The Da Vinci Code

A Novel

By: Dan Brown

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER • While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols.

“Blockbuster perfection.... A gleefully erudite suspense novel.” —The New York Times

“A pulse-quickening, brain-teasing adventure.” —People

As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci—and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

Can't get enough of The Da Vinci Code? Check out our store devoted to all things Da Vinci.

©2003 Dan Brown (P)2003 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In this gleefully erudite suspense novel, Mr. Brown takes the format...to blockbuster perfection." (The New York Times)
"Brown solidifies his reputation as one of the most skilled thriller writers on the planet with his best book yet, a compelling blend of history and page-turning suspense." (Library Journal)
"Many notches above the intelligent thriller; this is pure genius." (Nelson DeMille)

Reader Advisory: Strong anti-Christian bias

Gave up half way through because the premise of the book which is that Jesus Christ is not divine and was "married" to Mary Magdalene. Additionally, though I'm not a Catholic, I was repulsed by the characterization the book makes of bishops, monks and any who would reject its premise as venal, murdering fools bent on hiding "the truth". While I didn't have the stomach to finish the book, even if it did turn the plot on its head, I would like to warn believers in Jesus Christ that they may find themselves faced with some snearing, blasphemous dialogue and should be well warned of this if they want to read on.

While this is a work of fiction, I finally could not justify spending the time listening to something so offensive to truth I hold dear, namely the divinity of Christ, even for the sake of a good mystery, which it wasn't. Marginal voice acting and a "pull the rabbit out of the hat" style of mystery writing sealed this book's fate for me.

I wonder how far this book would have gotten if it had dealt with Mohammed or Moses in the same fashion?

mildly entertaining

This audio version falls flat. The charecters are thin, the story weak and the ending as exciting as watching Geraldo open Capones vault, i.e. EMPTY. I usually steer clear of abridged titles and really wish I had this time.

Holy Mother Church!

Someone's putting a case together against Holy Mother Church? Oh, how original. (Yawn). Two stars for the attempt at an okay story, but I really don't like the way this guy writes, nor do I like the faux-"Peyton Place" essence of his writing. He tries for romance but ends up with drama. It ruined another book I read of his...really wanted it to go somewhere but it just didn't.

As for the Church...well, if someone weren't criticizing her, we should be worried! Humans, not Saints, run the day-to-day church, therefore, evil tries her. She will withstand the tests of time...just as she always has before.

Not fiction - Religious Bigotry

After listening to this I certainly saw why it was given a prominent place in all the liberal media and promoted endlessly.

Such a masterpiece of Catholic bashing that I am sure the anti-Christian left were in seventh heaven promoting this nonsense. And the author was so obvious in his ploy to convince the public this slop was factual. What a laugh. What does this guy have against the Catholic Church? Or is just the 30 pieces of silver he is after?

I really have to contrast this book and the reaction to it with Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ".

Who did we hear complaining like a stuck pig in that case? And the film didn't even come close to this slanderous fiction.

I have to give this book one star for literature and four stars for religious bigotry and intolerance. And remember --- the sword of bigotry cuts both ways.

Thrilled to see some bad reviews

I am heartened to see negative reviews posted here! The book has interesting things going on, and has some intriguing theories (seemingly the fodder of many Discovery/History Channel shows past and future), but the shoddy writing erodes even further when it's read aloud. The subject of this book is so interesting -- can we overlook the fact that the plot is weighted down by clumsy suspense devices, suffer the exhausting moments (such as Robert trying to use Sophie's cell phone), just to get to that final "truth" about the Grail? I spent more time sighing or irritated while listening to this book than actually enjoying it. Here's an indicator: I was on a trip, and found I was missing the 2nd to last CD of the set. I punched in the next CD, and was surpised to find that I hadn't missed enough to matter! I finished the book, and went back to the missing CD, and it just droned on about the contrived twisted albino killer, and the priest with the briefcase, both of whom I'd had enough of earlier. I was left with the idea that the writer had outlined a much shorter book, and then fleshed out the plot with absurd obstacles and contrivances, orgies and naked albinos, heavy handed clues left in ancient boxes within boxes and protected by vinegar. Maybe everyone writes that way, but here it is clumsily done. Perhaps this book is a better "read" than a "listen." Saved from a zero star rating by its topic, it might make a beach read for someone lacking a better book.

the prefect example of bad writing

I have to admit I didn't listen to this book, but allowed myself to read it as my "trashy beach book." I was not wrong to assume that it would be trashy--the writing style especially. Believe me, reading this book or hearing it unabridged could not possibly help it. Here's Sophie, so expert at deciphering codes she works for the French government yet cannot look at a note screaming to be held up to a mirror to be interpreted. (I wonder how that bit was handled by a narrator). I'm reading that chapter looking at this reverse writing and shouting--get a mirror Nancy Drew! And that's true of nearly all of the so-called mysterious codes riddling the book--if I can figure out things before these experts can, something's wrong. The other thing the characters do--well, it's Brown's fault not the thinnly drawn two-dimensional figures in this book--is reiterate the obvious. It's as if the writer wanted to make sure he himself got what was going on. For instance, there's Chap. 67 when Robert has just been hit over the head. "How's your head, Robert?" Sophie asked, sounding concerned." If ever an adverb needed editing it this and every other one in the entire novel deserves the red pen. Author Brown, isn't merely asking the question indicative of concern? Finally, what you folks who only listened to the book did not have to endure was the italized thoughts of each character who immediately restates in thought the obvious reaction as to what just happened. The only mildly interesting thing I gleaned from this book is the reinforcement of my opinion of how obsessed people get about their myths. When the logical part of someone's mind is taken over by their investment in myth, then anything they look for substantiates it. For instance, if DaVinci paints his version of a myth, does that make the myth a reality?

very good book

A very good and refreshing book

horrible

Dan Brown is a great writer, but this audio book isn't even laughably bad -- it's just horrible. The narrator is atrocious. Read this one the old-fashioned way. You won't regret it.

disappointing

I did not agree with the story line of this book. I do not think that you should write fictional stories about Jesus. I also think that the author of this book committed blasphemy against God.

This is not literature

I began this book with much anticipation. What a disappointment. I now understand the source of the book's popularity, it is clearly written at a grade four level, the level at which most American adults read. I forced myself to finish the book despite the abundant and appalling cliches, the undeveloped characters and the predictable romance as dry as the characters themselves. I also quickly tired of the incessant church bashing that has become so vogue in the twenty-first century. Another observation is the lack of intelligent, confident female characters in a novel that is essentially an stab at the history of female power and goddess worship. It is a sad thought that a book of such poor quality is so popular.