There must be someone else besides me in America who hasn’t read Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons before now. I read Brown’s The Da Vinci Code before the movie version appeared and wondered what all the fuss was about. The Da Vinci Code seemed to me like a run-of-the-mill thriller with a series of puzzles thrown in. The movie was so-so. But now the buzz about the new movie version of Angels & Demons tempted me to read the book before I see the movie this weekend. First, Angels & Demons is a better book that The Da Vinci Code. In fact, it reminded me of 24 with non-stop action crammed into one day. Once again, Harvard professor and symbologist Robert Langdon is called on to solve a series of baffling puzzles starting with the branded body of a particle physicist. And, once again, Brown provides a sexy sidekick in the form of Vittoria Vetra, daughter of the murdered physicist. Together, they take on the sinister forces of the Illuminati, sworn enemies of the Catholic Church. There are grand chase scenes all round Rome as the clock ticks down to an explosive conclusion. Great fun here! GRADE: B+
A few years ago I read the first 50 pages of THE DA VINCI CODE, got bored, and tossed it aside. The tight time-frame of A&D looks interesting though. I may give it a shot in the next few weeks.
Angels & Demons is much better than The Da Vinci Code. You’ll like it. I’m really looking forward to the movie version.
Drongo speaks for me too. Da Vinci was unreadable IMHO, though I’ve heard before that Amgels & Demons is a much better book.
But there are so many better things I have on my to-read list that this one has no chance.
Jeff, Angels & Demons has a 24 look and feel. All the action happens in one day, there are ritualized murders scheduled hour by hour, and the pace of the book is lightning quick. Don’t be discouraged by your experience of The Da Vinci Code. The books are night and day.
Haven’t read either one nor seen the movies. Still working my way theough the Ma and Pa Kettle series.
Art is working his way through all 119 episodes of M SQUAD!
“theough” should read “through.”
My favorite Ma and Pa Kettle movie is the one where they visit Rome and fight a conspiracy within the Cathoic church and an albino hit man scares their chickens so bad they can”t lay eggs any more!
That’s my favorite episode, too! My second favorite is when Ma and Pa take on the Terminators.