Product Description

TWO EDGE -OF-YOUR SEAT AUDIOBOOKS FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OFTHE DA VINCI CODE

ANGELS & DEMONS
Read by Richard Poe

World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization -- the Illuminati. Desperate to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra. Together they embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and the most secretive vault on earth...the long-forgotten Illuminati lair.

DECEPTION POINT
Read by Boyd Gaines

When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory -- a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery -- a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But before she can warn the President, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a deadly team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great gift for that special reader in your life
Dan Brown writes with a sense of a virtual time machine. He can easily mesh you into the scene of a story told with certain knowledge beyond approach.

It's all in the delivery.
I enjoyed all three books, i.e. Da Vinci, Angels..., and Deception Point.I read the unabridged Da Vinci, and enjoyed it more than the abridged "audio" Da Vinci.The man who read Da Vinci, was very monotone, and detracted from the plot.However, the persons who did Angels and Deception Point were excellent, and definitely added to the final product.I highly recommend all three.Dan Brown is extremely talented, and knows how to grab the reader and immerse them into the plot.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER!!!!!
i am not a kid.... i just don't want 2 give my name out. i read both of these books when i was 12 and i LOVE THEM!!!! Dan Brown is my absolute favorite author... i think he will go down in history just like Charles Dickens... these books are for adventure lovers but i would not reccomend giving these to a younger child for they are semi-graphic...

-an avid reader

great books
these are two great books. yeah dan brown write smart books but they are fun. dont listen to that other guy these books are fun.

2 of the best books ever writen; on CD!
I listened to the audio version of Davinchi code and it was with out a doubt, by far, the best audio book ever.If I could have bought the audio version of these 2 for $40, I would have.This is a deal."Angels and demons" is as good as Davinchi code, which makes it one of the all time best books ever."Deception point" is awesome too, and with out anything that would piss of the church of Satan!If you enjoyed Davinchi code, you will not regret buying these CDS. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Da Vinci Code
The book was not for me, but the person who received it was very pleased.

No "Earth Shattering" News
As a murder mystery with a complex plot, I read the book from cover to cover between shifts and even on shift at work. I always wanted to know what happened next.

The various clues given to Sophie and Langdon were only an iota more complex than a Hardy Boys mystery. I found myself shouting at the book for at least two of the clues (even without having to visit Westminster Abbey and see Newton's tomb). After having figured out the ancient word for wisdom and using Atbash with the Hebrew language, how can anyone miss the Newton clue?

The interesting takes on the Last Supper are not news to me, altough I had forgotten about the hand with the knife. Having never connected the legendary chalice with the painting, that was no surprise, either. LDV wasn't around when the supper happened, and it is his rendition of the scene. The theory of Mary M. being the wife of Jesus is hardly the Holy Grail. At least one very large group of people on earth already have the belief that Jesus married and had children. I am one of those. So when the Grail was revealed, it was a ho-hum revelation to me.

I have only read the book once, and I have to go back to read it again (or the parts that I must have overlooked). I think there is at least one very loose end. At one point Fache was ready to wax Langdon as the killer and relentlessly tracks the fugitives. He has a connection with the Opus Dei, and we start to suspect he has alterior motives. When he finally comes face to face with the fugitives, he is overly nice to them and all is forgiven.

It's a good light read, and I had put off reading it because I heard it made the catholic church upset. I am not catholic, but I don't agree with sect bashing. In the end, the book is entirely fiction and any offense taken by any sect is unfounded. The theories of the "cover up" were laughable in my mind and added no great suspense or value to the murder mystery.

Yes, read it, just because of the interesting historical facts laced with theories.

A FASCINATING AND INTRICATELY PLOTTED THRILLER...
For a while I resisted reading this book, thinking that it could not possibly be as good as its hype. Well, I was wrong. This is simply one terrific book that will keep the reader riveted to its pages until the very last one is turned. It is a very well-written, intricately plotted thriller in which a great number of esoteric historical facts and interesting theories of a religious nature are woven. Those who read it should, first and foremost, keep in mind that this book is simply a work of fiction.

All hell breaks loose when Jacques Sauniere, the elderly and revered curator of the Louvre, is murdered inside the museum. The crime scene and the body itself are laden with symbols and cryptic messages pointing to renowned Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon. He is invited to the crime scene by the wily Captain Bezu Fache, of the Central Directorate Judicial Police, the French equivalent of our Federal Bureau of Investigation, ostensibly to assist the police. Little does Langdon know that he is, in fact, the prime suspect.

When he meets police cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, they join forces. They are then led on a merry chase by a series of riddles and ciphers that are ground in a historical context. They are always just one step of the French police, who seem determined to charge Langdon with the murder of Jacques Sauniere. During their voyage of discovery, Langdon and Sophie come across a secret society, the Priory of Sion, that has a startling list of former members, which list includes Leonardo Da Vinci, as well as the late Jacques Sauniere. There is also some interesting historical detail about the ancient Knights Templar, as well as Opus Dei, a conservative religious organization currently in existence.

Langdon and Sophie peel back layers of historical clues that point to a secret of such magnitude that some would kill for it. As Langdon and Sophie surreptitiously travel from France to England and seem to be headed closer to the heart of the mystery that they are trying to unravel, an unknown nemesis is closer to them than they would dare imagine. This unknown adversary is marshaling resources in order to obtain the long hidden secret that Langdon and Sophie appear to be on the brink of discovering. It is one that has the potential to have earth shattering implications.

This is a fast-paced, plot driven, rather than character driven, thriller. It hurls itself into the reader's consciousness at break-neck speed, and before the reader realizes it, the book holds the reader in its thrall: hook, line, and sinker. For those readers who love historical detail and unusual facts and coincidences, this is definitely a fascinating book that will hold their interest. It is a page-turning thriller in which nearly every chapter leaves the reader on the brink of a precipice. The book is written in clear, effortless prose, which makes the most esoteric historical details surprisingly easy to understand. Simple in its presentation but intricate in its plotting, it is no surprise that this book has become a runaway, international bestseller. Bravo!

A REAL EYE OPENER!
This book opened my eyes to a lot of things. This is a real good book. It made me think. Another book I have read lately that made me think is The Circle of Death by author Robert Rohloff of Canada.

I would like to recommend Da Vinci Code to be read carefully with an open mind.

Loved this book!
I could not put this book down.And every time I had too, I couldn't wait to get back to where I left off.Because I didn't want to miss any details.
This book was great.It had all the things that make a great thriller of a novel -- a great plot, gripping details, intrigue, and it moved at a pace where it was comfortable enough for the reader to keep track of what was happening.
If you enjoy mystery novels of all kinds, and love a "Bourne Identity" type of plot, than this novel is an absolute must read.Your collection would be incomplete without it. ... Read more

Product Description
Prikljuchenija Roberta Ljengdona prodolzhajutsja. Na jetot raz emu predstoit razgadat' velichajshuju tajnu masonov, kotoraja sposobna izmenit' mir. Vekami hranimye sekrety, zagadochnye znaki i simvoly - i smertel'no opasnoe puteshestvie po labirintam proshlogo... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dan Brown, the consummate story-teller
28 August 2010..Lost Symbol (large print) was recommended to me by my local libraian.She thinks it was in the top 5 best-books published in 2009.I am 1/4 of the way thru it, and the story keeps building all the time.Can't wait till the end.Fast reading and an excellent choice of words in the English language.RMS, age 78, in NE FL, the Jacksonville area.

Late But Satisfied
After waiting almost 4 weeks for the book (which never came), I emailed Big River Books. They delivered another copy of the book in two days. In the end, I was pleased with the way Big River Books stepped up.

Dan Brown Rules!
This is nearly as good as the Da Vinci Code.Holding my attention as I read it.Got it in large print so easier to read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Illuminati
I feel cheated by the publisher! This is "not" a new book by Dan Brown called Illuminati but in fact "Angels and Demons" in german. I read Angels and Demons in english and enjoyed it very much. How is it possible that just because it's in german, a book can be published under a different title. So much for honesty in publishing! This is yet one more reason for not ordering through Amazon...

Need to CLEARLY indicate that this is in German
I bought the book thinking Dan Brown had produced yet another work I would enjoy. I was quite disappointed to learn, after I got it, that it is the German langauge version of Angels and Demons.This is not indicated anywhere on the page with the book. Thankfully, my mother-in-law is German and will enjoy it. Somebody at Amazon needs to clarify the online for things that are not 'standard'

Too Fictional
This book is too much of a fairy tale.Rodney St.Michael's book Illuminati:Healing and Developing the Mind (ISBN: 0595259669) gives a better understanding on Dan Brown and Ron Howard's themes.

Good Book, but pay attention...
That's an excellent book...however, don't think this is another book from Dan Brown...that's exactly the same book as Angels and Demons...German version. Once again, same book, different title!

German Version of "Angels and Demons"
This book is the German edition of "Angels and Demons". For those interested in the German book I put the review in German.

Wie viel Spannung kann man in vierundzwanzig Stunden Handlung unterbringen? Beinahe unendlich viel, das beweist dieses großartige Werk von Dan Brown. Zwei Wissenschaftern (einer ein ehemaliger Priester und die zweite seine Adoptivtochter) vom Forschungsinstitut CERN ist es gelungen eine relativ große Menge Antimaterie zu schaffen. Groß ist natürlich relativ, denn das Volumen ist einem kleinen Wassertropfen vergleichbar, aber die freisetzbare Energie entspricht in etwa jener der Bombe von Hiroshima. An dem Tag an dem dieser Thriller spielt, wird dieser Forscher ermordet, und die Antimaterie wird im Vatikan versteckt - es verbleiben keine vierundzwanzig Stunden um die tödliche Bombe wieder zu sichern. Da die Illuminati - eine kirchenfeindliche Sekte von Wissenschaftern - die Verantwortung für den Vorfall übernehmen, wird der Symbolistikforscher Robert Langdon eingeflogen um bei der Rettung des Vatikans zu helfen. Gemeinsam mit der Adoptivtochter des Ermordeten macht er sich auf eine höchst spannende und interessante Suche - dass es zwischen den beiden irgendwann funken muss, wird natürlich niemanden verwundern. Ein Thriller, mit vielen unerwarteten Wendungen, der dem Leser kaum Zeit zum Atmen lässt beginnt.

Auf sprachlicher Ebene muss man den Roman als nicht gerade großartig, bestenfalls Mittelmaß einstufen, dies tritt jedoch angesichts der Qualifikation Unterhaltungsroman eher in den Hintergrund. Stilistisch hinterlässt das Werk sehr ambivalente Gefühle. Zum Beispiel wird die Spannung durch die unsaubere Technik der Geheimhaltung bereits bekannter Informationen verschärft, ein Trick der gar nicht notwendig gewesen wäre, denn der Roman wäre auch sonst spannend genug. Ähnlich verhält es sich mit einer falschen Vorblende. Insgesamt aber ist das Buch stilistisch durchaus ordentlich gemacht. Die Charakterisierung der einzelnen Personen kann als durchaus gelungen bezeichnet werden. Zumindest die zentralen Gestalten des Romans haben durchaus Ecken und Kanten und eine zu ihrem Charakter passende Biographie.

Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass ein unglaublich guter Unterhaltungsroman vorliegt, und die Kategorisierung Unterhaltungsroman lässt mich auch über die genannten Schwächen gerne hinwegsehen. So manche der dargestellten Informationen sind wenn auch nicht wahr, so doch zumindest gut erfunden. Die sprachlichen und stilistischen Mängel, wären für große Literatur unerträglich aber dieses Ziel wollte der Roman ja auch gar nicht erreichen. Er will viel mehr Spaß machen und dem Leser kurzweilige Stunden verschaffen - genau das aber erreicht Dan Brown mit diesem Buch. Für Freunde von spannenden Thrillern ist Illuminati eine echte Empfehlung. ... Read more

Product Description
From the Introduction:

The Lost Symbol contains a big surprise. Not only is the lost symbol found within the context of the novel, but according to Dan Brown this lost symbol is out there for every one of us to find for ourselves. This is a book which he wants to have real impact on our lives. For some readers it may even be life-changing—and that’s not what we expect of a thriller.

Readers haven’t known quite what to make of The Lost Symbol. Early reports—for example reader reviews on Amazon—have shown in roughly equal numbers reviews which are very positive and those which reveal the reader’s disappointment or confusion. There seems to be a consensus of sorts that as a thriller this book is better than the average page-turner, but that it nonetheless has plot holes and shortcomings. For many it does not live up to expectations, though in view of the plot weaknesses of all previous Dan Brown books it is perhaps surprising that the expectations were so high.

Yet there is something about The Lost Symbol which lifts it from the status of just another fast-paced thriller to something which warrants consideration as a serious work of literature. For in this book the characters go in search of what is in effect a Holy Grail—the lost symbol—and in a break with the tradition of the genre they really do find the lost symbol. By the end of this book this symbol is not only found but is made available to every reader. It is a quest both for the characters and for the readers, and a quest where for both the goal is really reached. If you read The Lost Symbol you too can find the Lost Symbol—and perhaps it can change your life.

My view is that The Lost Symbol is no ordinary thriller, and those who seek to evaluate it solely as a thriller miss the point. Rather this is a book where we are invited to follow the hero Robert Langdon on a journey of personal development, a voyage into the mysteries of faith.

In this book l I offer some additional information and reflection aimed at following up on the quest set by Dan Brown, and perhaps helping a few more people find what Dan Brown is showing us. Taking The Lost Symbol section by section this book offers an exploration of Dan Brown’s themes, his plot and characters, and explores some of the references in this work which Dan Brown calls “fact-based fiction”. It looks also at his presentation of the Masons and how Dan Brown’s own life influences his book. Most of all it looks towards finding the lost symbol, helping to unlock the potential of the novel and bring to the fore its message of hope for humanity.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Disappointing
After the novel, this was a detailed letdown. I haven't finished reading it - and don't intend to. The style has a didactic "feel". Not an enjoyable read. ... Read more

Product Description
Most discussion about Web design seems to focus on the creative process, yet turning concept into reality requires a strong set of deliverables--the documentation (concept model, site maps, usability reports, and more) that serves as the primary communication tool between designers and customers. The only guide devoted to just that topic is now bigger and better.

Combining quick tips for improving deliverables with in-depth discussions of presentation and risk mitigation techniques, author Dan Brown shows you how to make the documentation you're required to provide into the most efficient communications tool possible. From usability reports to project plans, content maps, flow charts, wireframes, site maps, and more, each chapter includes a contents checklist, presentation strategy, maintenance strategy, a description of the development process and the deliverable's impact on the project.

The second edition of this popular book is in a larger format with nearly 100 additional pages and contains new chapters with updated and more numerous illustrations. A completely new section teaches designers how to create deliverables in the context of telling a larger story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Excellent Web Design, and Marketing Communication book
I can't think of a better resource to refer to in developing the Discipline of communicating graphically.Also it is a verry fast read. An excellent tool set when combined with a refrence book like The Design of Sites: Patterns for Creating Winning Web Sites (2nd Edition)

Great in-depth methodology on UX design
Great book for ux professional. Lots of in-depth techniques on each step of the ux design process. However, for small and medium companies, this approach might be too formal, and may need to be adapted to be more flexible.

Great Resource
This is a great resource for showing you all the various documentation process that surround web design today. This book sits next to me on my desk at work with The Elements of User Experience by Jesse James Garrett at the moment.

full of information
an easy read and jam packed with vital information when working as an interaction designer.

Good reference
The book considered as a very good and valuable reference, I think it's essential for those in the field (development) to have this book in their libraries.
Dan Brown really opened my eyes on different methodologies on design documentation, the content inventory, Concept models, and even the Competitive analysis which I've been performing for a while now. There are some parts of the book that i already know and was useless (not in bad meaning) to me such as usability test, usability reports, and persona.

The best part of the book for me was the site map which is amazingly great. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

What an Adventure
I read this book when it was BRAND NEW and the religious world was going crazy. Look, its a good book, its fun, its adventerous dont see it as a threat to your faith.Its just a book, entertainment, something to do when you just dont feel like doing anything.Robert Langdon is a fantastic engaging character, after this book I took a step backwards and read Angels and Demons and then jumped into The Lost Symbol. The DaVinci Code is loaded with facts, but at the same time is loaded with Unsolved Mystery. Open your mind, say hmmm interesting and enjoy the adventure. My mother is devout Christian and she loved the book and it didnt change her faith in anyway.

A genius
Well researched information about a man who is probably one of the most amazing geniuses of all time, DaVinci, woven into a fictional story of intrigue. As his main character Brown paints a picture of a logical, mentally absorbed professor who delights in expounding on his personal encyclopedia of information about the world of ancient symbols and their deeper meaning.
As he challenges the power of the church of Rome, he is met with life threatening opposition. Quite believable and an enjoyable read.

Absolutely Perfect!
The book was exactly as described - if not better! The book was absolutely flawless. I'd be challenged to go to a retail store and find a book in as good of condition as this book was sold and shipped to me. The price and the turn-around was fantastic! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

kind of ugly, if you read between the lines
i read this book because of its good reviews and because, having grown up around them, i love siamese cats.this book, however -- i'm unsure if it's because it's british, or because it's a product of the 1950s, or both -- really turned me off with its depiction of pet ownership.

when you strip away the author's admittedly charming anthropomorphisms of the animals around her, the story reads as such: a couple buys a purebred siamese cat to live an outdoor/indoor life and catch mice in a neighborhood where cats and other pets are not kept indoors, seldom spayed or neutered, and often fight.the resulting pregnancies (spare one planned one) and injuries weren't terribly pleasant to read about, with or without that charming veneer.

Hilarious and a Keeper!
Received this book from my daughter after reading Tovey's "Cats in May" last year and enjoying it.She is my new favorite author!Laughed myself silly at this one.Enjoyed it even more than Cats In May.

Tovey and husband, Charles, are the long suffering parents of several loveable, but energetic Siamese cats and the stories she tells are side-splitting.She seems to perfectly understand the Language of Siamese (those of you who own Siamese know what I mean).I intend to purchase the rest of her books.Wonderful story-teller.

I laughed out loud so often at this story. Audio cd 3 hrs 40min listening
What an incredible story.I was travelling to Japan and was listening to a storythat was so boring, I gave up. Then I remembered that CATS IN THE BELFREYwas recommended as a light funny story for any cat lovers and thought perfect for a long flight.

How embarassing I kept on laughing out loud and people would turn around.
I had my noise reduction headphones on and couldn't hear anything else but the story. I was totally engrossed.

I have owned 6 cats in my life and my eyes really flew open at the antics of these Siamese.What beautiful regal looking catswho can really get up to mischief.Any cat owner will really relate to the antics of these cats. From jumping into the bath to save father from drowning (he had to learn to shut the door), the smelliest oldest dead animal being dragging into the house to chasing and scaring horses with learner riders on their backs going past the front of their house.

The light hearted stories join together beautifully. I rarely give a 5 star review,but this story is now in my top 10 best stories ever.
NOW THAT SAYS SOMETHING!!!!!

Life long addiction
I first read Cats in the Belfry when I was in the seventh grade. A friend was given a copy for her birthday and she was kind enough to loan it to me. I've followed Doreen Tovey's delightful shenanigans with her husband, cats, donkeys and various other animals ever since. For those who like to view their animals with bemused humor these are wonderful books.

For Siamese Cat Lovers
I bought this book because I love cats and am always in search of good cat books.This one was disappointing though, despite the good reviews.The inconsistent and poor grammar was distracting.And even though I love cats, this book managed to turn me off Siamese ones.Through the book, I now understand that they are very loud troublemakers. For those who love Siamese cats however, this book may be entertaining. ... Read more

Product Description
Dan Calkin

After five years of intensive research, the complete story of Dan Calkin's life and his ELF engines is finally being told. Dan's ELF's are among the most desirable to collectors of model airplane engines.Until now, very little was known about the engines or the man; now they will both be among the best know and understood.

With full cooperation and encouragement of the Calkin family - Dan's widow Josephine, and daughter Cecilia, the story of Dan from his school days to model airplane engine manufacture to rocket scientist is complete.Extensive interviews with former employees and associates, as well as company records, help to fill in any missing details.

Dan Calkin manufactured the first small production engines for model airplanes and made the world's first one-quarter in spark plugs for them.He specialized in multi-cylinder engines, including twins, fours, and even six cylinder engines.

The first five chapters detail Dan's life and his struggle to make a living during the Depression years and afterward.The succeeding chapters examine all the engine models including production changes, accessories and options.

The surviving prototype and experimental engines are shown, as well as all twenty-three models of the ELF production engines.Each engine model is fully described with text and photographs.Every part is shown with all its changes.Most of the tooling used to make the engines still exists and is documented through photographs.

If you have ever been interested in model airplanes, you will be captivated by this story of one man's two-decade efforts to manufacture quality model airplane engines. ... Read more

Product Description
La novela mas esperada desde El Codigo Da Vinci Existe un secreto tan poderoso que de salir a la luz sea capaz de cambiar el mundo? Washington. El experto en simbologia Robert Langdon es convocado inesperadamente por Peter Solomon mason filantropo y su antiguo mentor para dar una conferencia en el Capitolio. Pero el secuestro de Peter y el hallazgo de una mano tatuada con cinco enigmaticos simbolos cambian drasticamente el curso de los acontecimientos. Atrapado entre las exigencias de una mente perturbada y la investigacion oficial Langdon se ve inmerso en un mundo clandestino de secretos masonicos historia oculta y escenarios nunca antes vistos que parecen arrastrarlo hacia una sencilla pero inconcebible verdad. Con la ayuda de Katherine Solomon hermana de Peter y experta en ciencias noeticas Robert Langdon tiene doce horas para salvar a su amigo y al mismo tiempo evitar que uno de los secretos mejor guardados de la humanidad caiga en las manos equivocadas... El codigo Da Vinci fue un fenomeno mundial que convirtio a Dan Brown en el maestro absoluto del thriller. En esta nueva obra Robert Langdon regresa para desafiar a los lectores con una historia inteligente y de ritmo vertiginoso que ofrece sorpresas en cada pagina. El simbolo perdido es lo que los fans de Dan Brown estaban esperando: su novela mas emocionante. ... Read more

Product Description
Robert Langdon, professore di simbologia ad Harvard, è in viaggio per Washington. È stato convocato d'urgenza dall'amico Peter Solomon, uomo potentissimo affiliato alla massoneria, nonché filantropo, scienziato e storico, per tenere una conferenza al Campidoglio sulle origini esoteriche della capitale americana. Ad attenderlo c'è però un inquietante fanatico che vuole servirsi di lui per svelare un segreto millenario. Langdon intuisce qual è la posta in gioco quando all'interno della Rotonda del Campidoglio viene ritrovato un agghiacciante messaggio: una mano mozzata col pollice e l'indice rivolti verso l'alto. L'anello istoriato con emblemi massonici all'anulare non lascia ombra di dubbio: è la mano destra di Solomon. Langdon scopre di avere solamente poche ore per ritrovare l'amico. Viene così proiettato in un labirinto di tunnel e oscuri templi, dove si perpetuano antichi riti iniziatici. La sua corsa contro il tempo lo costringe a dar fondo a tutta la propria sapienza per decifrare i simboli che i padri fondatori hanno nascosto tra le architetture della città. Fino al sorprendente finale. Un nuovo capitolo de "Il Codice da Vinci", un thriller dalla trama mozzafiato, che si snoda a ritmo incalzante in una selva di simboli occulti, codici enigmatici e luoghi misteriosi. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Dan Brown did research: These guys did NOT
This idiot chides Dan Brown for assuming he knows everything... and then himself assumes he knows everything. At least Dan Brown did some research.

Here's some little gems from this:

"Brown (via Langdon) assumes that members of "satanic cults" are NOT of a "devil-worshipping" nature, but this is something that should be proven rather than assumed (37)." p.163

What makes Dunn think Brown was assuming that? Could Brown's assertion possibly have been based on research? I'm betting Dunn is the one who's making the assumption that Satanists do "worship the Devil." He can't wrap his mind around the idea that we don't, so naturally, he assumes that Brown was making an assumption.

Want to know if we worship the Devil? Just go ahead and ask us. We'll be straight with you. The only reason they don't ask is because they're afraid of what they may hear. Brown at least has the guts to talk to his subjects (as he did with the Masons.)

Dunn goes on to insist that it's entirely reasonable to believe that not only do God, angels, the Devil, and demons exist, but they are literal anthropomorphic entities. He goes on to say "The ramifications aren't so laughable; in fact, they're kind of disturbing."

No, they are laughable, and saying that they aren't doesn't make it so. It's incredibly primitive and childish to think that Justice is LITERALLY a blindfolded woman holding a sword and scales, or that Death is LITERALLY a cloaked skeleton with a sickle, or Love is LITERALLY a winged baby with a bow and heart-tipped arrows. Imputing human characteristics on transcendent concepts is a means of putting them in terms one can understand, but taking them literally betrays a stunted cognitive capacity.

"After all, abstractions are much easier to control--much safer than people, much safer than God, angels, and demons."

Which do you feel more threatened by: a literal cloaked skeleton with a sickle, or Death as a concept? If you answered the former, you're too small-minded to grasp the implications of death. Which means more to your relationship: an arching cherub, or Love as a concept? If the first does, you probably haven't experienced as much as a junior high crush on someone.

So why on earth is a white, bearded geezer in a nightgown holding a lightning bolt more venerable to Dunn and Bubeck than the concept of an infinite Creator beyond human comprehension? Maybe they're still in Kohlberg's first stage of development. Perhaps they can't imagine anything beyond themselves, or a God that looks just like them.

Predictable. Disappointing and Defensive
I was hoping for an academic and factional critique of Dan Brown's historical inventions.
Instead, it is a Sunday School (elementary) review of the Christian New Testament.
It is "preaching to the choir."

A Though-Provoking Examination of the Theological/Spiritual Wordlview Underpinning Brown's Novels
This turned out to be a very interesting examination of the theological and spiritual worldview of popular author Dan Brown. This is not another expose of the hundreds of factual and historical errors in the Da Vinci Code or Brown's other novels, though it does reference some of these. This book is different in that it analazyes the spiritual worldview behind Brown's best-selling fiction, the "gospel" Brown is preaching. Because the authors build the case that through his fiction Brown is putting forth his own alternative gospel. But should we believe it? The book begins by asking and answering the important question, "What difference does it make, The Da Vinci Code is just a story, right?"The authors then proceed to define "story" as used by Brown and the New Testament gospel writers, then they explore the difference between "truth" and "fact," "myth" and "reality." Then the book briefly examines Brown's upbringing and background, a background which in large part shaped his current worldview and spirituality. Authors Dunn and Bubeck then examine the theology and spirituality behind Brown's novels Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons, and The Da Vinci Code. The book next compares and contrasts orthodox, historical Christianity with Brown's fictional version, which is really only repackaged ancient gnosticism, and examines whether Brown's fantastic reconstruction of Christian origins fits the facts as scholars understand them and whether or not such conspiracy theories are credible.

This book really surprised me by how thought-provoking it is. I'm going to have to go back and re-read a couple of the early chapters. For anyone interested in the Da Vinci Code phenomena, be they orthodox Christian or not, I really would recommend this book as an excellent resource. This book alongside works such as Garlow's and Jones' Cracking Da Vinci's Code, Darrell Bock's Breaking the Da Vinci Code, or any of several other good debunking books will be an excellent resource for anyone interested in the alternate spirituality advocated by Dan Brown and the orthodox Christian answer to it's claims. There's a lot of good material in this book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Quick, But Illuminating Read
Pun intended, but this does illuminate andfill in a lot of the details of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. It alphabetizes all the main characters and sites/terms in Angels & Demons, and provides a good background on church history as well as the Vatican, the artists Bernini and Michealangelo, etc. While not as detailed as books like Secrets of Angels & Demons, it does the job. For the lover of history, art, and/Catholicism.
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Very attractive boxed set of two Dan Brown books. Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. Wine red in color with gilded lettering. ... Read more

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The very first book by Dan Brown,the phenomenal #1 New York Times bestselling author(formerly writing as Danielle Brown). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

187 Men to Avoid
It's cute, not quite accurate since it is from a man's standpoint. Not what I expected from Dan Brown. ... Read more