The Lost Symbol

Book review by Jane
I read The Da Vinci Code and Tracey read Angels & Demons. The Lost Symbol follows The Da Vinci Code. This time, Robert Langdon’s friend summons him to D.C. to give a last-minute lecture. But things aren’t as they seem. This novel contains the same kind of excitement that The Da Vinci Code did, but since the focus was on Washington, D.C., it may have even been more interesting; at least it was to me as an American. I imagine that no one who reads this book will visit Washington, D.C. without having some questions regarding some of the information Robert Langdon finds because of his adventures. I know if I visit D.C. I will be looking for certain things, including the symbols referred to in the story.

Instead of the focus being on the Knights Templar and other groups of old in Europe, you find the Freemasons featured, as well as the CIA and some strange science named Noetic Science. From what I can tell, Noetic science considers that there is knowledge from the past hidden through the ages that we have lost touch with through the advent of technologies. Trying to prove these things with modern technology is the premise of the science, I guess. At least, it was the focus of one of the main characters in the book. It is a page-turner. The villain here is creepy, though. I don’t want to spill the beans on the novel’s premise, but like The Da Vinci Code, there are lots of interesting puzzles and myths to contemplate along the way. It makes for fun reading.

When I read The Da Vinci Code, I never really thought the book would get as popular as it did, because so few good books really get the recognition they deserve. Dan Brown’s books do deserve to be popular and widely read. They are great fiction, although a bit controversial. For a lot of us, that adds to the appeal.

Jane.