Ok, I saw on one of the morning programs that this book was coming out today, so I scooted on over to Target to have a look.

I read the jacket notes, and then decided to read the Prologue. When I reached chapter 7, I decided I better buy the book. It is written (so far) in pretty much the same style as his previous works, which I enjoyed.

Not going to say anything else, other than from the first six chapters standing in a Target store, I think it is going to be a fun read.

Damn 6 chapters in the store, lol.
I'm going to pick this up in a few days, got 1.5 books ahead of it in my reading queue :)

Damn 6 chapters in the store, lol.



Well, I am on vacation, after all. :)

Finished this and am suggesting it as a must read!

A great story with some startling surprises, well researched history of the nation's capitol and the Freemasons, and written in the same basic style as his last two books (meaning fast-paced action over a short period of time).
The plot twists and revelations were classic Brown, making it hard to put down without taking in just one, or two, more chapters.

The only reason I did not finish this book much sooner was my vacation kept me occupied with a slew of distractions; it really was a fun, engrossing read.

I bought this at the BX on base here in Italy, I'm a big Dan Brown fan... The book is hard to put down it keeps you reading....

Being that I am a Free Mason, I definitely want to read this book.

So should I blame you Taleren for the shitty traffic I sit in every day?

Being that I am a Free Mason, I definitely want to read this book.

Really?

How old is your grandmother and where does she live?
(This is a question that only Mason's understand, so no, I'm not getting weird LOL.;)

So should I blame you Taleren for the shitty traffic I sit in every day?


Since I've been a member of the Masons for all of 3 months, I would say no.

Well, I just ordered this off of Amazon, I hope it's good!

What lodge are you from Taleren? I'm from the stockbridge lodge, here in michigan. Joined back in 97.

Sunrise #783 in Westerville, OH, though we are just about finished on renovations at the new building we bought recently. After that, we will be Sunrise #783 in Gahana, OH.

I'm with #10 Clift Lodge, Belle Island, Newfoundland Labrador, Canada, under the Newfoundland Labrador Grand Lodge.

Though I will admit, when I was away for awhile I had to step back from it. Looking to become active again soon. :)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/in-other-words/i-edited-dan-browns-writing-slowly/article1284295/

LOL, I always get a chuckle out of folks like these offering up their self-important critiques of others' successes. Structurally, Brown might not be a fantastic writer, but the manner in which he ties well-researched subjects in with fast-paced action is a winning recipe; at least, that is what his bank accounts say.

Well, his abysmal writing aside, he brings most of it on himself by presenting his dime-novel with a placard saying it's factual and researched when he gets large numbers of basic details comically wrong. I don't really care if the fictional story is horrible or not, but it's disingenuous and irresponsible, to say the least, when he tries to act scholarly then clearly fails at it ... and dupes a large reading public.

James Bond stories take plenty of liberty with the real-world bits too, but Fleming never said "This is all based on fact" and then painted real organizations with the schemes of SPECTRE.

I can easily understand folks not preferring to enjoy his writing.

I am just amused by those who don't like his style that feel it necessary to make others aware of their dislike. I wonder what need is being served.

The need is that guy's own, of course. He wants to sell his own books, and maybe get on Colbert or Fox and Friends to rag on Brown in the process.

I like reading them in that they are indeed interesting. They're also GREAT for recruitment for the Masons, though I find when people get there they tend to be a little disappointed LOL.

So I'm only 8 chapters in and this book is really starting to annoy me. I know I'm a bit late reading it (blame Sookie Stackhouse!) ... but so far in these few chapters Dan Brown has not only gotten DC's traffic patterns (you can drive right next to the Capitol Visitor Center), the Smithsonian's storage of artifacts not on display (there are hundreds of facilities that store their collection, not just one ... though the one he discusses is their primary one), and even the path one would take from the Visitor's Center to the Statuary Hall (for one, no one would ever actually go through the Visitor's Center to Statuary Hall - you'd probably enter from the Senate side entrance at ground level). I'm sure its because I live here, and I have to presume there were similar issues with his books in Paris and Rome I just simply weren't familiar with having not lived there, but this isn't exactly secret stuff that would have taken a lot of time to research. Any Congressman can give you (or rather, their interns would) a tour of the Capitol and certainly if my step dad and mom could get one Dan Brown could.

I hope the story gets a bit more captivating so I stop focusing on the glaring errors :(

I have had it on my desk for a weeks now I just haven't gotten around to it now that I'm captivated by Game of Thrones. I'm not reading kelraz's last post either! :(

There isn't a single spoiler in my post, I promise

No spoilers in Kel's post, but it did elicit sympathy; I feel somewhat sad for folks that are unable to suspend that part of the mind that needs to dissect things, for it really impedes the simple enjoying of a story.

I loved Lord of the Rings, not because I believed there were actual Hobbits and Trolls, but because it was a great fantasy story. Dan Brown sells his works as being possible and heavily based on fact, with all of the inaccuracies being pretty glaring. If he made it all take place in Lake Wobegon I probably wouldn't have any problems with it, but he didn't.

And when Kelraz and I agree on something, you're in trouble!

And when Kelraz and I agree on something, you're in trouble!

Its probably just my fever talking.

Finally started reading it, taking it with a grain of salt I rather like the story. But wow I wonder how many people believe this stuff.

I finally read this, out of morbid curiosity. I finished it today and regret that decision.

It sort of had potential until the last 10-20% and then veered a bit too far into batshit crazy, even for Dan Brown.

I didn't finish it, I saw no point after the main point was done. It got way too dumb.

I'm just curious, who is the book looking to plug as the next big "Evil Empire"?

Freemasons? Knights of Columbus? The Elks? The Barker Beauties?

Its about the Freemasons, but they're generally regarded positively.

Ahhh, the ol Freemason thing. Yeah, I'm still waiting for the goat to get to me at some point during my degree work. I'm a Master Mason, but have yet to kill a virgin, molest a goat or pee on a religous symbol! LOL

You need to try harder.

Maybe the next degree? What's the next degree after Master Mason in the York rite?