THE LOST SYMBOL
Dan Brown
Doubleday
Thriller
ISBN: 9780385504225
I don’t think I can recall a book that has been as widely and thoroughly anticipated as THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown. I know, I know…that Potter kid has a lot of fans who stood in line at midnight for the privilege of being the first on their block to possess the latest volume. But it has been six years since THE DA VINCI CODE was published, and folks were overdue for the next installment. So here it is: the return of Harvard’s own symbologist Robert Langdon in roughly 500 pages of him in a battle of wits with a truly deranged villain played out against the backdrop of Washington, D.C.
THE LOST SYMBOL takes place over a period of 10 hours or so in the Washington D.C. area, predominantly downtown. Langdon, being somewhat unfamiliar with America’s capital, is a fish out of water. His presence is the result of a request of his old friend, Peter Solomon, to make a last-minute address at a private gala presented by the Smithsonian Institution. What begins as an attempt to help a friend, however, becomes a race against time. Langdon is forced to follow an enigmatic series of clues to obtain the solution to a puzzle that is believed to have the power to unleash a heretofore hidden and closely guarded secret. The guardians of this secret are the Masons, an order that is both publicly known and shrouded in mystery.
Langdon follows an ancient, clandestine and bloody trail across Washington, commencing with a grisly object displayed in the Capitol Building. While following the clues around the city, Langdon is pursued by the CIA, who seems bent on stopping him at any cost. The result is a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as Langdon and Solomon’s sister, Katherine, chase down a series of codes and symbols, some familiar and some going back to the beginning of recorded history. And the strings of this deadly game are being pulled by the imposing Mal’akh, a giant demon of a man who is truly deranged.
Langdon must use all of his skills and knowledge to stop Mal’akh, prevent the death of his friend, Peter, and foil a plan that culminates with the toppling of the United States government. As forces both old and new converge on one of Washington’s most unusual structures, the fate of many hangs in the balance as a madman’s carefully calculated plan comes near success with only Langdon --- in an uneasy partnership with one of the United States’ most powerful agencies --- standing in his way.
Has it been worth the wait? Overall, yes. But that’s not to say that the book is without its shortcomings. For one, THE LOST SYMBOL could easily have been a hundred pages shorter since it tends to drag occasionally, usually when Brown shows his research hand a bit too much. And there is one segment between the climax and the ultimate conclusion where Brown prattles on a bit too long. Additionally, there are a couple of points where credibility is strained, not unlike what one might be inclined to believe watching an episode of “24.” I’m not sure how some of the characters couldn’t figure out the identity of Mal’akh, the imposing and frightening villain of the piece, a bit sooner. And there are a few moments where injuries are seemingly healed way too quickly, so everyone can move from a life-threatening situation to just hours later touring national monuments without a stop at a medical facility in between for a few days of rest and relaxation. You'll understand once you read the book.
But be warned: after reading THE LOST SYMBOL, it will be almost impossible to resist a long and leisurely trip to Washington, D.C to visit the places that Brown so skillfully weaves and elegantly describes throughout his narrative. He clearly did his research, and he enjoys sharing it with readers. Although he vividly illustrates both the city and Langdon’s brilliance, the most riveting character is Mal’akh, who becomes more frightening, bizarre, and yes, memorable as one delves more deeply into the novel. And while THE LOST SYMBOL lacks some of the more controversial aspects of THE DA VINCI CODE (the most powerful group in the book, the Masons, are portrayed as good fellows here, and religion in general is attacked half-heartedly when attacked at all), it is doubtful that you’ll ever look at a dollar bill or D.C. the same way again.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.
© Copyright 1996-2010, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
