The Da Vinci Code

A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum 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 granddaughter, 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 grandfather'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, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself. Brown (Angels and Demons) 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

Product Description
While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth -- will be lost forever.

THE DA VINCI CODE heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightning-paced, intelligent thriller…utterly unpredictable right up to its stunning conclusion.

One other difference is that BeauSeigneur has taken the novel (pun intended and forgiveness is asked) approach of including footnotes in his books of fiction. By doing so, he all but eliminates the necessity of suspending disbelief. Few authors employ such strong factual grounding as to make footnotes useful, but I believe Brown's work (and his readers) would benefit from BeauSeigneur's innovation.


Everybod Relax!   October 1, 2003
217 out of 270 found this review helpful

I have read most of the reviews on this book, and I am glad I did so AFTER reading the book myself. I found this book EXTREMELY interesting and entertaining. It is fun to read a book that gets the ole juices flowing in the brain again. Like other reviews have said, I found myself putting down the book and running to the computer constantly to do research. It made me WANT to learn more about art, Christianity, history, etc. So what if a few of the facts are not 100% correct? I looked up on the computer what was important to me, and am enjoying all the new information and theories. It will be a fun topic of discussion and debate with my friends who are Christians, Buddists, Athiests, Agnostic, etc.

It is a novel, not a faith deciding textbook. If you don't agree with facts, go look it up yourself and find what YOU think is true! If that bothers you, then go read in the non-fiction department.

Don't get me wrong, I am a Christain, and am very comfortable in my faith. I think reading The Bible cover to cover can be more disturbing! Talk about contradictions...To all the people who gave it a one star vote, thanks for your reading suggestions of "The Purpose-Driven Life","Gospel", etc. I look forward to reading those too. An open mind is a happy mind.


Intelligent writing   April 14, 2003
S. Gould (Woodmere, NY United States)
39 out of 48 found this review helpful

Seldom in popular fiction do you find such intelligent writing as that produced by Dan Brown. In addition to the superbly crafted mystery that we are privileged to enjoy it is as though you have attended a seminar on in this case art and religious iconology.
As Brown states at the start of his book, "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate. When I am reading a book by Dan Brown I never feel that I am wasting my time. You might ask if all this information bogs down the story and the answer is a resounding "NO". Brown has the ability to take dry facts and present them in a fascinating way. He also brilliantly weaves together many diverse threads into a coherent and intriguing plot.

We first met Professor Robert Langdon in Brown's previous thriller 'Angels And. Demons'. This book continues our acquaintance with the compulsive and brilliant Langdon and introduces the equally clever Sophie Neveu. She is the estranged granddaughter of the curator of the Louvre, who is the victim of a savage murder. As he lays dying he leaves a cryptic message for his granddaughter and Langdon to decipher. Thrown together by the events that have occurred they must combine their considerable skills to solve the complex mystery before it is too late.

This book is a must read for mystery buffs and anyone who enjoys intelligent literature!


A thinking person's book   May 22, 2003
John P. Kelley (Kansas City, MO United States)
29 out of 35 found this review helpful

The success of this book is that it's a fictional work that brings the non-fictional world into better focus. As a story, it's fine and interesting enough to hold your attention. I found myself staying up til the wee hours of the morning in a race to finish it, but I'll also admit it's not any kind of epic piece of literature. It's a fun loving and informative summer novel.

The 5 star rating is for the fact that it opens the reader's eyes to topics in history, art, mathematics, and religion that might have been overlooked, but which are startingly true. No matter how fantastical the background to the tale may sound, remember that none of the background is a work of fiction. And for those disturbed by how the real world organization of Opus Dei is portrayed in the book, be aware that the organization's aspects depicted in the book are also true. There are many legitimate books, websites and support groups available to confirm all the darker issues depicted in this book.

I'm convinced the author was more concerned about informing the world about all these background issues than about the fictional plot. In this he succeeded. This book has provoked many eye opening discussions amongst folks I know and for that I am eternally grateful. Any book that can produce the amount of intellectual discourse and soul searching that I've recently observed deserves 5 stars.