The Lost Symbol

By: Dan Brown

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER • An intelligent, lightning-paced thriller set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., with surprises at every turn.

“Impossible to put down.... Another mind-blowing Robert Langdon story.” —The New York Times

Famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon answers an unexpected summons to appear at the U.S. Capitol Building. His plans are interrupted when a disturbing object—artfully encoded with five symbols—is discovered in the building. Langdon recognizes in the find an ancient invitation into a lost world of esoteric, potentially dangerous wisdom.

When his mentor Peter Solomon—a long-standing Mason and beloved philanthropist—is kidnapped, Langdon realizes that the only way to save Solomon is to accept the mystical invitation and plunge headlong into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and one inconceivable truth... all under the watchful eye of Dan Brown's most terrifying villain to date.

©2009 Dan Brown (P)2009 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[I]mpossible to put down....Mr. Brown was writing sensational visual scenarios long before his books became movie material. This time he again enlivens his story with amazing imagery....Thanks to him, picture postcards of the capital's most famous monuments will never be the same....In the end it is Mr. Brown's sweet optimism, even more than Langdon's sleuthing and explicating, that may amaze his readers most." ( The New York Times)
"Thrilling, entertaining....Robert Langdon goes for another roller-coaster ride - this time in a hunt for a Masonic treasure in Washington, D.C." ( Los Angeles Times)

love it

Dan brown is 1 of my favorite authors and the narration is amazing and mesmerizing

Dan Brown always writes a great story

I love to listen to Dan Brown. He can make every tale he writes seem so real.

An amazing book

You really have to read or listen to this entire book to really understand the beauty of it. Dan Brown really has created a deep philosophical novel.

Masonry

it is more or less the same story than DaVinci code but still enjoyable and interesting. Masonry takes the principal role of the drama with Rober Landon less capable to bring solutions over the table. But the story has an happy ending.

Not his best

Although a big fan, I was not impressed with this read. Too much story for such a let down in the end.

Great book.

This book is awesome. Once again Dan Brown has written an exciting adventure. Can't wait for another Robert Langdon Adventure.

writing was okay, narrating was mediocre

The book was good, even gripping through the first half. Then it became redundant and very predictable. And the end sounded like an excited school child preaching to you you about the wonder of God. The last four chapters felt like they were never going to end; dragging on and on and going nowhere. I appreciate the insight Brown was trying to portray there, but it was done rather poorly.
As for the Narrater, Paul Michael, he would blend his voices into the narration and at times I felt like he completely forgot which character he was portraying. He wasn't terrible, and was certainly listenable. But he could have been much more consistent.
Overall, A good book, not great, but good. It won't become anybody's favorite book. Fan's of Dan Brown will more than likely enjoy it though I don't expect anyone to be terribly impressed.

The lost symbol

Having read or listened to four of Dan Brown's books. I thought that there was no way he could get me going again with the same characters. I was wrong. Almost from the start I was hooked. It not only takes you in directions that you don't expect, but you are encouraged to try to get ahead. The twist and turns that you are led on make you feel like you are right in there with the characters. Great book.

Surprising twist doesn't save book

I kept on wanting this book to get better as I listened but it wasn't meant to be. The book was narrated in an approximation of real time and some of the things that happened strained believability when it came to injuries and recoveries. Brown seemed more interested in pushing philosophies than in weaving an interesting story. A surprising twist in the latter part of the book generated some vigor and interest but it didn't last long. The last 90 minutes of the book were anticlimactic and added very little to the product. If Brown was less of a writer this book would have gotten two stars. Angels and Demons was excellent. the DaVinci Code was good. The Lost Portal will hopefully be the last portal Brown writes about. Michael's narration was good but the grating voice of the CIA chief became annoying early on.

Should have stopped sooner

I happened to enjoy this book immensely, but there were a few issues. First, the author drags you through explanations via dialog. So, by Langdon becoming informed, the reader is informed. This is all fine and well, but it got old after a while. Secondly, it ended too late. The author should have stopped within 1 chapter of the final climax. The last chapters bored me out of my skull and I just wanted to eject the CD and move on. The plot twists in this book make wading through the overly long dialog worth the read, however.