Rating: 
Summary: A good book
Review: Burstein's book is definitely good, but it is not complete. The scholars involved tend to approach DVC with definite scholarly knowledge, but they don't "think outside the box" as it were. For instance, while they use lots of historical sources, they tend not to use the historical source which is Scripture very much. Both Steve Kellmeyer and Amy Welborn are better at doing that aspect of the answer. Similarly, because the contributors are scholars, they don't take a close look at the merits of Q or the claims made about Wicca, both of which are central to DVC. Kellmeyer and Bock both look at Q, though Kellmeyer has a better summary, and Kellmeyer's "Fact and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code" is the only one which delves into the real history of Wicca, which turns out to be a completely modern fabrication. Overall, Burstein's book is a solid piece of work, but both Welborn and Kellmeyer are shorter and cheaper, and Kellmeyer gives you a more comprehensive overview.
Rating: 
Summary: Repetitive and Biased
Review: Burstein's book starts out in good faith-- to point out what parts of the Da Vinci Code are factual and to further explain them. However, it is soon realized that the book could be abridged to approximately ten pages without any loss of thought whatsoever. The first section is Mary Magdalene. Twenty pages later the section is still continuing, which may not be so bad if the issue was that comprehensive, however, Burnstein's source material is totally uninteresting and so repetitive and reiterated that it dulls the topic instead of making it interesting. Burnstein uses little if no source material from Christian or Catholic apologetics (there is a little box on one page that actual does name Christian defenses but it does not even explain the view points). All of the writers are radical liberals and the "conservatives" he names are more like center leaning liberals. Obviously Christian and/or Catholic apologetics should be consulted for a book explaining attacks on their nature. Other reviews mention that this book represents a wide range of views--but it doesn't. Burnstein's book makes the assumption that the reader has below average intelligence. In one section there is a question and answer to events in the Da Vinci Code. One question : Does the ODAN (an Opus Dei "watch group") exist? First of all, the website URL is mentioned in the Da Vinci Code--any half wit would be able to type it into the internet. An author who writes about future economics and who describes himself as an amateur in the genre that this book is written should NOT write a book about the Da Vinci Code.
Rating: 
Summary: The best yet!
Review: Da Vinci Code leaves readers wanting more and Secrets of the Code satisfies the need. Written with care, intelligence, authority and intrigue, I found Secrets of the Code a cut above the look-alike treatises out there. This is the definitive text solving the mysteries of the "code" in an entertaining and convincing way.
Rating:
Summary: Justly Titled
Review: Dan Burstein is a business executive pushing venture capital. Yet, he confesses that he found Dan Brown' The Da Vinci Code entrancing and unforgettable as a novel. He says it is because it is a novel of ideas. Thus, he set out to explore those ideas to see what, if anything, was behind Dan Brown's book. A personal aside, whenever I read a book and the author gets something that I know wrong that should be obvious, I wonder about other stuff in the book where I don't know anything. In Brown's case, it was his geography of Paris on page 15. Having read "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" recently, I was familiar with the argument he was making, but still, I was skeptical. Burstein has assembled experts and sources for Brown's book and put them into a readable form. In some cases, he selects excerpts from other books. In other cases, Burstein interviews authors and experts. Some of them support Brown's argument and others don't. Even Opus Dei is given a section. My favorite section was a review of the facts and mistakes in Brown's book by David Shugarts. In some cases, Shugarts finds evidence to support Brown. Some interesting facts include that the publisher has set up phony websites, such as the one for the Swiss bank in the book. The bank does not exist, but it has a website on the Internet. There is also a glossary of characters and words mentioned by Brown with an explanation. In all, Burstein has put together an excellent collection of readings for anyone interested in The Da Vinci code.
Rating:
Summary: Self-Proclaimed Authority Jumps on Bandwagon
Review: Dan Burstein is a money-maker, period. Thus, it is very easy to understand his jumping on the bandwagon to take advantage of the interest in various theories postulated in The Da Vinci Code. Most of the interviews with various experts in the field and excerpts from their works were extremely interesting, although Burstein's attempt to give a voice to people not interested in the debunking of the sham of Christianity was tedious. The fact that he included and gave equal veracity to his son's (very boring) high school essay is evidence of the intellectual stature of Dan Burstein. While I can appreciate the interest of most of the articles and interviews he collected, I cannot give any credence to Dan Burstein, who believes himself capable of coming to scholarly conclusions about the mysteries behind The Da Vinci Code. His statements on recent television programs show that he is trying to take advantage of the sensationalism, while at the same time pacifying people on both sides of the question. Obviously, offending either side would make it more difficult to do what he is really about, making money. Dan Burstein should leave patristics to the authorities on patristics. As a self-described authority on "the mysteries behind The Da Vinci Code," he comes across as ludicrous. Save your money for the books by the real scholars.
Rating:
Summary: Great Job Explaining A Lot Of Mr. Brown's Hit Book!
Review: First of all, like Mr. Brown's now world famous current novel, this is simply a great read! And that is my main criterion for any book! Just about everything in DA VINCE CODE is critiqued and analysed, from a photo of the book's inferences about some of the "clues" in the LAST SUPPER, with markings included, to real trivia like how near the Men's Room in the Louvre is to the road outside, and is the castle in Paris real.Or was the Agnus Dei headquarers in NYC given a high rating by Architectural Digest (etc.etc.) Sure, there are some holes in the book (DVC), which after all is a fictional novel, somewhat like an Umberto Ecco novel, but a much better and breezier read, and vastly superior narrative! Even while picking apart many trivialities, many of the commentators in SECRETS OF THE CODE note that many of the main premises have a lot of historical basis, such as that the books of the Bible were hand picked at the Niceon meeting (around 310 AD), and others tossed in the garbage (later discovered 1700-plus years in the Egyptian desert as the Gnosnic Books).The great thing about a book like MR. Brown's is it makes people think, something that has not been encouraged all the time by many organizations, not exempting religions. So read the DaVinceCode first, then check into this highly readable, but super well done guide!
Rating:
Summary: Exellent discussion of the theories behind DVC
Review: I am very impressed with how thorough and intelligent this book is. After reading a couple of other books claiming to answer the questions asked in Dan Brown's book (Hanegraaff and Maier's "DVC: Fact or Fiction?" and Lunn's "DVC Decoded") I was hungry for a book that didn't just blindly believe conspiracies or biblical word. Burstein has collected a full range of essays that cover all sides of this argument. I feel like I have learned a lot about the early Christian church, Gnosticism, the Templars, and the controversy behind the Priory of Sion. And I feel prepared for many "water cooler discussions" when the upcoming movie is released.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING COULDN'T PUT THE BOOK DOWN
Review: I consider myself a non-religous person but after I read the Da VinCi Code I just couldn't stop looking up everything to do with religion, this book was amazing and I recommend everyone read this book. I am only 15 years old and totally understood this book so it is was a pretty eaasy read I thought.
Rating:
Summary: What people don't realize...
Review: I had read the Da Vinci Code one year ago. While I was intrigued by the information presented in the book, I didn't know where I can read up/confirm those insights made in the Da Vinci Code. Then I found this book. This book offers the background information I needed to understand the Da Vinci Code better. It covers lots of ground, include those books Dan Brown researched for his book. It contains interviews/literature presented by authorities on the subject as well as unorthodox interpretations/history of the evolution of Christianity. Overall, very interesting to read. I would have given it a 5 star if it had a summary paragraph for each chapter (for example, the Mary Magadelen chapter is at times hard to follow with the opposing view points presented back to back without transitions in between).
Rating:
Summary: Find out what the secrets really are.
Review: I had to laugh at the few low ratings by raving zealots on 'The Da Vinci Code.'. If you are a person, that has always asked "too many questions," then 'Secrets of the Code' is for you! Whether you are a Philosopher, Theologian, or Agnostic, this book is a welcome addition to your reference collection. This book makes you think, so Fun-dam-entalists should probably skip this one. Right or Wrong, this book will get your wheels turning...which is all that really matters, right? As a voracious reader, I have read the best. Both 'The Da Vinci Code,' and 'Angels and Demons' which were both heart-stopping thrillers that keep you turning pages until you arrive exhausted at the end. You're truly "in on the chase." Improbable as it seems, Dan Brown has opened the doors of our curiousity which makes one almost compelled to examine the 'evidence' further. 'Secrets of the Code' is a book that teaches, makes you think, and entertains, all at the same time. Few authors can accomplish that. In this case many educated experts on the subject matter. For those who say this book and Brown's books go against their beliefs and their dogma, consider this: The tip of the iceberg: Numerous authorities who had noted the errors in the K.J.V. such as William Kilburne (1650's) 20,000 errors, John Wesley (in 1755) 12,000 changes in the New Testament alone, the Revised Version of 1881 consisted of 36,000 errors and on and on. The NIV, RSV and The Living Bible are also replete with thousands of errors. Do some research! If you are open minded and looking for those books begging for its pages to be turned...look no further. Read 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail,' and ANYTHING by Ken Follett! I just read a copy of Edgar Fouche's 'Alien Rapture,' which also blew me away. Fouche was a Top Secret Black Program 'insider', whose credibility has been verified over and over. Want to be shocked, check out Dr. Paul Hill's 'Unconventional Flying Objects' which NASA tried to ban. Buy this book, you will love it.
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