The Da Vinci Code (Random House Large Print)

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Dan Brown

Used from £1.31

Pages: 752 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 0375432302

Pub: Random House Large Print Publishing

Pub date: 2003-06

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 148780

Editorial Review:

In The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoterica culled from 2,000 years of Western history.
A murder in the silent after-hours halls of the Louvre reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his daughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's father's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, Neveu and Langdon embark on a breathless flight through France, England and history itself.

Brown has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought. --Jeremy Pugh, Amazon.com

Reader Reviews:

Another Page Turner (1/1 people found this helpful)

Once again our hero Robert Langdon is woke up by an urgent phone call. And we are off and running from another dead body. But this time our story has us delving into the secrets hidden in Da Vinci's art work. On a hidden trail left by the Templars. And perhaps a Quest for the Holy Grail. Dan Brown weaves his story mainly around Paris and London this time.

You will not want to put this book down. If you pick up this book, read it without a critical eye, remember it is fiction. If you do this you will thourghly enjoy it. I am left wondering what Robert Langdon will be drawn into next...

A STUNNING AND INTRICATELY PLOTTED THRILLER... (5/6 people found this helpful)

For a while I resisted reading this book, thinking that it could not possibly be as good as its hype. Well, I was wrong, this is simply one terrific book that will keep the reader riveted to its pages until the very last one is turned. It is a very well-written, intricately plotted thriller in which a great number of esoteric historical facts and interesting theories of a religious nature are woven. Those who read it should, first and foremost, keep in mind that this book is simply a work of fiction.

All hell breaks loose when Jacques Sauniere, the elderly and revered curator of the Louvre, is murdered inside the museum. The crime scene and the body itself are laden with symbols and cryptic messages pointing to renowned Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon. He is invited to the crime scene by the wily Captain Bezu Fache, of the Central Directorate Judicial Police, the French equivalent of our Federal Bureau of Investigation, ostensibly to assist the police. Little does Langdon know that he is, in fact, the prime suspect.

When he meets police cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, they join forces. They are then led on a merry chase by a series of riddles and ciphers that are ground in a historical context. They are always just one step of the French police, who seem determined to charge Langdon with the murder of Jacques Sauniere. During their voyage of discovery, Langdon and Sophie come across a secret society, the Priory of Sion, that has a startling list of former members, which list includes Leonardo Da Vinci, as well as the late Jacques Sauniere. There is also some interesting historical detail about the ancient Knights Templar, as well as Opus Dei, a conservative religious organization currently in existence.

Langdon and Sophie peel back layers of historical clues that point to a secret of such magnitude that some would kill for it. As Langdon and Sophie surreptitiously travel from France to England and seem to be headed closer to the heart of the mystery that they are trying to unravel, an unknown nemesis is closer to them than they would dare imagine. This unknown adversary is marshaling resources in order to obtain the long hidden secret that Langdon and Sophie appear to be on the brink of discovering. It is one that has the potential to have earth shattering implications.

This is a fast-paced, plot driven, rather than character driven, thriller. It hurls itself into the reader's consciousness at break-neck speed, and before the reader realizes it, the book holds the reader in its thrall: hook, line, and sinker. For those readers who love historical detail and unusual facts and coincidences, this is definitely a fascinating book that will hold their interest. It is a page-turning thriller in which nearly every chapter leaves the reader on the brink of a precipice. The book is written in clear, effortless prose, which makes the most esoteric historical details surprisingly easy to understand. Simple in its presentation but intricate in its plotting, it is no surprise that this book has become a runaway, international bestseller. Bravo!

Good start fizzles out.. (1/1 people found this helpful)

The first third of the book was amazing, and lived up to the long list of commendations in the front of the book. There was intrigue, suspense, excitement, and intellect.

However, the rest of the book turns very pedestrian with the action not really moving anywhere, weak character development, and some obvious plot twists.

Overall, disappointing, especially as the book initially promised so much. If you want an "intelligent thriller" read Stel Pavlou's Decipher.

A Turn-Off (0/1 people found this helpful)

I love crime stories and I love art and old buildings, so I thought I was a dead cert to love this book too. Well, I hated it! I thought it was pretentious nonsense throughout and gave up three quarters way through without seeing the resolution of the story. A pity -one of those books I wanted to like, but just couldn't.

BEWARE! (39/40 people found this helpful)

Beware this audiobook. It is not stated on the Amazon webpages or the box but this is a severely abridged version consisting of only 4 tapes. Amazon's lack of information has once again cost me money.
The unabridged version is 11 tapes, or if you go for the CD version, 13 discs, so beware of the cheaper CD audio as well. A lesson I wish I'd learned sooner.

As for the book, well, I really can't see how a fair review can be written for this product. I'm not in the habit of writing reviews for books that have had 2 out of 3 pages ripped out either.

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