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)

Great Intrigue and Suspense

Great story and hypothesis! Good read. and the narrator is exceptional! Loved it! Really good!

Dan Brown is a Genius!

I have read/listened to all of Dan Brown's series with Robert Langdon. This particular novel has quickly become my favorite. amazing insight Into science and the bible. He takes you on another symbolic scavenger hunt to save the nation. exciting and quite a few shockers....i couldn't stop listening!

Milk for children, meat for men.

Dan Brown is an author that doesn't shy away from controversy. I can imagine the message could be offensive to some "sheep" that flock to simple interpretations (milk for children) of scriptures. However, I really enjoyed it and thought both the plot and the message were very appropriate for our time. I also enjoyed the depth of information and history surrounding the subject matter. It brings light to subjects and ideas that need illumination. Can't wait for the movie.

Dan Brown Again

Excellent to the last moment. accurate and on point. Prrfectly wtitten and narrated. Great twists.

Started Strong, but ending was weak :(

Which character – as performed by Paul Michael – was your favorite?

Robert Langdon just because i've grown so attached to the character and have even developed a little crush, lol. The Moloch character was pretty awesome. Paul Michael is amazingggggggggggggggggggggg

Any additional comments?

i really wanted to like this book. I enjoyed DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons tremendously. i don't think this is a ****SPOILER ALERT*****










****SPOILER ALERT*****
but just in case, i'll put it down here so as not to mess with anyone :)
The big Twist...the Big Secret... to me is was sooooooooooooooooooooo AntiClimatic. The secret that will change/destroy the world forever was the biggest flop to me :( and the book was pretty good until then. In fact, i can't remember if it's before or after, there is one moment in the book that was amazing!!!!!!!! i didn't see it coming, and my jaw literally dropped open.
i really feel bad because there is like an hour left of the book, and i really don't feel like listening to it. The big reveal was just so disappointing.

great read

This book is fantastic. it had me on my seat and thinking the whole time.

Would get abridged next time

Narrator played female character a little breathy, Dan Brown enjoys long narrative..... overall pretty good

Minute by minute rush!

What did you love best about The Lost Symbol?

Fantastic detail and research on the history and religious references. Every page seems as though it could be non-fiction.

What did you like best about this story?

The suspense builds so big and yet what it leads to is no disappointment.

What does Paul Michael bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He keeps a fast pace that stays in time with a fast paced story

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved the description of the Mason ceremonies an rituals.

Any additional comments?

Set aside a chunk of time to listen. It's hard to multitask with such gripping storyline.

Great performance, poor syncing qualities

Where does The Lost Symbol rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Great book, not one of Dan Brown's best novels, but overall very enjoyable.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Paul Michael?

The narrator did a great job of performing the different voices in the book/novel version. I would highly recommend him as a narrator. I liked his rendition of Sato compared to Catherine compared to Robert. Even though it was one person narrating, you really felt like it was different characters because of the variety of the narrator's voice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I broke it out into increments. But, it is the type of book that you want to go back to reading/listening.

Any additional comments?

There was a day lag in terms of syncing. It would generally take one or two days for my Kindle version to catch up with my iPhone narration version. So, if I was reading the book, then it would sync automatically with my iPhone or Audible file. However, if I was listening to the book, then it would take one or two days to sync with my Kindle reading version. Sometimes, I had to update the chapters manually.

Great

All I have to say is great. If you don't understand this book, then read again until you do.