Inferno

A Novel

By: Dan Brown

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 17 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

Now a major motion picture.

With the publication of his groundbreaking novels The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown has become an international best-selling sensation, seamlessly fusing codes, symbols, art, and history into riveting thrillers that have captivated hundreds of millions of fans around the world. Now, Dan Brown takes listeners deep into the heart of Italy...guiding them through a landscape that inspired one of history's most ominous literary classics. 

"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis." 

Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon awakens in a hospital in the middle of the night. Disoriented and suffering from a head wound, he recalls nothing of the last 36 hours, including how he got there...or the origin of the macabre object that his doctors discover hidden in his belongings. 

Langdon's world soon erupts into chaos, and he finds himself on the run in Florence with a stoic young woman, Sienna Brooks, whose clever maneuvering saves his life. Langdon quickly realizes that he is in possession of a series of disturbing codes created by a brilliant scientist - a genius whose obsession with the end of the world is matched only by his passion for one of the most influential masterpieces ever written: Dante Alighieri's dark epic poem The Inferno. 

Racing through such timeless locations as the Palazzo Vecchio, the Boboli Gardens, and the Duomo, Langdon and Brooks discover a network of hidden passageways and ancient secrets, as well as a terrifying new scientific paradigm that will be used either to vastly improve the quality of life on earth...or to devastate it. 

In his most riveting and thought-provoking novel to date, Dan Brown has raised the bar yet again. Inferno is a sumptuously entertaining listen - a novel that will captivate listeners with the beauty of classical Italian art, history, and literature...while also posing provocative questions about the role of cutting-edge science in our future. 

©2013 Dan Brown (P)2013 Random House Audio

not as good as the others..

Would you listen to Inferno: A Novel again? Why?

No I wouldn't. . It seemed really drawn out and long and the action was not there to me like it was with the first 3 books.. at times I was seriously lost about what was going on.

What did you like best about this story?

It had a nice mystery and plot to it.

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

Emotion

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

None

Blaaaah

This book is 90% history lesson, 5% running in circles and 5% story. One review had said it perfectly - Dan went through a lot of trouble to describe everything to the last detail! I like the history, but not to much where it takes over the book. He wrote a book just to write a book

Formulaic and Hard to Finish....

I have just finished Dan Brown's newest book, Inferno, and can't tell you it was worth the time I spent slogging through it. The best I can say is that Paul Michael does a good job narrating this sad, formulaic, trip down the same road traveled in Brown's prior books. This time Robert Langdon wakes up in hospital with amnesia, meets a beautiful woman-with-whom-he-does-not-get-involved, immediately witnesses a murder, and goes on the run with her to escape from people trying to kill him while he pursues the symbolism in Dante's Inferno to save the world from a deadly virus created by a madman. The reader is treated to the same "lectures about things the world has not understood" -- this time about Dante, Florence, vector viruses, and overpopulation of the world. Brown's writing style is sloppy, and (remarkably) Robert Langdon remains under-developed and again appears as a "I have no life or personality" character who is marginally affected by the remarkable situations and events in the plot. I recommend you skip this one...

I Guess Dan Brown Never Read “Children of Men”...

…or “Jurassic Park,” or “Brave New World”…

I’m sure there are plenty of readers who give this book 5 stars because the ideas in the story energized them, and plenty who give it 1 star because they were horrified. I’m giving it 3 stars because I was neither energized nor horrified. The writing was just “meh,” also known as classic Dan Brown – his characters spend a lot of time “recalling when…” or “remembering the first time…” You can almost hear the dream sequence music cue in, and then we’re in for a long, explanatory bit of prose that acts like speed bumps to the plot. He awkwardly hides exposition within dialog and too often follows with a sometimes interesting history lesson on art, on Florence, on Dante Alighieri… but this is supposed to be a race to stop a madman from releasing a deadly plague! Right? I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say our characters have the time for a lesson or two. His show vs. tell skills could do with more exercise. That is, we know his Hero finds the female protagonist attractive because he says she’s “quite attractive.” We know she’s supposed to be very smart because our Hero finds information saying she’s very smart, though, throughout the story, Brown doesn’t have her behave like a very smart person -- she’s clever but not always intelligent. All in all, this is a tepid tale with some awkward contrivances, a strange twist and a flaccid ending, but if you’re interested in the transhumanist movement, Italian Renaissance and art, or Dante Alighieri and his Divine Comedy, then there is plenty in Inferno for you to enjoy.

Without giving too much away, here’s one point Brown doesn’t make in his arguments: Brown’s “mad doctor” character argues that after the black plague Europe enjoyed a renaissance reflected in the art, music and literature of the time, and makes the leap that the one-to-one correlation is related to the decrease in the population. Professor Langdon, our Hero, as an Art History professor, should have made the counter argument that the Renaissance didn’t simply come about because of a decrease in the population, but as a direct result of and an antidote to the suffering during the plague times. In other words, humanity doesn’t need to be mollycoddled by some guy who thinks he knows better than everyone else. Population wise, we’ve made our bed, so to speak, and there may be great suffering in the future, but think of the art and leaps of science we’ll make on the other side of it. Humans are at their best when given a challenge. Brown’s “mad doctor” wants to take that away without even considering that his Brave New World could usher in a malaise of thought and imagination, and accomplish the opposite of his goal by halting our evolution.

Well, I don't know what I was expecting

My feelings about Dan Brown could be optimistically described as "mixed".

I'll admit, with a slightly chagrinned tone, that I've read all of the Robert Langdon books -- and every single time I've finished them, I am annoyed that I just wasted X number of hours putting it into my brain.

They are (and here I'm being restrained in my word choice) formulaic.

There's the beautiful sidekick, the harrowing adventure through cities of historical value, the major work of art, the good Professor's pivotal role in a case of international and apocalyptical significance (okay, really, how many times does a semiologist find himself looking down the barrel of gun during his line of work? I'd buy once, *maybe* twice. But four times? No way.) we are all taught a lesson and the world is better off for having Robert Langdon to watch over it.


So, if it's not for the vaguely pedantic tone, prosaic repetitive writing or even the irritating sensation that Robert Langdon is a thinly veiled author surrogate, why read these books? What's the appeal?

My guess is the escapism. Suspend disbelief (Langdon is dashing about Florence sporting a serious head wound and conveniently amnestic) and chow down on the brain candy. The city is well researched and there's enough of a mystery that the reader is left wondering how it's going to be tied together, even if it's lite in terms of prose.

As a positive note, I will add that Langdon's character seems to be evolving. He is more somber this time around and prone to moments of existentialism. I'll also have to give kudos to Mr. Brown for choosing to address the issue of overpopulation. It is a difficult question that often meanders into a moral grey zone -- and the ending of Inferno is darkly surprising.

Overall, it's more than I expected, but not that much more.

Trip Advisor Meets James Bond

I have a theory about Dan Brown: He lives in New Hampshire and as a former Granite State resident I can attest to the fact that winter is cold and usually lasts six months. If I had Da Vinci Code money, I too would spend at least six month of each year hanging out drinking espresso in the most beautiful and interesting places in the world…then to justify the expense I too might cobble together a pot boiler on the scale of Inferno and palm it off on my fans. Note, Mr. Browns books aren’t typically set in Manchester or Cleveland…I think I see a pattern here.

Don’t get me wrong, Inferno isn’t horrible…I mean I finished it, and some of the characters are quite interesting….but it’s a bit of a mess. I was interested to read that Mr. Brown was raised Episcopalian and has a love or organ music from an early age, so his intense affection for mediaeval architecture and symbolism is quite understandable…I share a similar affection, you just can’t beat visiting cathedrals as a way to spend a few days in Florence or Venice. However page after page of what is essentially Trip Advisor meets James Bond can get just a tiny bit much.

My biggest problem with the book is the plot; why would a super villain (think evil Steve Jobs) go to the trouble of leaving an elaborate set of symbolic clues to allow possible thwarters of his evil plans to track down that evil pan and thwart it? It makes no sense at any level. Any plot, which starts off with amnesia, is suspect from day one in my book. The plot even throws in an old fashioned switcheroo in the middle so that all the good guys are now bad and vice versa…after I recovered from the whiplash I could hardly stop laughing.

Overall it’s a lumbering bloated (albeit lavish and well read) story packed full of plot turns, which go from the breathless to the down right silly. If you are already a fan and happen to have a spare credit and 17 hours go ahead and dive in. It lacks the pacing of Da Vinci Code but is a better read than the fairly awful lost symbol. Ultimately the story deflates at the end…which is a shame. A confection as large and sugary as this shouldn’t leave you regretting all those empty calories.

Paved with good intentions....hold the anchovies

Unless - like our cerebral hero Langdon at the opening of Inferno - we find ourselves suffering from retrograde amnesia, it's impossible to not be reminded of the previous Langdon installments when reading this latest clue-seeking romp through the art treasures of Florence and Venice; or for that matter, comparing the previous 3 novels with Brown's latest. Dan Brown has his formula, as do most authors, and there is no sign here that he is trying to fix what was almost broke with his last Langdon adventure (The Lost Symbol). Both Brown and Langdon are in fine form here: Brown sends us on an almost scenic, fact-based excursion through the cathedrals, museums, and art hot spots, and Langdon dodges bullets, the Italian Polizia, untangling a sinister plot (with the prerequisite political statements ala Brown). Brown is nothing if not consistent; so you get what you know you are getting; better than Lost Symbol, not as good as Da Vinci Code; a solid middle grounder. If the formula has lost its luster to you, enjoy the new scenery and history, like I did (easily worth a star).

More so than Brown's previous novels, I thought this was a bit padded (maybe that is because it seemed written for the silver screen, even to the point of describing the minutiae of the on-lookers, the horse-toothed girl getting her picture drawn near the Academe, etc.). As a do-over, and if it was offered, I would do the *gasp* abridged version. I also noticed Langdon has become a little snarky, taking pot shots at the turistas, poking fun at those guide-book toting Americanos, while he should have been paying attention to where he next placed his Italian loafered-foot on the cat-walk (oopsie! look out below).

You want another Dan Brown/Langdon--you got it. A good pizza-read, and who doesn't love pizza? Paul Michael does a great job as narrator and tour-guide.

Gripping, compelling

Another Dan Brown thriller, full of twists & turns. I found myself gripping my car's steering wheel in anticipation & suspense, only to (sort of) breathe a sigh of relief. 'Sort of' because there was another suspenseful passage ahead.
The narrator did a fantastic job of (foreign) accents and emoting of the characters' feelings.
Sad I'm done with the book, but will look for other suspenseful & intriguing books narrated by the same person.
Excellent & timely book!

"Infernal" would be a more apt title.

Would you try another book from Dan Brown and/or Paul Michael?

I would not read another book by this author based on the author's name alone. I like the symbology angle of some of Mr. Brown's books, but the last two books have not measured up to The Da Vinci Code and the political bent of Inferno has made me wary.

What could Dan Brown have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

The "twist" in the middle of the Inferno unraveled all of the good will in certain of the main characters; it did not work for me. The ending was even more dissatisfying -- I resent having to accept the moral decision that the author wanted readers to swallow in the final stage of the book. The hero of the story - Langdon - should have had more moral fiber in the face of the decisions being made by others, especially after Mr. Brown spent the first half of the book building to a different moral conclusion. The readers are suddenly asked to accept the villain as hero and his evil as enlightened politics. I did not enjoy the ride.

Which scene was your favorite?

The opening sequence was exciting, it went down hill from there.

What character would you cut from Inferno?

I would cut Dr. Sinskey.

Formula Exhausted. Next !!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this to a friend who is planning a trip to Venice,
Istanbul and Florence. They will not need a guidebook.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Stephen Cannnell

Which scene was your favorite?

The end.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

This book is a movie script, so I would not need to go to the movie.
Should also be on travel channel.

Any additional comments?

This movie script is akin to Mission Impossible meets Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The premise is ridiculous, the author took his FODOR's and spliced in totally
irrelevant travel and historical facts. It is a Mile Wide and an Inch deep.
If you like to travel, read this book. Otherwise, never mind!

The narration is spectacular !

very disappointing, very repetitive.

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who will not listen to it continuously

What will your next listen be?

Not sure yet

Any additional comments?

Just a really poor repetive story. Sections of the text were repeated word for word in consecutive chapters

Better than the movie!

Often people read the book before going to see the movie but on this occasion I did the opposite and I'm glad I did! The movie was excellent so I am delighted the book met and exceeded my expectations. Similar historical symbology here which I've come to expect. The book is great!

Amazing book! Great reading! overall, magnificent

it was a great story! It unfolded the same way a mystery/thriller movie plot would unfold!

captivating...

Dan Brown does it again.. mixing.. history. culture and art in a beautiful Web of fiction that is gripping and full of twists and turns till the very end..

Great as a vacation-book

The story was fine, especially as a casual summer-read. But it doesn't quite stack up to the previous books, I feel. The narrator was good but not great. The story good but not great. With lots of cultural and city-descriptions, the suspense loses a bit of its urgency. But again, it's fine for a casual summer-read in the shadows of a parasol :-)

Great!

I really enjoyed this book as others from Dan Brown. It was my first audiobook and I think because of Paul Michael it became a very good experience.

Classic Dan Brown (So get over it!)

Where does Inferno: A Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I only gave Paul Michael's narration 4 stars, though I found the narration to be very very good - easy to follow and so on, however, I hoped he would've been the storyteller rather than just someone reading the story aloud (if you know what I mean). The whole experience was very enjoyable though, so no complains.

What did you like best about this story?

The storyline is CLASSIC Dan Brown so if you haven't liked he's previous novels you won't like this one either but if you enjoyed The Lost Symbol and/or Da Vinci Code you will fall in love with this one too. The history of art and architecture can go on and on and on and be extremely boring if you're not into it and also he's not known for a psychologically in-depth analysis of the characters so some of the characters can be a bit two dimensional - but that is just his style. The main story, however, was, hands down, his best yet. Not quite as many twists in the plot as his previous ones but still brilliant!!

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The ending! The ending wasn't quite what I expected, however, I'm glad about it because that would've been boring. The whole storyline is set in a way that makes you think that you know what's going to happen at the end but I assure you that nothing is as it seems.

So if I haven't put you off - Go for it and enjoy!!!

An immersive journey in the most beautiful places

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It reads (or "listens" in this case) very easily, and you feel like you are inside the book from page one. Even though a lot of things are shrouded in mystery right up untill the end

What did you like best about this story?

Robert Langdon, the main character, will be travelling to many different places. The awesome thing about this book is that these places actually exist, and Robert being a professor of History at Harvard will tell you so many interesting things about various buildings, paintings even cities. When you actually travel to these places, you can relisten the book even just for the great descriptions of art. This combined with a thrilling and twisting plot gives you an awesome listen.

Have you listened to any of Paul Michael’s other performances? How does this one compare?

n.a.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"The darkness ahead for humanity"

Outstanding

What made the experience of listening to Inferno: A Novel the most enjoyable?

A wonderful insight into Florence, after hearing this book I would love to visit Florence, it is almost like q tourist guide.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Inferno: A Novel?

It is a bit like Bourne Identity where the main character has to back trace his steps to find out what has previously happened.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The moment where Prof. Langdon realizes who the thief is.

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

Yes, most definitely just didn't have the opportunity

Brilliant

Would you listen to Inferno again? Why?

loves this audio book, story is so engaging, couldn't stop listening....

What about Paul Michael’s performance did you like?

really good to listen to, and he throws in the odd accent or ladies voice which is fun...