book review of angels and demons

Angels and Demons Book Review

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B.A., English, Duke University

When Dan Brown published his fourth novel, " The Da Vinci Code ," in 2003, it was an instant bestseller. It boasted a fascinating protagonist, a Harvard professor of religious iconography named Robert Langdon, and compelling conspiracy theories. Brown, it seemed, had come out of nowhere.

But the bestseller actually had precursors, including "Angels and Demons," the first book in the Robert Langdon series. Published in 2000 by Simon & Schuster, the 713-page turner takes place chronologically before "The Da Vinci Code," although it doesn't really matter which you read first.

Both books revolve around conspiracies within the Catholic church, but most of the action in "Angels and Demons" takes place in Rome and the Vatican. As of 2018, Brown has written three more books in the Robert Langdon saga, "The Lost Symbol" (2009), "Inferno" (2013), and "Origin" (2017). All but "The Lost Symbol" and "Origin" have been made into films starring Tom Hanks.

The book opens with the murder of a physicist working for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland. An ambigram representing the word "Illuminati," referring to a centuries-old secret society, has been branded onto the victim's chest. In addition, the director of CERN soon learns that a canister filled with a type of matter that has the destructive power equal to a nuclear bomb has been stolen from CERN and hidden somewhere in Vatican City. The director calls in Robert Langdon, an expert on archaic religious symbolism, to help unravel the various clues and find the canister.

What follows is a fast-paced thriller focused on Langdon's attempts to discover who is pulling the strings within the Illuminati and how far their influence goes. It's major themes are religion versus science, skepticism versus faith, and the hold that powerful people and institutions have over the people they supposedly serve.

Positive Reviews

"Angels and Demons" is an intriguing thriller for the way in which it mixes religious and historical elements with a sense of foreboding. It introduced the general public to an ages-old secret society, and was a unique entry into the world of conspiracy theory mysteries. While the book may not be great literature per se, it is great entertainment.

Publisher's Weekly had this to say:

"Well plotted and explosively paced. Crammed with Vatican intrigue and hi-tech drama, Brown’s tale is laced with twists and shocks that keep the reader wired right up until the final revelation. Packing the novel with sinister figures worthy of a Medici, Brown sets an explosive pace through a Michelin-perfect Rome."

Negative Reviews

The book received its share of criticism, mainly for its historical inaccuracies presented as fact, a criticism that would carry over into "The Da Vinci Code," which played even more fast and loose with history and religion. Some Catholics took offense at "Angels and Demons," and with its subsequent sequels, stating that the book is nothing but a smear campaign of their beliefs.

Conversely, the book's emphasis on secret societies, alternative interpretations of history, and conspiracy theories might strike pragmatic readers as more of a fantasy than a fact-based thriller.

Finally, Dan Brown doesn't hold back as far as violence is concerned. Some readers might object to or find disturbing the graphic nature of Brown's writing.

Still, "Angels and Demons" has sold millions of copies worldwide, and remains a popular read with lovers of conspiracy-laced thrillers.

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Reviews of Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Angels & Demons

by Dan Brown

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An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target...

An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target... When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati... the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has surfaced from the shadows to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy... the Catholic Church. Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces he has hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival. Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair... a secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation. An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.

Physicist Leonardo Vetra smelled burning flesh, and he knew it was his own. He stared up in terror at the dark figure looming over him. "What do you want!" " La chiave," the raspy voice replied. "The password." "But…I don't... " The intruder pressed down again, grinding the white hot object deeper into Vetra's chest. There was the hiss of broiling flesh. Vetra cried out in agony. "There is no password!" He felt himself drifting toward unconsciousness. The figure glared. " Ne avevo paura. I was afraid of that." Vetra fought to keep his senses, but the darkness was closing in. His only solace was in knowing his attacker would never obtain what he had come for. A moment later, however, the figure produced a blade and brought it to Vetra's face. The blade hovered. Carefully. Surgically. "For the love of God!" Vetra screamed. But it was too late.

High atop the steps of the Pyramid of Giza a ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

What is your view of Robert Langdon? What motivates him to find out more about the circumstances of Leonardo Vetra's death? Is it merely academic interest? Aside from his scholarly knowledge, what else in Langdon's background helps him succeed during this adventure?
Discuss the other characters' motivations for their actions, both the "villains" and "heroes" in the story, including Vittoria, the Hassassin, the camerlengo, Cardinal Mortati, and Maximilian Kohler.
Angels & Demons is filled with examples of science versus religion, a debate that has raged for centuries. Is there room in the world for both science and religion? Is one likely to render the other obsolete? Would you rather ...
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Angels & Demons is part techno thriller, part mystery and all action. Dan Brown deftly combines a fast moving, intriguing and well-researched plot that weaves together the secret nuclear research facilities of CERN and the ancient and modern secrets of the Vatican.

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ANGELS AND DEMONS

by Dan Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2000

Romance, religion, science, murder, mysticism, architecture, action. Go!

Another near-future technothriller from the author of Digital Fortress (1998). Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon gets a call from Maximilian Kohler, director of CERN's Geneva particle-physics research complex. Physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, and a quantity of dreadfully dangerous antimatter stolen; worse, Vetra was branded with a single word: Illuminati . Langdon's an expert on the history of the Illuminati, a medieval pro-science, anti-Catholic power group, often suspected of infiltrating mighty institutions but now considered extinct. The canister of antimatter soon turns up—in Rome, hidden somewhere in Vatican City, just as the church's cardinals are gathering to select a new pope. When the canister's batteries go dead—boom. As bad, someone's kidnapped the four top cardinals, and a message from the Illuminati states that one cardinal will be killed—with lots of Illuminati symbolism—every hour until the antimatter explodes. Langdon and Vetra's scientist daughter, Vittoria, must convince the late pope's chamberlain, now in charge of the Vatican until the new pope is elected, to help them unravel the mysteries of the Illuminati and, perhaps, save the cardinals from gruesome deaths. But they'll be going up against a wily and potent Illuminati assassin, causing plenty of thrilling cat-and-mouse maneuvers and life-or-death cliffhangers. And how come the powerful head of the Illuminati knows all the Vatican's secrets, and can enter and leave at will?

Pub Date: May 1, 2000

ISBN: 0-671-02735-2

Page Count: 448

Publisher: Pocket

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2000

THRILLER | GENERAL & DOMESTIC THRILLER | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE

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Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

by Max Brooks ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020

A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.

Are we not men? We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z (2006).

A zombie apocalypse is one thing. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.” Maybe, but the sasquatches whom the volcano displaced contributed to the statistics, too, if only out of self-defense. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesn’t know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.” Brooks presents a case for making room for Bigfoot in the world while peppering his narrative with timely social criticism about bad behavior on the human side of the conflict: The explosion of Rainier might have been better forecast had the president not slashed the budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from “the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead man’s heart and lungs.” Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene.

Pub Date: June 16, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine

Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

GENERAL SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SCIENCE FICTION

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by Max Brooks

A CONSPIRACY OF BONES

by Kathy Reichs ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2020

Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan.

A week after the night she chases but fails to catch a mysterious trespasser outside her town house, some unknown party texts Tempe four images of a corpse that looks as if it’s been chewed by wild hogs, because it has been. Showboat Medical Examiner Margot Heavner makes it clear that, breaking with her department’s earlier practice ( The Bone Collection , 2016, etc.), she has no intention of calling in Tempe as a consultant and promptly identifies the faceless body herself as that of a young Asian man. Nettled by several errors in Heavner’s analysis, and even more by her willingness to share the gory details at a press conference, Tempe launches her own investigation, which is not so much off the books as against the books. Heavner isn’t exactly mollified when Tempe, aided by retired police detective Skinny Slidell and a host of experts, puts a name to the dead man. But the hints of other crimes Tempe’s identification uncovers, particularly crimes against children, spur her on to redouble her efforts despite the new M.E.’s splenetic outbursts. Before he died, it seems, Felix Vodyanov was linked to a passenger ferry that sank in 1994, an even earlier U.S. government project to research biological agents that could control human behavior, the hinky spiritual retreat Sparkling Waters, the dark web site DeepUnder, and the disappearances of at least four schoolchildren, two of whom have also turned up dead. And why on earth was Vodyanov carrying Tempe’s own contact information? The mounting evidence of ever more and ever worse skulduggery will pull Tempe deeper and deeper down what even she sees as a rabbit hole before she confronts a ringleader implicated in “Drugs. Fraud. Breaking and entering. Arson. Kidnapping. How does attempted murder sound?”

Pub Date: March 17, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9821-3888-2

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020

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by Kathy Reichs

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Book Review

Book Review: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (Robert Langdon series #1)

Author: DAN BROWN

Series: Robert Langdon: Book 1

Publisher: Pocket Books

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction

First Publication: 2000

Language: English

Major Characters: Vittoria Vetra, Robert Langdon, Maxmillan Kohler, Leonardo Vetra, Gunther Glick.

Setting: The Vatican and its surrounding sites of Catholic worship in Rome; the CERN, Located in Geneva, Switzerland, a scientific counterpoint to the Vatican.

Theme: Science Versus Faith, Passionate Dedication Versus Obsession, Public Versus Private

Narrator: third-person omniscient.

Followed by: The Da Vinci Code

Book Summary: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization — the Illuminati.

In a desperate race to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra.

Together they embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and deserted cathedrals, and into the depths of the most secretive vault on earth…the long-forgotten Illuminati lair.

Leonardo Vetra – a physicist at CERN and a priest.

Robert Langdon – a forty-year-old Harvard symbologist.

Maximilian Kohler – a discrete particle physicist serving as director of CERN.

The Hassassin – a highly trained killer.

Janus – the Illuminati’s spy in the Vatican.

Vittoria Vetra – Leonardo Vetra’s adopted daughter and an insightful physicist.

Sylvie Baudeloque – Kohler’s secretary at CERN

Commander Olivetti – the commander of the Swiss Guard

Captain Elias Rocher – the Swiss Guard’s second-in-command, nicknamed “orso”

Lieutenant Chartrand – the youngest member of the Swiss Guard.

Carlo Ventresca – also called the “camerlengo,” the pope’s chamberlain

Cardinal Mortati – Great Elector of the Conclave.

Gunther Glick – former tabloid reporter, now BBC reporter.

Chinita Macri – Glick’s videographer.

Maria – a former nun chastely loved by the pope, and Carlo Ventresca’s mother.

Bob Brownell – a physicist friend of Langdon’s in Cambridge

Rebecca Strauss – an art critic for the New York Times.

Dr. Joseph Venek – Vatican scholar from De Paul whom Glick enlists as an expert

Book Review: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

After finishing Deception Point , I picked Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. This is a book no more than it is the words of an outcome of science and religion combined. That is my first time reading a book by Dan Brown, but I watched many of his interviews. In almost all of these interviews, Dan Brown mentions that he, as a child, lived in the two worlds of science and religion, as his mother was a church organist and his father was mathematics teacher.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown introduces Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon in a breathtaking adventure to save the Vatican City, Rome from a perilous threat from an ancient brotherhood died four hundred years ago. And on this very day, they attempt to continue their grand vendetta against the Church. This book has a lot to do with four, four altars of science, four cardinals, four churches.

“Science and religion are not at odds. Science is simply too young to understand.”

The events started when Robert Langdon received a phone call asking him to come to Switzerland immediately. When he refused, he was sent a photograph of a dead physicist, on his chest branded an ambigram which read one word, Illuminati. Illuminati are a satanic cult who fought religion and Church for decades, theirs was the weapon of science.

Literally, Illumination means lighting, as to enlighten humans from their ignorance caused by the Church, and orienting them to the path of light, of science. As the events roll in a thrilling, unexpected way, Robert Langdon learns the cause of the man’s death, and finds himself in a race against time to save Vatican from a totally new technology pioneered by the late scientist.

One of the main things that I truly admired in Angels and Demons by Dan Brown was the locations, the author takes us on a journey in Rome, describing every place they go to through the events, which is very good but ponderous in a way.

“Nothing captures human interest more than human tragedy.”

Dan Brown knows how to write, knows how to make the reader worry about the good side and fear the evil, he knows how to play with time. But the most thing I liked is how he combined all these facts in a work of fiction in a very deft way, with well-developed characters, who are also dumb to some extent. I was really attached by the camerlengo’s EPIC speeches about science and religion.

Robert Langdon is quite the interesting character in a field that while unfamiliar to me was extremely interesting. Symbology isn’t something that at a glance would appeal to me, but the author does a great job making it interesting in the context of the book. The secret society aspect with the Illuminati also made for a compelling story.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is quite fast-paced which I believe works in its’ favor as it keeps the suspense and tension at a high. Plus the author blends just enough truth with fiction to make the plot believable which, with the fast pace, helped hold my interest. I think Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is a solid introduction to the series and character of Robert Langdon.

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Angels & Demons (Brown)

Angels & Demons Dan Brown, 2000 Simon & Schuster 736 pp. ISBN-13: 9780743412391 Summary When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol—seared into the chest of a murdered physicist—he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy—the Catholic Church. Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival. Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation. An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war. ( From the publisher .)

Author Bio • Birth—June 22, 1964 • Where—Exeter, New Hampshire • Education—B.A., Amherst College; University of Seville, Spain • Currently—lives in New England Novelist Dan Brown may not have invented the literary thriller, but his groundbreaking tour de force The Da Vinci Code —with its irresistible mix of religion, history, art, and science—is the gold standard for a flourishing genre. Born in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1964, Brown attended Phillips Exeter Academy (where his father taught), and graduated from Amherst with a double major in Spanish and English. After college he supported himself through teaching and enjoyed moderate success as a musician and songwriter. Brown credits Sidney Sheldon with jump-starting his literary career. Up until 1994, his reading tastes were focused sharply on the classics. Then, on vacation in Tahiti, he stumbled on a paperback copy of Sheldon's novel The Doomsday Conspiracy . By the time he finished the book, he had decided he could do as well. There and then, he determined to try his hand at writing. His first attempt was a pseudonymously written self-help book for women co-written with his future wife Blythe Newlon. Then, in 1998, he published his first novel, Digital Fortress —followed in swift succession by Angels and Demons, Deception Point, The Lost Symbol , and most recently Inferno . Then, in 2003, Brown hit the jackpot with his fourth novel, a compulsively readable thriller about a Harvard symbiologist who stumbles on an ancient conspiracy in the wake of a shocking murder in the Louvre. Combining elements from the fields of art, science, and religion, The Da Vinci Code became the biggest bestseller in publishing history, inspiring a big-budget movie adaptation and fueling interest in Brown's back list. In addition, The Da Vinci Code became the subject of raging controversy, inspiring a spate of books by scholars and theologians who disputed several of the book's claims and accused Brown of distorting and misrepresenting religious history. The author, whose views on the subject are stated clearly on his website, remains unperturbed by the debate, proclaiming that all dialogue, even the most contentious, is powerful, positive, and healthy. More Brown revealed the inspiration for his labyrinthine thriller during a writer's address in Concord, New Hampshire. "I was studying art history at the University of Seville (in Spain), and one morning our professor started class in a most unusual way. He showed us a slide of Da Vinci's famous painting "The Last Supper"... I had seen the painting many times, yet somehow I had never seen the strange anomalies that the professor began pointing out: a hand clutching a dagger, a disciple making a threatening gesture across the neck of another... and much to my surprise, a very obvious omission, the apparent absence on the table of the cup of Christ... The one physical object that in many ways defines that moment in history, Leonardo Da Vinci chose to omit." According to Brown, this reintroduction to an ancient masterpiece was merely "the tip of the ice burg." What followed was an in-depth explanation of clues apparent in Da Vinci's painting and his association with the Priory of Sion that set Brown on a path toward bringing The Da Vinci Code into existence. If only all writers could enjoy this kind of success: in early 2004, all four of Brown's novels were on the New York Times Bestseller List in a single week! Extras From a 2003 Barnes & Noble interview :

• If I'm not at my desk by 4:00 a.m., I feel like I'm missing my most productive hours. In addition to starting early, I keep an antique hourglass on my desk and every hour break briefly to do push-ups, sit-ups, and some quick stretches. I find this helps keep the blood—and ideas—flowing. • I'm also a big fan of gravity boots. Hanging upside down seems to help me solve plot challenges by shifting my entire perspective. • When asked what book most influenced his career as a writer, here is his response :

Until I graduated from college, I had read almost no modern commercial fiction at all (having focused primarily on the "classics" in school). In 1994, while vacationing in Tahiti, I found an old copy of Sydney Sheldon's Doomsday Conspiracy on the beach. I read the first page...and then the next...and then the next. Several hours later, I finished the book and thought, Hey, I can do that. Upon my return, I began work on my first novel— Digital Fortress —which was published in 1996. ( Author bio and interview from Barnes & Noble .)

Book Reviews A breathless, real-time adventure....Exciting, fast-paced, with an unusually high IQ. San Francisco Chronicle Angels & Demons is as good as it gets. A pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Angels & Demons is as compelling as Umberto Eco... as engaging as Tom Clancy... as fast-paced as Michael Crichton... and rivals the best Thomas Harris thriller. Angels & Demons earns Dan Brown a place among these literary peers. Joe Mauceri - Syndicated Review Well researched, and pulsingly told. With so much to enjoy, the only problem for the reader will be to keep from turning the pages too quickly. Barbara Peters - Poisoned Pen Pitting scientific terrorists against the cardinals of Vatican City, this well-plotted if over-the-top thriller is crammed with Vatican intrigue and high-tech drama. Robert Langdon, a Harvard specialist on religious symbolism, is called in by a Swiss research lab when Dr. Vetra, the scientist who discovered antimatter, is found murdered with the cryptic word "Illuminati" branded on his chest. These Iluminati were a group of Renaissance scientists, including Galileo, who met secretly in Rome to discuss new ideas in safety from papal threat; what the long-defunct association has to do with Dr. Vetra's death is far from clear. Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, makes a frightening discovery: a lethal amount of antimatter, sealed in a vacuum flask that will explode in six hours unless its batteries are recharged, is missing. Almost immediately, the Swiss Guard discover that the flask is hidden beneath Vatican City, where the conclave to elect a new pope has just begun. Vittoria and Langdon rush to recover the canister, but they aren't allowed into the Vatican until it is discovered that the four principal papal candidates are missing. The terrorists who are holding the cardinals call in regarding their pending murders, offering clues tied to ancient Illuminati meeting sites and runes. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that a sinister Vatican entity with messianic delusions is in league with the terrorists. Packing the novel with sinister figures worthy of a Medici, Brown (Digital Fortress) sets an explosive pace as Langdon and Vittoria race through a Michelin-perfect Rome to try to save the cardinals and find the antimatter before it explodes. Though its premises strain credulity, Brown's tale is laced with twists and shocks that keep the reader wired right up to the last revelation. Publishers Weekly Another near-future technothriller from Dan Brown. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon gets a call from Maximilian Kohler, director of CERN's Geneva particle-physics research complex. Physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, and a quantity of dreadfully dangerous antimatter stolen; worse, Vetra was branded with a single word: Illuminati. Langdon's an expert on the history of the Illuminati, a medieval pro-science, anti-Catholic power group, often suspected of infiltrating mighty institutions but now considered extinct. The canister of antimatter soon turns up—in Rome, hidden somewhere in Vatican City, just as the church's cardinals are gathering to select a new pope. When the canister's batteries go dead—boom. As bad, someone's kidnapped the four top cardinals, and a message from the Illuminati states that one cardinal will be killed—with lots of Illuminati symbolism—every hour until the antimatter explodes. Langdon and Vetra's scientist daughter, Vittoria, must convince the late pope's chamberlain, now in charge of the Vatican until the new pope is elected, to help them unravel the mysteries of the Illuminati and, perhaps, save the cardinals from gruesome deaths. But they'll be going up against a wily and potent Illuminati assassin, causing plenty of thrilling cat-and-mouse maneuvers and life-or-death cliffhangers. And how come the powerful head of the Illuminati knows all the Vatican's secrets, and can enter and leave at will? Romance, religion, science, murder, mysticism, architecture, action. Go! Kirkus Reviews

Discussion Questions 1. What is your view of Robert Langdon? What motivates him to find out more about the circumstances of Leonardo Vetra's death? Is it merely academic interest? Aside from his scholarly knowledge, what else in Langdon's background helps him succeed during this adventure?

2. Discuss the other characters' motivations for their actions, both the "villains" and "heroes" in the story, including Vittoria, the Hassassin, the camerlengo, Cardinal Mortati, and Maximilian Kohler.

3. Angels & Demons is filled with examples of science versus religion, a debate that has raged for centuries. Is there room in the world for both science and religion? Is one likely to render the other obsolete? Would you rather live in a world without science...or in a world without religion?

4. Were you aware of the existence of CERN prior to reading this book? What is your opinion of the work they conduct, particularly in regard to antimatter technology?

5. Discuss Vittoria's role in the story. How does her knowledge as a scientist come into play? Leonardo Vetra was both a scientist and a priest. How did he reconcile these two seemingly disparate entities? In what ways did her father's beliefs influence Vittoria's own opinions of science and religion?

6. When he first meets Maximilian Kohler, Langdon tells him he is "undecided on miracles.... I study religious symbology — I'm an academic, not a priest" (21). Does Langdon change his view on miracles by the end of the book?

7. Had you heard of the Illuminati before reading Angels & Demons ? The Illuminati is rumored by some to be active today. Do you believe this is true? What is the enduring fascination with conspiracy theories? Given what Dan Brown reveals about the history of the Illuminati, is their alleged vendetta against the Vatican justified?

8. Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca emerges as one of the most complex characters in the story. What was your opinion of the camerlengo when he is first introduced? How about by the end of the book?

9. What role do the media play in the events that unfold? How about Glick and Macri in particular? The media were not interested in covering the election of a new pope until there was tragedy involved. How much influence do the media have on what information is relayed to the public? Is it true, as Glick believes, that "viewers didn't want truth anymore; they wanted entertainment" (190)?

10. The novel takes place during a 24-hour period. How does this narrative structure heighten the suspense in the story? What red herrings does the author use to keep the reader guessing? Did you anticipate any of the events in the story?

11. What did you find to be most compelling about Angels & Demons — the action scenes, the characters, the setting, the history, or something else entirely?

12. Discuss the novel's ending. Do you think the Vatican (and Robert and Vittoria) made the right decision to keep the events that took place secret from the public?

13. In an interview on his website Dan Brown said that Angels & Demons "opens some Vatican closets most people don't even know exist." Did you learn anything about the Vatican, its practices, and its history that surprised you?

14. In the same interview Dan Brown goes on to say, "The final message of the novel, though, without a doubt, is a positive one." What do you see as the ultimate message of the book?

15. Have you visited Rome? If so, do you recall seeing the Illuminati symbolism that Dan Brown describes in the book, such as at the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona? If you have not been to Rome, has reading Angels & Demons inspired you to make a visit?

16. If you've read Robert Langdon's second adventure, The Da Vinci Code , compare the two books. What similarities do the stories share? How does the character of Rober Langdon change? ( Questions issued by publisher .) top of page (summary)

Book review: Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Before there was The Da Vinci Code, there was Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. Angels & Demons is the book that thrust Dan Brown into the limelight as one of the most gripping authors of our generation. The book introduces the character of Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor who specialises in symbols and historical conspiracies (not his official job title but that’s essentially what he does).

Angels & demons by Dan Brown book review

When a famous scientist is found murdered with a mysterious ancient symbol seared into his chest, Langdon is brought in to investigate. And so begins a highly gripping book that leaves you wanting more at the end of every single chapter.

Plot – 4.5/5

Angels & Demons is all about Robert Langdon, a world-renowned symbologist being summoned to a Swiss research facility after a physicist has been murdered and had a mysterious symbol seared into his chest. The symbol suggests an ancient brotherhood by the name of the Illuminati, the most powerful underground organisation to ever walk the earth, have reappeared and intend on doing something big and dangerous.

The plot has you gripped from every early on and then for the next few hundred pages continues to keep you on the edge of your hypothetical seat with the ending of each chapter. You can tell Bronw has knowledge of these symbols as there’s a lot of research done into the background of many of the mysterious goings-on in the book. The mystery, conspiracy and history is absolutely my forte and so I absolutely loved reading this book. Without a doubt, this plot will keep your interest piqued for a good amount of time you’re reading it.

That does bring me to my one slight problem with the way the book is written. To create these cliffhanger-endings for each chapter, Dan Brown often gives you false hope. The plot essentially goes: something interesting is found, something dangerous is suggested by this, Langdon works out what this means but doesn’t tell anyone, the next chapter starts elsewhere, then Langdon tells us what it means in the following chapter and it’s not all that important. Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredible theories in this book that’ll cause you to question what you may know about certain incredibly famous paintings and historical facts. But just the way it’s written does give you a lot of cliffhangers that can sometimes create a less than satisfying following chapter.

Characters – 4/5

Robert Langdon himself is a highly intelligent and to-the-point character. He’s not particularly funny or witty but he then I feel sometimes this is the case with main characters as the supporting characters around them aren’t required to bring as much plot to the tale.

Vittoria is the other main character, a very powerful woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to express it. An Italian scientist, Vittoria brings much to the plot and also something of a love interest for Langdon. Though again, she’s not overly compelling but then I don’t think the incredibly character developments are the reason you’d like this book. Therefore, I’ve given this section a four as a three would suggest the characters hampered the book, which they didn’t.

Angels & Demons summary – 5/5

If you’ve got any interest in history, any interest in conspiracy theories or just a general intrigue for the mysterious, I’d highly recommend picking Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. The plot keeps you gripped throughout and constantly throws twists and mysteries at you that make you think and, as a result, want to read on.

The big name in the Dan Brown series is The Da Vinci Code, but I would highly recommend you don’t skip Angels and Demons first – this first book introduces you to Dan Brown’s incredible mind and his ability to draw you in with suggestions you may never have thought of to things you thought you knew. Despite being a thicker novel, Angels & Demons can be read so quickly as you simply won’t be able to put it down. I’d class this in the higher tier of books that are incredibly hard to put down. I have plenty more reviews of books filled with mystery.

2 thoughts on “ Book review: Angels & Demons by Dan Brown ”

[…] read The Da Vinci Code and can see why it has sold so many copies. In a similar vein to its prequel Angels & Demons, it grips you from the very first page and hangs you over a cliff at the end of every chapter. It […]

This was the first book in the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown however it was the second book I read after The Da Vinci Code. Angels & Demons is a fantastic read and I will always remember it fondly as I read this book during my last visit to our ancestral house in Gwalior, India, which is now no more. It was also the last time I saw my paternal grandparents.

Book Review: Angels and Demons

A brilliant page turner for readers who love fast paced storyline and drama. Angels and Demons is an amazing thriller by Dan Brown, the same writer who wrote Da Vinci Code. The book has the same protagonist, Robert Langdon who is an iconology professor and is set in in the cobbled street of Europe and the Vatican City. Having read both the books and several others by Dan Brown, I can say that the story grips the attention of the reader very quickly, however since both of the books have similar characters and settings, it can be confusing to differentiate between the storylines after some time.

The story is set in CERN (One of the biggest physics centers of the world) in Geneva, Switzerland where a physicist working on antimatter is killed with the words Illuminati branded on his chest. Antimatter in real life is the most expensive substance and it costs 62.5 trillion dollars to make one gram of it and it must be preserved in cases where it cannot touch any matter or the process of annihilation would create an explosion higher in strength than any atomic bomb. Robert Langdon an iconology professor who is also well known for his studies on illuminati is called on a mission to find the murderer. He is accompanied by the physicist's daughter with whom he eventually falls in love. An antimatter bomb with the antimatter stolen from the lab of the physicist is found in Vatican building where the cardinals from all around the world are gathering for the papal elections in the enclave however the four proffered cardinals or the preffereti have been kidnapped. Robert and his companion go through the streets of Vatican and Rome to stop the killer from murdering the preffereti. The antimatter bomb has a timer which would set off the bomb which gives additional suspense to the story.

The story is sometimes a bit loose and has too many details, problems take longer to solve as compared to Da Vinci Code. It is a description of one day in over 600 pages of gripping storyline where each chapter leaves you hanging by a thread and you just can't put this book down. Overall, it's highly recommended to anyone who loves a great thriller. Good Tip: Listen to some never before listened and suspenseful music while reading this and the action though the streets of Rome would flashback whenever you listen to the song again.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Angels & Demons

When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol — seared into the chest of a murdered physicist — he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati… the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.

The Illuminati has surfaced from the shadows to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy… the Catholic Church.

Langdon’s worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican’s holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces he has hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.

Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair… a secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war…

DOWNLOAD EXCERPT BUY THE BOOK AUDIO EXCERPT

WELL PLOTTED AND EXPLOSIVELY PACED. Crammed with Vatican intrigue and hi-tech drama, Brown’s tale is laced with twists and shocks that keep the reader wired right up until the final revelation. Packing the novel with sinister figures worthy of a Medici, Brown sets an explosive pace through a Michelin-perfect Rome. – Publisher’s Weekly

A BREATHLESS REAL-TIME ADVENTURE. Exciting, fast-paced, with an unusually high IQ. – The San Francisco Chronicle

ANGELS & DEMONS IS ONE HELL OF A BOOK. Intriguing, suspenseful, and imaginative. – Dale Brown

A READING EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET. Dan Brown has created another frantic paced thriller that rivals the best works of Clancy and Cussler. – Book Browser Reviews

BIZARRE FACTS

Galileo’s Middle Finger Galilieo’s middle finger was detached from his right hand in 1737 by scientist Anton Gori and the “Cult of Galileo.” Many historians now believe these “fanatical and cult-like” scientists swore a vendetta against the Catholic Church in retribution for the Vatican’s crimes against the great astronomer. Although the Church actively hunted these men, few were found, and it is now believed that many took refuge deep within the secret brotherhood of the Illuminati.

New York in Tokyo in an Hour The United States now has an aircraft that can travel at Mach 15 (over 10,000mph). The X-33 space plane cruises at an altitude of almost 100 miles, on the edge of space. Although the X-33 is no longer classified, specifications of the X-34 remain secret.

Antimatter… The Most Volatile Substance Known to Man A single droplet of antimatter contains the explosive power of a ten kiloton bomb (Hiroshima). Antimatter is extremely unstable and explodes when it comes in contact with absolutely anything (even air). Nonetheless, antimatter is now being produced at CERN in Switzerland, where antiparticles are accelerated around a 27-mile-long circular tunnel…traveling so fast that they complete the enormous circle over 11,000 times per second.

The “All-Seeing Eye” Conspiracy? Much has been written about the origins of the Great Seal of the United States that appears on the back of the one dollar bill.

Why a pyramid… an arguably un-American symbol? Why a Latin reference to a “new secular order” (in stark contrast to “In God We Trust”)?

And what about that eerie floating eyeball? Many historians now credit the unseen hand of the Illuminati with influencing the design of the Great Seal. The Illuminati had infiltrated the brotherhood of the Masons at a time when the Masons were very influential in U.S. politics (Vice President Henry Wallace was an upper echelon Mason). Most believe the Illuminati used their considerable influence to “brand” their symbology on the dollar bill.

The “all-seeing eye” above the pyramid is a well-known Illuminati symbol called the Shining Delta. The eye signifies the Illuminati’s “all-seeing” infiltration of government and community. The triangle (or delta) around the eye is the mathematical symbol for change (the Illuminati’s ultimate goal was to bring about massive change in the from of a secular New World Order). And finally, the rays of light shining off the triangle signify enlightenment and illumination (i.e., intellectual freedom from the dangerous “myth” of religion).

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Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Publication Date: July 1, 2001
Mass Market Paperback: 608 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star
ISBN-10: 0671027360
ISBN-13: 9780671027360
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Book Review: Angels and Demons

“Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.” – Angels and demons

Angels and Demons is the novel that introduces the most iconic fictional character, Robert Langdon. Though this character is famous for worldwide massive bestselling novel Da Vinci code. This book is predecessor of that masterpiece.

Angels and Demons is a bestselling mystery-thriller novel by Dan brown published in 2000.

It is the best page turner and I would recommend it for new readers or the people who love thriller/mystery.

The book is majorly set in Rome, CERN and Vatican City in a single day time frame, and revolves around things like conspiracy theory of Illuminati (A secret brotherhood which has been extinct for nearly 400 years) and catholic church, Ancient history and symbology.

The protagonist of the novel is Robert Langdon who is a professor of symbology at Harvard university and Vittoria Vetra a scientist at CERN (A European organization for nuclear research in Geneva)

The novel start with a chilling murder of Leonardo Vetra a leading scientist at CERN with an ambigram(Design of word when read from different direction is same.)ILUMINATI branded into his chest.

“Nothing captures human interest more than human tragedy.” ― Dan Brown, Angels & Demons

At this time Maximilian Kohler director of CERN contacts Robert Langdon who is expert in Illuminati to confirm the authenticity of the symbol and find any lead possible.

Eventually they find that an antimatter canister which the scientist Leonardo Vetra had been working was stolen from the Lab of CERN which is a deadly time bomb counting down till midnight. A single gram of antimatter contains energy of 20 kiloton nuclear bomb-the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Parallelly the canister of antimatter is found to be located somewhere within the walls of Vatican city where the most renowned papal elections (head of Roman Catholic church) is taking place and cardinals from around the world are present for the conclave and also on top of it four preferiti (preferred cardinal for papacy) of the conclave are kidnapped.

Langdon and his companions are set to find the preferriti by deciphering the ancient puzzle set by the illuminati against the time bomb counting down towards the destruction of Vatican.

The novel is a page turner and it presents you with so many facts on ancient history, science and Religion. People who love history, religion and science will find it damn interesting though in few places it may be factually incorrect this book will never fail to entertain you.

My favorite part was Science Vs Religion arguments and how the story takes you to various significant sites around the Rome and Vatican city. Though certain aspects in the story seems utter impossibility, the overall read was absolute feast and kept me in edge of the seat throughout the novel.

MOVIE ADAPTATION

The movie was released in 2009.The choice of Tom Hank as Robert Langdon was so apt and his acting was good.

So many powerful spots, twist and conflicts were removed from the novel. I feel that the movie did not do justice to the novel. The plot was changed to a greater extent in the movie and it was rushed, I know all details in the book cannot be incorporated into a 2hr movie.

I would recommend to read the book first before watching the movie.

decided yet to give this book a try ?…. leave your comment below!!!… I will really appreciate it!!.

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Angels and Demons by Dan Brown – Book Review

Dan Brown needs no introduction! He is an American author famous for his novels that have become synonymous with mystery, secrets, and conspiracies. In this article, I will be reviewing his novel Angels and Demons, the first in the series of Robert Langdon (adventures). Starring Langdon, a professor invested in studying icons and symbols of ancient times, this book, Angels and Demons, has received positive feedback from readers and acclaim from book critics writing for various newspapers and magazines. Well, there are some negative and so-and-so kinds of responses as well. However, largely, the book remains a successful publication in the mystery genre.

Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons takes readers to the edge of the grand ring where events are taking place, defying conventional boundaries and delivering a unique reading experience. With its distinctive blend of relentless suspense, religious symbolism, and historical intrigue, the book stands out amidst the literary landscape, distinguishing itself from other works in the genre. It is beyond history and mystery and eventually mutates into a conspiracy of a grand scale – something for which Dan Brown is widely known. While it may not be without its flaws, Angels and Demons undoubtedly leaves an indelible mark on the reader’s imagination. Exposés of towering scales remain with them for many days after reading the last of this novel.

Many readers have dearly liked its masterful fusion of heart-stopping thrills and erudite historical references. Though critics and readers interested in historical correctness have criticised the novelist for inadequate historical wisdom exhibited in the novel, readers do get an impression that history is involved in the storyline with a sensational pinch of mystery and conspiracy. We can debate Dan Brown’s research, whether it’s meticulous or bereaved of history, supports the storyline as he weaves together an intricate cobweb of symbols, art, and religious lore that does engulf casual and common readers in its myriad folds. The author’s ability to seamlessly integrate complex historical elements into the narrative is commendable, offering readers an immersive experience that might propel them to investigate as it entertains. The pacing of the story is relentless, taking readers on quick laps through a series of breathless twists and turns that keep them on the edge of their seats until the final page. My experience was amazing and I expect other readers to find it the same.

Among appreciation for many other qualities of the novel, it should not be forgotten that Brown’s writing style possesses a rare gift for making the complex accessible. It allows even those unfamiliar with the subject matter to grasp the intricacies of ancient secret societies and religious symbolism. It also extends the circumference of readership and brings readers from different religious and cultural backgrounds to the fold, easing their interest with a quick backdrop that aids their context. His attention to detail brings the settings to life, whether it be the grandeur of Vatican City or the labyrinthine halls of clandestine archives. It should be noted that the author’s prose has a cinematic quality, invoking vivid imagery and creating a sense of urgency that mirrors the characters’ race against time. Well, did the same entice the producers of Hollywood to put their cash into Brown’s novel? Interesting chatter!

Coming to the elements that make this novel different from other thrillers and mystery novels, let us discuss a few. Angels and Demons stands out as a literary work that intertwines fact and fiction. Though we can always debate the veracity of ‘facts’ per se, in its literary context, the novel does make use of facts to enrich the fiction and offer readers a unique experience that they seldom get from conventional thrillers bathed in imagination only. It is, after all, Brown’s ability to blend historical accuracy with imaginative storytelling that sets it apart from other books in the genre. Unlike many thrillers that prioritize plot over character development, Angels and Demons offers readers well-rounded protagonists who navigate the treacherous waters of conspiracy and intrigue. Robert Langdon, the enigmatic symbologist, emerges as a compelling figure, driven by intellect and a moral compass that adds depth to his character. One might also care to notice that Robert Langdon, with a prosaic and rather dull name and a job that seldom fits the vacancy of someone who can solve conspiracies and reach to the final layers of ancient mysteries, creates compassion and interest in himself and keeps increasing the same thought the length of the novel. The same stands true for the entire novel – a slow starter because things unfold, and once it begins, it never stops!

On the flip side, as we always observe here on Indian Book Critics, the book does have its drawbacks. At times, the narrative can feel overly formulaic, relying on a familiar pattern of cryptic clues, high-stakes chases, and last-minute revelations. Though it might not bother the ardent fans of Dan Brown or this genre, it does annoy readers who may be trying this one as their first novel of this genre. And a repetition of such patterns can lead to a sense of predictability, diminishing the element of surprise for astute readers. Additionally, while the historical elements are expertly integrated, the characterization of certain secondary figures may appear shallow, lacking the same level of depth and nuance afforded to the main characters. And that also extracts certain chunks of intrigue from the plot as it becomes singularly driven by Langdon, the antagonists, and the author himself. Some may also argue that the book delves into controversial territory, touching upon sensitive religious themes that can polarize readers. While the story’s fictional nature should be acknowledged, readers need to approach it with an open mind and an understanding that the author employs artistic license in his exploration of these subjects. Yes, the validity and use of such a license are always subject to scrutiny… Yes, the novel is too long, a voluminous one.

After carefully putting out these facts about the novel, and not revealing the secrets of the plot at all, I can assert that Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons is a gripping thriller that sets itself apart from the genre with its fusion of historical intrigue, religious symbolism, and relentless suspense. Brown’s research cannot be relied upon, and neither should a person reading the book expect historical correctness from a novel. Accessible writing style contributes to a unique reading experience, pulling readers into a world where fact and fiction collide. While the book may exhibit a certain level of predictability and shallow secondary characterisation, its strengths lie in its ability to intrigue, entertain, and challenge readers’ preconceptions. Angels and Demons stands as a testament to the power of literature to blur the lines between reality and imagination, leaving an indelible impression long after the final page has been turned.

To get a copy of this novel – click here for the Amazon India book page link.

Review by Amit for Indian Book Critics

IBC Critical Rating

Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons, as the name implies, takes readers on a journey that’s compelling and revealing… readable and enjoyable!

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1 comment . leave new.

A quality review… though the book is already old, new-age readers may have a glance of this review Tod decide whether to read Dan Brown’s classic Angels and Demons or not. Good stuff guys! keep working like this

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Book review: 'angels and demons' by dan brown.

Official Goodreads synopsis: An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy -- the Catholic Church. Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival. Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

(Slight Spoilers Ahead) I, like many people before me, read "The Da Vinci Code" before "Angels and Demons." However, after having read both, I can now say that it did not matter. Both stories stood well on their own. So I just wanted to clear that up just in case anyone was wondering before really starting this review. On the whole, this book was OK. Unfortunately, my harsh rating is not because of the overall story arc and things like the pace of the story itself, but because of the little things throughout the book that really irked me. Not only that, but the structure of the story and the predictability of it all. First, I would like to address the fact that Brown purposely chose an Arab-Muslim character to portray the bad guy. I understand that perhaps the character had some beef with the Catholic church, but that doesn’t give an author the excuse to use him as a blood-thirsty, raping, animal. I myself am Arabic—not Muslim, but I have many friends and family that are. To paraphrase from the book, the character said that women in his culture were nothing more than slaves of men, sexually and domestically. I’m sure this is true in some cases (even today), but for the 21st century, I found this extremely off-putting. Brown only added onto the stereotype that Arabs/Muslims are a vulgar, violent, and terroristic people. Did it help get the point across that the other characters were in danger with this particular character? Yes. Was it necessary that his ethnicity and religion be the reason why? No. Another issue I had with the story was the way it was structured. There were no surprising turns or twists. It literally went from finding one dead cardinal to the next, and to be honest, I expected that. I didn’t expect Robert and Vittoria to find them any other way. I expected them to be too late each time, and I was right. The only twist I can commend Brown on is the end concerning the Camerlengo. It was a good twist, but I think Brown waited too long for it. It came at the very end, and at that point, I just wanted the book to be wrapped up already. The last couple pages of the novel were also very off-putting. After all that Vittoria had gone through with her father and with the gruesome events of that day, she just wanted to have sex? Really? The need for romance in this book was not there for me. The last line of the book was something along the lines of, “You’ve never slept with someone who does yoga, have you?” After EVERYTHING that happened, that is how you want to end the book? I just couldn’t take it. This part may have been small, but it had a huge impact on how I viewed the book. It reduced Vittoria’s character immensely within a matter of a few pages. I can say that I enjoy reading Brown’s books for is how he can effortlessly present information without it dragging on. The character of Robert Langdon is perfect for relaying information that is important to the story, and that is a feat that many author can not and will never over come. So for that, kudos Dan Brown. In the end, I deeply wish I could give Brown a better rating. The story really was interesting. I mean, who doesn’t love a story that concerns the Illuminati? They’re mysterious and interesting. Unfortunately, it was not enough. I do plan on reading "The Lost Symbol" and "Inferno," so hopefully my ratings will rise with those two. Final Rating: 2.5/5 stars

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Grateful beyond words: a letter to my inspiration, i have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

Navigating the Talking Stage: 21 Essential Questions to Ask for Connection

It's mandatory to have these conversations..

Whether you met your new love interest online , through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

1. What do you do for a living?

What someone does for a living can tell a lot about who they are and what they're interested in! Their career reveals a lot more about them than just where they spend their time to make some money.

2. What's your favorite color?

OK, I get it, this seems like something you would ask a Kindergarten class, but I feel like it's always good to know someone's favorite color . You could always send them that Snapchat featuring you in that cute shirt you have that just so happens to be in their favorite color!

3. Do you have any siblings?

This one is actually super important because it's totally true that people grow up with different roles and responsibilities based on where they fall in the order. You can tell a lot about someone just based on this seemingly simple question.

4. What's your favorite television show?

OK, maybe this isn't a super important question, but you have to know ASAP if you can quote Michael Scott or not. If not, he probably isn't the one. Sorry, girl.

5. When is your birthday?

You can then proceed to do the thing that every girl does without admitting it and see how compatible your zodiacs are.

6. What's your biggest goal in life?

If you're like me, you have big goals that you want to reach someday, and you want a man behind you who also has big goals and understands what it's like to chase after a dream. If his biggest goal is to see how quickly he can binge-watch " Grey's Anatomy " on Netflix , you may want to move on.

7. If you had three wishes granted to you by a genie, what would they be?

This is a go-to for an insight into their personality. Based on how they answer, you can tell if they're goofy, serious, or somewhere in between.

8. What's your favorite childhood memory?

For some, this may be a hard question if it involves a family member or friend who has since passed away . For others, it may revolve around a tradition that no longer happens. The answers to this question are almost endless!

9. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

We all have parts of our lives and stories that we wish we could change. It's human nature to make mistakes. This question is a little bit more personal but can really build up the trust level.

10. Are you a cat or a dog person?

I mean, duh! If you're a dog person, and he is a cat person, it's not going to work out.

11. Do you believe in a religion or any sort of spiritual power?

Personally, I am a Christian, and as a result, I want to be with someone who shares those same values. I know some people will argue that this question is too much in the talking stage , but why go beyond the talking stage if your personal values will never line up?

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Even homebodies have a must visit place on their bucket list !

13. What is your ideal date night?

Hey, if you're going to go for it... go for it!

14. Who was/is your celebrity crush?

For me, it was hands-down Nick Jonas . This is always a fun question to ask!

15. What's a good way to cheer you up if you're having a bad day?

Let's be real, if you put a label on it, you're not going to see your significant other at their best 24/7.

16. Do you have any tattoos?

This can lead to some really good conversations, especially if they have a tattoo that has a lot of meaning to them!

17. Can you describe yourself in three words?

It's always interesting to see if how the person you're talking to views their personal traits lines ups with the vibes you're getting.

18. What makes you the most nervous in life?

This question can go multiple different directions, and it could also be a launching pad for other conversations.

19. What's the best gift you have ever received?

Admittedly, I have asked this question to friends as well, but it's neat to see what people value.

20. What do you do to relax/have fun?

Work hard, play hard, right?

21. What are your priorities at this phase of your life?

This is always interesting because no matter how compatible your personalities may be, if one of you wants to be serious and the other is looking for something casual, it's just not going to work.

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Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in challah bread or easter bread.

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

A few weeks ago, I was given a loaf of bread called Challah (pronounced like holla), and upon my first bite, I realized it tasted just like Easter Bread. It was so delicious that I just had to make some of my own, which I did.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 1 cup lukewarm water 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 2 tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash) 1/4 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil

Instructions

Combine yeast and a pinch of sugar in small bowl with the water and stir until you see a frothy layer across the top.
Whisk together 4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour and add in eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk these together to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.
Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry and mix until difficult to move.
Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes. If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Separate the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope roughly 1-inch thick and 16 inches long.
Gather the ropes and squeeze them together at the very top. Braid the pieces in the pattern of over, under, and over again. Pinch the pieces together again at the bottom.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and lift the loaf on top. Sprinkle the loaf with a little flour and drape it with a clean dishcloth. Place the pan somewhere warm and away from drafts and let it rise until puffed and pillowy, about an hour.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the reserved egg white with a tablespoon of water and brush it all over the challah. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.
Slide the challah on its baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. The challah is done when it is deeply browned.

I kept wondering how these two breads could be so similar in taste. So I decided to look up a recipe for Easter Bread to make a comparison. The two are almost exactly the same! These recipes are similar because they come from religious backgrounds. The Jewish Challah bread is based on kosher dietary laws. The Christian Easter Bread comes from the Jewish tradition but was modified over time because they did not follow kosher dietary laws.

A recipe for Easter bread is as follows:

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 2/3 cup milk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white granulated sugar 2 tbs butter 2 large eggs 2 tbs melted butter 1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.
Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Both of these recipes are really easy to make. While you might need to have a day set aside for this activity, you can do things while the dough is rising or in the oven. After only a few hours, you have a delicious loaf of bread that you made from scratch, so the time and effort is really worth it!

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer..

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake , have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart , no matter how dirty the water may look.

Every year when summer rolls back around, you can't wait to fire up the boat and get back out there. Here is a list of things you can probably identify with as a fellow lake-goer.

A bad day at the lake is still better than a good day not at the lake.

It's your place of escape, where you can leave everything else behind and just enjoy the beautiful summer day. No matter what kind of week you had, being able to come and relax without having to worry about anything else is the best therapy there is. After all, there's nothing better than a day of hanging out in the hot sun, telling old funny stories and listening to your favorite music.

You know the best beaches and coves to go to.

Whether you want to just hang out and float or go walk around on a beach, you know the best spots. These often have to be based on the people you're with, given that some "party coves" can get a little too crazy for little kids on board. I still have vivid memories from when I was six that scared me when I saw the things drunk girls would do for beads.

You have no patience for the guy who can't back his trailer into the water right.

When there's a long line of trucks waiting to dump their boats in the water, there's always that one clueless guy who can't get it right, and takes 5 attempts and holds up the line. No one likes that guy. One time my dad got so fed up with a guy who was taking too long that he actually got out of the car and asked this guy if he could just do it for him. So he got into the guy's car, threw it in reverse, and got it backed in on the first try. True story.

Doing the friendly wave to every boat you pass.

Similar to the "jeep wave," almost everyone waves to other boats passing by. It's just what you do, and is seen as a normal thing by everyone.

The cooler is always packed, mostly with beer.

Alcohol seems to be a big part of the lake experience, but other drinks are squeezed into the room remaining in the cooler for the kids, not to mention the wide assortment of chips and other foods in the snack bag.

Giving the idiot who goes 30 in a "No Wake Zone" a piece of your mind.

There's nothing worse than floating in the water, all settled in and minding your business, when some idiot barrels through. Now your anchor is loose, and you're left jostled by the waves when it was nice and perfectly still before. This annoyance is typically answered by someone yelling some choice words to them that are probably accompanied by a middle finger in the air.

You have no problem with peeing in the water.

It's the lake, and some social expectations are a little different here, if not lowered quite a bit. When you have to go, you just go, and it's no big deal to anyone because they do it too.

You know the frustration of getting your anchor stuck.

The number of anchors you go through as a boat owner is likely a number that can be counted on two hands. Every once in a while, it gets stuck on something on the bottom of the lake, and the only way to fix the problem is to cut the rope, and you have to replace it.

Watching in awe at the bigger, better boats that pass by.

If you're the typical lake-goer, you likely might have an average-sized boat that you're perfectly happy with. However, that doesn't mean you don't stop and stare at the fast boats that loudly speed by, or at the obnoxiously huge yachts that pass.

Knowing any swimsuit that you own with white in it is best left for the pool or the ocean.

You've learned this the hard way, coming back from a day in the water and seeing the flowers on your bathing suit that were once white, are now a nice brownish hue.

The momentary fear for your life as you get launched from the tube.

If the driver knows how to give you a good ride, or just wants to specifically throw you off, you know you're done when you're speeding up and heading straight for a big wave. Suddenly you're airborne, knowing you're about to completely wipe out, and you eat pure wake. Then you get back on and do it all again.

You're able to go to the restaurants by the water wearing minimal clothing.

One of the many nice things about the life at the lake is that everybody cares about everything a little less. Rolling up to the place wearing only your swimsuit, a cover-up, and flip flops, you fit right in. After a long day when you're sunburned, a little buzzed, and hungry, you're served without any hesitation.

Having unexpected problems with your boat.

Every once in a while you're hit with technical difficulties, no matter what type of watercraft you have. This is one of the most annoying setbacks when you're looking forward to just having a carefree day on the water, but it's bound to happen. This is just one of the joys that come along with being a boat owner.

Having a name for your boat unique to you and your life.

One of the many interesting things that make up the lake culture is the fact that many people name their boats. They can range from basic to funny, but they are unique to each and every owner, and often have interesting and clever meanings behind them.

There's no better place you'd rather be in the summer.

Summer is your all-time favorite season, mostly because it's spent at the lake. Whether you're floating in the cool water under the sun, or taking a boat ride as the sun sets, you don't have a care in the world at that moment . The people that don't understand have probably never experienced it, but it's what keeps you coming back every year.

Top Creators

1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society 2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Angels & Demons

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About The Author

Dan Brown is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Origin , The Da Vinci Code , Digital Fortress , Deception Point , The Lost Symbol , Angels & Demons , and Inferno . He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he spent time as an English teacher before turning his efforts to writing full-time. He lives in New England with his wife. Visit his website at DanBrown.com.

Product Details

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (May 23, 2006)
Length: 496 pages
ISBN13: 9780743493468

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Angels & demons, common sense media reviewers.

Talky, violent conspiracy thriller will bore kids and teens.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Messages are mixed. In general, the film is packed

Role models are mixed. The main characters act her

Lots of violence -- more deaths than the first mov

Mostly mild; words include "hell," "damn," "goddam

Prominently featured vehicles include a fancy SUV

Some of the cardinals are shown smoking cigarettes

Positive Messages

Messages are mixed. In general, the film is packed with conspiracy theories, cover-ups, and manipulation.

Positive Role Models

Role models are mixed. The main characters act heroically and risk their lives for the Catholic Church, even though they're not members. But another character hires a contract killer to torture and murder men of faith just to further his own agenda.

Violence & Scariness

Lots of violence -- more deaths than the first movie. Cardinals are literally branded, and three are killed gruesomely. A character is shot, and his eyeball is torn out; characters are routinely shot or stabbed to death. One lights himself on fire, while another is burned a la Joan of Arc.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Mostly mild; words include "hell," "damn," "goddamn it," "go to hell," etc.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Prominently featured vehicles include a fancy SUV and Mercedes Benzes.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Some of the cardinals are shown smoking cigarettes, as is a member of the Swiss Guard.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Angels & Demons , the adaptation of Dan Brown's pre- Da Vinci Code novel about ancient religious conspiracy theories and a secret society has more deaths than the first movie . The action starts with a gruesome murder and theft, and the violence continues throughout, as cardinals are taken hostage and killed in public, shocking ways. Plus, it's implied that prominent priests and the Vatican's Swiss Guard conspire to commit murder and cover up scandals. Language is generally mild, and there's no sex to speak of; some characters smoke. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (15)
Kids say (40)

Based on 15 parent reviews

NOT AS VIOLENT AS EVERYONE SAYS

What's the story.

In The Da Vinci Code , Harvard professor Dr. Robert Langdon ( Tom Hanks ) nearly brought down the Catholic Church, but in ANGELS & DEMONS, he's asked to help save it. The pope has died, and just as the conclave of cardinals is about to meet to elect a new one, four of them are taken hostage by a group claiming to be the resurrection of the Illuminati -- an ancient secret society historically at odds with the church. The kidnappers announce that they'll publicly murder each of the hostages and then detonate a powerful vial of anti-matter stolen from a top-secret Swiss project run by the beautiful Dr. Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer). Racing against time, the world-renowned symbologist and his new sidekick scientist follow hidden clues to try to stop the killings -- and the possible destruction of the Vatican.

Is It Any Good?

Brown's thrillers are packed with so much exposition that it should come as no surprise that this sequel, like The Da Vinci Code , is overlong and way too talky. It's a bit preposterous to imagine that a priest -- much less a cardinal or the head of the Swiss Guard ( Stellan Skarsgard ) -- would need a lecture on major milestones in church history. But it's all for the audience's benefit, since few people understand the minutiae about how a pope is elected, what the Illuminati stood for, or even what anti-matter is supposed to achieve.

While director Ron Howard scores some extra points for downplaying the role of the hired assassin and including several high-speed car chases, there's just no saving Angels & Demons from getting mired in all of Brown's ridiculous, conspiracy-theory details. At least Hanks has a much less conspicuous haircut, and Ewan McGregor , as the late pope's right-hand man, is effective as a priest straddling progressive and conservative paths for the church. But the best part of the thriller isn't the story or the chases -- it's Armin Mueller- Stahl as Cardinal Strauss. He's truly one of the most versatile, international actors of his generation, and he's a pleasure to watch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the premise of Angels & Demons . The first movie 's central conspiracy theory upset Christians across the globe, but this one has been deemed inaccurate but "harmless" by the Catholic Church. Why the change of perspective?

In general, does controversy help promote a movie?

Discuss how the violence in this movie compares to the first one. Does it have more or less impact ? Why?

Movie Details

In theaters : May 15, 2009
On DVD or streaming : November 24, 2009
Cast : Ewan McGregor , Tom Hanks
Director : Ron Howard
Studio : Columbia Tristar
Genre : Thriller
Run time : 130 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : sequences of violence, disturbing images and thematic material
Last updated : March 10, 2023

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COMMENTS

Angels and Demons Book Review
Positive Reviews. "Angels and Demons" is an intriguing thriller for the way in which it mixes religious and historical elements with a sense of foreboding. It introduced the general public to an ages-old secret society, and was a unique entry into the world of conspiracy theory mysteries. While the book may not be great literature per se, it is ...
Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon, #1) by Dan Brown
4+ out of 5 stars to Dan Brown's Angels & Demons, the first book in his "Robert Langdon" thriller series. When I saw the movie trailer for The Da Vinci Code, I was hooked and immediately bought the book so I could read it first. ... This is an excerpt from my review of Inferno, which I read before Angels and Demons - With this glowing rating ...
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown: Summary and reviews
Angels & Demons is part techno thriller, part mystery and all action. Dan Brown deftly combines a fast moving, intriguing and well-researched plot that weaves together the secret nuclear research facilities of CERN and the ancient and modern secrets of the Vatican. Membership Advantages.
ANGELS AND DEMONS
Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene. A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy. 91. Pub Date: June 16, 2020. ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7. Page Count: 304. Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine. Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020.
Book Review: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (Robert Langdon series #1)
Book Review: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. After finishing Deception Point, I picked Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. This is a book no more than it is the words of an outcome of science and religion combined. That is my first time reading a book by Dan Brown, but I watched many of his interviews. In almost all of these interviews, Dan Brown ...
Angels & Demons
Angels & Demons is a 2000 bestselling mystery-thriller novel written by American author Dan Brown and published by Pocket Books and then by Corgi Books.The novel introduces the character Robert Langdon, who recurs as the protagonist of Brown's subsequent novels. Angels & Demons shares many stylistic literary elements with its sequels, such as conspiracies of secret societies, a single-day time ...
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
The brutality of one after another murder becomes too much and the reader feels that the end could have come sooner. The book heavily referes to ancient architecture and symbols, but inaccuracies have been reported about these by various people and organisations. The History Channel aired an documentary called "Angels & Demons decoded" on ...
Angels and Demons
Overall Book Review: Angels & Demons is Dan Brown's first book containing Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist. Langdon seems to find himself in a high-energy, extremely dangerous, historically based adventure that takes the reader through the ancient city of Rome and more specifically Vatican City. Somewhat convoluted, the story is fun to ...
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
3.98. 1,890 ratings217 reviews. World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization -- the Illuminati.
Angels & Demons (Brown)
Angels & Demons. Dan Brown, 2000. Simon & Schuster. 736 pp. ISBN-13: 9780743412391. Summary. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol—seared into the chest of a murdered physicist—he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient ...
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Okay, I have a lot of thoughts about this book, so this might be a long ride. First of all, Angels and Demons is a book by Dan Brown, and the first book of a trilogy of history-filled fiction, mostly set in Italy. The story starts with our main character, Robert Langdon, a historian, being called to a secret organization called CERN where the ...
Book review: Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Plot - 4.5/5. Angels & Demons is all about Robert Langdon, a world-renowned symbologist being summoned to a Swiss research facility after a physicist has been murdered and had a mysterious symbol seared into his chest. The symbol suggests an ancient brotherhood by the name of the Illuminati, the most powerful underground organisation to ever ...
Book Review: Angels and Demons
Review. A brilliant page turner for readers who love fast paced storyline and drama. Angels and Demons is an amazing thriller by Dan Brown, the same writer who wrote Da Vinci Code. The book has the same protagonist, Robert Langdon who is an iconology professor and is set in in the cobbled street of Europe and the Vatican City.
Angels & Demons
Angels & Demons. Novel 2000. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol — seared into the chest of a murdered physicist — he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati… the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Author interviews, book reviews and lively book commentary are found here. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. The Book Report Network. Our Other Sites. Bookreporter; ... Angels & Demons is filled with examples of science versus religion, a debate that has raged for centuries. Is there room in the world for both ...
Angels & Demons: A Novel (Robert Langdon)
Dan Brown is the bestselling author of Digital Fortress, Deception Point, Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol and most recently, Inferno. Three of his Robert Langdon novels have been adapted for the screen by Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks. They have all been international blockbusters. His new Robert Langdon thriller, Origin ...
Book Review: Angels and Demons
- Angels and demons . Angels and Demons is the novel that introduces the most iconic fictional character, Robert Langdon. Though this character is famous for worldwide massive bestselling novel Da Vinci code. This book is predecessor of that masterpiece. Angels and Demons is a bestselling mystery-thriller novel by Dan brown published in 2000.
Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon)
The explosive Robert Langdon thriller from Dan Brown, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code and Inferno —now a major film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones. Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war. This is the book that started it all: we meet Robert ...
The Truth About Angels and Demons Is Staring Us in the Face
In his 2018 book Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God's Heavenly Host, Heiser explains that message-bearing (what the word angel means in Greek) marks only one of the many functions ...
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Angels and Demons
"Angels & Demons" is dedicated specifically to Dan Brown's mother and I cannot help but wonder if this elevated the author's lexicon to a level more consistent with good literature. The first novel was dedicated to both of his parents.
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Angels and Demons stands as a testament to the power of literature to blur the lines between reality and imagination, leaving an indelible impression long after the final page has been turned. To get a copy of this novel - click here for the Amazon India book page link. Review by Amit for Indian Book Critics
Book Review: 'Angels And Demons' By Dan Brown
Book Review: 'Angels And Demons' By Dan Brown. Jennifer Khawam. Jun 06, 2016. Arcadia University. Rare Book Cellar. Official Goodreads synopsis:An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol ...
Angels & Demons
Dan Brown is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Origin, The Da Vinci Code, Digital Fortress, Deception Point, The Lost Symbol, Angels & Demons, and Inferno.He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he spent time as an English teacher before turning his efforts to writing full-time.
Angels & Demons Movie Review
In general, the film is packed. Role models are mixed. The main characters act her. Parents need to know that Angels & Demons, the adaptation of Dan Brown's pre- Da Vinci Code novel about ancient religious conspiracy theories and a secret society has more deaths than the first movie. The action starts with a gruesome murder and theft, and the ...

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