Why I hate Dan Brown

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Dan Brown has been catapulted to world-wide fame after a few books. However, I find the whole style of his writing repugnant to me and not particularly interesting. His most famous book The Da Vinci Code has been number one selling book among bookstores worldwide for some time now, selling over 60 million copies. Although he has sold so many books, I question if people are interested in the plot or the controversy.

 

 

 

Let's look at his other books:

 

• [*:22vk82xl]Digital Fortress
   
  We follow Susan Fletcher as she attempts to break a code that a NASA code-breaking machine couldn't crack. She manages to solve this remarkably quickly.
   
  [*:22vk82xl]Deception Point
   
  We follow a scientist as he discovers a fake meteorite that is a massive find for NASA, which will help the current President retain his position at the next election. Too bogged down in politics.
   
  [*:22vk82xl]Angels & Demons
   
  Robert Langdon is sent to help the Catholic Church as there is a bomb in the Vatican. How likely.

 

 

 

The sales of these books were not that big. The latter Angels & Demons sold better, but it didn't highlight Dan Brown as being a particularly skilled writer. The plot was good, but the style of writing was mediocre. The vocabulary was un-inspiring and the non-existent imagery left a lot to the imagination, as you could imagine. I felt it was poorly executed.

 

 

 

Now we move on to The Da Vinci Code. Right from the start I knew this was going to be mind-numbingly dull. I was right.

 

Yet again we find Robert Langdon helping to solve a murder which has some religious connection involved. He then solves clues found in Da Vinci's paintings which lead him to discover Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, who the Catholic Church portray as a prostetute.

 

 

 

The book seemed too Holywood blockbuster to me. As all of Brown's books do, they rely on plot. A very thick plot which at times is daunting. I believe people buy The Da Vinci Code as it is controversial. And because of the court case about it. Oh and because of the Film which will be out soon. I found it very poorly written, which lacked enjoyment.

 

 

 

All of Dan Brown's books will continue to sell as he's the genius behind The Da Vinci Code. Unfortunaetly. I hope people learn from this that his books are all dribble. Nothing good comes from reading them, other than keeping up with the gossip surrounding it.

[Faux]

I liked the Da Vinci Code and look forward to reading his Angels & Demons.

 

 

 

You remind me of the people who hate mainstream bands because of the popularity. 'If the mass knows about it, it's not good' logic. Things become popular for a reason. Learn to ignore it if you don't like it - as others evidently do.

 

 

 

I'm not trying to start a fight. I understand where you're coming from. I just have a different opinion.

[redserpent4]

Of course, there are plenty of people suggesting that it wasn't even his idea. This may or may not be the case, the fact is it is quite easy to be caught up in the novels and as such i dont find it that hard to fathom that they have been so wildly successful.

 

 

 

As far as I'm aware Brown repackaged an already well known and formatted idea, adding as you say a Hollywood style narrative. Which like you say is not superbly written.

 

 

 

I think the major attractions of the books lie in the following areas:

 

 

 

1) The controversy

 

 

 

2) The mix of fact and fantasy. real organisations such as the Illuminati and real history like that of the 'Hassassin' along with the fact that all of the art pieces featured are traceable and if you see them like Brown does, can be easily interpreted.

 

 

 

3) Finally the blood and guts factor, there's no getting away from it, people like this sort of media.

 

 

 

It's hardly that surprising he has been so successful

[Guest GhostRanger]

I think we can all admit that Dan Brown is not a very good writer if we're speaking technically. All of his plots end the same (once you read 1 or 2 books, you can guess the end of the others) and he uses the same style to keep the pace moving.

 

 

 

However, his books are entertaining, and whether or not they sell because of controversy or not, they sell. People like them.

 

 

 

I enjoyed reading all 4 books despite the fact that he has a very immature writing (immature is in not very developed).

 

 

 

It is certainly no reason to hate him. He can't help it that he wrote a book that someone thought was good enough to publish, and then sold lots of copies of it.

[Bubsa]

I look forward to seeing the Da Vinci Code film, as I love Tom Hanks as an actor. He's going to have to use all of his ability to resuccitate this shower of...

 

 

 

I read about 5/8s of the book and gave up in disgust. It was so poorly written, I kid you not, Year 10s in my school could write better. Plus make it more compelling. I don't really care for this controversy stuff. Hanks summed it up pretty well when he said the book had: "Hooey" in it and shouldn't be taken seriously. He calls it "Just a good story" and I agree that it should be taken that way...well, I agree except for his last comment.

 

 

 

Without doubt though, the majority of the book's sales have been from the "controversy" it has caused. I know many people who bought it just on hear'say, and actually being highly disappointed with the book, much to my delight.

 

 

 

I say again, I'm looking forward to the film. If Hanks can make me enjoy the film (along with his performance, which is a given as he acts so well - Think "The Terminal". Terrible film, great performance by Hanks) then he just might be the greatest living actor of all.

 

 

 

Dan Brown For the metaphorical Lose.

[Guest GhostRanger]

I look forward to seeing the Da Vinci Code film, as I love Tom Hanks as an actor. He's going to have to use all of his ability to resuccitate this shower of...

 

 

 

I read about 5/8s of the book and gave up in disgust. It was so poorly written, I kid you not, Year 10s in my school could write better. Plus make it more compelling. I don't really care for this controversy stuff. Hanks summed it up pretty well when he said the book had: "Hooey" in it and shouldn't be taken seriously. He calls it "Just a good story" and I agree that it should be taken that way...well, I agree except for his last comment.

 

 

 

Without doubt though, the majority of the book's sales have been from the "controversy" it has caused. I know many people who bought it just on hear'say, and actually being highly disappointed with the book, much to my delight.

 

 

 

I say again, I'm looking forward to the film. If Hanks can make me enjoy the film (along with his performance, which is a given as he acts so well - Think "The Terminal". Terrible film, great performance by Hanks) then he just might be the greatest living actor of all.

 

 

 

 

 

Well said. I can't wait for the movie to come out. I work at a movie theater and we get to prescreen it the night before. w00t!

 

Dan Brown For the metaphorical Lose.

[bjbj1991]

Digital Fortress

 

We follow Susan Fletcher as she attempts to break a code that a NASA code-breaking machine couldn't crack. She manages to solve this remarkably quickly.

 

 

 

Deception Point

 

We follow a scientist as he discovers a fake meteorite that is a massive find for NASA, which will help the current President retain his position at the next election. Too bogged down in politics.

 

 

 

Angels & Demons

 

Robert Langdon is sent to help the Catholic Church as there is a bomb in the Vatican. How likely.

 

 

 

Have you read the others? Spoiler do not highlight with mouse unless you realy want to!

 

Digital Fortress is about a criptographer who is sent to crack a code the is suposy unbreakable by burte force and would allow teorists to communicate safly. They upload the code onto a suppercomputer that I think existed in real life but it turns out to be a virus designed to kill that computer. The rest of the story is a race to find the kill code for the virus but it's programer is dead.

 

 

 

Deception Point scientists using a satalite to mesure the global warmings affect on ice discover a large rock in a glacer. They find focils in the metior and decide to dig it up. They bring a news reporter to the site during the unearthing? (defrositing?) of the metior and they find salt water in the hole they removed it from. They use a radar devise to look at the hole from outside the habitat and see a narrow chaft of salt water the same diametor as the metior. They are atacked and search for who and why they were atacked during the rest of the story, it turns out the head of the CIA planted it there so more funding would goto space reacherch because he lost his daughter.

 

 

 

Angels & Demons one of the best Dan Brown books I have ever read. Landon is sent to europe to investigate a murder of a scientist with a symbol branded on him and his eye removed. they discover that he was working in antimater recharch and has produced a large amount of antimater, that antimater is missing. The battery life of this antimater is only 24hours and a security personal at the Vatican reports seeing it on a cammera. This story takes place 2 weeks after the popes death so they are electing a new one so all the church leaders are there. at the same time 4 cardinals have been missing and somehow they get reports that they will be exicuted by the elemental forces ( I dont remember) and also the guy killin them planted the bomb. They then go running around rome looking to catch the killer but keep missing him, when they do find him, oops humans cant fly so plan B. during this time the vatican is searching for the bomb and cant find it. Well B didnt work so lets get everyone out of this place, then sudenly a preist becomes nuts and starts talking about saint peters hill or something and he runs back and finds the bomb. They fly up in a copter at the vatican and drop the bomb, it goes boom in the air. A video tape reveals that that perist planted the bomb and did the whole thing so he kills himself and eveyone lives happy ever after.

 

 

 

I am sorry for the spelling and punctuation errors in this, hopefuly most can understand it.

 

 

 

Da Vinci Code was a decent book but not much better than the others, if it were not for the Christian thing, the book would be the same as the others media wise. I am looking forward to the movie and hope they have not changed the book too much like other movies have with books recently.

 

 

 

Edit: EWW the advertisement at the top of the screen is advertising audlt diapers

[indy500fan]

the film also happens to have Audrey Tautou (Fabuleux destin d'Am̮̩̉̉lie Poulain, Le), Jean Reno (Leon: The Professional), and Ian McKellen (LOTR, X-men) so i will definently be seeing it.

 

 

 

i hope the religious people boycott it with a picket line, then i can go and start my own picket line with the "its fiction morans" (yep, morons spelled with an a, make frontpage on fark with that :D ) sign.

[Bubsa]

I don't really care for the novels, but bj your white text spoilers don't really work on the subBlack theme :P

[indy500fan]

I don't really care for the novels, but bj your white text spoilers don't really work on the subBlack theme :P

 

 

 

heh, i was just about to say that.

 

 

 

and i wanted to mention the movie is directed by ron howard, so thats another reason to go see it.

[Guest GhostRanger]

I don't really care for the novels, but bj your white text spoilers don't really work on the subBlack theme :P

 

 

 

heh, i was just about to say that.

 

 

 

and i wanted to mention the movie is directed by ron howard, so thats another reason to go see it.

 

 

 

One of my friends speculated that the movie will be watered down a little as far as controversy goes because someone like Ron Howard isn't about to piss off half of America.

 

 

 

You put his name on a movie title and I'm going to go see it. :P

[MyPurpleCrayon]

I'm totally stoked about Tom Hanks.

[DragonFirenze]

Angels and Demons was a great read to me. I found everything about the dark matter very interesting and, although it was very far-fetched, was still an interesting plot.

[bjbj1991]

I don't really care for the novels, but bj your white text spoilers don't really work on the subBlack theme :P

 

:oops: Well hopefuly everyone reading this with subBlack, has already read the books. It is not my falt that people dont want to Universialise to MY theame. *Mumbles to himself*

[knives669]

I am almost finished reading The Da Vinci Code, and I look forward to reading Angels and Demons.

 

 

 

I found the Da Vinci Code quite entertaining, and extremely interesting. As far as writing style goes, I've read much worse. The story is very compelling. The book brings up many interesting points about symbolisim in religion and really (Know that I am aware of the fact that there are fictional elements to the story. I am also aware that Dan Brown is not the first person to write about this.) offers a much better explanation about Jesus than him being the son of God.

 

 

 

POSSIBLE SPOILER:

 

 

 

These are just my views.

 

 

 

I believe that Jesus was just a normal man, sure he was a prophet, and he basically founded a new religion. Lots of people throughout history have done that.

 

 

 

Since he was a normal person, why wouldn't he get married? Why wouldn't he have a child?

 

 

 

I believe the Catholic Church gave Jesus his divinity, and covered up the fact that he was married to keep the Pope in power. If there was a direct descendant from Jesus' bloodline, do you think the Pope would be in charge of all the people in that religion? No. Jesus' descendants would be. I believe they further covered it up, by recasting Mary Magdalene as a prostitue.

 

 

 

The Bible was a creation of man. It is very very possible that there were alot of things omitted for the sake of the Catholic Church's power.

 

 

 

After all, the Catholic Church has been known to cover up and manipulate other matters, such as their effort to convert the Pagans to Christianity.

 

 

 

Christian holidays were placed close to Pagan holidays for a reason. The Catholic Church wanted to make Christianity look like a hybrid religion, something that one could easily convert to.

 

----

 

Since I've never believed that Jesus was the son of god, these points are quite intriguing, and offer logical reasoning to the Christian religion. They are simply possibilities. And since they are nothing but possibilities, I don't see why people are so outraged about them. If you believe Jesus was the son of god, good. If you believe that Jesus was just a normal guy, good.

 

 

 

Live and let live, you know?

 

 

 

The above statements were simply my views. I do not mean to start a flame war, or offend anyone. I sincerely apologize if I have offended anyone.

[indy500fan]

:oops: Well hopefuly everyone reading this with subBlack, has already read the books. It is not my falt that people dont want to Universialise to MY theame. *Mumbles to himself*

 

 

 

i havent read the books, but whenever i see white text i know its a spoiler, so it works ok for me. still think we need to get some better way to do spoilers on the forums, althought i wouldnt know how to go about doing it.

 

 

 

One of my friends speculated that the movie will be watered down a little as far as controversy goes because someone like Ron Howard isn't about to piss off half of America.

 

 

 

thats the sensible approach to it, and he probably did do that. people are still going to be pissed off about it though, at mothers day i figured out that my whole family hates the movie, the books, and everything related to it. they of course know nothing about it, except they are supposed to hate it.

[Bubsa]

For the people who can look past all the controversy and the farfetched stuff, like Hanks seems to have done in his approach to the film, and still enjoy the book, I'm glad for you and you're entitled too. I mean, you have as much right to like the book in that sense as I do hate it.

 

 

 

Just wanted to make that clear.

[katha610]

i liked angels&demons. it was the first one i read and it captured my attention right away. then i bought digital fortress it was a good book too, but i was disappointed by the ending..

 

i never really wanted to read da vinci code, i dont know why, probably because it was one of these famous books everyone talked about.

 

i got it as a christmas gift, so i read it... and honestly.. i did not like it at all, it was extremly predicatble and had a lot of parts where i had to force myself to read on.

 

and it got more than just annoying when some people saw it as the new "bible", questioning everything......

 

i will still go and see the movie

 

 

 

to be honest dan browns books have some unrealistic endings but in the end, isnt that a reason why we buy books like that? it is entertaining and thats what novels are there for. sure some provide some historical backround or other information but it's not their main purpose. if so we would read history or science books, speially made for that subject

[Hannibal]

Digital Fortress

 

We follow Susan Fletcher as she attempts to break a code that a NASA code-breaking machine couldn't crack. She manages to solve this remarkably quickly.

 

 

 

Umm... so... do you always misspell NSA as NASA? Never mind the fact that you misunderstood the entire book, from what I can tell (or just didn't actually read it). The spoiler someone else in this topic gave was much better than yours (albeit not entirely accurate either, at least it wasn't as skewed as this). And GhostRanger is right - the books are written in accessible English, it's not Brown's fault that someone happened to think they were good enough to be published, and then lots of people decided they were good enough to read.

 

 

 

The impact of the Da Vinci Code has been much larger than the facts underlying it deserve (very few of them are actually facts), but that doesn't change the fact that it's thought to be an entertaining read by lots of people. I don't see how that is any reason to hate it. The fuss the church AND the atheist fanatics going "see! see!" are making is way over the top, but that's media and extremists for you.

[Necromagus]

Meh, I enjoyed the illustrated version of Angels & Demons I got for Christmas because of all the pretty pictures (big Bernini fan >.>), but the story itself was rather absurd. I think his books sold more because of controversy than because of talent...

[azntemplar_00]

I recently read Deception Point and I happened to enjoy reading it because although people say he uses the same kind of 'plot' and cliffhangers in each one of his books, I still found it pretty exciting to read. Thing is, when I read books for fun, I try not to analyze and tear it apart too much.

[Faux]

Thing is, when I read books for fun, I try not to analyze and tear it apart too much.

 

 

 

Truth. When I read fiction books, I read em for the entertainment, not the facts.

[Giordano]

As long as they insult the church, prove them wrong, I'm fine with it.

 

I've made a simple explation about the Bible.

 

 

 

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter.

 

 

 

is the same as

 

 

 

Jesus(or followers), author of Bible.

[Faux]

As long as they insult the church, prove them wrong, I'm fine with it.

 

I've made a simple explation about the Bible.

 

 

 

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter.

 

 

 

is the same as

 

 

 

Jesus(or followers), author of Bible.

 

 

 

Good job for trying to start a cluster[bleep] you moron.

[Astralinre]

As long as they insult the church, prove them wrong, I'm fine with it.

 

I've made a simple explation about the Bible.

 

 

 

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter.

 

 

 

is the same as

 

 

 

Jesus(or followers), author of Bible.

 

 

 

J.K. Rowling claimed to be God incarnate in Harry Potter? Wow, you learn something new every day. *resists the urge to use the roll-eyes smiley*

 

 

 

I actually enjoyed The DaVinci Code, but I did have to speed through it because I only had a day to read it since it was on loan. It could have been better, and Brown's historical information is questionable at best, but it wasn't a bad novel, overall. I liked all the twists and turns, predictable or not.