Fredtopia

The DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons were great, but the Lost Symbol is terrible. I'd give it a zero rating if it was available. Without giving any spoilers... The beginning is way overdone with fawning over descriptions of the super rich and powerful. Not a paragraph goes by without gushing about how each character is elite and wealthy and fantastic - we get it. The plot is predictable, almost every turn in the road is apparent as the character starts down the path. The climax is clumsily limped along by the authorities demonstrating pathetic mistakes in basic police work for the sake of plot development and allowing the characters to fall back into danger. The need to preserve secrecy that motivates many of the characters and the national security emergency that are revealed toward the end are simply ridiculous. The ending is weak and slow to bring the characters to closure, who are inappropriately underwhelmed by the tragedies they have endured.

This book is fantastic, one of my favorite titles by Wodehouse. While listening to this title, I had an epiphany about the inspiration and influence that Douglas Adams found in the work of P.G. Wodehouse, especially for the Dirk Gently series by Adams - my absolute favorite books. The writing style, clever use of the English language, and the fundamental interconnectedness of all things (including all elements of the plot) brought me to a new of appreciation of both authors' work.