I read this early summer 2009.
This was the novel Dan Brown wrote before he wrote THE DA VINCI CODE. Ill assume everyone's at least heard of THE DA VINCI CODE unless you've been living under a rock for the past ten years.
Like DA VINCI CODE, this one's what I'd call a "potboiler". You know, something fast and easy to read while you have more complicated things on the stove. . . So, for a "potboiler", it's decent. Not as compelling and surprising as DA VINCI CODE, but I'd still say more original. (A lot of THE DA VINCI CODE was based on the non-fiction book, HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL - in itself a fascinating book, but a whole other book review). Brown's narrative pacing is good, but a bit relentless. I could have used a breath here and there.
Again, a msytery regarding Vatican/Catholic Church secrets.
This is a good airplane/train ride read. (If you're Christian/Catholic, just remember, it's fiction, and whatever you do, don't read HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL - your head will implode.)
Overall, good, by no means great. (And I'd say the same for DA VINCI CODE which I read a couple summer back.)
