by CaptBat on December 1st, 2009, 4:25 pm
I guess I should preface by saying that I'm not a big Dan Brown fan. I thought ANGELS AND DEMONS was an interesting read, but I was not a big fan of DA VINCI CODE.
That being said, THE LOST SYMBOL is basically a rehash of DA VINCI CODE set in Washington. I'm a fan of Mason conspiracy theories, and the book started out well. More than that, it actually held my interest into about 3/4 of the way through. At that point, the story began to bore me -- but I felt compelled to finish it.
My review: Don't waste your time.
With the rich history of Mason conspiracy theories, I expected something far more exciting. As with DA VINCI CODE, it was merely a series of "find a clue," "go to a new location," "find a clue," "go to a new location," etc. ad nauseum (with some violence thrown in to relieve the tedium.
Brown spends a great time trying to convince the reader that the Masons are not bad guys. (???) Where's the fun in that? The great death trap escape was stolen from a classic sci-fi movie, and Brown makes no attempt to conceal it. He even names the movie.
The last couple of chapters were a rambling explanation of what I can only assume is Brown's personal theology. It would have been best left for the post-publication personal interviews.
And that's about it. If you're looking for a fascinating thriller to read, this is not it. If you loved DA VINCI CODE, then you'll enjoy it. If DA VINCI left you cold, then THE LOST SYMBOL will too.