Book Review #6: The Lost Symbol

Try to figure out this clue using the Magic Square below

Magic Square,total of additon from every direction will sum up to 260

Figure it out. Go read his book.

I haven’t finished reading Dan’s Brown Deception Point. I got discourage by page 117. The story was boring compare to his latest two books prior to this one. Maybe I did set the bar too high. It was his second book for heaven sake. I did make a comparison in a backward motion.

Now let’s do it forward. The Lost Symbol (TLS) is not as interesting as his legendary book – the one that brought up his name to public mention - The Da Vinci Code (DVC) (click here to read my past review). Same theme and repetition of plot framework. Lack of originality. Again the protagonist Robert Langdon featured.

Secret Society: The Freemasonry a.k.a Mason
Building: Capitol Building (Main)
Location: Washington
Sidekick: Dr. Katherine Solomon
Obtrusive Authority: Inoue Sato and the CSI
Villain: Mal’akh
Theme: Science Advancement – Noetic Science, Architectural, Historical Figures, Religion, Art, Symbology.
Style: Treasure Hunt, Decrypting Clues.

Unlike DVC and Angels & Demons (AND), TLS kick off point did not involve death but severed hand as an invitation. A separated limb does have its own sadistic value as death. Similar to AND, there was kidnapping. The villain again portraying a classic and typical antagonist features. Whole body tattooed man with a gist of lunacy. All bad man should look bad and hediously psychotic.

It’s worth a read but not worth a wait. By his fifth book, I was expecting Dan Brown to grow more creative about his plotlines instead he chose to stay in his safe zone, repeating the same framework all over again. Changes of supporting characters, location, secret society, villain and walla! A new book!

By this time, I’m disinterest to wait for his next installment. Enough is enough.

For greater reason, this book was again as interactive as AND. You can put down you book and try deciphering the symbol and signs.

THE VERDICT: Three star – Read it only if you are extreme Dan Brown’s fanatic, which I no longer am.