Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Will anyone read Dan Brown's ( yes i did mention he who should not be named) new book?

78 replies

paddington21 · 15/09/2009 15:57

Now deep within my english lecture circles, Mr Brown is a name often said as if you have acid in your mouth. He is despised because of his erm... (in some people's opinions) lax approach to writing.

I know I could of started something really very...

In my opinion I hated deception point but dv code and angels and demons I felt were quite an easy holiday read. A break from the hard hitting literature I was encountering during term time.

I do apologise for exceptionally long post.

please dont verbally abuse me I am only enquiring!

OP posts:
Koala79 · 21/09/2009 13:23

Despite knowing beforehand it would likely be the usual formulaic Dan Brown; he natters on about his research through Robert Langdon, he would be helped by a beautiful academic and there would be a freaky baddie whose motives you would guess.... I actually bought it, read it and quite liked it for entertainment... Or is this what being 39wks and 5 days and a hell of a lot of imaptience does to you?! I am currently going through loads of books to quash the boredom and can thoroughly recommend 'We need to talk about Kevin' as an interesting pregnant read!!

MrsMerryHenry · 21/09/2009 15:41

Koala, I can't believe you find Dan Brown formulaic. Tsk. Must be your preg hormones.

lena522 · 21/09/2009 17:35

Yes, am currently reading it at the moment. Got it from ASDA for
£5
I absoultely love Dan Brown's books and this one looks quite good so far though I'm olnly a few chapters in

frankie3 · 21/09/2009 18:18

I love Dan Brown's books, I don't understand why people are so snobbish about him. Some reviewers have even gone down the route of pointing out a few grammatical errors in the book - this seems so petty to me. It's like all the reviewers who slated Mama Mia, and who criticise Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals. All art is there to entertain and to be enjoyed, not just to educate. If it does this well then that is fine with me.

georgiemum · 21/09/2009 19:38

Is it the same as the first 2? I read the first one and thought it was ok - I liked the history aspect. Then I was given the second one - very similar to #1.

DH read the first one - I never heard him laugh so much. He is an english lit grad though.

Kaylo · 21/09/2009 20:09

His books are amazing!!

Have read the lost symbol and found myself unable to put it down - it totally captivated me - and I was on my very romantic anniversary holiday lol

I find his books fantastically written with such attention to detail. I've never heard a bad thing about them until this thread??? Do I have my head in the clouds maybe....

I have to admit tho - out of all his books I find the ones with Robert Langdon in the best of all.

Gillyan · 21/09/2009 20:27

OP why do you refer to him as 'he who shall not be named?'

I've just bought it and enjoyed most of the other one's, so yes I will be reading it.

glittery · 21/09/2009 20:46

got it on Saturday, stopped reading the other book i was halfway through to start it, finished it this afternoon, the last two nights i woke up during the night and read for a few hours before going back to sleep

Turniphead1 · 21/09/2009 20:51

Kaylo his books are reviled by critics but clearly very very popular. He is renowned for having all sorts of errors etc etc. I personally found The da Vinci code dreadful and would rather stick needles in my eyes than read this one. But each to his or her own. There are plenty of books that I enjoy that are critically panned too.

MrsMerryHenry · 21/09/2009 20:59

Kaylo: "I find his books fantastically written with such attention to detail." - as long as you understand that what he's writing is completely made up. Otherwise, you're in trouble, mate.

mandypanda · 21/09/2009 21:48

BigMomma3, no, you are not alone! I have yet to read it, but I definitely will. I read more or less anything and love reading the classics, but give me a good ol' fashioned page turner and I'll enjoy every word. It's like having a mini-holiday right here at home!

Kaylo · 22/09/2009 07:21

MrsMerryHenry.

I don't care if its fictional or truth tbh. The stories are brilliant and for him to create such a story that people want to argue over them like this means he's worth talking about.

I enjoy his books. Simple.

Stayingsunnygirl · 22/09/2009 10:08

I agree, Kaylo - the attention to detail doesn't have to be factual - it paints a richer background for the story. For example, I've always loved 'The Lord of the Rings', and one of the reasons I loved it was because of the detail that Tolkein put into it - the different races and communities had histories and folklore and customs - it made it all seem more real.

Of course, it is clear that Tolkein's Middle Earth is fictional, whereas because Dan Brown uses things and societies etc that actually exist, the line between fact and fiction is blurred - but I don't think that's a bad thing either, as long as people don't take what he writes as gospel truth. It is fiction, but fiction that makes me want to ask questions about the things he writes about.

MillyR · 22/09/2009 11:09

I have now read it. I have never been to Washington DC and quite liked the descriptions of the buildings. I preferred Angels and Demons though.

glittery · 22/09/2009 11:49

when i read it i googled images of the buildings and artworks that he mentioned and it enhanced my enjoyment of the story no end!

BeckyBendyLegs · 22/09/2009 12:13

I would not describe myself as a book snob but I just didn't think much of The Da Vinci Code so I won't be reading the new one. I do get a bit annoyed at how Dan Brown is plastered all over our local Waterstones and other, possibly equally as good or better new books, are in the shadows.

A friend of mine is an English Literature consultant for secondary schools and she raved about The Da Vinci Code. You either like it or you don't. I didn't.

Kaylo · 22/09/2009 12:13

glittery I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that....

EccentricaGallumbits · 22/09/2009 12:17

Dear God please tell me it gets a bit more interesting?
I rather enjoyed the previous ones as a bit of an escapist romp but this is feeling a bit painful.

LindenAvery · 22/09/2009 12:47

Enjoyed it as have been to Washington DC and have visited most of the places described in the book.

Read all types depending on mood - however my name is a big clue to the sort of books I like!

RealityIsNOTDetoxing · 22/09/2009 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

HarlotOTara · 22/09/2009 14:07

Quite agree BeckBendyLegs.

Having read 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' I was convinced that Dan Brown had just nicked loads of the authors' ideas. Was quite surprised at the outcome of the court case. Sadly even more publicity for Mr. Brown

woowa · 22/09/2009 16:21

Just finished mine last night. It's not great writing, but it's a grabbing story, easy to read while pregnant and low on brain capacity!!! Prob good BF reading too!

EccentricaGallumbits · 22/09/2009 20:07

I'm n chapter 74 and t is noying the crap out of me.

MrsMerryHenry · 23/09/2009 20:52

So that's page 75, then, Eccentrica?

Koala79 · 24/09/2009 12:45

Mrsmerryhenry, yep definitely is. As I said, I enjoyed it and A and D and DVC for the entertainment but I just knew before I read it, as I said, that there would be a beautiful professor to help him, a sinister baddie and some sort of link to one of the existing characters. I guessed the ending before I got there and I am by no means that clever