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Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

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Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Old 05-14-13, 07:17 AM
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Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013



Summary

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology, Robert Langdon, is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces . . . Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust . . . before the world is irrevocably altered.


Surprised there is not a thread on this already, as it is sure to be a best seller. Not really planning to read it, but thought I'd start the thread since there will likely be some discussion about it.
Old 05-14-13, 07:19 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

As with the rest of his books, reviews have not been kind, but I loved this article that sums up the feelings that many have about Browns books.

Don’t make fun of renowned Dan Brown
Old 05-14-13, 07:19 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I plan on reading it, since i've read all of Dan Brown's books, even the non-Langdon ones. Lost Symbol was pretty poor, so hopefully this one is a bit better.
Old 05-14-13, 07:49 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I've read them all as well, and for the non Robert Langdon ones probably the worst of all of his books. The Langdon ones are so repetitive that it really detracts from the overall story.
Old 05-14-13, 08:19 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I have a copy inbound from Amazon. His books are nothing amazing but they're fun reads and quick to get through. I've been reading a ton of non-fiction lately so this will be a nice change of pace.
Old 05-14-13, 08:48 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Well I thought the Lost Symbol was good, aside from the reveal at the end. Looking forward to cracking this one open tonight.
Old 05-14-13, 09:11 AM
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I'm not ashamed that I enjoy his books. This'll probably be what I read after I finish the one that I'm in the middle of right now.

Originally Posted by movieking
As with the rest of his books, reviews have not been kind, but I loved this article that sums up the feelings that many have about Browns books.

Don’t make fun of renowned Dan Brown
Um, it may just be my phone or Opera Mini, but that took me to a porn site. (I didn't linger since I'm on my work's wifi )
Old 05-14-13, 09:21 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Originally Posted by DJLinus
Um, it may just be my phone or Opera Mini, but that took me to a porn site. (I didn't linger since I'm on my work's wifi )
Really? Anyone else have that problem? Link works fine for me?

Regardless, here is the article, spoilered for size:


Spoiler:

Don’t make fun of renowned Dan Brown

By Michael Deacon

7:46PM BST 10 May 2013

Renowned author Dan Brown woke up in his luxurious four-poster bed in his expensive $10 million house – and immediately he felt angry. Most people would have thought that the 48-year-old man had no reason to be angry. After all, the famous writer had a new book coming out. But that was the problem. A new book meant an inevitable attack on the rich novelist by the wealthy wordsmith’s fiercest foes. The critics.

Renowned author Dan Brown hated the critics. Ever since he had become one of the world’s top renowned authors they had made fun of him. They had mocked bestselling book The Da Vinci Code, successful novel Digital Fortress, popular tome Deception Point, money-spinning volume Angels & Demons and chart-topping work of narrative fiction The Lost Symbol.

The critics said his writing was clumsy, ungrammatical, repetitive and repetitive. They said it was full of unnecessary tautology. They said his prose was swamped in a sea of mixed metaphors. For some reason they found something funny in sentences such as “His eyes went white, like a shark about to attack.” They even say my books are packed with banal and superfluous description, thought the 5ft 9in man. He particularly hated it when they said his imagery was nonsensical. It made his insect eyes flash like a rocket.

Renowned author Dan Brown got out of his luxurious four-poster bed in his expensive $10 million house and paced the bedroom, using the feet located at the ends of his two legs to propel him forwards. He knew he shouldn’t care what a few jealous critics thought. His new book Inferno was coming out on Tuesday, and the 480-page hardback published by Doubleday with a recommended US retail price of $29.95 was sure to be a hit. Wasn’t it?

I’ll call my agent, pondered the prosperous scribe. He reached for the telephone using one of his two hands. “Hello, this is renowned author Dan Brown,” spoke renowned author Dan Brown. “I want to talk to literary agent John Unconvincingname.”

“Mr Unconvincingname, it’s renowned author Dan Brown,” told the voice at the other end of the line. Instantly the voice at the other end of the line was replaced by a different voice at the other end of the line. “Hello, it’s literary agent John Unconvincingname,” informed the new voice at the other end of the line.

“Hello agent John, it’s client Dan,” commented the pecunious scribbler. “I’m worried about new book Inferno. I think critics are going to say it’s badly written.”

The voice at the other end of the line gave a sigh, like a mighty oak toppling into a great river, or something else that didn’t sound like a sigh if you gave it a moment’s thought. “Who cares what the stupid critics say?” advised the literary agent. “They’re just snobs. You have millions of fans.”

That’s true, mused the accomplished composer of thrillers that combined religion, high culture and conspiracy theories. His books were read by everyone from renowned politician President Obama to renowned musician Britney Spears. It was said that a copy of The Da Vinci Code had even found its way into the hands of renowned monarch the Queen. He was grateful for his good fortune, and gave thanks every night in his prayers to renowned deity God.

“Think of all the money you’ve made,” recommended the literary agent. That was true too. The thriving ink-slinger’s wealth had allowed him to indulge his passion for great art. Among his proudest purchases were a specially commissioned landscape by acclaimed painter Vincent van Gogh and a signed first edition by revered scriptwriter William Shakespeare.

Renowned author Dan Brown smiled, the ends of his mouth curving upwards in a physical expression of pleasure. He felt much better. If your books brought innocent delight to millions of readers, what did it matter whether you knew the difference between a transitive and an intransitive verb?

“Thanks, John,” he thanked. Then he put down the telephone and perambulated on foot to the desk behind which he habitually sat on a chair to write his famous books on an Apple iMac MD093B/A computer. New book Inferno, the latest in his celebrated series about fictional Harvard professor Robert Langdon, was inspired by top Italian poet Dante. It wouldn’t be the last in the lucrative sequence, either. He had all the sequels mapped out. The Mozart Acrostic. The Michelangelo Wordsearch. The Newton Sudoku.

The 190lb adult male human being nodded his head to indicate satisfaction and returned to his bedroom by walking there. Still asleep in the luxurious four-poster bed of the expensive $10 million house was beautiful wife Mrs Brown. Renowned author Dan Brown gazed admiringly at the pulchritudinous brunette’s blonde tresses, flowing from her head like a stream but made from hair instead of water and without any fish in. She was as majestic as the finest sculpture by Caravaggio or the most coveted portrait by Rodin. I like the attractive woman, thought the successful man.

Perhaps one day, inspired by beautiful wife Mrs Brown, he would move into romantic poetry, like market-leading British rhymester John Keats. That would be good, opined the talented person, and got back into the luxurious four-poster bed. He felt as happy as a man who has something to be happy about and is suitably happy about it.

Old 05-14-13, 09:24 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I've always thought of his books as critic proof. I know what I'm getting into and despite how over the top impossible the adventure will be I'll probably enjoy it more than 90 % of the other things I read.
Old 05-14-13, 09:29 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Perfect timing for me since I'll be in Firenze in 6 weeks. I've enjoyed his novels, they're just fun romps for me really, not much more than that. I've always liked the Langdon character.
Old 05-14-13, 09:45 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I still need to read The Lost Symbol. For the most part, his books are entertaining yarns -- entertaining enough such that I'll likely continue to read them. I'll probably pick up a used copy of the paperback when it comes out.
Old 05-14-13, 04:21 PM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I hope it's better than the last one, which started out ok but just didn't go anywhere I cared about. I'll probably wait for a good deal to read this one--not gonna pay $15 for a Kindle version.
Old 05-14-13, 04:37 PM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Like most, I didn't care for The Lost Symbol...probably because it just seemed like the novelization of NATIONAL TREASURE 2. Hope this one is better.
Old 05-14-13, 05:31 PM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Like others have said Dan Brown's books are no great literature but they're fun and quick reads. I like Brown's books best when they take place in Europe so I'm excited to read this. It'll be a good Summer read.

As others have said The Lost Symbol just felt like a National Treasure knockoff. The Davinci Code was fun but insanely overrated. Of his Robert Langdon novels I enjoyed Angels and Demons the best.
Old 05-15-13, 06:42 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Good timing, I was just looking to start a new book. I have NOS4A2 by Joe Hill loaded up on my Kindle but may read this first as something lighter.
Old 05-15-13, 06:48 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Originally Posted by movieking
Really? Anyone else have that problem? Link works fine for me?
Yeah, really weird. Both Opera Mini and the stock Android browser redirected me to a porn site. No problems accessing the story on my laptop just now, though. Thanks for also copying and pasting it.
Old 05-15-13, 07:33 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Dan Brown's books are 50 Shades of Grey with some historical or scientific value... but I enjoy them.
Old 05-15-13, 04:24 PM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Dan Brown is a one trick pony, but it is a trick I enjoyed reading over most of his books. But I hated The Lost Symbol. I guess I just had my fill of that plot he's been using over and over and over again.

That said, I think the hate he gets from critics is pretty dumb. I mean, the dude is a known quantity by now. We get it, we know, so if you expose yourself to it you have no one to blame but yourself.
Old 05-16-13, 11:59 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I'm reading Inferno now. I cant remember what happened in Lost Symbol. His writing style gets tiring but i enjoy the history and travel
Old 05-16-13, 03:26 PM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Originally Posted by movieking
As with the rest of his books, reviews have not been kind, but I loved this article that sums up the feelings that many have about Browns books.

Don’t make fun of renowned Dan Brown
"Renowned author Dan Brown got out of his luxurious four-poster bed in his expensive $10 million house and paced the bedroom, using the feet located at the ends of his two legs to propel him forwards."

I loved this so much. Thanks for sharing that.
Old 05-20-13, 08:14 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

i started this book over the weekend. I read 100 pages before I closed it. I am not a big reader, I might read 2 per year, so that is alot for me to read in one sitting. It is difficult to put down.

I never read The Lost Symbol, but I have read the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. Brown's books do seem alot alike. Sometimes I can't differentiate what happened in TDC or A&D when I try to remember what they were about. Inferno seems to be following the same formula so far, but it is a fun read.
Old 05-29-13, 11:51 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Finished it yesterday. I liked it better than Lost Symbol but its pretty dumb.

Spoiler:
Langdon doesnt really do anything, like the whole adventure is for nothing. People flopping sides and situation reversals are done terribly. "She wasnt trying to shoot you to kill you, she was just trying to shoot you to show that the gun was a fake!"


but i liked most of it while i was reading it. It was fun learning the history stuff.
Old 06-15-13, 01:29 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

It wasn't until the halfway point that I actually started enjoying it but it got much better from then on. Not his best, not his worst.
Old 09-28-13, 01:42 PM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

Decided to start this. So far, it is what I expected but I am enjoying it.
Old 10-04-13, 08:50 AM
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Re: Dan Brown - "Inferno" (Robert Langdon Series) May 14, 2013

I enjoyed it, mostly because I read the second half of the book while actually in Florence. I decided to go look at some of the sights Brown had in his book, Here are a few.

Dante's Mask



Hall of the 500 - I couldn't find the banner that said "Cerca Trova"



That statue



Vasari Corridor Entrance



"Secret" Entrance to Vasari Coridor


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