I truly love when mystery thrillers also have a puzzle involved and who has famously done this, but Dan Brown with his Robert Langdon series of novels which feature Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno, Origin, and The Secret of Secrets.
The series of novels feature the Harvard professor Robert Langdon, and his unplanned journeys in which he uncovers plots, secrets and other historic facts. A few of these novels have since been adapted for film starring Tom Hanks or television starring Ashley Zukerman.
Angels & Demons
Angels & Demons dives into the age-old clash between science and religion. Dan Brown gives us a fast-paced mystery full of twists, conspiracies, and suspense—flaws and all, it’s an undeniably entertaining read.
An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to his first assignment to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol — seared into the chest of a murdered physicist — he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati…the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy — the Catholic Church.
Langdon’s worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican’s holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair…a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
The battle between science and religion has always been a compelling topic, and this story really captures this wonderfully. Dan Brown hooked me with an intriguing plot that had me quickly turning pages, eagerly wanting to uncover the mystery and its resolution. Despite the various plot holes and moments that may stray from accuracy, these issues don’t detract from the book’s core appeal. To me, it’s all about the intrigue, conspiracies, and mystery. An entertaining read.
Robert Langdon is a fascinating character and doesn’t disappoint in his series debut. His vast knowledge, coupled with his growth throughout this novel, adds so much to his character moving forward. Angels & Demons lays a strong foundation for Langdon’s adventures in the rest of the series.
I am reading these novels for the first time in preparation for the release of the sixth book in September, The Secret of Secrets. Angels & Demons is a great start, but really excited to jump into The Da Vinci Code.
Angels & Demons is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Richard Poe, is available at Libro.fm!
The Da Vinci Code
Reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown as part of my Robert Langdon series journey and am glad it stood out as much as I had hoped. Even after seeing the film years ago, the book felt fresh. While the book may be polarizing, I found the pure entertainment of the story to be what I signed up for in the first place.
While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.
Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion, a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.
While my goal is to read through the entire Robert Langdon series in preparation for the release of The Secret of Secrets, I found myself particularly drawn to The Da Vinci Code. I enjoyed this book more than the others in the series, even if that might be an unpopular opinion among some.
Although I saw the feature film adaptation starring Tom Hanks some time ago, enough details had faded from memory to allow the story to feel fresh and suspenseful. While some criticize the Robert Langdon series for inaccuracies or its controversial themes, I approach these books with a simple mindset: pure entertainment. The Da Vinci Code delivers just that.
This novel seems to divide the crowd–to me, it seems like people either love it or hate it with equal passion. There is no way this is one of my favorite books of all-time, but I was definitely hook from the first page and found myself having a hard time putting the book down. The intricate puzzles, the mysterious characters, and the layers of conspiracy made for one hell of a read. I can see myself grabbing the book from time to time and giving it a read again.
The Da Vinci Code is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Paul Michael, is available at Libro.fm!
The Lost Symbol
Famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon answers an unexpected summons to deliver a lecture at the U.S. Capitol Building. His plans are interrupted when a disturbing object—artfully encoded with five symbols—is discovered in the building. Langdon recognizes in the find an ancient invitation into a lost world of esoteric, potentially dangerous wisdom.
When his mentor, Peter Solomon—a long-standing Mason and beloved philanthropist—is kidnapped, Langdon realizes that the only way to save Solomon is to accept the mystical invitation and plunge headlong into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and one inconceivable truth . . . all under the watchful eye of a terrifying enemy.
Continuing the series of Robert Langdon books, I had high hopes for The Lost Symbol, but it ultimately fell flat. It’s far too long and never really grabbed me. The opening of the novel moves too fast, the middle is passable, but by the end, it feels like Dan Brown gave up on building any real suspense.
While the first two novels push the limits of what you can believe, The Lost Symbol nearly abandons it altogether. As the third book in the series, it didn’t come close to matching the quality of the first two. Let’s hope that Inferno redeems the saga so I can continue to Origin and the upcoming The Secret of Secrets.
The Lost Symbol is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Paul Michael, is available at Libro.fm!
Inferno
Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon awakens in an Italian hospital, disoriented and with no recollection of the past thirty-six hours, including the origin of the macabre object hidden in his belongings. With a relentless female assassin trailing them through Florence, he and his resourceful doctor, Sienna Brooks, are forced to flee.
Embarking on a harrowing journey, they must unravel a series of codes, which are the work of a brilliant scientist whose obsession with the end of the world is matched only by his passion for one of the most influential masterpieces ever written: Dante Alighieri’s The Inferno.
I probably wouldn’t have kept reading Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon series after The Lost Symbol if it weren’t for two things: his newest release is coming soon, and my compulsive need to finish the series. Both Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code hooked me, but was ‘lost’ with The Lost Symbol, and now Inferno wasn’t any better.
Let’s be honest, it’s mostly my fault for keeping up with Brown’s books. I know going into it that they will not be masterpieces of fiction, but I do expect some fun, fast-paced action, mystery, intrigue, and puzzling solving. Inferno, thought, lost me. It builds up a lot of tension but leads to a flat, underwhelming ending. Don’t get me wrong it was an interesting read, but didn’t give me the same feeling as the first two.
The problem with Inferno is that, whether I liked it or not…and honestly…I felt pretty indifferent, I know I’ll still come back for the fifth book and eventually The Secret of Secrets. It’s the kind of book I could take or leave, but the series has me hooked enough to keep going.
Inferno is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Paul Michael, is available at Libro.fm!
Origin
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist, and one of Langdon’s first students.
But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced to flee. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch. They travel to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.
Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade an enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace. They uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.
Origin is a truly entertaining read, but also pretty ridiculous. As I have said before, Dan Brown isn’t a great writer, yet he knows how to craft fun ideas that pull you into his tales. If you’re ready for a quick, fast-paced story and don’t mind the clunky prose, Origin is for you. Those looking for more well-developed characters and strong writing, maybe look elsewhere.
We are four books into the Robert Langdon series, and Langdon still feels like the dumbest smart person alive. He seems to be an expert on many things, that is until the plot needs him to suddenly not know something so another character can explain it. Still, Brown’s puzzles are engaging enough to make us, time and time again, overlook the stupid genius act.
As with the other books in the series I haven’t enjoyed as much as the first two, I still got pulled into Origin, apparently I’m a glutton for punishment with Robert Langdon. Origin was first release in 2017, so here’s to hoping that Dan Brown and his Robert Langdon have taken the past eight years to learn and get a better The Secret of Secrets.
Origin is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Paul Michael, is available at Libro.fm!
The Secret of Secrets
Dan Brown came out strong with Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code in 2000 and 2003 respectively. But since then, the Robert Langdon series has been middle of the road at best. None of the later books have really jumped out at me, yet I keep getting drawn back into the mysteries. Unfortunately, The Secret of Secrets is more of the same. While not terrible, it doesn’t come close to the highs of the early books.
Robert Langdon, esteemed professor of symbology, travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon—a prominent noetic scientist with whom he has recently begun a relationship. Katherine is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague’s most ancient mythology.
As the plot expands into London and New York, Langdon desperately searches for Katherine . . . and for answers. In a thrilling race through the dual worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, he uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind.
When you pick up a Dan Brown novel, you kind of know what you’re getting, an entertaining, easy-to-follow thriller. But nothing has excited me in the way Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code did. For the most part the stories are getting too engrossed in the technological side of things and a bit less historical that made the early books so compelling. At times, it’s hard to say that Robert Langdon is even the central character of the stories these days. While the book entertained, we are bit further away from Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code and not in the direction we had hoped. Not to mention the length can be trimmed a bit.
The Secret of Secrets is classic Dan Brown, but for sure not peak Dan Brown. We get what we would expect, a fast-paced, thrilling, and fun read full of suspense in stunning locations. But if you’re hoping for a return to the roots that made The Da Vinci Code so compelling, this is not going to fulfill your hopes, but it was fun to ride along.
The Secret of Secrets is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Paul Michael, is available via Libro.fm!
