The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
 

Well, since it concerns our fraternal forebears, the Freemasons, I thought I'd ask if anyone is reading it. I've got my name on the waiting list at the library -- I think Brown's books make a fun read, but I can't bring myself to support his crazy/shoddy "scholarship" by paying for it, especially in hard cover.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

(And if you are reading it/have read it, please use spoiler alerts when appropriate.)

If I buy it, it would be on Kindle which runs about half the price.

I haven't read it yet, but did an online request at my library. I'm 26th on the list.
I don't have room in my house for any more books, so I use the library all the time!

it magically appeared on my kindle this morning! i guess i pre-ordered it and forgot.

i have to travel this weekend so it will be my in-flight reading.

I got it on my Kindle yesterday and am already halfway through. It's good, but not as good as his other stuff. What I really liked, though, was in the first chapter they talk about the Scottish Rite building on 16th Street in DC. Not only was my grandfather a member of the Scottish Rite, but I live 2 blocks away from that huge building!!! Too cool.

I pre-ordered it from my local bookstore and was called yesterday letting me know it's in. I'll stop by this afternoon and pick it up. I want to finish The Appeal (John Grisham) before I start this one, though. Between The Appeal, Thursday's GA Tech/Miami game, and Saturday's NCAA games (VA Tech/Nebraska should be good!), I probably won't start it until Sunday. But I'm looking forward to it!

DAMN GAL! How much is your rent?????

(It's a serious question, feel free to PM me in response, I am trying to move closer to downtown but can't find good prices)

[sidetrack]How are you liking The Appeal? I was terribly disappointed in it, but I know others who really like it. [/sidetrack]

[continuing sidetrack] It's ok. I'm wishing it would hurry up and end - it's kinda dragging. Something about it makes me think I must've missed something along the way; it feels a bit scattered. He's written much better books, IMO. [/continuation of sidetrack]

[continuing sidetrack again]That was my feeling. It seemed to lack a main character (or set of characters) that I could care about at all. [/end of sidetrack maybe?]

I thought that the first half to three-quarters of the book was pretty decent. I thought the last quarter of it was a bit over the top, though.

If you haven't read it, you should read Innocent Man. It's non-fiction, and a pretty interesting look into the wrongful convictions of two individuals. Pretty powerful stuff.

His newest book, The Associate, is terrible. It seems like he just completely mailed it in. I'm considering just giving up on Grisham altogether - he's gotten so caught up with railing against the private practice atmosphere that it's overpowered the rest of his writing.

I agree 100%. At first, I thought the book was about Wes and Mary Grace and the Baker case. Now I'm not so sure. Spoilerfonted for those who haven't read it: Their settlement with the logging company just fell through and they just filed for bankruptcy. It's getting hard to support them when they're in only a third of the book (my estimate).

Thanks for the warning. I usually grab his books once they make it to paperback, but if The Associate isn't any better than The Appeal, I won't bother.

ETA: I feel like I should apologize for the hijacking, but since (1) MC started this thread and, (2) he's participating in the hijack, I don't feel so bad.

I feel like I completely wasted my money with The Associate. It seems like he took The Firm, made the situation more extreme, substituted characters and law firm names, and sent it to the printers. Plus, there's very much a "big law is bad" theme that seems a bit preachy.

See, I had kind of given up on Grisham -- I really liked his early books, but after a while they all started to read like different versions of the same story. But then a few collegues said "Read The Appeal --it's like the old Grisham." No. It wasn't.

Shoot, I started the highjack . . .er . . . sidetrack. :D

I am number 68 on the waiting list. Figure it will be a while before I get to read it. By then, I will have lots of reviews to know if it is worth the hype.

DaffyKD

You'll get it before I do. I'm number 728 on the list.

^^^ I actually lolled at 728. You'll get to see the movie before you get to read the book.

ETA: When I typed that, I had no idea there were already plans in place for a movie!

I know, I know. :o

(Though bear in mind that our library system probably bought lots of copies, and it will be a one-week check out, so maybe it won't take too long. I'll let you know when I get it.)

A ONE WEEK checkout? Ours are three week checkouts.

Ours are normally three-week checkouts as well. But when it's a new, popular book with a long waiting list, it'll be one-week with no renewal.

FYI Target has it for $16.99 right now.

"What does The Lost Symbol get wrong about the nation's capital? Everything."

http://www.slate.com/id/2228587/

Living in DC, I find this article highly entertaining.

Surely this didn't come as a surprise to the people at Slate. Brown never lets accuracy (or reality) get in the way of a good story.

MysticCat, you are totally right. I've soaked up his other books and have suspended reality for the time it takes me to read them (admittedly really quickly). I guess I especially liked this article because it said exactly what I was thinking while I read it. I envisioned Langdon saying he'd go a certain direction to get somewhere and I would think, whaaaaa?? That's not right... Guess just because it's in my own backyard!

Don't get me wrong- I still like his stuff. I just like the feeling I get when I either see bits of my town that aren't on tv or in books all the time (i.e. the White House, Capitol Building, the generic aerial shot of the Mall, etc)

Oh, I completely understand. I feel the same way about his books -- that "just forget reality and enjoy the ride" feeling. I'm just always amused when I hear people acting like Brown actually gets facts and history right.

Nobody can deny that Dan Brown spins a great yarn, but I seriously doubt he researches his stories at all. Of the two books I read, I noticed a crap load of errors, even though I loved them.

Ours is 2 weeks for new books, and 3 weeks for all other books.

Debbi in SO CA

Okay, finished the book a couple of days ago. I don't want to give much away, so I'll just say this: Boo. Boo! Worst Dan Brown novel ever.

You just saved me a lot of time, I think.

I can't account for everyone's taste, but my thought on the book was this: It's not just unbelievable (i.e. his other books, and a lot of fiction in general), but it's just ridiculous. The ending was awful. I was like..... this is IT?! Come ON. I take it back. The last half was awful. I called so many of his "twists" that I don't see how they could be called "twists", as they were so blatantly obvious. The first third of the book is okay and draws you in, but I feel like I wasted 10 bucks on it the day it was released because of all of the hype of the author. It seems that he has clearly run out of good ideas. Anyone can PM me for more details if they like. (I read a LOT and tend to finish a kindle book, usually thrillers or other fiction, within 2-3 days. I'm not a literary critic by any means, but I'd like to think that I have a wide range of comparison.)

This is why I'm number 614 (I've moved up) on the library waiting list. :D

i've been TRYING my best to get through it. normally i'll read DB in one sitting, maybe a day or two of nonstop reading.

this one hasn't really reeled me in, but i am committed to finishing it!

all i can say is i HOPE this does not become a movie. seriously.

Same here. I'm finding it way too easy to put down. So far, this dims in comparison to all his other novels. (Have any of you read Deception Point? I really liked that one.)

Yes :) I'm thinking about starting to read his books, but I too will go to the library for those, rather than buy them.

I've had many arguments with people about this that take it all as fact instead of just a good fictional story. There are one or two History Channel shows that have gone through his books and told what was fact and what was fiction. Conspiracy theories still abound though.

You mean you didn't buy the national security CRISIS?!

Yep, my number finally came up at the library and I finished it this weekend. I had fun reading it, I guess, but seriously, the climax was just so . . . not climactic. And stupid.

And I couldn't help but think what a national security risk we GLOs are. :D

I read it this weekend on flights. It was typical Dan Brown - entertaining but highly cliche and predictable. I feel like his publisher needs to provide him with his own personal fact checker.

This book was so lame. Dan Brown has an issue with denoument! I just don't buy the premise.

I thought I was the only one who did not get through it in one sitting. I found I had to take breaks and do something else. I was not impressed at all. Angles and Demons was good, loved The Di Vinci Code did not enjoy Digital Fortress. If I read another of his books, it will definitely be checked out from the library and not be added to my personal library.

DaffyKD