Dan Brown

[robitusinz]

I read The Da Vinci Code.  That's not what I want to talk about.  Since I enjoyed TDVC, I went ahead and picked up Angels & Demons.  I enjoyed that one too, even more than TDVC, so I picked up Deception Point.

Now granted, I've worked through Dan Brown's works backwards, and I'm missing Digital Fortress, but I can't help but notice that there's a recurring pattern to his work.  Essentially, he just takes some funky myth, one that is obscure enough to be mysterious, yet mainstream enough that it appeals to a mass audience, gives it a twist, tosses in a villain-who's-not-really-the-villain, then sends the protagonist off down a path that seems pretty predictable to me at this point.

As I read through Deception Point, I just felt like I was a step ahead of the game.  It was pretty disheartening as I read the final chapter of the book to realize that all of the assumptions that I'd made earlier came true.  Again, maybe since DP came before TVDC and A&D, DP wasn't as polished as the other two.  I just don't find Dan Brown to be that great of another...he's too methodical, and predictable.  I feel like I can probably write a Dan Brown-esque novel pretty easily.  Setting:  Greece.  Premise:  The Trojan War.  Villain:  Power-hungry ex-Nazi.  Patsy:  Israeli Mossad agent.  Now toss those things up in a salad bowl, and we're good to go.


Thoughts and opinions on Dan Brown?

[alahendra]

I'm with you on Deception Point.  After finishing school, I wanted a nice, easy fiction read, and I loved the DaVinci Code (haven't read Angels and Demons).  I found the characters in DP to pretty one-dimensional, the plot to be really predictable, and the writing to be cliched.  I was really disappointed...I really had to force myself to finish it, and I only did in hope that it would get better.  It never did for me.

Overall, though, I can't really state an opinion on Dan Brown, having only read two novels, one I really enjoyed and one I hated.  I will admit though it has put me off the idea of reading any more of his stuff.

[Xerial]

I almost threw my copy of Angels and Demons away when he started going on and on about the bloody Mach 15 space plane, but I plugged on... found the book to be decent, but nothing to rave and create movie hype over... never did finish it, though. Might be because I got into a Noir mood...

[robitusinz]

I almost threw my copy of Angels and Demons away when he started going on and on about the bloody Mach 15 space plane, but I plugged on... found the book to be decent, but nothing to rave and create movie hype over... never did finish it, though. Might be because I got into a Noir mood...

I actually enjoyed Angels & Demons quite a bit.  I think it's better than TVDCode, in fact.

[Praxis]

Thoughts and opinions on Dan Brown?

All of his stuff is the same.

I followed the same path you did as far as reading his books.

I knew what was going to happen, and who the villain was by mid-point through Deception Point.

He has his formula for writing, and never strays from it.  Take a 'clever and interesting subject', throw in a "villain/mentor/but I thought he was a good guy" type, and shake.

I'm so "off" Dan Brown now, I never went to watch the movie.

Speaking of movies, when I first started reading TDVC a few years back, the entire time I was thinking, "This got wrote this, to turn it into a movie.  It's written LIKE a movie."  I dug the source material so I stuck with it.

I'm not faulting him for that, he is approximately a zillionaire now, which is; no doubt what he set out to do.

I suppose I've turned into a bit of a snob regarding him, but he seems a bit "steeped in mediocrity" now.

[Praxis]

A&D is my favourite of his, as well.

[Swedish Steel]

Since I am, at times, a snob when it comes to stuff like this, I've refused to touch his books with a stick. Looks like the old ball and chains will force me to watch the movie though. Oh well, at least I won't have to read the book.  :)

[robitusinz]

Since I am, at times, a snob when it comes to stuff like this, I've refused to touch his books with a stick. Looks like the old ball and chains will force me to watch the movie though. Oh well, at least I won't have to read the book.  :)

To be 100% honest, Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons are very worthwhile reads.  The fact that Dan Brown's just a formula writer doesn't exactly detract from both of those books.  Just don't bother reading Deception Point or Digital Fortress.

[Eloquent Surreal]

I agree with Rob. I was really into Angels and Demons and the Da Vinci Code but was very disappointed when I just couldn't get past the first chapter of either of the other two novels.