Angels and Demons – The 5 Minute Review
Even though I have four unopened computer books on my shelf, over the weekend I took the time to read Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons” (I keep wanting to write daemons). I probably wouldn’t have bothered if I hadn’t enjoyed the style and pace of “The Da Vinci Code”, but this book was seriously lacking.
The book starts off pretty much exactly like TDVC. Robert Langdon gets a phone call in the middle of the night because a scientist has been murdered at CERN and has been branded by an ominous Illuminati symbol. For those of you unfamiliar with Robert Langdon, he is the world’s foremost expert in religious symbology. Even though our hero seems to have a comprehensive knowledge of ancient history, the fact that he is unaware that the world wide web was “created” in CERN shows that his knowledge of modern history is a bit lacking. Later on in the book, his sidekick impresses him by very quickly figuring out the roman numeral for 503 (DIII), all this time I was under the impression that they still taught roman numerals in fourth grade.
Nitpicking aside, the general story line is that the dead scientist and his daughter had discovered how to create, and store, antimatter and had created the equivalent of a 20 megatons bomb. They swore each other to secrecy, but somehow when the scientist is killed the antimatter disappears. When the antimatter reappears, it is on a security camera and is hidden somewhere in the Vatican and the hunt to find the antimatter begins. They only have 6 hours before the antimatter explodes, so they begin their search. Tracing the tracing the signal of the video feed doesn’t seem to be an option, and the technically advanced team of Swiss Guards opt to scan to get a signal from the canisters “plastic batteries”. Robert and the daughter of the scientist decide to follow the “Path to Enlightenment” which is pretty much a treasure hunt set up by influential Illuminati members which leads to the “Illuminati lair” where they plan to find the ones who are behind everything.
All of the above takes place in the first hundred or so pages, it goes downhill from here. The plot slows, and the next 400 pages turn into an extravaganza of useless knowledge sandwiched between Dan Browns pseudo religious rhetoric.
Up until this point I had been tempted several times to put the book down, but the intriguing premise still held and many good books have slow bits. Not this one.
The last 100 pages tie up all the loose ends, in twist after painful twist. Just when you think it’s going to end, another twist is unveiled, until you feel like you were the one who jumps out of the helicopter three miles above the ground. That’s not a spoiler… within the first few pages of the book the fact that the hero will survive a long fall is given away.
The only thing I’ve read worse than the book, was this review. So don’t bother reading either… oh well, we’re already done here! So if you’ve sat through this, you’ll probably enjoy the book. Maybe it’s really not that bad… I just haven’t had a good winge for a while! I’m going to watch a rerun of Farscape!
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I, like yourself, enjoyed The Da Vinci Code. Like yourself I also hated Angels and Demons. This review actually reads like you read my mind. The last 100 pages or so are too ridiculous. Because of this book I will not read any of Dan Brown’s previous titles.
So I am not insane! Thank you
I disagree with your review. I suppose your correct when you say the plot slows, but I would rather have a concise, critical explanation in the end rather than a quick swoop leaving me empty. This book had all the same characteristics of TDVC, including the slow ending while TDVC lacked the multiple twists towards the end. I felt the synergistic element of putting religion vs science and blending its fact and fiction are why so many people enjoy it. Sure, the suspense ties get kind of boring, but I would rather have those edging me on rather than clear storytelling. It allows you to become involved. Also, the fact that both TDVC and A&D both tie into my interests, I found Angels and Demons more intriguing.
I’d just like to say that I loved all of Dan Brown’s books including the two Robert Langdon books. And xabbott, I think its rediculus that because of one story you would refuse to read any more of his books. Just because you didn’t like one thing doesn’t mean the others will all be bad too. If you didn’t like a certain movie, would you refuse to watch any other movie directed by the same person? Dan Brown’s other two books were very good and I think they are worth the chance.
Your review yes some of it is true. But you barely named any good things about the book. Yes, when Langdon jumped out, he should have died or just letting him live was somewhat odd, but overall it was a great read. It kept me wanting to finish it because I really wanted to “untwist” all the twists. And that’s ridiculous that you don’t want to read any more of DB’s work. You said you enjoyed TDVC, good enough. And it’s not that easy to write a novel, especially when the publishers are on your back constantly. Yes the plots are basically alike, but you gain knowledge and you want to learn more and maybe even visit Vatican City. Your negative attitude towards this novel isn’t appealing. Especially at the end. You were quite serious and I understood what you completely said. But once you said that whats worse than reading Angels and Demons was that review, you are completely wrong. Reading your review was BEYOND worse. Angels and Demons does not even fall into that category. Angels and Demons was an amazing book and intensifying, you on the otherhand, is a pessimistic human being that is lower than dirt itself.
lolz this book blows and #4 I myself wouldn’t watch another movie directed by a piss poor director.
First of all I believe this is the best Dan Brown book. What was actually wrong with it ? Nothing. I made you want to turn the page to find out what’ll happen next and if he can save the Cardinals or if they’ll be horribly branded, and as for jumping out the helicopter, did you really want the main character to die? I think you have been far too harsh on this book and maybe this just isn’t the type of book that suits you.
I thought that Angels and Demons was really good, a total page turner in the beginning of the book. Then it started to slow and I thought that the book might pick up and it never did. I stopped reading it, I don’t know the ending and although I wonder, it is really not that important to me so as to go hrough the agony of sitting there forever trying to get through the most boring stuff I have ever read. So, I would have to say that I am nervus to read another of Dan Brown’s books, but if I get a really convincing review of one then maybe I will, but I was really turned off by Angels and Demons.
Seriously, if anyone considers it possible that you jumping out of a helicopter with a piece of tarp in your hands and survive a 3 miles plummet, they are seriously senile. HOW RIdDICULOUS! Apart from the fact, that no reason is given for which an antimater explosion would only expand a certain range and implode again, AND above all be visible (if it re-enacts the big bang, there wouldn’t've been photons in the first several seconds of creation. Thus: Darkness).
Good book (only) if you like unreal fantasy and horror and have never heard anything of science, history and religion.
I loved this book, it wasn’t as good as the da vinci code but lets face it not many are. I think our expectations were just too high because the da vinci code was so good. The book did lack something but even so, was still a very goodread.
I don’t know what all the fuss over this book is–the pessimistic frenzy I mean. I for one thoroughly enjoyed it, all the history and the suspense, blended with science. I read up on both CERN and antimatter so that’s something isn’t it? I didn’t find the book slow at all, it was very similar to the Da Vinci Code as a matter of fact, I found it even better if possible, so for those of you turned off by the negativity expressed here, give the book a chance please.
Let’s all just calm down a bit and reevaluate the situation: some of us loved the book, some of us despised it, and some of us are indifferent as to whether it was good or not. Either way, the book isn’t going to change but no one is going to be forced to read it. I’m glad we all have our opinions and are willing to share them, but let’s just be a little less hostile towards each other. Thanks guys!
By the way… seeing as though Angels and Demons is the prequal to the DaVinci Code, Dan Brown couldn’t have allowed Langdon to die – even if he found it more appropriate – or there would be no Langdon in The DaVini Code…intriguing.
C’mon, as Peter Williams says, as forumulaic as the driven snow … good formula, well followed … read his points … access via webpage above … Trevor Paetkau
Firstly to drip maybe you found that the book sucked cause you lack a literacy. Learn when to use chat and when not to.
To Arnold I can most definitely tell you that I have a knowledge of Science and Religion
Alright now to dissect, I disagree with this review. Not only is the plot much more interesting that DVC but it’s much more imaginative.
Sure Dan Brown added in his bullshit into the story every now and then with some facts. But let’s forget the bull for a second and look closer at this. The book is told through symbols.
The Anti-Matter is symbolic and is explained by one of the rants. And that is symbolically true and even though it probably won’t blow up Rome. It is used in replacement of Nuclear Weapons.
Anti-Matter is Science just like Uranium they are both grey shades. Uranium can be either used to generate renewable power or cause mass destruction. Brown used the Anti-Matter to convey how new science can be good and bad.
Also it’s an imaginative book who else has used Ambigrams and Elements in the way Brown did?
And the Sidekick and the Carmenlengo. They are used moralistically to represent two sides of a debate. We’ve got Vittoria who’s trying to make Scientist and Religious get along and the Carmenlengo who was hinted to be prejudiced against science from his first rant
Don’t believe me? Read the words closer it subtly depicts Religion in a more favourable light.
Dan brown rocks! by louize lane age 16 !
p.s if yo wanna chat bout DAN id be well exited! x
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I stongly disagree with your review because if you critised every book like that, they would all seem terrible.
Just so you all know, Angels and Demons was written before the Da Vinci Code so i could hardly have been a copy of it.
i think the book trying to fuse religion with science is genius. dan brown knows what topics to cover because they are hotly debated. Once again however he questions religions traditions and its values, i wouldnt expect any religious christians to look this book
First of all, don’t get me wrong: I have nothing against Dan Brown, and I quite enjoyed The DaVinci Code.
But this book could have been so much better. The plot and storyline are actually pretty good, but the timeline is beyond ridiculous. The entire 700 pgs takes place in less than a day. There are too many scenes in which people have less than an hour to:
a) solve part of the Illuminati riddle that has never previously been solved in the last 400 years
b) travel across the city of Rome from point A to point B to get to the next murder scene
c) go through some crazy murder/fight/church fire/attempted drowning/media scrum
d) get back to the Vatican archives
e) figure out the next clue, and
f) get to the next spot in Roem where the murder is going to happen
Sometimes all of the above takes place in less than 40 minutes. It’s just ludicrous. Sometimes they have to do even more in an hour than I’ve listed above. The thing is, this insulting time line didn’t need to happen. Why couldn’t Brown have made the 4 cardinal murders take place over 4 days instead of 4 hours? Why did he have to start the book off with Langdon waking up in the US and flying to Switzerland in about an hour (and losing about 6 hours in the process due to time zones).
Another silly sub-plot Brown would have us believe is the little flrity love-thing going on between Vittoria and Langdon. Not only are they in the midst of this insane time line running all over Rome having face to face encounters with an assasin while trying to save the Vatican and all of Rome from blowing up, but are we supposed to believe that Vittoria might be in a somewhat flirty, romantic mood when her father was murdered that very same day? And murdered grotesquely I might add – with his head twisted around backwards, his flesh branded with a hot brand, and his eyeball removed.
There are many other points like this where I had to put the book down and shake my head. By the time I got halfway through I was more intrigued by how bad the book was than by the story. I had to find out what next Dan Brown would have me believe. Langdon’s survival of the helicopter fall has already been beaten to death in the above comments, so I won’t go on about it except to say that by that point it wasn’t just difficult to believe, it was comical. I remember saying to myself “Right, of course”. Iread that par out loud to my wife who also got a kick out of it (and who also liked TDVC).
Such a shame that there had to be so many silly parts and a completely insulting time line and romantic twist. As I said in the beginning, it didn’t have to be this way. The plot itself is good, but the book could have been so much better.
Actually I found it a great read. There are too many twists and turns but they keep you hooked to the book.
Till about 500 pages this book looked better than TDVC .
Last 100 pages barring some twists have not been at par
with Dan Brown’s standard set in Digital Fortress or
Deception point . I am a Dan Brown fan but this book
disappointed me .
I loved this book was really great and it kept me going the whole time, even though it was a little predictable.
Its a great book.
Ok…first of all Angels and Demons was an amazing story. As many of you said above, it was full of suspense, interesting facts and consistently kept you wanting more. The whole debate between Science and Religion is a tricky subject to write about in the first place and I think that Dan Brown did a hell of a job. There will always be critics… if there weren’t we all wouldn’t have much to comment about on this post!!!
Ok yeah it seemed a little far-fetched at times but its a fictional story guys!! hello…. not everything is going to turn out like you think it realistically would!! How much suspense would there be if everything was predictable?? And I personally like the fact that it takes place over 24 hours, gets to the point.. keeps us interested and on the edge of our seats.
I have read all of Dan Brown’s books and Angels and Demons was by far my favourite. Im not excited about the movie, because it will butcher the story like most films do to great books. But I have to see it of course!!
To each his own and it is not my call to rebuke you on what you think of A&D but…with all sincerity, I absolutely loved this tale from Brown. Yes, there was a instantaneous flashback from beginning of DC which I felt could have been approached in a new way but overall, the storyline was exciting and I had a hard time putting the book down…
While most people are willing to suspend belief in gravity momentarily, Brown taxes our patience with a claim that a beaten up, more lives-than-a-cat Langdon could exit a helo three miles up with a windshield tarp and not only survive, but have a video camera that works! There’s got to be a picture of Langdon next to the words “Superman” and “Impossible” in the dictionary.
Vittoria wore those shorts into the Vatican ho many times and never once was escorted out? She and Langdon eat nothing over the entire period but a scone?
WTF?
And just when it gets interesting with the inevitable hebdomadal coupling of Langdon and Vittoria (the reference to bedroom acrobatics and yoga), it ends?
My review in three non-ambigramic letters: WTF?
This book was a lot like Langdon’s watch…Mickey Mouse.