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What are readers saying about Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon)?
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-29 10:36:05.
(Language: English)
  
Although using a good line of twists, and fairly creative story line, I feel the only three detailed things about this book are the only things Dan Brown was ever good at: Robert Langdon’s character(the same one from The Da Vinci Code), the Roman Catholic Church (in this book, Vatican), and a secret society (in this book, Illuminati).But the rest is a mistake Brown shouldn’t have dared to make, a book on physics and technology, with a wide gap of knowledge and research behind it.The book is as interesting and attention consuming as a light bestseller should be. But if you know anything about physics, Galileo Galilei, anti-matter, jet planes or g-force, then keep your hands away from it, it’s a shameless flaunting of misinformations and under-education of the author in these areas. And it appears the other characters are mere idiots, compared to the ‘omniscient’ art teacher Langdon, or logically put, Brown made them to be non-consistent and underdeveloped.The only reason why this book should be read is sheer fun. Apart from that, it’s an insult to every semi-educated mind.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-22 07:20:28.
(Language: English)
In my opinion, Angels and Demons put me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire book unlike The Da Vinci Code which many people claim is much better than Angels and Demons. Although the controversy here is not as appalling as it was in The Da Vinci Code but the idea of Science versus Religion is something that everyone can relate to. The myth of the Illuminati and the chase with Robert Langdon was exhilarating and when the perpetrator was eventually revealed, no one would have guessed. This book also shows how faith blinds people and is relevant in our day and age. This book however shared the same story line as The Da Vinci Code and readers might get tired of watching self righteous Robert Landon pursuing a murderer which always result in him falling in love with the female character of the book. Overall, this book is definitely a much better read than The Da Vinci Code for those who seek thrills instead of controversy.
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Louisa posted a review at 2010-09-18 03:27:42.
(Language: English)
I decided to read Angels and Demons, so as to get the comparison with the Da Vinci code. The truth is that my husband offer me that book on our first date and that's how i discover Dan Brown some three years ago. Honestly till now that i read it, read the Da Vinci code and watch the film i can't have a definite opinion. Of course it is a very good thriller may be one of the best book of Dan Brown. And definitly the two are totalty different from my point of view. But i still can't have a definite opinion. The book carry you to think more than what you are reading. Sort of historial reading.Lot of suspence, fiction Those who have not yet read Angels and Demons, i think its time to get the book. Louisa. Its me again well i watch the film Angels and Demons today, i was suprised for the film is different of the book, no comparison because the book has nothing to envied the film. Louisa
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-28 04:03:36.
(Language: English)
I love this book it is *very* intense makes you have to pause every so often to digest what you've just read and I for one had wished then at the time I'd read it had readily access to a computer that is online at home or would've done some great research. Now that the movie of this title's scheduled to ber released May 15, 2009, perhaps will be easier to dig up all sorts of stuff, huh?? I highly recommend you check this book out in whatever format is best for you to read -- I got mine at B&N and it's a large print softcover edititon. :) I wrote this review via the TextEdit application since the writing windowpane was not wide enough to allow me to see what all am scribbling so I'd highlighted/pasted to that pane. Easier that way hmm?? <winks> I have the LP ed. here. Great read and yes, the material within this novel does makes one think and to digest what was taken in; it also makes one asks about where are those items located in Rome as well as the organization known as the Brotherhood of the Illuminati. Very, very fascinating indeed!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-14 03:08:59.
(Language: English)
Antes de decifrar "O Código Da Vinci", Robert Langdon, o famoso professor de simbologia de Harvard, vive sua primeira aventura em "Anjos e Demônios", quando tenta impedir que uma antiga sociedade secreta destrua a Cidade do Vaticano. Às vésperas do conclave que vai eleger o novo Papa, Langdon é chamado à s pressas para analisar um misterioso sÃmbolo marcado a fogo no peito de um fÃsico assassinado em um grande centro de pesquisas na SuÃça. Ele descobre indÃcios de algo inimaginável: a assinatura macabra no corpo da vÃtima - um ambigrama que pode ser lido tanto de cabeça para cima quanto de cabeça para baixo - é dos Illuminati, uma poderosa fraternidade considerada extinta há quatrocentos anos. A antiga sociedade ressurgiu disposta a levar a cabo a lendária vingança contra a Igreja Católica, seu inimigo mais odiado. De posse de uma nova arma devastadora, roubada do centro de pesquisas, ela ameaça explodir a Cidade do Vaticano e matar os quatro cardeais mais cotados para a sucessão papal. Correndo contra o tempo, Langdon voa para Roma junto com Vittoria Vetra, uma bela cientista italiana. Numa caçada frenética por criptas, igrejas e catedrais, os dois desvendam enigmas e seguem uma trilha que pode levar ao covil dos Illuminati - um refúgio secreto onde está a única esperança de salvação da Igreja nesta guerra entre ciência e religião. Em "Anjos e Demônios", Dan Brown demonstra novamente sua extraordinária habilidade de entremear suspense com fascinantes informações sobre ciência, religião e história da arte, despertando a curiosidade dos leitores para os significados ocultos deixados em monumentos e documentos históricos.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-30 09:31:43.
(Language: English)
it's an excellent read fr a variety of reasons..n i guess every body will find smthing of his interest...a v.good plot..vid lots of thrill n adventure...but apart frm these d thing which intrigued me most ws d concept...d interweaving of religion n science...as god n science or god n humans as one and not differente......though hidden in a an adventurous fiction novel...author tried to convey one of d most profound messege....which sadly i guess is overlooked by most readers !!!!thouroughly enjoyable guided tour of one of the most secretive places on earth as vatican...n also a saga roman sarchitecture...n history...n also a tour of CERN...one of d most modern science temple...so it ws a power packed novel....wid so mch to see..experience ....n learn...n enjoy!!n yup to add to d show...i ws reading d online version of d novel..n used to google d snaps of d places mentioned...dat felt like as if i ws actually standing der...ws a great feel...i guess u've got d hint!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-09-12 04:55:25.
(Language: English)
I was a bit disappointed that the 2 main characters were as one dimensional as they were in The Davinci Code. The women are described as these brilliant rocket scientist, virtuoso cellist, multilinguists who while reading to a colony of blind leper children in a remote village, had an epiphany on how to cure cancer. And they are, of course, also described as absolutely(mythically) stunning. This ethereal beauty is apparently permanent (at least for the duration of the book) as the women are able to run around evading capture & death throughout various cities, countries even in high heels & (I think it was a) leather skirt(s). But I digress... The point is that these exotically brilliant women seem to get stupider & a bit more dependent as the book progress. I personally found that distracting not to mention annoying. Luckily, the story was written so incredibly well that I was able to get past my disappointment & really enjoy it. Absolutely could not put it down!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-10 08:25:20.
(Language: English)
I really enjoy Dan Brown’s books. This is the third one I’ve read so far. Angels and Demons is a lot like The DaVinci Code. The main character in both books, Robert Langdon is introduced here and I think Brown spends a lot more time letting the reader get to know Robert Langdon. All I could really tell from him in The DaVinci Code was that he was a Harvard professor. In Angels and Demons, Brown spends more time developing all his characters and providing details about their background which help you understand their current actions.I found much of the book very predictable. Brown gave away too many clues that allowed you to guess what was going on before it was revealed. The last 100 pages are so are filled with plot twists and turns and while it’s fun, it leaves the mind reeling a bit. What I especially love about all the Dan Brown books I’ve read so far is that they are written in real time and do not contain a lot of fluff. I can’t wait to get into the last book of his I haven’t read, Deception Point.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-16 02:45:19.
(Language: English)
Written in Dan Brown's signature style, curiously i found this a better read than the Da Vinci Code. Maybe the fact that it was slightly more entertaining and had an even more ludicrous plot had it going in its favour. ;) The dialogues are a tad more laced with humour, compared to the relatively dapper Da Vinci. Its an edge of the seat thriller. It weaves a tale of obsession, the eternal battle between sanititized modern science and faith in religion,of ancient secrets and cults,and of human fallacies.All this providing a backdrop for the harris-tweed wearing Harward scholar to,once again, save the day, this time with a fiery buxom italian scientist Victoria Vetra as his partner. Read for its 'You wouldn't believe!' kind of action, morbidity and gore in liberal doses and a fast and furious trip down the lanes of history, culture and art of Rome. and as always Dan Brown blurs the lines between good guy-bad guy and leaves it up to you to make that distinction.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-23 08:14:46.
(Language: English)
Robert Langdon goes to the C E R N because he has seen a horrible image of a CERN scientis killed in an absolutely disgusting way with a brand in his chest reading ILLUMINATI and Robert believed that the brand was the original brand of the ancient Illuminati brotherhood and goes to Cern to see the murder..Then he was told that about a gram of antimatter which the dead scientist , Vetra mantaged to get from his experiment was stollen which would be enough o destroy an entire city bcoz anti matter produces an explosion wen it literally combines with any thing.. even air.. It was found that this anti matter bomb as placed in Vatican City where the papal elections are goin on..More over four major cardinals were kiidnapped and the killer anounces that he will be killing one by one, each an hour.. There were enemies inside the church too...Robert and Vittoria set out together to stop the murderer and the world was surprised to know who the murderer was!
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-21 01:57:30.
(Language: English)
I've never read a Dan Brown book. I saw The DaVinci Code movie and it didn't thrill me at all. It had WAY too much hype about it that I didn't understand. I saw it as all other movies...fiction. I never beleived Star Wars was real. Why believe some stuff a guy put together in a book were real? He had to make some BIG assumptions along the way to make it interesting, of course. Wether or not ANYTHING in Angels&Demons is accurate, other than the geometry of Rome and Vatican City, it was a thrill of a read. 710 pages, 137 chapters, and 2 weeks later, I think it was cool. He kept me hooked after every chapter. The end was REALLY TWISTED. Insane! The hatred for the Illuminati seemed to come out of thin air. The information about them, given in the beginning seemed to make them out to be searchers of truth, similar to what Vittorias father was searching for. Proving God is in science isn't diificult, he DID create science. In my opinion anyway. I'm sure when I see the movie it will remind me of National Treasure. Now no one thought of that as accurate historically, did they? FICTION PEOPLE.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-24 07:50:26.
(Language: English)
utter crap - hannibal meets tomb raider meets a tom clancy novel...on the surface, i have to admit, it was difficult to put down. the story was magnetic but in an extremely cheap way. also I was stuck in an airbus for 28 hours over the pacific. there's lots of cheap twists and shocks, naivette about science, The Illuminati, the Vatican, human relationships, CERN, etc. He *almost* gets interesting on some scientific stuff but then stops just short of. writing for the masses does not mean you have to dumb everything down for the "common man". trite dialogue fills the space between his action sequences and popular science. and a good and proper dark mood is totally ruined by misplaced repartee and schoolgirl writing style flirting between Robert and Vittoria. the Illuminati anagrams were very cool tho. props to the artist.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-29 08:43:40.
(Language: English)
Why did I include "Angels&Demons" among my favourites? No, I don't believe in conspiracy (although the most sophisticated conspiracy theory is that we are being convinced that there are no conspiracy theories :) ). It's simply because I think the book is a perfect example of how popculture works: it's a melting pot of catchy topics (papacy, modern science, secret associations...) mixed together to form something - in a way - clever. It's an almanach of stripped-down ignorance which the author doesn't try to hide. On the contrary, he wears his ignorance as a suit and furthermore, he makes the reader actually thinking the same way. Dan Brown shows himself as an ignorant to the point of naming everything which is older than 100 years with an adjective "ancient". Here goes another cultural observation: isn't that a specific feature of American culture to "flatten time"? It doesn't really matter whether a monument is 100 or 1000 years old. It's "ancient" anyway... Dan Brown's construction is therefore brilliant: he uses patterns, cliches, stereotypes and he builds a tower from them. Isn't "masonry" suspicious enough? No, he needs "masonry inside masonry" (that is, the Illuminati). He uses them and makes a reader involved: we do have all those cliches in our heads. We start identifying them and identifying us with them. Dan Brown, a genius ignorant.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-23 06:16:45.
(Language: English)
This is the second book I read from Dan Brown. Another religious thriller but this time the theme is about the conflict between science and religion. If you are a big fan of Robert Langton, you will notice that events mentioned in this story happened prior to the Da Vinci code. Therefore, the correct order is to read this one first before DVC. A bomb in an underground vault of the most prestigious science institution in Europe and the papal conclave -two totally unrelated event-make a start to the story. What comes is a race against time for Robert and Victoria to find clues and hints that will lead them to the person behind this plot, and prevent disaster from happening. Using similar techniques in DVC, Brown used a lot of historical facts and myths and put a connection between them. He spent a lot on elaborating the history of the church and her conflict with science in the past, including one of the main player in these events Galileo. For their search, they had to find the five signs of the element and race againist time to rescue the archibishops who were papal potentials. On the other hand, they had to find the way to disable the boob under the Vatican-well you cannot get anything better than this. I have to say reading this is a breathtaking experience and you cannot help but get nervous for the characters. However, what I enjoy reading most is the final few chapters where Brown, through one of the characters, gave his arguement of science against religion.Where do we draw the line? What is your view on certain issues? This really makes me think of the issue. A highly recommended read.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-21 10:09:31.
(Language: English)
In CERN, the renowned Swiss research facility, a scientist is found murdered. His body is branded with a symbol that refers to the Illuminati, a secret brotherhood that was assumed to be disbanded at the end of the 18th century. Robert Langdon is summoned to Switzerland to help in interpreting this ritual killing. Soon it turns out that this crime serves a bigger purpose, one that is closely intertwined with the ongoing papal election in Rome. It is up to Robert to find out what the hidden agenda of the Illuminati is all about, before one of the cornerstones of our society is getting scattered. With Angels and Demons Dan Brown pulls off the tour-de-force of supporting a decent thriller plot with an historical relevant background. The setting of this thriller is simply amazing. It brings the reader to places most laymen will never be allowed to visit. Through excellent research the author succeeds in introducing us to the hidden parts of Vatican City. If you do not get charmed by the plot of the novel, you at least get an enjoyable guided tour of one of the most secretive places on earth. The framework of the story is a classic thriller with a build-up to a well crafted finale that unveils some smart twists. The plot is fair because an alert reader will be a able to find some clues early in the novel that will hint at the outcome of the story. Nevertheless the main action is far from unpredictable. After one action sequence, the reader is well aware that three similar actions will follow. This gives a few serious blows to the momentum of the story. To call the middle part tedious is a bit harsh, but it certainly is not the most exhilarating read you can imagine. Luckily the denouement compensates a bit for this hick-up. This book is certainly an interesting read, certainly if you compare it to The Da Vinci Code in which Dan Brown clearly succeeded in refining the narrative formula he first applied in Angels and Demons.
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Pravin posted a review at 2010-04-16 06:19:34.
(Language: English)
Like the majority of readers, I read Angels & Demons by Dan Brown after reading The Da Vinci Code. I would venture that most people reading this review are asking the question, "How does Angels & Demons compare to The Da Vinci Code?" The short answer is that they're very similar. If you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, you should enjoy Angels & Demons. The novel introduces the character Robert Langdon, who is also the protagonist of Brown's subsequent 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code. It also shares many stylistic elements with its sequel, such as conspiracies of secret societies, a single-day time frame, and the Catholic Church. Ancient history, architecture, and symbolism are also heavily referenced throughout the book. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, as he tries to stop what seems to be the Illuminati, a legendary secret society, from destroying Vatican City with the newly-discovered power of antimatter.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-12 08:33:20.
(Language: English)
El autor de "El Código Da Vinci" nos arrastra a una espiral de acción sin pausa, un impactante thriller donde se suceden las sorpresas y se revelan algunos de los más oscuros enigmas de la historia. Fuerzas que han permanecido ocultas durante siglos y que ahora planean destruir la Iglesia... literalmente. El arma más poderosa creada por el hombre, una organización secreta sedienta de venganza... y apenas unas horas para evitar el desastre. La eterna pugna entre ciencia y religión se ha convertido en una guerra muy real. En un laboratorio de máxima seguridad, aparece asesinado un cientÃfico con un extraño sÃmbolo grabado a fuego en su pecho. Para el profesor Robert Langdon no hay duda: los Illuminati, los hombres enfrentados a la Iglesia desde los tiempos de Galileo, han regresado. Y esta vez disponen de la más mortÃfera arma que ha creado la humanidad, un artefacto con el que pueden ganar la batalla final contra su eterno enemigo. Acompañado de una joven cientÃfica y un audaz capitán de la Guardia Suiza, Langdon comienza una carrera contra reloj, en una búsqueda desesperada por los rincones más secretos de El Vaticano. Necesitará todo su conocimiento para descifrar las claves ocultas que los Illuminati han dejado a través de los siglos en manuscritos y templos, y todo su coraje para vencer al despiadado asesino que siempre parece llevarle la delantera.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-26 09:30:33.
(Language: English)
Spellbound. Speechless. Jaw-droppingly fascinated. That’s how I exactly felt after reading Angels & Demons! Words can never do this modern masterpiece justice. Dan Brown grabs you by the hand and takes you to a mesmerizing world full of astonishing secrets, ancient symbols, unbelievable facts, state-of-the-art technologies, and inescapable predicaments- all shrouded in a gentle mist of art and divinity. The novel tackles the ever-growing rift between science and religion. Despite how thorny the subject is, Brown does not take sides; he masterfully presents an honest image of each, addressing the reader’s heart and mind. That’s why readers will feel emotionally and intellectually attached to the characters and events. Concerning the characters, they are so vividly portrayed and elaborately developed that you can hardly believe they are fictional! Brown is certainly one hell of a smart narrator, for when you start reading the novel, you will find it really hard to put it down! He will captivate your mind from the very first page with his swirly, rollercoaster-like events. As I said before, Angels & Demons deals with the clash between science and religion; a world of unwavering facts and a world of questionable miracles; men of irrefutable equations and men of spiritual prayers. The novel serves as the battlefield where these two worlds face each other, and where the breathtaking showdown takes place, leaving the reader in the end pondering on an unavoidable question: who are the Angels, and who are the Demons? an exhilarating journey through the two ever-clashing world of science and religion Spellbound. Speechless. Jaw-droppingly fascinated. That’s how I exactly felt after reading Angels & Demons! Words can never do this modern masterpiece justice. Dan Brown grabs you by the hand and takes you to a mesmerizing world full of astonishing secrets, ancient symbols, unbelievable facts, state-of-the-art technologies, and inescapable predicaments- all shrouded in a gentle mist of art and divinity. The novel tackles the ever-growing rift between science and religion. Despite how thorny the subject is, Brown does not take sides; he masterfully presents an honest image of each, addressing the reader’s heart and mind. That’s why readers will feel emotionally and intellectually attached to the characters and events. Concerning the characters, they are so vividly portrayed and elaborately developed that you can hardly believe they are fictional! Brown is certainly one hell of a smart narrator, for when you start reading the novel, you will find it really hard to put it down! He will captivate your mind from the very first page with his swirly, rollercoaster-like events. As I said before, Angels & Demons deals with the clash between science and religion; a world of unwavering facts and a world of questionable miracles; men of irrefutable equations and men of spiritual prayers. The novel serves as the battlefield where these two worlds face each other, and where the breathtaking showdown takes place, leaving the reader in the end pondering on an unavoidable question: who are the Angels, and who are the Demons?
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-12-01 03:45:44.
(Language: English)
Slightly better than "THE DA VINCI CODE," Robert Langdon, the symbologist who finds himself in often perilous situations is first introduced in this novel. Once again, Dan Brown skillfully weaves fact and fiction to create a truly enticing tale. Dan Brown's true talent, in addition to the massive amount of research he must do for each novel, is the ability to draw the reader in wherein the next page can't come fast enough. I liken the way he spaces his chapters to the old serials that were published in magazines like THE STRAND among others, where each chapter leaves off with a cliffhanger, creating a desire in the reader to see what happens next. Dumas was a true master at this. I'd imagine, if Dan Brown's novels were serialized, whichever magazine published it would see skyrocketing subscriptions and sales. A good read, like all of the Langdon books, the reader is given a puzzle just like our favourite tweed jacketed Symbologist. In this way, Brown pulls the reader in again by, to some extent, forcing the reader to think, put clues together, and race with Langdon to solve the puzzle before catastrophe hits. Recommended.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-01 02:16:39.
(Language: English)
An ancient secret brotherhood.A devastating new weapon of destruction.An unthinkable target...When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned 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 surfaced from the shadows 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 he has 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 even to the heart of 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 secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.An explosive international thriller, Angels
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-30 10:06:58.
(Language: Arabic)
بدأ الرواية بمقتل عالم يدعى ليوناردو فيترا وهو عالم فيزيائي يعمل في مركز سيرن للابحاث النووية في اوروبا قام القاتل بوشمه بشعار الطبقة المستنيرةعلى صدره وقام باقتلاع عينه وسرقة انبوبة تحتوي اكتشاف جديد يسمى المادة المضادة، بالمناسبة هذا المركز موجود في الحقيقة و في الوقت الحالي من العام 2010 سيقومون بإجراء تجربة الإنفجار الأعظم. ثم تتوالى الأحداث ليلة اختيار البابا الجديد، فيعم الذعر العالم إثر عمليات القتل المروعة للكرادلة الأربعة المرشحين لمنصب البابا، و نقش رموز العناصر الطبيعة الأربعة- التراب - الهواء - النار - الماء - على صدر كل منهم، وصولاً إلى ماسة الطبقة المتنيرة. تتحدث هذه الرواية عن العداء بين العلم والدين ممثلين بمركز سرن للأبحاث والفاتيكان. وعن تآمر المؤسسة الدينية عبر التاريخ. يقوم روبرت لانغدون وهو بطل الرواية مع العالمة السمراء فيتوريا فيترا بملاحقة القاتل الماجور بين المقابر التحتارضية في مدينة روما والفاتيكان ويقوم روبرت لانغدون بفك الرموز التي وضعها غاليليو غاليلي في اشعاره للبحث عن مخبأ الطبقة المستنيرة او ما يسمى بكنيسة التنور بصراحة مغامرة تشد الانفاس وبنصح بقرائتها.. انهيت قرائتها بست ايام فقط بنصح بالإنتقال الى شيفرة دافنتشي بعد الإنتهاء من قرائتها على الفور محمد لؤي شعبان
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-09 04:23:38.
(Language: English)
I decided to read Angels and Demons because after I was amazing by The Da Vinci Code and I was soon hooked. The way Brown combines actual facts with a suspenseful plot make the book incredibly enjoyable. Not only was I unable to put it down, but the knowledge I gained is amazing. I never would have thought I could learn so much from a novel. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is flown to one of the greatest science research facilities in the world and discovers that a significant experiment has been stolen, placing the Vatican in serious danger. Langdon teams up with Vittoria Vetra, the daughter of a murdered scientist, and together they travel through Rome solving puzzles and finding clues that not only lead to the stolen experiment, but an organization that is completely against the Catholic Church. Angels and Demons is a book you won’t want to stop reading and when you get to the end, the twists add even more to your enjoyment. This is perfect for anyone who enjoys a tale full of action and suspense.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-12 07:39:41.
(Language: English)
If you liked the Da Vinci Code, you will love this book also. It has a great conspiracy, this time concerning the Illuminati, lots of artistic and historical detail, and also features Robert Langdon, the intrepid art historian from Cambridge.Summoned to Switzerland by a strange fax he receives in the middle of the night from the director of CERN, Langdon learns of the murder of Leonardo Vetra, one of CERN's brilliant scientists, who had been working with his daughter, Victoria, on a way to harness anti-matter. Antimatter has astonishing characteristics; a tiny sample about the size of a grain of sand is hypothesized to hold "as much energy as about two hundred metric tons of rocket fuel." They have succeeded in suspending the violent substance in a vacuum. They learn to their horror that a vial of it has been stolen and hidden in the Vatican; it will explode when the battery pack keeping the material suspended runs out. There seems to be a conspiracy of Illuminati supporters to destroy the church. The pope has just died (killed as we later learn - I'll try not to give away too much), and the cardinals have all been called together to elect a new pope.The Illuminati were supposedly a group of science-minded rationalists who abhorred the church's spiritual basis for reality, hence their desire to obliterate the church. (If I told you what was really going on, it would ruin the suspense, of course.) Supposedly, Italy's most enlightened men of the sixteenth century, physicists, astronomers, and mathematicians banded together to share their concerns about the inaccuracies of the church's teachings. "They feared that the church's monopoly on 'truth' threatened academic enlightenment around the world. They founded the world's first scientific think tank, calling themselves `the enlightened ones,' " i.e., the Illuminati. Hunted by the church, they were forced to maintain extreme secrecy, but they spread the word through codes and messages and met regularly at a secret location called the Church of Illumination. Lucifer, in Latin, means bringer of light or illuminator.There is some interesting history of iconography. U.S. currency is supposedly covered with Illuminati symbola. The pyramid on the back of a dollar bill is an occult symbol representing "a convergence upward, toward the ultimate source of Illumination. The eye above it, also emblazoned on Masonic lodges around the world - the Masons were thought to be offshoots of the Illuminati - represented the Illuminati's ability to infiltrate and watch all things. "The shining triangle represents enlightenment and is also the Greek letter delta, which is the mathematical symbol for change." The U.S. Great Seal is thus a call for enlightened, all-seeing change and the wording under the pyramid, Novus Ordo Seculorum, means new secular order. Take all this with liberal doses of salt.Other pieces of delicious trivia include Pope Pius's emasculation of the male form in statues. In 1857, he decided that the accurate representation of the male form "might incite lust inside the Vatican. So he got a chisel and mallet and hacked off the genitalia of every single male statue inside Vatican City. He defaced works by Michelangelo, Bramante, and Bernini [who plays a very important role in this tale]. Plaster fig leaves were used to patch the damage. Hundreds of sculptures had been emasculated. Langdon had often wondered if there was a huge crate of stone penises someplace."Langdon explains how the church pictured "satanic cults as devil-worshiping fiends. . .yet Satanists historically were educated men who stood as adversaries to the church," called Shaitan, an Islamic term meaning adversary. "The rumors of satanic black-magic animal sacrifices and the pentagram ritual were nothing but lies spread by the church as a smear campaign against their adversaries. Over time, opponents of the church, wanting to emulate the Illuminati, began believing the lies and acting them out. Thus, modern Satanism was born."Langdon uses his knowledge of art history to locate the lair where the assassin who has been hired to kill off the four most likely candidates to the papacy is hiding, and has squirreled away the love interest (typical).
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-06 01:20:20.
(Language: English)
This book started out very slow for me initially and took me about a week to read a little each night before it really picked up for me. Once Robert and Vittoria were on the hunt to save the Cardinals--I couldn't stop reading the book until 4:30 in the morning! After first reading "Da Vinci Code", the plot set-up and character building seemed very similar in this book (which makes sense since this book was was written first). I found myself thinking "oh yeah, I know how this is going to turn out"...but BANG there were some twists and glad that I continued reading!Despite the somewhat "cookie cutter" style of the book, what I enjoyed most about this novel (and what encouraged me to keep on reading) was the exploration of the long-time debate between religion vs. science as well as learning more about the Illuminati lore. In addition to Brown doing a good job of using the voice of specific characters to argue for/against science and for/against religion, he also invites the reader to explore the parallelism as well as the partnership of the two. The Camerlengo's speech later in the book was especially moving.On a fun note, when I do visit Rome and the Vatican City...I'm definitely going to be very observant of the symbolisms and signs. Also, will be thinking about what is lying beneath the grounds.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-20 07:37:54.
(Language: English)
Angels and Demons is perhaps the perfect literary scale for any reader to enjoy. The symbolism between Science vs. Religion reigns true in such comparisons like: Good vs. Evil; the Yin and the Yang; Dr. Jekell/Mr. Hyde. I enjoyed this book better then the de Vinci Code. (although I already have the entire CD unabridged Dan Brown collection) The characters are so captivating, and the pace of the book is like a literal roller coaster ride. The twists and turns that the reader embarks upon as their eyes scan over each word makes the reader feel like they are in the characters shoes. The difference between Angels and Demons and DaVinci Code is that A&D emphasizes more on the concept of Religion and Science whereas DaVinci Code spotlights more on Religion itself. Both are great books; but to have a Yin/Yang type of theme is so much more captivating because it shows the importance of the contributions each side would play that affects the other. "Duality runs all through the thread of life; all things irrelevant to it is mere common place."-B. Devera
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