Melekler ve Şeytanlar’ı Aydınlatmak: Kurgunun Ardındaki Gerçekler

by Simon Cox

Dan Brown’ın uluslararası çok sanat kitabı, Melekler ve Şeytanlar, yine uluslararası bir başarı yakalayan Da Vinci Şifresi’nin en büyük rakibi olmuş ve milyonlarca

okuyucuyu, genellikle birbirlerine karşıt olan bilim ve Hıristiyanlığın, sıradışı bir bilimsel buluş yüzünden bir araya gelmeye zorlandığı bir dünya ile tanıştırmıştır. Bu dünyada, gizli bir yolu gösteren pagan işaretlerinin ve kadim sembollerin sırları, Roma’nın her yanına yayılmış kiliseler ve heykeller aracılığıyla çözülmekte, Kilise’nin düşmanı olan kadim ve efsanevi bir gizli kardeşlik yeniden canlandırılmakta ve görünüşe göre Vatikan’ın tümüyle yokedilip, Katolik inancının ortadan kaldırılması amaçlanmaktadır.

Ancak kitabın sonunda okuyucu, aklına nelerin gerçek, nelerin kurgu tarafından bozulmuş olduğu sorusuyla başbaşa kalmaktadır. Melekler ve Şeytanlar’ı Aydınlatmak, bu eserin yarattığı soruları yaratmak için eşsiz bir eserdir. A’dan Z’ye doğru düzenlenmiş kolay okunur bir yapı ile, kitabın özünü oluşturan, kurgudan daha garip ve gizemli sorulara yanıt vermektedir.

-"Illuminati" olarak bilinen gizli örgüt gerçekten de var mıdır

-Büyük Üstat Bernini, olası adayları kendilerine çekmek için bir Aydınlanma Yolu yaratmış mıydı

-Dünyayı yönetmeyi planladığı söylenen Bilderberg Grubu´nda dünyaca ünlü hangi isimler bulunmaktadır

-Amerika Başkanları´ndan baba ve oğul George Bush´un da üyesi olduğu Kafatası ve Kemik Derneği, Yeni Dünya Düzeni´ni yaratmaya çalışan Illuminati´ye bağlı bir kötülük yuvası mıdır

Melekler ve Şeytanları Aydınlatmak, romanın hayranları ve Illuminati efsanesinin ardındaki inanılmaz gerçekleri merak edenler için eşsiz bir eserdir.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Religion, Reference, Historical, Historical Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Simon Cox was the founding editor-in-chief of Phenomena magazine, a U.S. based newstand publication launched in 2003. Having studied Egyptology at University College London, he went on to work as a research assistant for some of the biggest names in the alternative history game, including Graham Hancock, Robert Bauval, and David Rohl. He lives in England.

Reviews

[Marie Polega · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the information in this book, but didn't care for the format. After re-reading Angels & Demon's, I was interested in finding out what was true versus what was fictionalized for the novel and I came across this book. It's arranged alphabetically by subject, which would be great if you are looking for more information about one or two particular topics, but to read through the whole thing felt jumbled and out of order. I would have given it four stars if the topics were presented in the same order as the novel. It might be better used as a reading companion for Angels & Demons, to look things up as you read and are curious, but you would have to be watchful of spoilers that way.

[Lone Marquard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fint lille opslagsværk om Engle og dæmoner.

[Kelly Illegems · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slecht verhaal....

[Cait (c.e.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super helpful, I’m really glad that I got to have more information on all the subjects in ‘Angels & Demons’ that required a bit more explaining :)
The book was also written very clearly, and everything was explained in a way that made it easy to understand, even more complicated subjects, like the ‘Big Bang’ and ‘antimatter’.

[Alaska · Rating 3 out of 5]

A croire où ne pas croire, Simon Cox nous donne toutes les définitions relatives au livre. Lu ou non lu, on comprend toutes les clés du livre Anges et Démons mais bien plus encore. Les légendes de l’Assassin, des Templiers, de la Franc Maçonnerie et des Illuminati, les conseils, complots et réunions de grands chefs d’états auprès d’organisations cachées sont expliquées, de leur origine réelle en parlant de leur légende, en prenant en compte théories vraies et théories fanatiques. Ainsi, on fonde son propre avis sur des légendes ou des réalités historiques, ce qui rend le livre passionnant.
Un peu d’ésotérisme, un peu de légendes apocalyptiques, de la mythologie, qu’elle soit Egyptienne ou Gréco-romaine, en passant par l’histoire de l’Italie, tout est raconté. On sait ce qu’est un Ambigrame et ce qu’est l’Antimatière, on connait la définition d’Apocryphe, ces livres qui ont été retirés de la Bible. On apprend également les grands peintres et sculpteurs de l’époque, et les grands scientifiques tels que Galilée et Copernic. On apprend leur théorie, leur vie et leurs oeuvres, lesquelles sont expliquées et décrites comme si l’on y était.

En plus de se voir expliquer l’histoire de Rome, c’est comme si on faisait un voyage dans les plus grands monuments, visitant toute chapelle, observant toute obélisque. Tout est parfaitement décrit et le milieu du livre avec son livret en couleurs nous montre les photos. Histoires passionnantes, vies de découvertes, religion, société, politique, pouvoir et empire, tout est expliqué et de manière très simple, l’auteur est très compréhensible et ce sur des sujets les plus difficiles, allant jusqu’à expliquer les pontificats et la théorie du Big Bang.

Ainsi, pour les passionnés d’ésotérisme, le livre est une belle découverte assez complète. Pour les grignoteurs de tradition et de légendes, il explique des bases importantes et renseigne sur des choses plus où moins secrètes, sans être exhaustif, il est très bien écrit, en plus de révéler les secrets du livre de Brown !

Un beau plongeon dans un univers sacré, les mystères de l’humanité.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I glanced at this book out of curiosity. I read Dan Brown's book Angels and Demons. this book has some interesting pointers explaining in detail some of landmarks that appear in the book and that might be of interest for those doing research.
The Chigi Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria Del Popolo was refurbished bu Bernini commissioned by Pope Alexander VII.
The fountain of the four rivers in the Piazza Novona was created in 1640 by Pope Inocent X. He came from the wealthy famil;y of Pamphili whose impressive palace occupies one whole side of the square of the Piazza. The fountain work was done by students supervised by Bernini and i represents the four rivers of the world (Danube, Ganges, Nile, Rio de la Plata).
I found interesting the explanation of the symbolism of the dollar bill. The explanation of the pyramid, the eye in the pyramid, and the latin wording. You would find that of interest for reseqarch.
The explanation of the origin of the Poor Knights of Christ whos mission was to protect the Temple of the Holy Mount and the people that were in route to visit it. The were later know as Knight Templars
Great information for people working on research.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.

Didn't learn anything I didn't already know, but the information was well presented and well balanced.

[Derossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons" stands out as the most tightly crafted and well-balanced plot in the author's career. This first adventure of Robert Langdon masterfully blends a scientific backdrop like CERN with the historical and religious layers of the Vatican. The weaving of a sciemtific threat like antimatter through the rituals and symbols of an ancient secret society (the Illuminati) keeps the tension at its peak from the very first page. The novel's core strength is its rapidly advancing plot, fueled by art history and symbolic knowledge that seems complex but is made comprehensible for the reader. The time pressure (the "24-hour" format) and the transfornation of physical locations (churches, water canals) into active characters turn the book into a masterpiece of suspense that is almost breathless to read.
However, this success of "Angels & Demons" unfortunately remained an unrepeatable formula for Dan Brown's subsequent works. The other Robert Langdon adventures outside of this book have failed to go beyond mechanically and forcedly repeating the same structural pattern. The other books fall into repetitive formulas and feel like inflated balloons. From "The Da Vinci Code" onward, almost all books ("The Lost Symbol", "Inferno", "Origin") work with the same theme: an ancient secret, a powerful and hidden organization, constant chases, and last-minute solutions. While this formula felt fresh and original in "Angels & Demons", in the later ones it creates a "copy-paste" feeling. Character development is almost zero. Robert Langdon cannot escape being a passive interpreter of events. The plot twists, constantly trying to be "surprising," are often predictable or overly complex, making the suspense feel artificial and forced. In "Angels & Demons," information is delivered within the natural flow of the story, whereas in the other books, this information (art, science, religion) is presented in long, interrupting dialogues or internal monologues This breaks the fluency of the narrative and takes on a didactic, lecture-like tone. Unnecessary chase scenes and exaggerated action sequences used to stretch a simple mystery or a single idea over hundreds of pages make these books akin to "inflated balloons." At their core, books like "The Lost Symbol" or "Inferno" could have been much more effective with a shorter and more intense narrative.
In conclusion, "Angels & Demons" is the only book where Dan Brown applied his formula in its most efficient and exciting way. Rather than being a literary masterpiece, it should be consifered one of the best examples of its genre. Unfortunately, the author's other works have failed to replicate this success, remaining as increasingly stale, predictable, and artificial versions of the same formula. Therefore, while "Angels & Demons" is a must-read classic for thriller and historical mystery lovers, Dan Brown's other books often result in disappointment for those hoping to find the same flavor again, ultimately feeling like a waste of time.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It provides a lot of additional facts about things in the novel. The author is a reasonable person; he does point out few mistakes in the novel but this is not the point of the book. It is about giving additional information to people interested to find out more about subject matter in the novel.

[Tiago Malaquias · Rating 3 out of 5]

POR: Uma livro muito útil para quem quer perceber melhor o livro. Classifico como 3 estrelas porque nem todas as temáticas abordadas são interessantes (ou pelo menos do meu interesse). Leitura fácil.

ENG: A very useful book for those who want to understand the book better. I classify it as 3 stars because not all the topics covered are interesting (or at least of my interest). Easy reading.

[Kenny Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really terrific book. I think people forget how things started when they talk about current books by Patricia Cornwell. Back in the beginning, she was doing something no other woman was doing, and she did it really well. So well that she inspired folks like me. I figgered if she could get away with writing the kinds of books I like to read,

[Peggy Huey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Cox takes readers through the locations, images, and ideas that Dan Brown uses to tell the story of Angels and Demons allowing readers a deeper appreciation of all that Brown manages to cram into his compelling stories.

[Jennet headstones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make owl

[Tsvetelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such an interesting. It pays your attention from the beginning to the end. I recommend it with both hands.

[Jothi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heel interessant boek!

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay,. Not a page tuener, but passable.

[Lisa Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic read. Much of the information was already very familiar. Also, extremely odd how the author referred to the character as making mistakes in history, translation, historical placement and reference, as opposed to the author, Dan Brown. Okay if you are not familiar with the material of Dan Brown's books; skip if you are.

[Katy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Frankly, disappointing. The format of the segments of the book was terribly disorganized -- Cox jumped from topic to topic without any logic whatsoever. In addition, the facts were only sub-par and seemed poorly researched.

I really had high hopes for this little book, but now I understand why it was only $3. Even the most avid fans of Angels & Demons won't enjoy this little companion.

[Eunika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Dan Brown book I've read.
GREAT book. Better than The Da Vinci Code.
AMAZING ending, and again, a very smart book

[Brandonne · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting read about the importance of thorough research. It was a little like seeing how a magician performs his tricks (and disappointing in the same way), but informative on a basic level.

[Roger Singh]

No opinion, I think I wasted my money.

[Jeroen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book but some interesting facts. Because I've read the original book some time ago, it was also nice to relive some moments.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books that explain all the stuff that is confusing from novels. While it was a long time ago that I read Angels and Demons, this info still fascinated me.

[Erick W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit weird but some pretty cool info in it that is factual.