I read two books in the last two weeks: "The DaVinci Code" and "Angels and Demons", both by Dan Brown and both featuring the same main character, Robert Langdon.
Langdon is a Harvard professor of art symbology, which for the most part translates to "religious symbology as represtented in art". In both of these books, Langdon is called upon to solve a series of puzzles apparently concocted by a secret society which intends to cause harm to the Catholic Church. In the first (Angels and Demons) it's the Illuminati, an ancient society of scientists who quietly organize to resist the Church's persistent attempts throughout its history to demonize science and scientists. In the second (the Da Vinci Code), its the Priory of Zion, the mythical protectors of the Holy Grail.
I won't do into a ton of details because both books are a constant stream of puzzles and it would be hard to say much without giving away spoilers. Also, I don't have a lot of personal knowledge of the religious history that Brown has his characters discuss. It does make me want to go read up on it, which is a good sign I think, but these two books have raised some eyebrows for allegedly taking great liberties with history.
That aside, as "historical fiction" they are fun reads. Brown writes short chapters, most of which end with some sort of cliffhanger disclosure that makes you want to keep reading straight on into the next chapter. The pace is frantic -- essentially the entire story of Angels and Demons takes place in the course of about twelve hours, and The Da Vinci Code in about 24 hours. You're never quite sure who the good guys and the bad guys are, and the are reversals in both books that add fascinating plot twists.
The bottom line: I highly recommend both of these books as escapist reading. I will do some reading up, and perhaps blog about what I find. Starting with a close inspection of the The Last Supper...
10:14:44 PM  ; ;
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