Corey read and liked B. Preston's review of The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3):

"First impressions? Well, the initial part was as exciting as The Da Vinci Code and set a cracking pace. After that The Lost Symbol dragged for a considerable portion, before revving up for a great final stretch marred by an unconvincing ending. Overa...more First impressions? Well, the initial part was as exciting as The Da Vinci Code and set a cracking pace. After that The Lost Symbol dragged for a considerable portion, before revving up for a great final stretch marred by an unconvincing ending. Overall it was fair entertainment, if somewhat formulaic, and definitely worth a read. With less genuine internal tension it will be harder to make a good movie of, though, especially since “National Treasure” has taken up some of its conceptual headspace.

I speed read this book to begin with to gain an overall feel, after perusing the first few chapters carefully to glean the plot line. Inevitably I was looking, consciously or otherwise, for similarities to my own The Lion and the Covenant. The latter came out in March and covers some of the same Masonic ground, albeit more controversially and in a global rather than purely American context.

So on the more serious side, does The Lost Symbol deal adequately with its theme of Freemasonry? You have to admire Dan Brown’s efforts with symbols and his attempt at dealing with Masonic numerology. However you sense he really does not know that much about the subject, as large portions read as though they were dictated to him by a worshipful brother or simply précised out of a Masonic “recommended text”.

Unlike The Da Vinci Code and Catholicism, in the end Brown doesn’t choose to say anything genuinely contentious about his subject, either. Nor does he challenge any of Freemasonry’s projected self-image. Sure, some of the ceremonial rituals are presented in as lurid a fashion as possible, but beyond that this novel seems a bit of a cop-out, and readers will need to turn elsewhere if they want to experience a more nuanced view, much less a critical perspective.
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Corey read and liked Alan's review of The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3):

"Well, UPS dropped the book off at my house yesterday afternoon and I just finished reading it.

This book is a 100% rip off of the movie National Treasure. it's all there! It takes place in Washington. It involves Masonic symbolism! It...more Well, UPS dropped the book off at my house yesterday afternoon and I just finished reading it.

This book is a 100% rip off of the movie National Treasure. it's all there! It takes place in Washington. It involves Masonic symbolism! It takes place in several government buildings and in their unknown basements. It uses the same secret staircase National Treasure used behind a desk in the Library of Congress. There are secret codes on ancient artifacts that lead to other secret codes. It involves the search for a buried treasure. It has them using the works of Ben Franklin to break a code. There's a long staircase seemingly into the unknown, with a treasure buried at the bottom. There's a man and a woman being chased by, and sometimes captured by, the bad guys.

The book is a rip-off!

Additionally, Brown makes several references to his other books and even to his movies. These try to come across as inside jokes, but they fall flat.

There is a lame rip-off book, written a few years ago for Mormon readers, called The Moroni Code. I found it interesting that Brown used the same cypher in this book that the Moroni Code writers used in theirs. Was this a lack of originality or was he ripping-off the rip-off?

I bought this with a 40% off Barnes and Noble coupon, with my membership adding an additional 10%. I'm glad that I didn't pay full price for this.(less) "

Corey read and liked Judy's review of The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3):

"I think that the five star system we have available is a bit limiting. I would give this book a bare two stars for the plot. Once again, wild events compressed into about a ten hour time period? Please. And the characters? Come on. And again we ...more I think that the five star system we have available is a bit limiting. I would give this book a bare two stars for the plot. Once again, wild events compressed into about a ten hour time period? Please. And the characters? Come on. And again we have a question asked and paragraphs and paragraphs of explanation. That's a conversational nightmare. And the impression left that the CIA knows everything but the number of hairs on your head? I don't think so. But two things made me raise the stars to three. First, the discussions of the symbolism that permeates Washington, D.C. was fascinating. Lots of the information I have read before, but the stories about the symbolism and the linking together of diverse locations and concepts was well-done. Also, I was raised in Washington, D.C. so the book had a hometown feel to me. When the main characters were racing through the streets, I've raced through those same streets myself--although, I admit not carrying any pyramids in messenger bags. I've been to the Smithsonian and seen the statue of George Washington as Zeus, I've worshipped in the National Cathedral and had my children baptized there, and when I worked near Federal Triangle, I passed by the Masonic Lodge twice a day. That brought a story with totally unbelievable action sequences almost back into the realm of reality. Almost. (less) "