'The Lost Symbol' by Dan Brown
'The Lost Symbol' by Dan Brown

It’s a standard Dan Brown book that follows the standard Dan Brown formula. That is:

  1. It starts off with Robert Langdon, a completely normal man, doing completely normal things, on a completely normal day, and everything is completely nor—OH MY GOD SOMEONE IS DEAD IN A MUSEUM.
  2. The plot is full of convoluted conspiracy theories, secrets, mysteries, and puzzles set to a semi-historical backdrop, along with a fair amount of intriguing philosophy tossed in.
  3. The book is impossible to put down. Every page is packed with tense action, suspense, and what-happens-next scenarios and every chapter ends with a cliff hanger: “And then, he pointed the gun at Langdon, and squeezed the trigger.” (you turn the page to the next chapter) “Fortunately, the bullet missed.”
  4. The characters are all completely flat and uninteresting. Honestly, if that bullet hit Langdon… I don’t think I’d care. The same is true of everyone else in the story. They are all little more than plot devices used to provide important parts of the story at just the right time.

In short, this is a great read when you want something fast, easy, and entertaining, with just a tiny bit of reflection on history, religion, and philosophy.

Rating: 4 stars