent, this is an extraordinary read. I studied Renaissance history as an undergraduate and did some additional work in the field afterward, and I can attest that this book does a phenomenal job with the history of that period. Hypnerotomachia Poliphili is a real-life text (as some reviewers seem not to have realized), and it is exceptionally complex. An English translation is now available for those who are interested, and you will see the difficulty of the subject matter these authors were dealing with. The proposition they advance about the book's true meaning is so fascinating that it makes me want to hit the books again! Truly, this is a novel about the love of books and academic obsession, with prose so good that sometimes it makes you want to cry. Those without an academic bone in their bodies may find this too slow or too thoughtful (as a friend said, "It is not for the slow kids in the class"), so if you like Clive Cussler etc., think twice before embarking on this adventure of the mind. For those with more distinguishing tastes, this is a riveting beach read for the high-IQ set!
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: This is not as fastpaced as Da Vinci. It has a 'thinking man's pace' to it. It was recommended to me by a friend who reads more than anyone I know and he loved it. I enjoyed it too, especially when I got used to the intensity of it and the way it slowly grows on you. There are also some funny parts that no one has mentioned in the reviews. One scene in particular is esp. hilarious. It is fun to read once you get used to it. Definitely very smart.
Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable, but over-hyped novel.
Review: At Princeton University two friends have, almost, solved a mystery than many men before have been killed trying to do. The Hypnerotomachia is a renaissance text that has baffled scholars for years. The text is famous for it's hypnotic power over those that read it and within the Hypnerotomachia lies a world of strange sexual desires and extreme violence. Tom Sullivan and Paul Harris are the two friends who are on the verge of solving the text's mystery until a murder rocks the college, sending them on a race against the clock to unravel the mystery surrounding the book, as well as a quest of self discovery. 'The Rule of Four' is an enjoyable, if slightly over-hyped novel. The plot of this history and suspense mash-up is original, and there are some truly exciting moments, however, I did find certain parts hard to follow and boring. The writing style is smooth and easy to read, but the history included becomes tiresome and requires some work to follow. Character development is handled expertly and the coming-of-age aspect is a nice touch, but as a whole the novel loses track of what it wants to be. Many novels are following in the footsteps of 'The Davinci Code' by combining history, mystery and suspense in a literary thriller that will keep readers engrossed, and while 'The Rule of Four' does succeed on some levels it fails on others. Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason have crafted a novel that, while not for everyone, will appeal to those interested in the latest history/thriller trend and will most likely land on the bestseller lists making them stars. Not a bad novel, but not a great one either. Nick Gonnella
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