Book ReviewsLondon Internet Church Book Reviews
A new feature of the London internet Church site is the opportunity for members to add their own comments on books they have recently read. In the age of quick communications through the internet, it is even more important that we continue to use our literary skills in reading. The selection of books available now is inexhaustible, but discerning readers will want to share their own thoughts about books they think are worth reading.
The first book review is about the newest Dan Brown offering, ‘The Lost Symbol'. It is because Dan Brown takes subjects related to aspects of belief and weaves them into fictional novels that his writing is so popular, where are the other writers who can hold an audience about faith related matters and engender such passion in their readers. In ‘The Da Vinci Code' even the Roman Catholic Church came out in defence of Mary Magdalene giving of course much more credence to Brown's book. So far The Masonic movement has remained silent over the Lost Symbol. We shall see, read on!
The Book Review facility makes it possible for you to add your own review; this facility may be added in the near future.
We look forward to receiving your reviews and comments.
Peter Delaney
| Title | THE LOST SYMBOL |
| Author | Dan Brown |
| Reviewed By | Peter Delaney |
| Date | 06/12/2009 |
| Review | The most recent book of the phenomenal author of ‘The Da Vinci Code' is set in Washington DC and takes as its theme the power of the Masonic movement and government. Clever though Dan Brown is he does not make this book work. The usual formulae of short chapters keeping you hanging on a threads as he changes location from one place to another and moves the pace of the story along in his usual gripping way. At the centre of the story is a distinguished senior mason whose son betrays his father's trust and refuses to be drawn into the Masonic movement. The result is a disillusioned son breaking the family links, a sibling drawn into the fathers quest for truth using science as a means of looking for mystical answers and Professor Langdon once again being brought in to solve the code riddles of where the deep secrets of the Washington masons lie. The book delves into the Masonic origins of some of the founding fathers, scrutinises the great Washington buildings (where most of the action is centred over 24 hours) and visits he Capitol building, the great obelisk central to the story, and sees the secret service and government implicated in a plot which we are led to believe could bring down the American establishment. The characters are more exaggerated more than Brown's usual characterisation, and whilst the reader is kept guessing as to the identity of the chief perpetrator of the crime the rest is fairly logical to follow in its unfolding of the story. There are as usual some exciting chases across Washington, a sinister black room with unending walls, a feisty CIA woman officer who is more intriguing than the real criminal and other characters who play their part in the unfolding drama. For me the big disappointment is the ending. For some strange reason Dan Brown chooses to end the book with a series of chapters which use biblical quotations and allusions in a kind of American fundamentalist preachy style. I guess he would see the references as central to the plot, but for me there are boring and actually not relevant to the central story so he last me at the end, which is a pity because as usual with a Dan Brown book the last chapters carry the double twist of the plot. For Christians it is always interesting to read his works, he has never pretended to write more than fiction, so his clever use of facts intertwined with fiction confuse his readers in a gripping way. Those who are offended by what he writes say more about themselves than him. In this book he argues for belief at the end, of course in a coded way but this book is the nearest he has got to an apologetic, that is why it fails at the end for me, a good read just don't expect too much at the conclusion of this story. |
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