The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol
By: Dan Brown
Published: 2009
Audiobook Read by: Paul Michael
My rating: Interesting









Robert Langdon is on his way to give a speech as a last minute favor to his very powerful and influential friend Peter Solomon. When he arrives he discovers something very unexpected. He is suddenly neck deep in another race against time, with the fate of the world in the balance. As he scrambles to decipher an ancient code he also has to stay on the run from people who are well equipped to catch him. It seems that every turn finds him facing yet another obstacle. In the end he unravels the ancient mystery and uncovers a secret that has been protected for hundreds of years. But did he really figure out anything?

If you read my review of Angels & Demons you know that I absolutely loved it. Since then I have listened to all of Dan's books. Of all of them, this is my least favorite. It is so similar in plot to the other ones that it seems like Dan just changed the names and reinserted them into the same outline he used before. I have found other authors who seem to do the same thing but it doesn't grate on me like this did. I think Dan's style in general is just getting old for me. I think my biggest complaint is the way he tries to misdirect the reader but more often than not it's obvious that there is something else going on. It creates a leapfrog effect where you hear one version that is the fake and then go back to get the real story. It doesn't help the plot along and after a while it gets rather tedious.

I did enjoy the picture of Masonic rituals and the back story of the order. From what I understand, all of the information is factual and that added a lot to my interest. Dan also describes in great detail some actual locations in Washington DC that are very interesting in and of themselves.

The plot itself, like I said is very similar to his other books but the ending was very much an anti-climax for me. The hidden secrets didn't really seem to be secrets at all and after all the death and destruction that had occurred, there just didn't seem to be much reward in the ending.

I listened to the audiobook read by Paul Michael. Paul has a very soothing voice and did a great job on this book.

Overall, the facts and information made this book interesting in a knowledge seeking kind of way, but as far as the enjoyment of a good novel goes, I'd look elsewhere.