The Lost Symbol- Dan Brown

[Danielos38]

This is the next installment in the Robert Langdon series. I don't want to spoil anything, or anyone to spoil the ending for me, so I'll I will say is that the book is about various symbols hidden in Washington D.C. From what I've read today, it's just as interesting as the DaVinci Code, especially having been to some of the places referenced many times. Plus, the Redskins are referenced multiple times :D

Have any of you picked it up? What do you think?

Try not to spoil the book for anyone... A Dan Brown novel isn't any good without the suspense.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Mine was picked up from the library today.

I haven't started it yet (I am finishing another book) but I expect a fast read. I read The DaVinci Code in eight hours; literally, I sat down one morning around nine and was done by five that afternoon, reading mostly straight through.

[Danielos38]

It's definitely a fast read, that's for sure. I'm already about a 3rd of the way done.

[NewMarketSean]

Mine was picked up from the library today.

I haven't started it yet (I am finishing another book) but I expect a fast read. I read The DaVinci Code in eight hours; literally, I sat down one morning around nine and was done by five that afternoon, reading mostly straight through.

Wow, you managed to get a copy from the library? What did you do, put it on reserve in 2006?

I liked Angels & Demons, The DVC was more of the same with the same plot injected into a different historical "conspiracy" and I expect the same from Brown's new book. I may pick it up when I have the time if not for the coolness of Brown's historical knowledge. But as characters and dialogue go, Brown stinks.

But it sounds like Brown finally gave the church a break.

[The Wedge]

Wow, you managed to get a copy from the library? What did you do, put it on reserve in 2006?

I liked Angels & Demons, The DVC was more of the same with the same plot injected into a different historical "conspiracy" and I expect the same from Brown's new book. I may pick it up when I have the time if not for the coolness of Brown's historical knowledge. But as characters and dialogue go, Brown stinks.

But it sounds like Brown finally gave the church a break.

He's given the church a break before...just not in any of the Langdon books. He's picked on NASA, the NSA...and some others.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Wow, you managed to get a copy from the library? What did you do, put it on reserve in 2006?

Our system bought or leased 196 copies just of the normal book, not including audio or large print.

Hell, I thought I was ahead of the curve when I went to order it about five months ago, but there were already 80 or so ahead of me :p


I liked Angels & Demons, The DVC was more of the same with the same plot injected into a different historical "conspiracy" and I expect the same from Brown's new book. I may pick it up when I have the time if not for the coolness of Brown's historical knowledge. But as characters and dialogue go, Brown stinks.

But it sounds like Brown finally gave the church a break.

Yeah, the best parts are the history and the speed of reading.

[NewMarketSean]

Our system bought or leased 196 copies just of the normal book, not including audio or large print.

Hell, I thought I was ahead of the curve when I went to order it about five months ago, but there were already 80 or so ahead of me :p



Yeah, the best parts are the history and the speed of reading.

I forgot you work at the library. Insider benefits!!!

[twoBshorty]

Pre-ordered it from Amazon, finished it on Wednesday.

I liked it. Fast-paced read, intriguing characters, especially Mal'akh. Some of it was kind of gross. And having read all his other books, I'm starting to pick out the formulas.

I laughed when I read a line in there somewhere about the "hard plastic seats" of the Metro. He obviously did a ton of research, but has never ridden the Metro! Those seats are pretty nice as far as subways go.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Well, it was a fast read. I read the first hundred pages over two days in the little reading time I had, and the remaining four hundred in about 3 1/2 hours last night (with the reassuring sounds of The Empire Strikes Back on Spike in the background).

Nice history. A lot of stuff I saw coming, and a couple things I didn't. Very enjoyable overall.

[The Wedge]

This question begs to be asked. I even threw it out there on Twitter and Facebook: Is Robert Langdon the biggest "pawn" of a protaganist, easier to manipulate than Play-Dough, in the modern literary world? I mean, really, this Harvard guy sure does let himself get played A LOT. I know his character is written as being almost preoccupied with the symbology around him, but come on. Fool him once, shame on the double manipulating shadow antagonist, fool him twice, shame on him, fool him three times, what are you, an idiot? ;)

It's kinda like Murder, She Wrote. If Jessica Fletcher is coming anywhere NEAR your town, RUN LIKE HELL!

[BaltimoreTerp]

This question begs to be asked. I even threw it out there on Twitter and Facebook: Is Robert Langdon the biggest "pawn" of a protaganist, easier to manipulate than Play-Dough, in the modern literary world? I mean, really, this Harvard guy sure does let himself get played A LOT. I know his character is written as being almost preoccupied with the symbology around him, but come on. Fool him once, shame on the double manipulating shadow antagonist, fool him twice, shame on him, fool him three times, what are you, an idiot? ;)

It's kinda like Murder, She Wrote. If Jessica Fletcher is coming anywhere NEAR your town, RUN LIKE HELL!

I think it's more of having a desire to solve the mystery than anything else. Plus, at least in this case, he has his loyalty to his friend to keep him going.

But I do get what you are saying. I there's definitely an element of "Oh, not this *bleep* again..." to Langdon's character, which might be part of his popularity.

[The Wedge]

It's not just that, though. He's so easily duped in to doing others dirty work.

[BaltimoreTerp]

It's not just that, though. He's so easily duped in to doing others dirty work.

Well, again I think he's blinded by wanting to solve the mystery.

[The Wedge]

Well, again I think he's blinded by wanting to solve the mystery.

What about before there's even a mystery to solve? I mean, okay, in the DaVinci Code he kinda had no choice with being brought there and the possible set up. But in Lost Symbol Mal'akh even TAUNTS him for being a gullible ass before there's even a mystery! If this were a prequel, I guess I wouldn't take as much exception, but Brown has made Langdon incredibly capable of being manipulated easily. Wouldn't a character who has gone through what he has gone through, TWICE, be a bit more careful at this point?

[BaltimoreTerp]

What about before there's even a mystery to solve? I mean, okay, in the DaVinci Code he kinda had no choice with being brought there and the possible set up. But in Lost Symbol Mal'akh even TAUNTS him for being a gullible ass before there's even a mystery! If this were a prequel, I guess I wouldn't take as much exception, but Brown has made Langdon incredibly capable of being manipulated easily. Wouldn't a character who has gone through what he has gone through, TWICE, be a bit more careful at this point?

Well, he arrives at the Capitol, notices nothing there, calls to figure out what is going on, and then there's the scene with the hand and at that point he's hooked in. Unless I'm missing part of the timeline...

[The Wedge]

Well, he arrives at the Capitol, notices nothing there, calls to figure out what is going on, and then there's the scene with the hand and at that point he's hooked in. Unless I'm missing part of the timeline...

Actually, he's called right as he's baffled as to why nothings going on.

I mean, the whole hook is that he doesn't question it because it's a long time friend...but he was burned REAL BAD by a long time friend before, and Peter Solomon had given him a strange package...which Langdon was requested to bring by Mal'akh posing as Solomon's assistant (which obviously he didn't know, but that's beside the point, it's the central conceit I'm focusing on)...

AND THAT DOESN'T SET OFF ANY ALARMS TO LANGDON?

Seriously, he's gullible! If his experience with Teabring in DaVinci Code didn't teach him anything...

[BaltimoreTerp]

Actually, he's called right as he's baffled as to why nothings going on.

I mean, the whole hook is that he doesn't question it because it's a long time friend...but he was burned REAL BAD by a long time friend before, and Peter Solomon had given him a strange package...which Langdon was requested to bring by Mal'akh posing as Solomon's assistant (which obviously he didn't know, but that's beside the point, it's the central conceit I'm focusing on)...

AND THAT DOESN'T SET OFF ANY ALARMS TO LANGDON?

Seriously, he's gullible! If his experience with Teabring in DaVinci Code didn't teach him anything...

Well if it did it wouldn't be much of a novel, would it :laughlol:

[The Wedge]

Well if it did it wouldn't be much of a novel, would it :laughlol:

I guess I'm just saying Brown could have had Langdon be a bit more quick on the uptake after what he had went through in the past. He sure does fixate on the claustrophobia. Oh well.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I guess I'm just saying Brown could have had Langdon be a bit more quick on the uptake after what he had went through in the past. He sure does fixate on the claustrophobia. Oh well.

"Snakes...Why'd it have to be snakes?"

[NewMarketSean]

Just finished it the other night. A good page-turner...probably better than either of the 2 previous Langdon books. I liked that Brown actually limited the plot-twists involving characters' loyalties for once. Overall it's filled with flaws and plot-holes but it's an entertaining way to get a lot of information to the reader without being lectured.

[Mackus]

I got this for Christmas and read it shortly thereafter. I thought it was a completely terrible book. I figured out the "twist" on about page 100. It wasn't very suspenseful, IMO, and nothing really happened. I really liked both the Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, but this one was a pile of crap. I think it was actually the first book I've ever read that I just hated. The twist was so simple I was actually mad at it, as I knew the next several hundred pages was just gonna be a waste of time.

[NewMarketSean]

I got this for Christmas and read it shortly thereafter. I thought it was a completely terrible book. I figured out the "twist" on about page 100. It wasn't very suspenseful, IMO, and nothing really happened. I really liked both the Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, but this one was a pile of crap. I think it was actually the first book I've ever read that I just hated. The twist was so simple I was actually mad at it, as I knew the next several hundred pages was just gonna be a waste of time.

Since Brown used similar plot twists for character's motivations in Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, I expected more of the same from this one...so the twist in this book actually caught me by surprise.

Either way, people's expectations have to be dialed down for Brown's books. They are very simple...dull at times...but the information he uses in his stories is what makes them worth while.

[Objectivity]

I read this right after I got my Kindle because my wife had bought it. I read the whole thing,though I think if i knew how many pages were left I would have stopped.

There are two big twists in the book, more depending on how you count, but they're mostly fake. Several depend on the author intentionally withholding information that the characters have for the sole purpose of false suspense. Plus, Brown seems to think his readers are stupid. He lays something other for a plot twist or advancement, then repeats it multiple times before actually delivering the payoff and by the time you get to it, you feel more relief than thrill.

I thought Angels and Demons was a very good book. Da Vinci was ok. Digital Fortress was ok, but dated by the time I read it (and laughable even if I'd read it when it came out).

The post-ending of Lost Symbol was the worst. "I want to talk to you about something you already know, now I want to show you something. Here is it, but it's not really what I want to show you. Let's go over here and talk some more in case you didn't get what I already said. Now, look at this. Isn't it totally irrelevant to everything else. Let's go look at something else now. Ok, we're done, none of these conversations really had any meaning, except to let anyone overhearing us (mainly readers) know that the author who is using us to think, thinks he's smarter than anyone who would read this book."