The Lost Symbol
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Was anybody else disappointed with Langdon ?
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Debbie
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rated it 4 stars
Nov 30, 2009 02:06AM
Just finished the long awaited The Lost Symbol and felt Robert Langdon had been dumbed down and almost appeared clueless at times. He was not the Langdon I had enjoyed so much in previous books and seemed dependant on others this time to find the answers.
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I had to force myself to finish the book. No doubt the worse book Brown has written. I gave the book a one star.
I agree! This book was a chore to finish.
I don't know, I actually found the majority of the book very entertaining, although I did think the ending was pretty lame, but overall a fun read.
Yes and no.The story was not bad, but as I, and I assume you too, have read the other book(s). So we where a bit fed up with conspiracies and the story (or most of it) was so visible in advance.
I read it just when it was published. Now I have the audio book which I will listen to the next week(s) lets see how I feel about after a long time withaut a Dan Brown book
I will admit that I enjoyed Da Vinci code but was disappointed with the rehash of the formula in Lost Symbol. Acually, the TV 'documentary' made by Tony Robinson was even worse! I'm not sure how to take it when I see comparisons to DB in reviews of my work.
I agree that Lost Symbol isn't nearly as well-paced as the other Langdon books. I don't know that he was dumbed down, but I felt the book ended on a very weak note.
Angels and Demons was my favorite of the Robert Langdon books. I found The Lost Symbol to be interesting only because I live in the Washington DC area, but I could not stay invested in this book. I had to fight to get through it. I don't know how to really describe it other than boring.
after I read the Da Vinci Code, I became a real big Dan Brown fan and read everyone of his books. So, needless to say I was real excited about this book (boy was I disappointed). I personally wouldn't say the whole thing was boring, but I did find parts of it was a real drag. Especially the end (holly be-jesus) what in the world was Brown thinking?
I'm also disappointed with Robert Langdon with his adventure at The Lost Symbol. He looks like not the hero there.
I, like everyone else, was disappointed in The Lost Symbol. I love the DC area too and I wanted something more than this. I think his formula for Robert Langdon is getting a little weak. My favorite was Angels and Demons.
J.B. wrote: "Angels and Demons was my favorite of the Robert Langdon books. I found The Lost Symbol to be interesting only because I live in the Washington DC area, but I could not stay invested in this book. I..."Totally agree with you. It was Angels and Demons that got me hooked with Dan Brown and read every book of his. Once I knew about Lost Symbols I even pre-ordered it and got it the first day it came out. You can imagine my disappointment. I would say that it is the worst book Dan ever written. Hopefully they won't make a movie out of it, please.
This book is so boring compare to the others in this series. Robert Langdon in this book wasn't as smart as he was in the previous. And the story is too abstract, I guess. For me, this book like a Hollywood movies, so disappointed.
I thought Angels and Demons is the best book Brown has ever written, with Deception Point coming in on a close second. The worst book he has is definitively The Lost Symbol. Between its pages, you find a clueless Langdon, a conspiracy which isn't needed and a secret which isn't secret. That last point is what I'm most annoyed at; there isn't a conspiracy to unravel. We don't learn any "secret" history, like we did in Angels and Demons or The Da Vinci Code.
I was looking forward to Brown's turn towards America, and the secret history of Masons, which I find hugely interesting. I'm sad that he didn't do better than this.
When Dan Brown is good, he tends to be very good. When he's bad.... Well, then he ain't near the good stuff at all. :(
(Oh, and also - The Da Vinci Code is a really, really overrated book. Try re-reading it after you've read Angels and Demons. It is really boring by comparison.)
Carl wrote: "I thought Angels and Demons is the best book Brown has ever written, with Deception Point coming in on a close second. The worst book he has is definitively The Lost Symbol. Between its pages, yo..."
Agreed. I think The Da Vinci Code is way overrated myself.
Carl wrote: "I thought Angels and Demons is the best book Brown has ever written, with Deception Point coming in on a close second. The worst book he has is definitively The Lost Symbol. Between its pages, yo..."
same here. My ranking for Dan Brown is Angel & Demon, Deception Point, Ditigal Fortress, Da Vinci Code and of course, Lost Symbols.
I, like everyone else, was very disappointed with this book. It seems as if it was a book of two halves, the first being quite pacey and true to Dan Brown and the second was quite slow and boring....shame
ah!!! disappointing...........
I've found that everyone's favorite Dan Brown book was the first one they read, regardless of the order in which they read his books. Why? Because they're all the SAME! Clueless main character, beautiful and intelligent female, overdone ludicrous bad guy, frantic running, cliffhanging chapters like soap opera scene cuts, and endless paragraphs like, "Well, Bob, as you know...", completely assassinating the 'Show Don't Tell' rule. Seems to be fine the first time someone reads one of his books, but after that...For the record, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at The Lost Symbol, it was so absurd. A CIA logo on a cellphone gives away the guy's identity? Whaa?
Same sentiment. I really, really, wanted to like this book and literally had to force my eyes and mind to keep on going. There was some suspense and great information about the Smithsonian archives, but very textbook oriented. The same formula did not work this time Dan Brown! He definitely needed to sink into Robert's Character a lot more and expand on him for his fans. Brown lacked a significant amount of character development and the villain seemed too unbelievable and over the top. Utter lack of human emotion. I think Brown wrote this on auto pilot.
Bomb!
Steve wrote: "I've found that everyone's favorite Dan Brown book was the first one they read, regardless of the order in which they read his books. Why? Because they're all the SAME! Clueless main character, bea..."Actually, I liked the first book I read (which was The Da-Vinci Code), enjoyed the second one I read (The Digital Fortress) and absolutely LOVED the third (Angels & Demons) and fourth (Deception Point). I similarly enjoyed The Lost Symbol, even if it wasn't as good as his other books.
It was an ok book in my opinion. The ending of "Angels and Demons" was the best. I was really disappointed in the ending. It was definitely not one I couldn't put down like his others.
I love reading his (Dan Brown) books. Started with 'Lost Symbol' and the last one I read was 'Da-Vinci Code'. Liked every one of them. I haven't read 'Deception Point'.
Eagerly waiting for his next book..
Yes!! It was ok, at best...
Thid book hasn't marked many's expectations. But I found it entertaining in the beginning and also till the mid..yeah the end seemed somewhat boring rather sleek. In a nutshell, the book was good but the plot needed some factual and entertaining pillars to maintain the reader's heart and mind captivated till the end.
Completely irritated with the ending. Couldn't believe I read over 400 pages for THAT!! However, being a history buff, I did like the historical aspects of the Masons. But that was it.
Actually , I hate this book ! Dissapointed by Dan Brown
I finished it a few weeks ago and I was totally disappointed. I foudn the new book boring and somewaht senseless. Not sure wether I will read another Langdon-Story.
Ozge and Stefanie if this was the first Langdon story you read then I suggest you read Angels and Demons first since it was the first Langdon story and if you want to read the best Dan Brown book then read Digital Fortress instead - has combined intelligence and adventure and the main character is a woman who's just as fun as the plot.
My 2 cents, which due to inflation and various housing bubbles isn't worth 2 cents anymore...I enjoyed this book well enough, though reading these comments has made me realize just how out of character Langdon was in this story. He was quite the clueless yutz, not much better at unraveling the clues around him than I would be.
However, in its defense, it does have some interesting facts threaded throughout about Washington, Noetic science, and the like. So it may warrant a borrow from a friend or library if you like that aspect of Dan Browns writing.
And for the final half-cent left - I enjoyed the Da Vinci Code before it got quite the hype that ended up surrounding it, and I liked it. Whether it was over-rated or not, it is still an interesting book that I think people will remember long after many other novels are forgotten.
Disclaimer: I have not read Angels and Demons...so who knows, maybe that book kicks Da Vinci Code all over the place.
Whoa, guys ease up. This is Brown's best work. He goes out of his depth and explores science like he never has then he combines that with his fantastic knowledge of history and the myth of the Masonic Pyramid. I think after how good his first book was people are just be knit pickers and finding ways to critisice him.
J.B. wrote: "Angels and Demons was my favorite of the Robert Langdon books. I found The Lost Symbol to be interesting only because I live in the Washington DC area, but I could not stay invested in this book. I..."I agree that I enjoyed the DC area but felt that in the last half of the book Langdon was not at his best. Perhaps Langdon wasn't himself so that Tom Hanks would be appropriate to play Langdon in the next movie.
I love The Da Vinci Code, both book and movie, but I haven't read Angels and Demons yet, though I've seen the movie. As for The Lost Symbol? It's a total let-down.
The Lost Symbol is a total disappointment. The climax is a big letdown :(.
I felt the last few dozen pages to be very emotionally ho-hum. On that front, this book did not live up to the previous ones.
The Lost Symbol was unnecessarily lengthy. The plot was did not keep up the expectations of the readers who had high expectations after reading Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, especially Da Vinci Code.
I did feel it was a little slow and I figured out who the bad guy was long before it was revealed in the book. It didn't have the suprise element that Angels and Demons had. I expected more of this book...
I was disappointed with the ending to the Lost Symbol. Dan Brown's books are always a stretch which makes them fun to read but the ending to his latest was a bit too out there. I'm sure I will read his next Langdon installment cause his writting style is so damn addictive.
He sounded appologetic......annoyed the crap out of me.
I appreciate the usual trivial stuff in the book and the authors point of view about the ancient knowledge...but Langdon was definitely off character...He seemed to forgot that the stuff he was denying to believe in the book can be figurative or symbolic as what he always deals with in his prior encounter with this things in the previous book...but still it was a good reading for me,,,
Angel and Demons was the best though, for me
This is the first book i red about Langdon, and i can catch that Langdon is so fool to unbelievable anything about the rumor they talking about even he's closer and closer to the myth itself. Langdon still quite can solve problems nicely. But i think the dumbest part for me is just when he too slow to find out about 'temperature'
im surprised!Reading all these comments,it seems like everyone hated this book!
I loved it!simply amazing!the depth of research and planning is simply unimaginable...and to top it of most of the book kept me hooked(at least all of langdon's scenes)
Da vinci code is so overated!and i dont think langdon is dumber in this one,maybe a little slow to realise things though...
To sum it up,i thought the book was epic....
I agree - The Lost Symbol seemed like a rehash to me and there's only so much one can take of Langdon running around getting himself in trouble!
I wouldn't say I was disappointed with Langdon, I was disappointed with Dan Brown. He kept us all waiting for so long I expected something much more from this book and had hoped it had been researched to the hilt. It just seemed so thrown together to me.Angels & Demons was by far the best...
Yes, the book started good, but the plot / ending was a big disappointment. There was so little there.
didn't care that much for it. I think his best work was Angels and Demons.
I totally enjoyed (like Lost msg 48) The Lost Symbol as I did all Brown's other books. Langdon IS a fictional character who is supposed to get into trouble - he is a bookish nerd almost similar to Indiana Jones.....to those who are so critical, rewrite it the way you think it should be done.....each book is it's own entity and really shouldn't be compared.
Sherry wrote: "I wouldn't say I was disappointed with Langdon, I was disappointed with Dan Brown. He kept us all waiting for so long I expected something much more from this book and had hoped it had been researc..."i agree... =)
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