Angels & Demons, Dan Brown

The Fitz

Just finished reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown.
5/5 its totally kickass
The book was a little slow to start with, but I suppose that's because of the amount of detail that Dan Brown has included (which always amazes me).
The book, as has been described by others revolves around science and religion, a deadly plot to overthrough the catholic church and Robert Langdon, a symbologist from Harvard who is called in to help solve the mystery. I found this book to be excellent reading (a real can't 'put-downer')and at one point I caught myself questionning my ideas of God and Science so it must have had some kind of effect on me!!

In short.. it's not the Da Vinci Code, but then do you want an author to produce the same thing over and over?

OfflerCrocGod

I thought it was very similar to the DVC. I prefered it though, it did take an age to get started but once it did you were flying through the book

The Fitz

I liked the part when Robert was talkin about the great castration! lol

funky penguin

It did read very easily (an admirable trait), i just couldn't get over how similar it is the The DaVinci Code.

But the man has the ability to make me want to turn that page. Before I knew it, I was submersed in his world at 6am, with work in 2hrs.

OfflerCrocGod

Yes you can just keep turning those pages and never notice the time when you get into his books - well his history-thriller ones anyway.

funky penguin

Hmmm, is that a quick jab at "Deception Point" and "Digital Fortress"?

I have yet to read them, and just to take the thread off track for a moment, what are they like?

tHE vAGGABOND

Personally, I think Angels and Demons is better than the DaVinci Code..

I just enjoyed reading it more.

Digital Fortress is ok, it was his first book I think - so its a bit 'raw' in places; deception point is not bad at all. Nothing amazing, but an enjoyable book for a plane or holiday etc

Lafortezza

I slightly preferred Angels and Demons to dVC, just because dVC had been so hyped up and disappointed me slightly.
Deception Point and Digital Fortess were average at best, I finished them but they didn't keep me up at night.

chewy

is there any point at reading more then one Dan Brown book?
(no matter which is the first one you've read?)



I read Angels and Daemons and thoroughly enjoyed it as I sped through it... although the end was a bit muddled

Kazujo

I've read DvC and am almost finished Angels and Deamons and thoroughly enjoyed both but from reading the abstracts on his other two books they are all very similar. I'm goin to read Digital fortress as I have it already but I'm gonna read something some other titles before then

OfflerCrocGod

The only two books of his worth reading are A&D and DVC the others are just not that good. Not bad but not brilliant.

bringitdown

Renowned boardsie member bringitdown staggered through the fourth Dan Brown book he had read since first hearing of the Da Vinci code. He lunged for the nearest coffee as the tedium and predictability set in. Grabbing the book, the seventy-three-year-old man heaved the masterpiece toward himself until it tore it to shreds.

As he anticipated, a thundering iron gate fell nearby, barricading the entrance to the suite. The parquet floor shook. Far off, an alarm began to ring.

He lay a moment, gasping for breath, taking stock. I am still alive. He crawled out from under his blanket and scanned the cavernous space for someplace to hide.

A voice spoke, chillingly close. "Do not move."

Meanwhile Robert Langdon met up with the A-Team and they constructed an intricate cipher system to fool Colonel Decker.

---

Sorry to make "light" but Dan Browns Da Vinci Code enthralled me - he inserted a little intelligence into the popular thriller / fiction genre that had been lacking for a while however on reading his further novels it became very formulaic.

€0.02

billy the squid

you left out the word "incredulous"

Angels and Demons was a better book than the Da Vinci Code. only problem I had with it was that bloody BBC journalist he inserted into the story. obviously mr Brown hasnt seen many bbc news programmes.

meepmeep

Yeah I thought Angels and Demons was far better than the Da Vinci Code, although I did enjoy both books.

I think Angels and Demons was the first book he wrote.

Digital Fortress and Deception Point aren't great. They are an ok read but quite disappointing compared to A&D and DVC.

crazy angel

no way, i read the da vinci code first-great
then angels and demons- i thought this was ok- almost bad
then i read some of his other books and they were really bad!

mikemac

I thought the Deception Point and Digital Fortess were pretty average.
The Da Vinci Code was very good but maybe a bit overhyped.

I thought the first 3 quarters of A & D were absolutly fantastic. I was very disappointed about the ending.
Did anyone else find the ending a bit far-fetched(I know its fiction) and poor.It was a bit of a let down

humbleCounty

I think the extra stuff in the DvC and A&D is very interesting, the illuminati, the hidden things in paintings etc, but beyond that i think the storys are brutal,

i mean, jumping out of a plane miles up in the sky, and using a sheet to fall to safety!?!

hmmm, even arnie wouldnt take that roll!

funky penguin

humbleCounty wrote:

hmmm, even arnie wouldnt take that roll!

That's because the part would require some level of intelligence.

Although, they've chosen Tom Hanks to play Langden in The Da Vinci Code film.

OY

humbleCounty wrote:

hmmm, even arnie wouldnt take that roll!

That was really far fetched alright. I was a little perturbed!
Still though... good fun! I was up one night till 5AM trying to finish it cause i was hooked.

Not read DVC myself, not sure if i will get to it! Too much to read, too little time!

humbleCounty

what i meant was that its a pretty far fetched story line, and arnie has been in some pretty crappy movies as far as the story line goes

Freeshack

big fan of dan brown myself. read all the books and think angels and demons is the best. definitly unputdownable(?). but then i got that with all his books. just had to finish them as quick as possible.

Tom Hanks as Langdon? not too sure about that. i would have gone for someone a bit tougher, maybe Russel Crowe

funky penguin

Jesus no! Tom Hanks is lesser of two evils. Crowe wouldnt suit it. Plus he's an ass. Can't you imagine Hanks with the turtle neck and tweed jacket?

Freeshack

but is he tough enough for it? getting chased/chasing all over the city. plenty of rough and tumble there. it aint exactly 'the man with one red shoe'

funky penguin

Good point. It's probably cos I dont like Crowe, which is wrong really.

Anyway, it doesnt matter cos Hanks is playing him. I better stop, cos the thread is going off topic.

hada

doesn't anyone just think brown placed a half decent story line around facts (well I call them facts, but very loosely) that have been around for decades, and really that's one of the main reasons the books are so interesting - not the storyline at all, but the research carried out in order to put these "facts" in the book.

Just my opinion on Brown and his "formula" for writing books..it's why all his books so far seem so similar.

Freeshack

i think its that storyline that really captures the imagination and makes it so good. i wouldn't be half as interested if it was all just pure fact. the characters quests really help you understand better

humbleCounty

story line? its brutal

the only thing that kept me reading was the facts, i mean come on Angel & Demons,

again with the jumping out of the helicopter

, one word BULL

lolth: Use spoilers or I start deleting your posts. Thats twice I've had to edit.

Freeshack

but you just gotta let your imagination run with it, you cant let one bit of crazy adventurism ruin what really is a good book


and wouldn't it be cool to see Tom Hanks jumping from a helicopter with just a kleenex to save himself!

hada

I just find the storyline to be, well, mediocre. I mean if you compare Brown's plots with the likes of Grisham, or even Brian Jacques, there is no comparison.

I really feel as if Brown's books are just badly written. It's no criticism on his efforts, just his abilties as a writer lack somewhat when compared to other top writers.

Although I do think they will make great films

Freeshack

well other than Brown, i've only ever read Crichton, so i'll have to take your word for it. but i like his work anyway. kept me out of t.v. land for a while

shelsfan

Like many, I've read DVC and A&D, and found A&D a bit better, but maybe just because I can't remember parts of the Da Vinci Code. Has he only written those four books and does he intend writing more?
DVC is definitely overhyped though.