Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol Review

Overall Rating

Fair warning, as of the time of writing this I have only read the first five chapters but I am not at all sure I am going to finish it so here is an interim update.

Poor old Dan Brown. The pressure and expectation on this book has been enormous. There was no way he could really win. Book critics are such snobs it was destined for a critical mauling.

I am not a book critic but I do like to read a lot so know what I like and what I don't. This review is therefore based on what I think of the book and not what other people think of me for reading the book in the first place!

I have generally liked all Dan Brown's previous books. Deception Point is actually my favourite not the Da Vinci Code. Least favourite was Digital Fortress this far.

And so to The Lost Symbol. So far the book is the same as all his others in terms of set-up. There's a weird stranger who may or may not be controlled by someone else. There's someone in need of assistance. There's the random facts associated with the story telling that are there to make the reader feel clever. And there's clearly a massive conspiracy.

My book problem so far is that I just don't care about this tattooed stranger and I don't really care all about the masons (which is not a big part of the book yet but I know that's what it's about having read the reviews) and I am not sure I can be all that bothered to continue. It all feels a little bit disjointed and like a carbon copy of the Da Vinci code with names and locations changed. Having also read Angels and Demons which is essentially a pre Da Vinci it all smacks of same old same old.

So far it's been a bit of a disappointment but like I said it's really unfair because this event was billed as the second coming so it was always going to be an anti-climax.