The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown)
by Dan Brown
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Book Reviews of The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown)
Book Review: A solid book.
Summary: 3 Stars
You've been hearing a lot about this book. I know this because, as we've established, you have an Internet connection, which means you live near civilization, or at least somewhere that people are saying things. If not, well...ugh, I don't have anything witty to say.
I liked this book. I'm kind of pissed at the critics who had their reviews written before it even came out (or before they even read it), jumping on the "I Hate Dan Brown" bandwagon. Then there are the people who call him a bigot or an anti-Christ or whatever they want to make up. Usually these are people who read The Da Vinci Code and had their Christian belief system challenged for the first time in their lives, and somehow thought that complaining about it would do damage to Mr. Brown.
Well, it didn't, and those people are kind of foolish. The best way to give notoriety to something is to make it controversial. If you don't believe me, check out the sales of all the books that people have tried to ban from public schools, starting with obscure titles like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Anyway, to the actual book: it was well-done. It was still a signature Dan Brown novel in the sense that some of the writing was outright crap, meaning either Brown still hasn't proofed his own writing, or his editors are just thinking "Why should I try? It's got Brown's name on it. It'll sell." I got kind of tired of him saying his own characters' names over and over again--first and last together.
"Kathleen Solomon did this, and then Kathleen Solomon thought about something else. Like Robert Langdon. Meanwhile, Robert Langdon was walking down the hallway. Robert Langdon looked down at Robert Langdon's watch."
Seriously Dan, it's okay to use words like "he" and "she" once in a while. Also, we know there's only one Robert you'll ever be referring to. It's cool, man.
In comparing this book to the other two Langdon novels, I'd say it's better than Da Vinci Code and tied with Angels & Demons. A&D remains his smartest book, whereas The Lost Symbol is going to make the best movie. I think the villain in this one was extremely well-motivated. He probably won't have the "shock value" of the A&D villain, at least not when you find out who he is, but his actions throughout the book made you really hate him. Like, you want a bus to just completely run him over. That's the mark of a well-done villain.
The plot centers on the society called the Freemasons and a secret they carry. Supposedly it's the key to "apotheosis", or becoming a god. The villain wants to know the secret, and he tricks Robert Langdon into figuring it out for him--or at least, he tries to force Langdon to find what he needs. From the big shocking intro, you have a few things that are trademark Dan Brown: long intros of important characters with backstories, a brutally long and drawn-out drowning scene, a few chases, and lots of flashbacks into previous lectures Langdon has given as a Harvard professor.
Still, in this story, Langdon has to get his hands dirty, and he goes through a lot more physically than he did in the other books. It takes place in Washington DC, making this the second Dan Brown book to do so (the other being Deception Point--still my favorite). It shouldn't surprise me that his two best books take place in America :-)
All patriotism aside, I am pleased with the outcome of this book, and for one major reason: it actually has meaning. Da Vinci had some controversial application, but was ultimately fiction; A&D supposedly stoked the coals of the science-versus-religion argument, but most (if not all) of the religious people I know have no problem with science and its pursuit.
Lost Symbol, on the other hand, has a really great message about religious tolerance, and opening one's mind up to exploring the existence of God. It's not in the form of heavy-handed lecturing from the all-knowing Langdon, either; Langdon himself finally has to confront his own atheism, which is nice to see. Brown pulls him out of the role of a static character, and Langdon does some nice self-evaluation.
When he does argue, he does it in defense of the Freemasons--a society whose purpose and practices are grossly misunderstood by the masses. When characters in the book refer to the Masons as a cult, or as satists, Langdon forces them to back up their claims and not be so judgmental--after all, the practices and tenets of nearly all religions can be made to sound cultish and sinister if told with the right slant or bias (a point which the Langdon character handily illustrates in a flashback scene).
I could go on and on about that, but the point is, this book (despite its technical flaws) was better than I expected, and I'm glad Brown's main character had to learn something for once. It helped the reader to really learn something as well.
If you liked his other books, you'll be more than satisfied with this one I think.
Oh! And funny side note: he takes a pot shot at his own book Digital Fortress in Lost Symbol. It was rather comical. If you've read DF, you'll know it when you see it.
Book Review: 33 Degrees of Separation - Noetic Science Next Focus of the Masses
Summary: 4 Stars
What consists of about 500+pages of puzzles, conspiracy theories, secret society initiations, hidden Freemason knowledge and the pairing of quantum physics with the New Age (or Old Age) theory of a universal consciousness? The new Dan Brown blockbuster, of course.
After a successful run, or should I say chase, down the streets of Rome in Angels & Demons - Movie Tie-In: A Novel and Paris in "The Da Vinci Code," Brown brings the action across the pond to the new world--the shining citadel that Deists around the globe proudly recognize as a onetime symbol of humanity's hope for a future illuminated with the fruition of everything man could create and imagine--Washington D. C.--the Lost Symbol.
In our bipartisan political framework where the media rules and dictates what the common man desires--fame, celebrity, wealth, power, plasma TV, brand new billion dollar stadiums to celebrate the idea of a bread and circus for the 21st century--Brown stands at his pulpit of mainstream popularity and delivers a bit of a profound message for the masses. Pointing to the Capital building and the wondrous symbology of the American capital and its environs, he chastises the last---oops! --two hundred and thirty-three years, exclaiming that the very infighting that separated mankind from its own development and caused the founding of a nation that pushed aside religious and all other differences had crept into man's thinking yet again--and a veritable stirring of the ant pile that suggests a natural formation of hierarchical beings was in desperate need to return us to our original founding principles.
Cleverly, as media evangelist, Brown hides his own message in a carefully honed vehicle--the popular suspense novel where he lays the cornerstone of his own genre founded and perfected by him, despite the numerous unsuccessful attempts at cloning its success. The reading public reaches for and grabs this, the Da Vinci Code School of Literature like infants seeking sugar-infused formula filled with vitamins and minerals necessary for standardized growth.
And grow we do, when we read Brown's interesting philosophy cloaked within the conundrum of the bestselling thriller. Freely, for the price of $30 USD, we follow him into the bowels beneath the Rotunda and onto a magical mystery tour of arcane Americana that leads to the mythical pyramid of the Freemasons and perhaps to the rediscovery of ancient knowledge that will help us approximate the divinity of God.
Using the science of Noetics as a springboard, Brown discusses the connection to the universe that we, Age of Aquarians, have been pondering since we knew how to ponder. Wonder of wonders, he deftly demonstrates the exponential power of group intention--where many minds are focused on a particular outcome, creating a phenomenal success for himself--many readers concentrated on Brown's next book--and lo and behold, it was a runaway success, commanding much discussion and speculation even before it was in print. How's that for a universal consciousness changing and redefining Brown's world as orchestrated by Brown? Brown will do for the theories purported by the Institute of Noetic Science what he did for all those egalitarians who loved the fact that Mary Magdeline was the first and foremost disciple of the Christ.
Honestly, the intense interest that Brown generates in terms of his message for the masses in the language of the mainstream is close to phenomenal. He teaches. He instructs. And he gains disciples of his own that hang on his every word without the necessity of highbrow esoteric nonsense or the trill of a fancy phrase.
Bottom line: This isn't great literature, but Dan Brown achieves the near impossible. After all the numerous imitations to the formula started in "Angels and Demons" and perfected in "The Da Vinci Code," in `The Lost Symbol,' he writes another spectacular whirlwind novel, replete with a crazed villain intent on destruction, a brilliant woman scientist that acts as sacred feminine to the protagonist Professor Langdon's yang, a time-sensitive drive to solve an ancient puzzle both word and numeric, the failure of which means death to an unsuspecting innocent and rings within rings of conspirators who are not quite sure which side they are on until the very last page. Like the conundrums of which he writes, Brown packages a message within a message that in the case of The Lost Symbol subtly urges America back to its roots, rising above the labyrinth of religious differences and bipartisan politics to soar above on the level of the Capital Dome to glimpse at its true destiny. Formulaic at times predictable, with characters speaking as if they just emerged from a cave to see a light that for seconds blinds them, The Lost Symbol entertains and works with no need for either six nor the Masonic 33 degrees of separation. Recommended.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"
Book Review: Great Theme, Full of Plot Twists, Metaphysical subject matter
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a decently written book with a lot of plot twists. For me, Dan Brown's best book is "Digital Fortress" because of the fast pace and "didn't see them coming" plot twists. With "Lost Symbol", the most startling plot twist is the one I saw coming right off the bat (though at times he made me second guess myself), but all the other plot twists along the way are surprising and kept me turning the page. In fact, I was sick in bed with the flu when I read it and the time just zipped by.
I skimmed through a lot of the bad reviews here, and would like to address some of the points that were raised, many of which were legitimate, but others were not. For instance, one reviewer complained that the antagonist gave up on his motivating quest at the end, which that reviewer did not find believable. But actually, his true motivation came out at the end (he was driven by his bitterness toward his father rather than a quest for secret knowledge) which was more human and psychologically believable.
Noetic Science was also written about by reviewers as "unconvincing" and "psuedo," and this is the point I would like to address most. The Institute of Noetic Science was founded by Astronaut Edgar Mitchell (I don't think anyone want to accuse him of not being a true scientist), and if anything, I would complain that what Dan Brown is presenting as new and cutting edge science, as well as ancient and esoteric mystery, has been out in the open and known about for many, many years. There was much convincing research done at UCLA (by Valerie Hunt, I believe), among other places, before Noetic Science was even an organization. It has not been widely publicized, but if you are interested, you will find many, many studies proving many of the "metaphysical" (mind into matter) ideas in the book. If you remember, Stevie Wonder did an album in the 70's, "The Secret Life of Plants" based on a book that details numerous studies proving plants have intelligent consciousness and are sentient beings. Some of the research written about in "Secret Life of Plants" led to the technology used for Bose sound systems. Deepak Chopra's book, "Quantum Healing," also refers to legitimate scientific research, and a whole field of physics, quantum mechanics, provides further scientific evidence -- all before the term, "noetic science," even existed.
As far as the "secret knowlege" goes, there are numerous churches and centers all around the world that teach these principles, they are called Science of Mind, Religious Science, Centers for Spiritual Living, the Christian-based Unity Churches, and many, many others. Best selling author Louise Hay's teachings are based on them, as are many other best selling authors. There is nothing currently secretive or hidden about this knowledge, the power of thought and thinking, and the philosphy that we are all One, with the creative power of the Divinity within each of us, and a respect for the spiritual truth within all religions. As Oprah Winfrey remarked upon interviewing the producer of the popular movie, "The Secret," which purports to reveal this information, Oprah said, "I didn't know it was a secret," and indicated she had been living according to these principles for years.
The reason I liked this book so much is also its major flaw -- Dan Brown seems eager to convince those new to this philosophy, and there is a little too much edification and instruction in the novel at times. But it was just great to read a novel with such a magnificent theme -- that we are all part of God and we are all One, and to have it spelled out that this spiritual philosophy is part of the ideals upon which this great nation of ours was founded. I loved the ending -- that it's all in the Bible if you learn how to interpret it correctly.
I also loved the descriptions of our nation's capital and the fantastic buildings, monuments and institutions within it. It has inspired in me a desire to go to Washington DC and look at it all again with a new eye.
As far as the Masons go, obviously in previous centuries, where one could be burned as a witch or executed as a heretic, unconventional spiritual beliefs and knowledge had to be kept secret and passed on to others in mysterious ways. But that's no longer necessary, at least not in the good old USA, where we are free to read, teach and believe any type of spiritual philosophy we choose. I guess the modern day Masons (should they exist in real life as they do in the novel) figure they may as well keep alive their secret traditions, in case the Christian right or fundamentalist Muslims or any other religious fantatics without tolerance or respect for others gets into power and succeeds in crushing the freedoms that make us the great nation we are. I personally think it's all out in the open and should stay out in the open and nothing secretive or mysterious needs to be associated with the Truth.
And whatever you believe, this is what's great about this novel -- it gets us to think on these things and share our thoughts with each other.
Book Review: As above, so below
Summary: 3 Stars
After reading five books by Dan Brown, I think I finally have him figured out. Sure, I might be slower on the uptake than others, but bear with me. The things he does best is weave, and I use that term lightly, popular culture, high technology, pseudo-science, and mystical esoterica into what one can best describe as a "fictional narrative" but what is, in fact, lecture notes disguised as literature.
The best part of any Dan Brown novel is the interest I, personally, get in hunting down his source work and researching more of the topics and technologies that he puts forth. My inner-nerd OCD runs overtime the days after finishing one of his books. So I got that going for me, which is nice. In his newest work, The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown focuses on the Masonic Order (the Freemasons) rather than the Knights Templar, the Catholic Church, NASA, rouge AI, or sharks with laser beams on their heads (that was in Deception Point, right?); and places the action in the mystically aligned Washington DC. Seems that hero Robert Langdon was summoned to DC under mysterious pretenses, and so begins the historical trek through the city once known as Rome to its builders.
The Lost Symbol is filled with little known facts, legendary artifacts, lots of running, a thrill or two, and intellectual jargoning. If you are into that sort of thing, please, by all means, read this book, and enjoy (despite what you will read, I did enjoy the book on that level). If you are particularly focused, you could burn through the book in a good six or seven hours.
Thanks to The Lost Symbol, I really want to visit Washington DC again, this time with a better trained eye, and hit up the Smithsonian. I also have taken a deeper look into Noetic Sciences and ordered a few books.
Now the problem arises though, as I mentioned before, after getting acquainted with the author's writing style and his use of "cheats". Dan Brown's "narrative" is cognitively disjointed and removed from how people actually are. The "cheat" here is in the heavy use of intense flashback to fill in the plot. That is a cheat, only because people in the situations he puts his characters in his book would never be able to, in real life, have intense, detailed flashbacks, in the time frame given. It just does not happen. While it serves to fill the reader in on plot details, it "pauses" the action for the reader too unnaturally long.
In The Lost Symbol, an iPhone is mentioned, by name, often enough where the reader begins to think "how much did Apple pay him for this?"
The second cheat Dan Brown uses is his exposition. The conversation between Langdon and Teabing in Teabing's chateau in the superior Da Vinci Code was chill inducing; not because of the information being presented, but because of the way it was being presented. Intellectuals might very well argue this way in an environment more conducive to, well, arguing, but if you are 1) on the run from cops and 2) on the run from an albino assassin, one does not stop to explain the entire occult history of the Catholic Church. But I digress. Half the conversations in The Lost Symbol would never happen in real life. Almost all of his "smart" characters are people you never want to invite to parties...sure, they might be good for a different opinion or four, but you would be finishing up a six pack and bowl of pretzels before they took a breath. A basic conversation would go like this: "So, Robert, what do you think of national health care?" "As we all know, health care originated in Coptic Ethiopia when, considering the root etymological form of "healthcare" is heal which in Greek....blah blah blah". What is truly appalling is that these "conversations" are merely literary sheaths for Dan Brown's library notes.
Finally, Robert Langdon. Many, many authors are guilty of the "Robert Langdon", basing their titular characters on themselves. I got into Robert Langdon in Angels & Demons (better book than Da Vinci Code or The Lost Symbol). He kind of lost me though, half way through Da Vinci Code, and in the Lost Symbol, I was done. Dan Brown is basing this character on himself, supposedly. Mid 40s, ruggedly good looks, tweed jacket, insufferable genius, in great shape for his age, Harvard professor, played water polo in college. Yes, that's right, water polo. I have nothing against water polo, but if you are just going to completely fantasize yourself as an intellectual Indiana Jones why not give yourself ESP and retractable adamantium claws while you are at it. These know everything and do everything author homunculi are getting long in the tooth. I would not be surprised that in Dan Brown's fourth book in the series, The Bimini Road, Robert Langdon discovers Atlantis due to his sudden ability to breathe underwater and converse in ancient Druidic with a long lost tribe of sea apes.
I just made that last sentence up.
Book Review: National Displeasure--Mediocre at Every Level
Summary: 2 Stars
Well, here we are, six years since Robert Langdon finally supplanted Harry Potter as America's favorite fantasy hero. And now, after the "National Treasure" series aped the symbol-lore-thriller gimmick Dan Brown introduced to a generation of gullible readers, Brown returns the favor with "The Lost Symbol."
It's hard to begin to say how truly derivative this latest Brown potboiler-with-pretension really is. Let's start by recapping the Dan Brown formula, which permeates all his books:
1. A seemingly naive protagonist who is the best at what he/she does but finds himself/herself thrown into events beyond his/her control.
2. A paternalistic figure--sometimes, literally, a father, but often an older mentor of some kind--who becomes the central go-to helper for the protagonist but often turns out to be a villain
3. In the case of the Langon books, a troubled female character with a genius intellect and major real or surrogate father issues
4. Powerful authority figures who try to thwart the protagonists' objectives, but, in spite of having the entire resources of a city/country at their fingertips, always seem to be fooled by the protanogists' simple deceptions
5. Peripheral characters, most often unattractive technology geeks, that provide technical support and little else to advance the narrative
To the basic formula, add the special cliches of the Langdon novels:
1. A mysterious call from a Langdon associate/admirer that drags him into a murder scene
2. A set of symbols that begins an long and drawn out chase of other symbols
3. Long-winded exposition of religious/metaphorical/new age themes
4. Assistance from powerful mentors who guard the so-called "secrets" that the chain of events threaten to reveal
5. A psychotic young male character with superhuman strength and pretensions, usually motivated by religious fervor
6. Pursuit by inept authority figures who have a personal connection to the central theme
7. The pairing of Langdon with the father-figure-seeking, female lead with genius intellect and a history of family dysfunctionality
8. Some kind of central device in which are encoded The Answers
9. Life threatening situations with deus ex machina interventions
Now, there's nothing necessarily wrong with repetitive potboilers that recycle the same plot elements. Janet Evanovich has played her same bag of tricks over and over and gets away with it because she understands that the Stephanie Plum novels are little more than comic books with words instead of pictures. Brown, on the other hand, seems to believe that throwing in page after page of ancient history and lore, religious philosophy and ritualistic arcana somehow elevates his trash to something resembling literature. Certainly his publishers buy into this with their "illustrated" versions of his novels.
One could forgive Brown's pretensions if "The Lost Symbol" wasn't so darned boring. The central theme--the mysteries of the Freemasons--isn't compelling, unless you find the history of secret society rituals among the rich and powerful interesting. The central "crazy killer" is little more than Hannibel Lecter with delusions of godhood. The seemingly villainous authority figures are so inept that one wonders why America has any national security at all. Tne endless travel book-level expositional passages that introduce the narrative set pieces seem more designed for Expedia that for a narrative.
Worst of all, Brown's ideas are bankrupt. "The Da Vinci Code" was compelling because it combined a balance of potboiler conventions with an interesting alternative history of Christianity that was believable on the surface until Brown's 'factual evidence' was proven to be based on fraudulent sources. In that book, the relevation of the alternative history could have changed Christianity forever.
In "The Lost Symbol" the stakes of revelation are self-serving, rather than earth-shattering. And his clumsy attempts to legitimize the new-age snake oil sophistry of noetic "science" by equating it with the Freemason practices and philosophy are laughable and embarrassing--particularly when he devotes the last 20 pages of the book to a glorified undergraduate term paper on the subject.
What's too bad is not that Brown will make additional millions from this trash--hey, he's got to feed his family, too--but that "The Lost Symbol" will ultimately greater publicity for and interest in noetics rather than Freemasonry. After all, progressing in the latter requires a commitment to self-improvement through education and community service. The former is based on the same gullibility that drives belief in spoon-bending and ESP. In a nation where more people believe in UFOs than evolution, the writing on the wall needs no Langdon for interpretation.