(B) 74% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Lucky Robert Langdon, always adventuring with sexy, brainy women awed by his knowledge of art and symbology. Seriously, though, reading Dan Brown's *Inferno* is a reliably entertaining experience, even if it does follow a familiar formula. If you're looking for a decent thriller book review, *Inferno* delivers solid entertainment.

Let's be honest about something: Dan Brown's novels often have limited literary value. You read them for pure enjoyment and the thrill of knowledge. That intellectual pleasure comes from repeatedly trying to solve puzzle after puzzle, and from the extremely enjoyable company of Robert Langdon—with his Mickey Mouse watch, kind heart, and brilliant mind. All of this is set within a fascinating and dazzling framework, rich with information and polished events drawn from science, technology, mythol...

This is my first Dan Brown book, and what can I say... it pretty much sucked. I was kind of shocked. Yes, I had read a lot of disparaging comments about Brown’s writing, but I pushed them aside, figuring his books must be at least entertaining. Otherwise, why would he be so popular? And I rather like cheesy books. This one had a condescending tone though that grated on my nerves and sapped all the fun right out of the story. It was a tedious read. First off, Brown’s characters are boring. There...

CHAPTER 1Jane Steen, an obscure reviewer, sat in her modest study in cozy suburban Illinois and stared with horror at the object she held in her hands. Measuring nine-and-a-half by six-and-a-quarter by one-and-a-half inches, the object was encased in a shiny substance the overweight reviewer knew to be plastic.A book of some kind.To the little-known reader’s brilliant mind and eidetic memory, identifying the book was a simple task. The labels affixed to the spine proclaimed its origin: the libra...

Instead of reading any more Dan Brown books, I'm just going to complete the following "Mad Lib" with my sister. Feel free to play along.UNTITLED DAN BROWN BOOK MAD LIB1) a number ______2) month that has at least 28 days __________________3) adverb that denotes stress ____________________4) pick a European city...any European city _______________________5) title given to a respected educator or professional _____________________6) first name ___________________________7) pretentious last name (bo...

Abandon all hope, ye who enter. Or something like that.\n \nStatue of Dante by Enrico Pazzi, Piazza Santa Croce, FlorenceWhen I snapped this picture a few months back, I figured Dante's grimace was because he was contemplating the horrors of hell. Now, I think it’s because he was foreseeing the ignominy of having his masterpiece turned into Dan Brown's **Inferno**.By the fourth book in the series, the formula is set in stone: Robert Langdon, the intrepid Harvard professor and “symbologist,” mus...

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrateorAbandon all hope, ye who enter here Dante and Virgil approach the entrance to Hell From the WorldofDante.org The heat is on. There is, of course, a deadline. A mad scientist of a Dante super-fan, who takes theatrical delight in referring to himself as The Shade, would like to bring about a great renaissance for humanity, a reawakening similar to the one that occurred following the Black Plague. As with that earlier event, The Shade, a Batman villain if ...

Let me sum up every Dan Brown novel ever written: An unsuspecting but intelligent protagonist gets a call in the dead of night. Someone powerful, possibly connected to the authorities, needs their unique expertise. A famous figure has died, triggering a chain of events with potentially catastrophic consequences. The authorities need our protagonist's help to solve a puzzle left by the deceased instigator, a puzzle containing a clue to the nature of the ticking time bomb.Meanwhile, unbeknownst to...

The most Dangerous, Different trip with Robert Langdon with Brilliant Twist ending.That the Movie re-twisted into a normal boring Hollywood ending that blow mind of how bad the novel turned into clichéd stop the bomb movie.It starts with Inferno NightmareWaking up in Florence far from home, not knowing how he even got hereWith a head wound and a hellish nightmare of inferno to come.And by trying to solve the codes & puzzles of his chaotic situation, he find out that he must travel again...a...

I guess this will fulfill my yearly quota for academics in Mickey Mouse watches solving ancient conspiracy-filled puzzles. - - - **Updated 5/31**: Sometimes, I feel like Dan Brown is my nemesis. In interviews, he comes off as a smart, earnest guy (if a bit of an academic dweeb*) who has an obsession for puzzles, old art, and conspiracy theories, but also as a guy who has no idea how to laugh at himself. He seems to take his own work very seriously and gets his feelings hurt by even the teens...