Book Review: The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol
Written by Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol can easily be described as the most highly anticipated book since the last Harry Potter, maybe even more so. Its first initial print run is 6.5 million copies and it is poised to be just as big as its predecessor, The DaVinci Code which sold over 40 million copies.

Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as good (as I recall) as its predecessor, in fact, it's downright bad.

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The Lost Symbol brings the eagerly awaited return of Brown's hero Robert Langdon. This time he finds himself investigating secrets hidden in our own capital in order to rescue a friend from a deranged madman. This time he deals with the legendary, and oft discussed, Masons. The secrets brown discusses here on their own would be fascinating but for some reason everything we get here is rather bland and well almost boring.

The bloated novel runs over 500 pages, most of which seem like the same four or five scenes over and over again. Langdon states that whatever it is they're discussing is a myth or a metaphor, someone else says they can prove it, and Langdon has his mind blown.

The main villain seems like he is crafted specifically for the inevitable film adaptation and his revelations are so predictable that I had it figured out almost instantaneously.

It's a wildly overblown plot that is stretched out to its absolute limits to give the illusion of an epic when the actual quality is barely better than a $.99 trashy pulp novel. Even scenes that were meant to be shocking were downright laughable.

Sure the history is interesting, but the information around it was so heavy handed and poorly constructed that it makes one wonder what the fuss was about. This is what we've been waiting six years for? Such a massive let down.

Here is the worst part: The Lost Symbol has the single biggest cop out ending I have ever read. Don't worry I won't spoil it but my reaction was "WTF? Are you #(*$#($# kidding me? Really? REALLY? This is what we get?"

That may be paraphrased for humor. Then again it might not be.

I've never thought that Dan Brown was a literary master but I did enjoy his previous works. I don't know what's different now but I can see now that he's just not that good at all. One of the most annoying parts of The Lost Symbol is how much the characters think dialogue. I don't know if he thinks this kind of thing is natural or what but it is downright bothersome in the book.

The Lost Symbol will be a massive hit, that is for sure, but it really is one of the biggest disappointments the literary world has spewed out in this critic's recent memory.

If you are so inclined, and honestly, I hope you aren't, The Lost Symbol is in stores now.