Angels & Demons - Dan Brown (Book)

92/100 of #100bookpact

Angels & Demons - Dan Brown

As I said in my earlier reviews of Dan Brown's books, I am totally bowled over by what he offers his readers in terms of knowledge of Historical Monuments, Hidden Secrets, Latest Technology, Philosophy as well as Spirituality. And I am sure this is one of his best works so far (If not the ultimate as I am yet to read "The Da Vinci Code") as all of his other books I have read already and they do not come any closure to this one in any aspect. Although the character of Robert Landon is more lovable in some of them but this one takes the cake for its sheer brilliance in explaining the Vatican City and its Architecture, so much that I am now very keen to visit the same once in my life time (I have no idea if they allow Non Christians any closure to their churches). Mind-blowing are the details and the pace is simply brilliant, its like traveling on a freight trains engine at full speed with no signals. Of-course a typical Dan Brown book - it all happens in the due course of 24 hrs or a little more in this case and the reader gets no time to put the book down and relax. Oh! and before I forget - this became the first DB book that indeed made me breathless and moist eyed at one point of time - I guess that will be an achievement for a thriller like this, if you have read the book - it was the chapter where they open the Pope's Sarcophagus to confirm how he died, breathtaking.

Robert Langdon - The Professor of Arts and History specializing in Symbology (I love his character) is having a relaxed day till he gets a call and picked up by a Vatican pilot. Vatican needs him as the current Pope is dead, while they go through new Pope's election, someone has planted a bomb as powerful as a Nuclear bomb somewhere inside the city - of-course location unknown. They are under threat that the top four cardinals (one of them is going to be the next Pope) will be killed one every hour. Vatican's old enemy "The Illuminati" (400 year old brotherhood) is up again to destroy the religion as they believe in Science and The Church doesn't. Its a cat and mouse chase game between Illuminati and Church with a superb parallel track of the scientist who invented the new "Antimatter" which will destroy everything in the blink of an eye if not contained. How Robert saves the Vatican with the help of a few he can trust accompanied by the Gorgeous Daughter of the Scientist who knows whats inside the container (Its actually her invention). The book has so much of going on at a break neck speed in such a convincing and eye opening way that you simply cant not love it.

I simply love the way Brown explains the history, arts, architecture, codes behind the simplest of things via Robert, its simply amazing and quite convincing. Hats off to his research team and himself the way they make it simpler for us lesser mortals to go through and still get the point. I really sometimes wonder what are the expectations of people criticizing his work? Do they actually know more then Brown about the things he is talking in his books? or do they expect more - I seriously fail to understand and believe no one can better his works the way they are written. He is definitely got a big fan in me I am sure of that. Because right when I thought I was getting it and could predict the out come - it goes totally in the opposite direction, thats the beauty of his books (so far).

Movie Adaptation: One Word "Crap". Stay away from it, Why I watched it? Just for the Architecture - its Brilliant visually but otherwise a very big disappointment, characters are lousy barring Robert, unnecessary changes, so much left out from the book and misses the best part Vittoria the gorgeous female lead is not even 1/10th of the character written in the book.