The Da Vinci Code Sucks.

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J

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,424
2
0
I agree the book is poorly written. It's for the trailerpark literary crowd. Not much better literarily but much more fun to read was the Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson.
 
Siddhartha

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
The book is really only a murder mystery which uses one interpretation of the Holy Grail myth as a gimmick.

 
L

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
0
No, my problem with the Da Vinci code is that it is badly written. Mr. Dan Brown relies on several mechanisms to create false suspense. Firstly there is the 'oh god, I dont know how to crack this code' for 10 pages followed by 'oh, it just hit me' mechanism. That, my friends, is bullshit. And poor execution on his part. Secondly, he abuses a vast bank of intriguing theories to give his book substance. The plot, in and of itself, is terribly, terribly thin. If you were familar with the theories, you could've come up with that plot in a few days. It's just not there. Hardly a surprise though, considering the shear volume of outside theories he crammed into that tiny little paperback.
Click to expand...

And yet, Dan Brown has sold millions of copies... how many copies has your book sold?

Just because you took Fictional Writing 101, doesn't make you an expert. Infact, a lot of authors break rules that most are taught... and it's simply beacuse of their style. He obviously knows what he's doing, since he's quite successful at it. Just because YOU don't like it, doesn't mean he's wrong or doesn't know what he's doing.
 
meltdown75

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
I've heard a lot about this book, thanks for posting a review. I'll probably pick it up eventually - haven't read anything other than ATOT in a while. *mind slowly rotting*
 
A

AU Tiger

Diamond Member
Dec 26, 1999
4,280
0
76
Last Supper

University of Chicago shows closeups of "John". John looks like a woman to me.

Additionally, the hand across the throat is there as well as described in the book. The formation of the "M" is visible in the larger portrait and the phantom dagger appears to the left of John as well.

Another picture of the Last Supper

The book was ok, and the movie will do well.
 
Vic

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Agreed. The DaVinci Code is pure crap.
That is not Mary Magdalene to Jesus' right, that is the Apostle John. The Holy Grail is not on the table because the entire "Holy Grail" is a British legend, not an Italian one.
 
yllus

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
Originally posted by: Hardcore
He obviously knows what he's doing, since he's quite successful at it. Just because YOU don't like it, doesn't mean he's wrong or doesn't know what he's doing.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately he does know what he's doing. He's luring in the people who would normally never read a book in their lives because they've heard about the provocative subject of the novel and wish to add the useless bits of trivia Brown tosses into each chapter by the pound because it adds to their conversational repetoire.

Is it a good book based on characters, plot, writing style? Absolutely not.

Is it a good book based on savvy marketing potential and exploitation of such? It absolutely is.

I would never read a Dan Brown book again. However, I am thankful for the marginal amount of people that his book may have hooked into reading as a hobby.
 
F

FlyLice

Banned
Jan 19, 2005
1,680
1
0
Originally posted by: Hardcore
No, my problem with the Da Vinci code is that it is badly written. Mr. Dan Brown relies on several mechanisms to create false suspense. Firstly there is the 'oh god, I dont know how to crack this code' for 10 pages followed by 'oh, it just hit me' mechanism. That, my friends, is bullshit. And poor execution on his part. Secondly, he abuses a vast bank of intriguing theories to give his book substance. The plot, in and of itself, is terribly, terribly thin. If you were familar with the theories, you could've come up with that plot in a few days. It's just not there. Hardly a surprise though, considering the shear volume of outside theories he crammed into that tiny little paperback.
Click to expand...

And yet, Dan Brown has sold millions of copies... how many copies has your book sold?

Just because you took Fictional Writing 101, doesn't make you an expert. Infact, a lot of authors break rules that most are taught... and it's simply beacuse of their style. He obviously knows what he's doing, since he's quite successful at it. Just because YOU don't like it, doesn't mean he's wrong or doesn't know what he's doing.
Click to expand...

Hyundai, Kia, Daewoo sells millions of cars, that doesn't make them good cars.
 
L

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
0
Unfortunately he does know what he's doing. He's luring in the people who would normally never read a book in their lives because they've heard about the provocative subject of the novel and wish to add the useless bits of trivia Brown tosses into each chapter by the pound because it adds to their conversational repetoire.
Click to expand...

Or people read the book because it sounded interesting, or they heard it was good from others. You know, some people do base reading decisions on these.

Is it a good book based on characters, plot, writing style? Absolutely not.
Click to expand...

According to you. Nobody has claimed this was pulitzer prize caliber. IT'S A FICTIONAL NOVEL.

Is it a good book based on savvy marketing potential and exploitation of such? It absolutely is.
Click to expand...

LOL savvy marketing and exploitation. Boy, you must really hate life then, seeing as how savvy marketing exists from everything from groceries, to toothpaste, movies, and even hemmoroid treatments.

 
L

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
0
Originally posted by: FlyLice
Originally posted by: Hardcore
No, my problem with the Da Vinci code is that it is badly written. Mr. Dan Brown relies on several mechanisms to create false suspense. Firstly there is the 'oh god, I dont know how to crack this code' for 10 pages followed by 'oh, it just hit me' mechanism. That, my friends, is bullshit. And poor execution on his part. Secondly, he abuses a vast bank of intriguing theories to give his book substance. The plot, in and of itself, is terribly, terribly thin. If you were familar with the theories, you could've come up with that plot in a few days. It's just not there. Hardly a surprise though, considering the shear volume of outside theories he crammed into that tiny little paperback.
Click to expand...

And yet, Dan Brown has sold millions of copies... how many copies has your book sold?

Just because you took Fictional Writing 101, doesn't make you an expert. Infact, a lot of authors break rules that most are taught... and it's simply beacuse of their style. He obviously knows what he's doing, since he's quite successful at it. Just because YOU don't like it, doesn't mean he's wrong or doesn't know what he's doing.
Click to expand...

Hyundai, Kia, Daewoo sells millions of cars, that doesn't make them good cars.
Click to expand...

Sure they are. People are buying the vehicles because it's good according to them. Are they top of the line, best of the best? No. But for a vehicle that's 25k, yes, it's good.
 
S

Stark

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2000
7,735
0
0
after suffering through the last two chapters of Angels and Demons, I vowed that I will never again read anything Brown writes. Most overrated writer evar.
 
Malak

Malak

Lifer
Dec 4, 2004
14,696
2
0
Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
Don't get me wrong, I am a great fan of studies of religion, and I find the catholic religion above all others to be incredible in its propensity for excitement.
Click to expand...

You lost me right there. Excitement and catholic in the same sentence...

And since every friend I have that has read it liked it, I'll assume you just didn't get it.
 
M

myusername

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2003
5,046
0
0
Originally posted by: DainBramaged
Here's a *real* book.
Click to expand...

Amazon.com reviewer
Hated one of the protagonists, Don Gately, for reasons requiring some self-examination to discover. (1) He's the sort of large ugly ignorant self-satisfied anti-intellectual homophobic cretin I've always disliked in real life. (2) His presentation is hypocritical, one of the most intellectual anti-intellectual statements I've ever read. The more apparent it became Wallace intended to reward him, the more I hated him.
Click to expand...

I couldn't even make it through A Confederacy of Dunces because the protagonist was such a prig, and he was *supposed* to be dislikable.

Ed: Oh, yea, and I've said before, Dan Brown is a crappy author. Maybe not as bad as Michael Connelly (at least Brown gets some of his facts right), but pretty crappy.
 
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