If you enjoyed "Angels and Demons" and "The DaVinci Code," you'll probably like Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol." Like Brown's earlier novels, this book explores a global conspiracy that protagonist Robert Langdon gets pulled into against his will; this time, it is the inner workings of the Freemasons. (Think "National Treasure" meets "The Celestine Prophecy.") Like his earlier books, Brown has once again crafted a novel that is full of researche... (show more)

If you enjoyed "Angels and Demons" and "The DaVinci Code," you'll probably like Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol." Like Brown's earlier novels, this book explores a global conspiracy that protagonist Robert Langdon gets pulled into against his will; this time, it is the inner workings of the Freemasons. (Think "National Treasure" meets "The Celestine Prophecy.") Like his earlier books, Brown has once again crafted a novel that is full of researched facts, moves along at a fast pace with moderately clever plot twists, and weaves together all kinds of arcane symbolism. And due in part to his trademark short chapters, Brown makes "The Lost Symbol" very hard to put down. He has found a formula and uses it to make a genuine page turner.

But if Brown has a storytelling downfall it is that very formula. Brown is a predictable writer, and his books are virtually interchangeable: a secret, though "misunderstood," society; a race with beautiful woman in tow through a major world city with numerous symbolic landmarks; a menacing and very distinct villain; an earth-shattering secret; and an incredible scientific discovery.

That said, I did enjoy the story -- up to a point. Sometime around the middle of the book I guessed the identity of Brown's villain, so the rest of the reading experience became a get-to-the-end-and-let-me-confirm-what-I-already-know. Moreover, Brown reaches the story's climax much too early causing the tension-aspect of the story to fizzle out fifty to sixty pages before the final secret is revealed. This left me skimming page after page just to get to the end.

This is not a bad book, but it's not a great one either. Though Brown can write a good thriller, that thriller follows a very predictable path, and that unfortunately makes "The Lost Symbol" nothing more than a warmed-over version of "The DaVinci Code." (show less)