Dan Brown is one of my favourites and one of the most popular authors of the 21st century. Dan Brown is specifically talented in weaving fiction with real life events and organisations. For me Dan Brown is my go to author to learn a lot about history and symbology within a book. I loved Brown’s books so much that I once aspired to be a symbologist myself. This year Dan Brown will take us on a trip to Spain and explore the cities of the beautiful country and delve deep into its history as Robert Langdon solves yet another mystery.
Here’s a countdown to the best Dan Brown book.
5. The Lost Symbol
Dealing with the Freemasons, the book is centred in the capitol city of the USA. Robert Langdon appears in Washington DC for a fake lecture as his friend and a Mason, Peter Solomon is held hostage by Mal’akh. The coveted object here happens to be a pyramid with a detachable cap stone. In order to free Solomon he joins Katherine Solomon and accepts Mal’akh’s invitation. The book has the signature style of Brown with symbols, history and fiction weaved in perfect harmony. However this failed to captivate the readers and out do his previous marvels.
4. Angels & Demons
Brown’s first book in the Robert Langdon series, the book is centred in the Vatican as he is called upon to solve the mystery of the four missing Cardinals. A scientist is killed with “ILLUMINATI” branded on his chest and a vial of antimatter stolen from CERN. The scientist’s daughter Vittoria embarks on an adventure with Langdon to locate the four cardinals by following the trail of clues left behind by the offender, in the fashion of the actual Illuminatis. This novel was a game changer and cemented Brown’s reputation as an author. The book feels tedious at times with repetitive sexualisation of Vittoria; a trait not to be found in any other book by Brown. Nevertheless it is a wonderful piece of informative literature.
3. The Inferno
Inferno is based in Florence, Italy and Istanbul, Turkey. Langdon has to foil the attempt of Bertrand Zobrist to reduce the population of earth by releasing a plague unto humanity. Langdon, who is fleeing assassins, is assisted by Sienna Brooks, a doctor, to flee and solve the mystery of the location of the plague. Drawing reference to Dante’s Inferno and Botticelli’s La Mappa Dell’Inferno, the two have to find out where the microbes are hid and confiscate it before it sets off. The book is a personal favourite because I love Florence. Although I wouldn’t want to visit the city under the circumstances posited by the book, the architectural descriptions and historical references were a treat.
2. Digital Fortress
Brown’s first stand alone novel is led by Susan Fletcher, a cryptographer in the NSA. After TRNSLTR fails to break the code “Digital Fortress”, Susan is called upon for help. But nothing is ever as it seems as the author of the code dies and a deaf assassin goes on a rampage, killing all those who try to help Fletcher’s fiancé in solving the mystery death of the coder. NSA is at the brink of exposition when Susan has to solve the mystery from the headquarters. The story is gripping and the suspense builds in perfect tandem to the actual storyline. This book was perfectly executed in my opinion.
Honourable MentionsDeception Point
1. The Da Vinci Code
Robert Langdon is suspected as the murderer of Jacques Saunière, Louvre curator and grandmaster of the Priory of Sion, an ancient order with the duty to protect the Holy Grail. Langdon and Jacques granddaughter Sophie Neveu try to untangle the mystery of his death and unlock the cryptex containing a keystone. The book contains references to Da Vinci’s works and inventions including the cryptex. This was my first Dan Brown book. I liked it enough to binge read the rest and grab a copy of the new ones as soon as they release. Despite several criticisms, I found the book to be an eye opener on many accounts. It made me give individual effort in finding answers that the world would refuse to provide. It was also an introduction to Brown’s magical capability of cramming so many fields of knowledge in one book without it feeling clumsy.
Are you as eagerly awaiting Origin as I am? It has been long since we got some hardcore fiction and facts together.
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