The Da Vinci Code

[Tilda]

Anybody read this, i brought it last time I was in asda havingheard good things about it. I finished it yesterday night and have to say, it was the best book I read in a long time.
The plot is gripping with some very clever twists.

I'd recommend it to everybody

Tilda

 

[leggy]

God I hate this book already and I haven't read it

It's becoming worse than harry potter. Having read all of Dan Brown's other novels I'll probably give this a miss. Trite, formulaic and far too much coincidence for my liking.

 

[Dr_Weasel]

Angels and Demons was a far better story imo than the Da Vinci Code. Having read Angels first, the Da Vinci Code seemed like the same story again, but not as interesting or as well written.

 

[Lazarus]

yup- thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[Sar]

It's the only book of his I've read - enjoyed it loads.

 

[TdC]

I enjoyed it, but I tend to like the style. It seems that, as Leggy says, Angels is indeed a better book, but I have yet to read it so I can't comment personally. The only niggle I have is that I knew exactly what was going to happen and how it was going to end just about half way through the book. oh well

 

[leggy]

The only niggle I have is that I knew exactly what was going to happen and how it was going to end just about half way through the book. oh well

Then don't read any of his other work then as they are exactly like this . It was Dr Weasel who said Angels was a better book though.

 

[TdC]

oops! my bad, sorry Weasel and Leggington!! thanks for the tip though. if his other books are very much alike I'll be giving them a miss tbh :/

 

[Lamont]

As with any book, different styles appeal to different readers. I have to say I'm of the camp that thoroughly enjoyed 'The Da Vinci Code' but then I also like Wilbur Smith and Bernard Cornwell... these types of books are the ones that keep me up till 5 in the morning trying to get through 'just one last chapter' on a worknight.

Yeah, they do follow what some would call a blueprint in story path, which is why you'll probably enjoy your first Dan Brown book more than the rest, as myself and Leggy have done (my first was Da Vinci Code, and for me that was the most gripping of the 4)

Another title of his, 'Digital Fortress', does break the mould very slightly, and I'm sure all the computer literate guys in these forums will have a great time picking holes in some of the technical references throughout the book.

BUT the bottom line is there are millions of people out there who have lost themselves in Dan Brown's plotlines and his conspiracy theories (I for one have always been cynical about the motives of certain religious factions within Christianity, and Dan Brown gives that cynicism fuel to feed on... beware the dark side!) and while not everyone's cup of tea, the chances are you'll love these books. I have lent my paperback copy of Da Vinci Code to 6 people now, all of them wanted more... is there any better endorsement?

 

[Lamont]

Oh, as an afterthought, there are rumours of The Da Vinci Code being made into a holywood film. Harrison Ford in the starring role..

Anyone else think Calista Flockhart will play the lead lady?

 

[leggy]

The lead is being played by Tom Hanks and shooting begins in May I hear.

 

[Lazarus]

The lead is being played by Tom Hanks and shooting begins in May I hear.

http://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/futurefilms/ViewFilm.asp?FID=10541

allegedly released in November

 

[DaGaffer]

...

BUT the bottom line is there are millions of people out there who have lost themselves in Dan Brown's plotlines and his conspiracy theories (I for one have always been cynical about the motives of certain religious factions within Christianity, and Dan Brown gives that cynicism fuel to feed on... beware the dark side!) and while not everyone's cup of tea, the chances are you'll love these books. I have lent my paperback copy of Da Vinci Code to 6 people now, all of them wanted more... is there any better endorsement?

Ah, the, "loads of people have read it, so it must be good" defence? Loads of people like the X-Factor, doesn't stop it being a pile of shite though.

Personally, I've read the Da Vinci Code and couldn't see what all the fuss is about; it read more like a text book with a plot loosely hung around it. it wasn't bad, but I probably wouldn't put it in my top 1000 novels, never mind my top 100.

 

[Lamont]

Ahhh, Dagaffer...the arrogance...

It's impossible to define 'good' beyond a personal opinion. My point is that I myself thoroughly enjoyed the book, therefore I think it is 'good'. It can be shown that most of the people who have read the book have thought it was 'good', and the fact it has been so successful and critically acclaimed would suggest that the chances are anyone reading the book for the first time would, likely, find it 'good'.

You didn't find the book 'good'. Which is fair enough. However, your suggestion that those who did enjoy the book are making a 'there's loads of us' defence is just uke:

Let me repeat....

'... while not everyone's cup of tea, the chances are you'll love these books.'

Doesn't sound like a defence to me personally, though up until your post I didn't think I even needed to be making one.

Everyone else who hasn't read the book, well, you'll make up your own minds whether or not to read it. It may not be your cup of tea, it more likely will be.

Not sure about Tom Hanks in the lead role of the film though (no idea where I got the idea it was Harrison Ford).. he just doesn't seem right for the role to me.

 

[Sar]

At least Audrey Tatou is the right choice (imo) for the female lead.

 

[FuzzyLogic]

I actually had the idea of Anthony Head being a good Langdon (I know he's English and Langdon is American, but lets face it, how often are characters changed dramatically for screen adaptions), Tchéky Karyo as the Inspector and Richard Griffiths as Teabing. Sophie Marceau was me first choice as Sophie, though Tautou is good too (and younger) . Reckon Julliette Binoche would have done well also.

I enjoyed the book, first time i've haven't been able to put a book down in a while, though I didn't really enjoy Deception Point, Angels & Demons was good also, even if it was very similar to DaVinci, have yet to read Digital Fortress.

 

[DaGaffer]

However, your suggestion that those who did enjoy the book are making a 'there's loads of us' defence is just uke:

.

Wasn't suggesting that. I was saying that was your defence, not everyone who has read it. And as such, its a poor defence.

And I wasn't referring to 'not everyone's cup of tea, I was referring to:

I have lent my paperback copy of Da Vinci Code to 6 people now, all of them wanted more... is there any better endorsement?

They might be all retarded for all I know, so, no frankly, that's not that much of an endorsement.

And how was I being arrogant? Am I not allowed to state an opinion? I said I couldn't see what all the fuss was about, and I can't. Critics have described Dan Brown as 'Umberto Eco-Lite', which about sums him up for me - airport fiction.

 

[leggy]

Critics have described Dan Brown as 'Umberto Eco-Lite', which about sums him up for me - airport fiction.

So uttery true. Funnily enough I only read his other novels due to my mate finishing them all on various flights around the world.

 

[Sar]

So uttery true. Funnily enough I only read his other novels due to my mate finishing them all on various flights around the world.

WTF genre does Umberto Eco (sounds like a green-friendly sportswear manufacturer to me) actually write?

 

[DaGaffer]

WTF genre does Umberto Eco (sounds like a green-friendly sportswear manufacturer to me) actually write?

He's genre-busting but his most famous would be 'historical detective fiction' e.g. The Name of The Rose

 

[Lazarus]

He's genre-busting but his most famous would be 'historical detective fiction' e.g. The Name of The Rose

the film starring Sean Connery as the monk?

 

[DaGaffer]

the film starring Sean Connery as the monk?

That's the one.

 

[Sar]

Aha, remember seeing the film of that.

Twas ok. Period stuff isn't really my bag baby. Reading another Pratchett atm. Ole Terry's always reliable for a good read.

 

[Mobius]

My mother just bought this for me, she's read it before and didn't really like it, then again she is a christian. I hope its a good read, sacrificing time I could spend reading Wuthering Heights for my Literature course for it. Why oh why must we do the same old boring books for Literature...

 

[DaGaffer]

Baldrick demolishes the Da Vinci Code

Anyone see the Tony Robinson thing on C4 tonight. Basically rubbished every single 'fact' Dan Brown comes up with:

Spoiler

1.Priory of Sion: Made up by a bunch of surrealist Frenchmen in the fifties(!),
2. Knights Templar. They never admitted heresy except under torture, they were purged because Henri IV of France wanted their money,
3. Rosslyn Castle - built 150 years after the Knights Templar disappeared, and there's nowt under it, and its not based on The Temple of Solomon,
4. Mary Magdelene in France - mixed up with a different legend and a different Mary
5. 'San Graal/Sang Real' thing is a mistranslation of a 15th century manuscript

except one; The Last Supper. He's right, it's definitely a woman.

I'm perfectly prepared to believe the Catholic church misrepresented Mary Magdalene's importance in the Jesus story (the Gnostic scriptures make it fairly clear, and lets face it the whole catholic church has a f*cked up virgin/whore misogynistic attitude towards women), but the rest of the Da Vinci Code is bollocks - even the idea of a 'holy grail' comes from the middle ages.

 

[TdC]

I believe that's why it's called fiction....or am I reading your post incorrectly?

 

[DaGaffer]

I believe that's why it's called fiction....or am I reading your post incorrectly?

Dan Brown has gone on record as stating that the elements of the book (Priory of Sion, Knights Templar's role in the grail story, etc. etc.) are true even if the plot and thriller part are fiction.

 

[PLightstar]

Those tourists that Tony interviewed, thought it was real. Which had me LOL.

 

[TdC]

Dan Brown has gone on record as stating that the elements of the book (Priory of Sion, Knights Templar's role in the grail story, etc. etc.) are true even if the plot and thriller part are fiction.

guh? aha, then I retract my previous comment. I don't particularly mind if a writer takes liberties with actual events to make a story work though, while I hate the same in films (if I notice it heh).

 

[Sar]

Yeah it's all fiction - but maybe Dan Brown's as gullible as those Yank tourists who also thought it was all real...