The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (2003, Unabridged, Compact Disc)

This is an absolutely fantastic book and the 1st I read by Dan Brown. It was so good in fact, that I went out the day after I finished it and bought Angels and Demons and have since read all his other books.

Both Angels and Demons and the Da Vinci Code chronicle the adventures of Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist. Dan Brown is a stellar writer and includes real history in the books which makes for an educational read. This book has produced quite a stir with its content and has actually spurned books dedicated to revealing the myths behind the fiction.

This is an absolutely fantastic book and the 1st I read by Dan Brown. It was so good in fact, that I went out the day after I finished it and bought Angels and Demons and have since read all his other books.

Both Angels and Demons and the Da Vinci Code chronicle the adventures of Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist. Dan Brown is a stellar writer and includes real history in the books which makes for an educational read. This book has produced quite a stir with its content and has actually spurned books dedicated to revealing the myths behind the fiction.

As an example here are some of the more "sensitive" topics the book raises:

Early Christianity entailed "the cult of the Great Mother" Mary Magdalene represented the feminine cult and the Holy Grail of traditional lore
she was also Jesus' wife and the mother of his children.

Magdalene's womb, carrying Jesus offspring, was the legendary Holy Grail (as seen in Da Vinci's encoded paining, The Last Supper).

Jesus was not seen as divine (God) by His followers until Emperor Constantine declared him so for his own purposes.

The Nicean Council of the 3rd Century was the context for Constantine's power grab and the relationship of Magdalene as paramour of Christ was quashed there.

"Mary Magdalene's remains and the secret documents that tell the real story were found on the Temple Mount when Jerusalem was conquered in the First Crusade.”

Brown sees a connection between the Nag Hammadi documents (a.k.a., Gnostic Gospels) discovered in 1945 and this storyline.

The "truth" about Christ and Mary Magdalene has been kept alive by a secret society named the Priory of Sion that was lead by great minds like Da Vinci.

Perhaps one of the trademarks of a good book is its ability to create this sort of dialog. Already TV shows have been dedicated to exploring these issues. I can only expect this hype will continue to grow with the announcement of a movie!

Overall ... a MUST read!

The hype is... It is a very eye opening book the stirs up feelings that you haven't thought in a while... Gets the blood warm... and the mind thinking.

Garry, KCebay.com
username: kansascitylistingservice.com

Dan Brown's "controversial" book 'the Da Vinci Code' is way over rated. Both as literature and as some kind of religious heresy.

I am very happy for those who enjoyed this book, especially if it helped you learn how fascinating stories can be. But I think you can do better.

There's really new in it. Brown is nothing but a cheap imitation of Umberto Eco - who writes far superior books like 'Foucalt's Pendulum' and 'The Name of the Rose'.

The plot is passable. Nothing special.

Don't waste much time with Dan Brown when real writers, like Eco and Mark Helprin, are available.

I read mostly personal finance so I am a bit of a fiction bore. I am an analytical reader so this was very fun to track the mystery of the storyline and to place it in to my personal knowledge in religion. If you have no clue how all sorts of little things in the world of religion connect in terms of iconography you will find this book amazing.( In other words: It has LOADS of research that makes is a compelling read.) I agree with some of the other reviews that this can get a bit dragging-on in the development of the characters but if you are a lazy reader and want to hear a great story- get it on audio. It was done very well. This is a must-read for POP culture anyway..

RICH CHICKS specializes in financial education for women and we read hundreds of books on personal finance every year! We have left many book reviews all over this site.

I agree with another buyer who said this book shouldn't have been written. It's amazing that tons who never even picked up a Bible before would rush out & buy this book! Who could be fascinated by a pack of lies about Jesus Christ ? It shows this world has truly gone wicked & that doom awaits it~ My opion is to read the real Bible, there are tons of fascinating stories, and miracles, and deception, all action packed, and guess what? It's all real....

We were studying The Da Vinci Code at church, it was an interesting read, but a lot of untruths that thay Dan Brown wants us to think are facts!! So do your homework, DO NOT take as gospel...

Strait up the title says it all. This book should have not even been wrote, and the Movie should be banned as well

I'm not an avid reader and I loose interest quick but Dan Brown's writing is just thrilling. All his stories have a 10-12 hr. time span in which so much happens. After Da Vinci Code, I bought & read Angels & Demons and Deception Point. I've started on Digital Fortress. Dan Brown is addictive.

My husband and I listened to this on audiobook on a long trip. We were both very intrigued by the mystery and enjoyed it just as we would any other interesting story. The religious aspects in the book were cause for much interesting discussion between us (some concepts were so deep and different, we would rewind and listen again just to let it sink in), but when the cd ended, we left it as being just another good work of fiction...and nothing more. My husband acutally went on (or back if you will) to read Angels and Demons, and he enjoyed it a lot as well. So, I definitely do recommend this book as a very interesting mystery adventure novel, but watch out for the controversial hype surrounding it which you will surely run into!

Like the rest of the world the DaVinci Code screamed to me…”I am the book to read!!”

Dan Brown brings excellent skills and imagination to the keyboard. The words flow from his fingers with speed but with a dangerous message. The book itself claims to be fiction in one place, and then goes on to say that no other material should be considered more true or accurate.

If all I have to do, to prevent readers from reading this book is to reveal the ending, than …. The book claims that Jesus had children with Mary Magdalene and that his bloodline lives on in the characters of the book.

Not to sound like a religious fanatic, I was honestly offended by the premise. I have read other Dan Brown books and would highly recommend most of the to you.

A right ripping good yarn. The mystery begins with murder in the Louvre. Professor Langdon, having been called to meeet the curator Louvre, Jacques Sauniere is now suspected of his murder by police inspector Bezu Fasche. But this is no ordinary murder. Jacques Sauniere in his dying moments left a trail of clues the hopefully Sophie Nevue and Professor Langdon would solve. Enter said cryptologist, Sophie Nevue, with her own agenda. Worried for his safety and sure he was not the perpetrator of the crime Nevue whisks Langdon away, bemused and struggling to make sense of the intrigue in which he finds himself. The pace picks up rapidly throughout the book as, peice by peice. Nevue and Langdon discover the stories that have brought them both together and the puzzle they have to try and explain. The burning questions about Jacque Suniere's past and the clues lead from Sauniere to Da Vinci to the Priory of Sion and to the to the possible truth about the Holy grail are answered.

Unless you are living under a rock, you already have heard how great this book is. Some of us, however, just don't have the time to sit and read fiction for fun. But since I spend a lot of time in my car driving to and from work, I figured I would try an audiobook. So it's 14 CDs, big deal. I didn't want the shortened "abridged" version. I wanted the book read to me word for word. I'm in no hurry, so 14 CDs over a few weeks is fine entertainment for me. I love it. The narrator does a great job with the voices too. I highly recommend this for those who just keep saying they'll sit down and read it but never actually do. Get the CDs!

Sure, it's a good work of fiction. However, the problem I have with the book is that it's full of outlandish claims and fuzzy research not supported by any concrete fact ... at least, from what I've heard from the all the experts in the field. I while back I'd watched a documentary where Dan Brown was confronted with all the holes in his claims/research, and his answers were more that of a politician than a researcher. Since then, I've noticed that he's been declining direct interviews.

All in all, I say he's got quite a good thing going in the form a brilliant money-minting fiction!

exella

This book was enjoyable - thats it. I found the plot to be predictable (not just because I had heard about it already!) and I could genuinely see what would happen next. The only surprise I had was the identity of the Teacher. I didn't think the book was well written at all, quite frankly it was written in the style of a trashy detective novel! The short chapters and over dramatic cliff hangers were more tiresome than captivating.

As a book to read on a beach on holiday, The Da Vinci code is fine. But don't expect to read a "good" novel. It's ok.

This is an absolutely wonderfull book and the 1st I read by Dan Brown. It was so good in fact, that I went out after I finished reading it and bought Angels and Demons and have since read all his other books.

The DaVinci Code is an amazing story. It sends your mind on a journey into the world of symbology and makes you wonder if there is any truth to this work of fiction by Dan Brown. As the characters race through the ancient cathedrals and buildings in Europe, you the reader or listener are drawn into the intrigue and drama of Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu's search for the truth. Was there a conspiracy? Are there clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci? Can the characters figure out what is happening? Find out for yourself! I loved this book! It is well written and had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. I would suggest it as a MUST read for all mystery/ suspense/ intrigue/ drama fans.

I loved this book. I used it to make a trip from IL to OH and then on to NC. It was easy to follow and I only had to back it up a few times to listen to parts of it again.

Very interesting to hear where so many things originated from though keeping facts straight from the fictional portions was a little confusing. Not as well written as I had expected it to be for the huge sucess it is. I enjoyed it even though actions the charachters took seemed inconsistant w/ the boundries already laid by the authur. I found my self saying...They wouldn't have done THAT...a lot. A little simple research on guns used in the story would be better. Glocks are not chrome, they do not have "cylinders" to fall empty on and they do not have a safety to release. Has Dan Brown even SEEN a Glock??? The book was entertaining which is all it was suppose to be I guess.

I care for an elderly gentleman who is finding it too dificult to read novels anymore. He asked me to go see the movie and tell him the story. I decide instead to get this set of audio tapes so he can enjoy the entire book, first hand,at his own pace. The French accents in the " book" are totaly believeable and add a touch of atmosphere. Older people are familiar with radio drama and this is certainly similar. It comes on 14 discs that need to be removed and inserted in proper sequential order. For the elderly who have failing senses, particularly of vision or fine motor coordination, this may be a challenge. However, it can be enjoyed by everyone and it certainly is a nice alternative to music when riding in the car or watching TV when you are in a waiting room. Try it, you will like it.

I LOVE THIS BECAUSE THE SELLER WAS VERY FAST TO DELIVER IT. THIS WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.THIS CD BOOK WAS VERY EXCITING AND WORTH THE PRICE TO SPEND
I HIGHLY RECAMEND IT

Got a lot of pleasure from both Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Good reads! Will purchase Dan Brown's other books.

When I choose a book, I have a rule...if I am not 'in it' by the end of the second chapter, I return it to the library. And if I can't put it down, I buy it. With this book, I was sucked in by probably the second page. I read it in a day the first time I read it and have read it again since.
Da Vinci Code was the first book I had read by Dan Brown. I've read all his others since reading Da Vinci Code. Few authors can take you on such a wild ride where you are on the edge of your seat and can't wait to find out what happens next. I would recommend Da Vinci Code (and all of Dan Brown's books) to anyone.

It seems that everyone is facinated these days with the theory that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, had children, and their blood line continues. I've never had any real interest in these theories but needed to read the book to fullfill my own curiousity over the hype. I have to say it was well written but during the 2nd reading, descrepancies popped up that I hadn't noticed the first time through. But this is fiction! And honestly, a lot worse has been written about the church and it's survived. I believe the church will also survive Dan Brown.