| Product: |
Angels & Demons - Dan Brown |
| Date: |
06.05.08 (87 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Fast-paced.
Disadvantages: Too many comparisons with his other works.
A Race across Rome.
<< Introduction>>
There must be very few people who haven't heard of the author Dan Brown by now. Although he had already written some best-selling books, it wasn't until his book, "The Da Vinci Code" that he became a household name. Like many one-book wonders, Brown is going to become known mainly because of one book, which is a pity, as some of his other books are at least as good as his best-seller and in my opinion maybe even better.
Brown himself is a bit of an enigma. Born in America in 1964, his parents couldn't have had a more diverse background, with his mother a talented musician and his father a professor of Mathematics. Dan became interested in the art of Cryptography at quite a young age. He also made several CD's and turned his talents into gaining a double first in both English and Spanish. His interests are many but perhaps his greater mentor is John Langdon, whose own work on ancient texts and the art of Ambigrams helped Brown in the writing of several of this book in particular.
<< Angels & Demons, the Plot>>.
A phone calls in the early hours of the morning. Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor is whisked away by a futuristic airplane to the base of CERN in Switzerland, to advise on the brutal murder of a renowned scientist, Leonardo Vetra. It seems impossible that anyone could have got past the heavy security around this complex, but more surprises are in store. For Vetra has not only been mutilated, but he has been branded by what can only be thought of as the work of the Illumninati, an ancient brotherhood of scientists that to all intents have been defunct for centuries. Langdon, an expert on the Art of the Illuminati, cannot believe that this ancient foe of Catholics still survives, but he suspends his disbelief when news comes of a threat that could decimate the Vatican City and the surrounding areas of Rome.
Teaming up with Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, they fly to Vatican City, where the ritual of the conclave is to be performed that very night. In a ceremony as old as the city, the entire college of cardinals are soon to be locked away to choose a new pope, locked away while a time-bomb is ticking away in the depths of the city and not even the famous Swiss Guard can hope to search ever corner of Vatican city before the deadline of midnight comes around.
To make matter worse, Langdon and Vittoria cannot convince them of this unusual threat, for the bomb is not anything manufactured by terrorists, but a sample of a new substance that was made by Vetra and his daughter in the laboratory back in CERN headquarters and once started there is no way of stopping it.
While the authorities do make some attempt to find this device, another threat takes Langdon and Vittoria on a chase across Rome in a deadly race against time to save the lives of four favoured cardinals who have been kidnapped by the same forces calling themselves the Illuminati. Unmasking this threat could help to save Vatican City and the lives of the many people gathered to watch this rare occasion. But with time against them, can Langdon and Vittoria hope to make a difference?
Actually they can, as the character of Robert Langdon is the hero of The Da Vinci Code. Brown's books sold in there thousands only until the hype surrounding that book sold fans on the others. Now they are all bestsellers, with fans hoping to find the same essence of newness as in the Da Vinci Code.
Actually I found the characters very appealing in this book. Langdon is still just a name and a somewhat obscure Historian, which endeared me to his character. He has to suspend his own disbelief in this book and then try to trace the trail of the ancient sect of the Illuminati across a Rome that could have changed a great deal since their heyday in the 15th century.
Then there is Vittoria, struggling with her grief and only too aware that her help with the research into this substance has led to terrorism, not for the good of mankind.
Then there is the charismatic character of the camerlengo, a young priest who was chamberlain to the last pope. His role in the drama is going to become a major part as the action increases.
<< My own Opinion. >>
Normally I would write a bit about the style of writing, the language of words, before I summed up. In this case I found it couldn't be condensed to a short paragraph.
The action of the book is frantic and the pace never lets up. It wasn't the action that really made the book though. After reading the Da Vinci Code, I went on to read Dan Brown's other books as soon as I could. Such is the power of the media.
I particularly enjoyed this one because it had all the elements of a good thriller with an unusual topic. I read Digital Fortress before Angels and Demons, so was in the right mood to read this one. I found the art of ambigrams utterly fascinating. I had never heard of them before and since I write a little Calligraphy myself, I could see where the words had started to form. Even with the very descriptive and chilling murders, I still found the trail of the enemy tied up in riddles to be an academic challenge.
Personally I thought the rest of the book was exciting enough and diverting in many ways. I had issues with the mystery surrounding the ending and felt that it was just a bit too contrived. A more reasonable but believable ending would have gone a long way towards this being Brown's best book.
It all wrapped up very nicely, of course and I daresay that many fans will be delighted with it. The thing is, what happens next? Dan Brown has proved that the era of the "intellectual " book is here to stay. Though I'm not absolutely sure what the media means by this sweeping statement. Clever? Certainly. Thought-provoking? It must be since reviews on his books vary from one end of the scale to another. A threat against religion? I think that Christians and Catholics in particular are well able to stand up for themselves.
I would like to see Brown turn his talents towards something to do with languages and maybe a Historical novel dating back to a pre-Christian era. But that's just my opinion.
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I haven't put a price on this book as it can vary with publishers and even be picked up second-hand as mine was for £1.
Summary: Better than The Da Vince Code.
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