October 03, 2009

Dan Brown - The Lost Symbol

Announcing a competition in this blog... How many times would have Dan Brown used the words- Mystery, Secret in his latest thriller novel - The Lost Symbol.... Dan Brown has definitely got a knack to narrate a simple sequence in a loaded mystic manner.
Immediate thoughts after finishing the novel [not going to reveal anything abt the plot]
  • Nice hard bound book - sleek looking . Comfortable font
  • The story is within the 24 hrs limit. Same pattern of events
  • Dan Brown tries hard to fit in the GenX - iPhone, Twitter...Hmm..
  • Robert Langdon looks almost like an atheist - questioning every possible theory proposed. But guess Dan Brown has become more religious - 'scientifically' accepting faith healing was the limit.
  • Langdon actually solves very little of the mystery.. Less action..He actually admits that he did nothing much.
  • Other characters tutor Langdon on the next course of action, he is almost like the vodafone puppy.
  • Masons - would be the next wikipedia search that everybody would do after reading Lost symbol
  • The villain is powerful, pitiable and likeable (!)
  • Dan Brown has read abt India & Hindus, so touches upon Hindu mythology - U might smile knowingly when u read the references to Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, Ganesh, Vedas, Bindhi in the forehead and Kubera Kolam of all things!!!!!!.
  • Dan Brown is painting a bigger canvas - u can see the movie in the making
  • EQ is very low
  • The mystery is gripping...I had every mind to turn to the penultimate chapter to know how the events met its logical end
  • I had figured out the villain's identity earlier itself, so was more interested in knowing how he would steer the story.
  • Science and Religion make a heady potent mix
  • The 'truth' is very simple
  • Washington DC would get another tour - the lost symbol route
  • Somehow, the destination is very subdued when compared to the thrilling journey - I felt the same in Da Vinci Code too...the climax is a downer.
  • The joke was not on 'myth' but on 'science' - Faith healing, power of mind to move physical bodies, collective mind power and the likes. Experiments are conducted to analyse the human soul..fine..but the eurekha moment is when the human soul is weighed. YUCK....[I couldn't resist this plot stuff]
  • All in all, not an earth shattering book. But nevertheless, an interesting read.

4 comments:

Santhosh Seshasayee said...

Its a good read if u have not read Angels and Demons!!!! and even Da Vinci.. suspense could have been better kept rather than being very explicit... didnt get disappointed as i didnt expect much...

sugan said...

Yeah..I agree that Angels and Demons is a pretty good thriller.

Santhosh Seshasayee said...

have u read Matthew Reily series... if no try it out!!!! namma ooru vittalachariyar katha thaan.. but still it will carry us along wid d story....

Krishnan said...

Yes reviews (most of them) have not given thums up to the novel saying it is nowhere in the league of DVC.