Angels and Demons / The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #1-2) by Dan Brown

Angels and Demons / The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #1-2) Reviews

• 
  Silver Savage

  I have to say I loved both the books. Robert Langdon is one of the best charecters I have ever read about. I would love to he about him again and again.
  
  Now on to Angels And Demons, this book I read first out of the two and it still rakes as my top favorite book. It combinds that of danger and mystery with cunning puzzes and brain twisting thoughts. When you think something is happening something completly different is realy happening, one of the best books in the world for anyone who likes suspense, fear, and mystery, and a really great book, then I recomend Angels And Demons beyond compare.
  
  The Da Vinci Code was the book I read right after I was done with Angels And Demons, though I liked the other one better. The Da Vinci Codes was one of the best books I have ever read also. To what I belive it answers some questions that it both asked and made you think about. Again alot like the Angels And Demons it made you think about what was happening and what was not happening. I also think again, that for any one who likes suspense, fear, and mind bottling problems and such should read this. I would recomend it as fast as I would Angels And Demons.
• 
  Tamara

  Gory,and (spoiler alert)--there isn't going to be any solution until all the murders are committed, so you have to sit through all the gore and you know it.
  Plus, Dan Brown's characters move through the plot at an unhuman rate...dont' they have to eat or go to the bathroom? :)
• 
  Joel Humberd

  i read these books separately, but i'm reviewing them as one because they are practically the same book. dan brown has found a niche and is clinging for dear life to it. all of the characters are the same: the old, smart guy brutally murdered in the beginning; his beautiful younger relation who is there to create sexual tension with langdon; the other old, decrepit guy in a wheelchair who seems to be a helper but ends up being a villian; and of course the big, hulking assassin who just kills people with a single minded adherance to his religion of choice. dan brown is good at giving facts, but those facts seem to just float on the surface of the story and nothing really seems to mesh. i think his writing skills would be better suited to textbooks with dramatic flair.
  what i really hate about him is that he makes some great arguments for christianity, but in the next sentence, it feels like he's patting the entire faith on its head like a small child, which is frustrating to read. and it doesn't help my opinion of him that he touts falsehoods as set in stone truths.
• 
  ❧ *´¸. Gwendolyn ❧ A Purely Organic BookOwl‘•´¸.*

  4 Mayhem in Paris Stars!
  
  
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  I REALLY LUV LUV, LUV THIS READ!
  
  Awesome!
  
  2nd re-read was done with the Illustrated specal edition~
  3rd re-read combine book 1 and 2...
  
  I'd recommend both...because this adult adventure/mystery is awesome❤️
• 
  M.M. Strawberry Library & Reviews

  Personally, I think these two are the best in the Robert Langdon series, at least from the 4 I read (the first 4) with a lot of fun history and trivia. The movies were also pretty decent.
• 
  Chaitra

  I found this book bit boring and most of the time didn't understand what was going on. It's a good read, however but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did with The Da Vinci Code.
  This book was so hyped up and maybe I had expected a lot more.
• 
  Omar Arabyat

  اليوم انهيت قراءة افضل رواية كتبت بحنكة و ذكاء و تشويق , اكثر ما لفت انتباهي قبل قرائتها هو اسم الرواية و من المقصود بها , بدأت بالصفحات الاولى التي اشعرتني بكم تشويقي متزايد لغاية انهاء الرواية ,
  اخذني دان براون الى حقبات الطبقة المستنيرة ابتدائا من غاليليو و نرتيتي في عصر حكم الكنيسة الكاثولكية , بذكاء روائي و تشويق غير منقطع , ابحرت في عالم الصراع الازلي بين الدين و العلم , بين الحق و الباطل , احداث قصة مشوقة تنقلت بين العناصر الاربعة لعالم المستنيرين التراب , هواء , نار , و الماء , و الموت في سبيل فكرة او مبدأ نأمن به , مع لعب دور واضح للاعلام في نقل الاحداث و تصوير الاماكن الحقيقية و السراديب السرية القديمة زادت من واقعية المشهد.
  
  تجلى ذكاء دان براون و حنكته بصياغة رواية مشوقة تضمنت الكثير من المعاني و العبر , صراع قديم بي العلم و الدين , و نشوء الطبقة المستنيرة و معاناة العلماء و بذل ارواحهم بهدف تقديم العلم و نشر المعرفة في زمن غيب العقل عن لعب دوره , لقد تعلمت ان العلم و الدين ليسا بمضاضين بل هما داعمان لبعضهما , اذ جاء العلم ليثبت صحة المعجزات الدينية و التنبأت , في حين وضع الدين سلوك و ممارسات العلم في خدمة البشرية , فظهرت الملائكة و الشياطين في تطبيق العلوم المختلفة سواء من خدم البشرية بالعلم او من دمرها و استخدم العلم اداة قوة لبسط السيطرة و افتعال الحروب التي لم تكسب البشرية الي مزيد من الخسائر و الالام , تجلت فكرة الكاتب في اخر الكتاب من ان البشر في بحث دائم عن الحقيقة و معرفة الاجوبة الكثيرة عن أسالة و تفسيرات لما يدور حولهم , كما ان القتل او الدمار ليس هو الحل الافضل دائما , و اما خلق فوضى لابراز الحقيقة فحتما هي الحل الخاسر بالنهاية , فالحقيقة اقوى دوما , اما الخدع و الكذب فيشوبها الكثير من الضعف و الضلال , التوازن في هذا الكون ليس عبثا فوجد النور لكبح الظلام و وجد الحق لضحض الباطل و وجدت الملائكة لطرد الشياطين , اتساق عجيب بين المادة و ضدها ,لم يجد عبثا و لكن وجد من خالق برع في خلقة و كتم بعض اسراره و وهبنا العقل لنتفكر بملكوته و نزداد بايماننا بوجوده , يد التخريب دائما موجودة و قد يكون الظلام دامس و الضعف قد يطول و لكن بالتبصر و الايمان ستشرق شمس الحق بقوة لتنشر السلام , ليس في الدنيا شيء مطلق فكل شيء و له ضده موجود , ببساطة البشر قد يكونو ملائكة او شياطين.
  اقتباسات اعجبتني
  " الاعلام هي الذراع اليمنى للفوضى"
  "ترى احيانا عقولنا ما تتمنى قلوبنا ان يكون صحيحا"
  
• 
  Mehrsa

  This book (as with his others) is both intoxicating and insulting. I am engaged one minute and annoyed the next. What is undeniable is that Dan Brown has a gift for plot and for weaving history and art into a narrative. What he struggles with is the craft of writing and character development. I know I am supposed to forgive the latter for the sake of a really engaging story, which he can definitely deliver, but it's just easier said than done.
  
  Angels and Demons is built on a very interesting premise (the link between science and divinity) and the historical facts woven into the story are, as always, fascinating. But where this book could have been great, it just sort of descends into the predictable. Dan Brown pays lip service to the idea of God's existence, but then shies away from letting any of the characters actually experience it. Similarly, he backs science, but not it's arguments. He wants to please everyone. He wants to make the ancient accessible and bring a modernist understanding to dark tradition. Make everything right and reconcile everyone. It's a worthy task and the book is a fun ride, but at the end of the day, I walk away from it feeling a little dizzy trying to sync what he's peddling with what I believe.
• 
  Julinha

  I read the special illustrated edition of this book and I thought that was really worth it. I had a clear vision of all the buildings in Rome and in my opinion you really could visualize Robert's quest through the different parts of Rome. Dan Brown is just an awesome writer. He keeps up the tension through the whole book. I thought it was really interesting to read how Robert unraveled the mystery step by step. You must be a really good writer to not only write a fictional and fun book, but also a well thought-out book. Everything complemented each other. Dan Brown did his research well. Especially if you have been to Rome this book is really amusing to read, but also if you like to read a book full of mysteries and a book that's quite unique in it's kind, I would certainly recommend this book to you.
• 
  Loveena

  I read this book after having read DA Vinci. But I liked this one better than the Da Vinci Code. This book according to me was ... more imaginative and had a fantastic story line.
  
  When I read the book, during the introdction of the villain character I knew he was the one. Don't ask me how. I just knew that he was the one. Nevertheless I kept reading. And that was what set this book apart. Usually wen I figure out the villain I lose interest. But not in this one.
  
  The story teller has told a good story in the best way possible :)
  
  What I learned from this book? A lot about the secret societies and their contributions. The bookmost certainly was entertaining and educative.
  
  This book mad me think about people and their motivations. Things that make people do what they do ...
• 
  Romeo Stevenson

  The drama and events are excellent, the story is good, but his mockery of religion is not good
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  Eleanor

  I loved this book. I saw the commercial for the movie in a theater the other day and ran out to get this book it looked so good. It is the prequel to the Da Vinci Code (Brown's other Robert Langdon book) and follows Langdon to Vatican City where he finds himself involved in a huge plot by the Illuminati, a satanic cult against the Vatican, to take down the church. I don't want to go into too much detail because there is a lot of information that I could give away, but all in all I reccommend this to everyone!
• 
  Kimberlee

  I did not read this combined edition of these stories but I have read both and enjoyed both. I found Angels and Demons, the book written before Da Vinci Code to be a very good read, especially if you like history, mystery and travel. I did not like the ending to Angels and Demons, but really I guess it was really just the last few pages. I felt that after all of the mystery that the ending was just too plain, expected.
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  Shivani Garg

  I read this book after having read the Da Vinci Code, and both seemed to very similar in terms of the fast-paced thrilling stories that were set in a background of deception, lies, mystery and involve plentiful of surprise turns and twists. Overall, it was an engaging book, can be a good travel companion.
• 
  T S

  I love Robert Langdon.
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  Diane

  A great story; I had fun reading it
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  Leo .

  I thought that the Da Vinci code was his best book.🐯👍
• 
  Anas I S

  best book in robert langdon series
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  Ashley

  A solid 4 stars for both of the stories in this omnibus!
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  Alexandru Hău

  Il Camerlengo is one of the best written villains.
• 
  Kripan

  loved it. thrilling, edge of seat experience
• 
  Ellissa

  This is not a great work of artistic prose, nor do I think that Dan Brown is one of the best writers of our time. What I do think he is, is a good storyteller. This book is written in such a way that does not detract from the fast-paced adventure that occurs throughout these books. This book is more about the enjoying the plot than the writing. And while sometimes the writing was noticeably less than brilliant in some places, I did not feel that my overall enjoyment in the story was diminished. It is written simply but effectively.
  
  While I know that everything that is in this book is not an absolute fact, it is an enjoyable romp through some history that exists around us.
  
  The romantic plot line was at times unnecessary and a little rushed, but it wasn't a major part of the book so I didn't have an issue with it.
  
  While I am not sure it is deliberate, one thing that did not sit particularly well in Angel and Demons was the fact that the assassin was Arab. If you have one Arab character in your book and make him a terrorist.... This isn't a spoiler, you find this out near the beginning of the book. While he is not coming from a place of religious fanaticism I did not find that race was a necessary addition for this kind of character, and the overall lack of diversity was displeasing. Even though this book is a bit older and I doubt that it was entirely intentional it is still problematic.
  
  Keeping in mind that I was born and raised Catholic and had no issues with other parts of the book. Although there were many moments in the story when the author was a kinder to them.
• 
  Ethan

  These books are fun, quick reads. It's easy to enjoy them, with or without giving them your full attention.
  I was a little bummed that Robert Langdon had such predictable relationships with the women who were thrown into his path by circumstance...
  And I also found the plots a little bit too predictable. A writer friend of mine told me that novelists often try to include only the details that will be relevant later in the plot. Including superfluous information is frowned upon. Dan Brown succeeded at this, having pretty much no fluff. Unfortunately, the lack of fluff made everything more predictable. If the back doors of a church were described as having a particular purpose, then I knew that somebody would find those doors useful later on. If Brown mentioned a historical detail, it would inevitably be drawn upon later on. I don't think this is a bad way to write, but I think it is out of place in the mystery genre. If you don't have any red herrings, then where's the mystery? I'm not saying that he has to go all out, including whole side-narratives like Victor Hugo does, but since there's such a rich amount of historical background to these books, it wouldn't hurt for some of it to just be enjoyable fluff.
• 
  Carole P. Roman

  The Da Vinci Code:
  The DaVinci Code rocked the world when it came out. Just by chance, I had finished "Holy Blood Holy Grail" when I picked up Dan Brown's book- so I was well prepared for the plot twists and turns. Controversial as well as compelling, it leads to many long talks by the water cooler at work. Dan Brown was the first to bring many of the legends of the family of Jesus to today's culture and gives you food for thought. Entertaining, thought-provoking as well as a darn good read- the DaVinci Code opened the doorway to think about the many possibilities of interpretation of things we may not have ever questioned.
  Angels & Demons:
  No one can marry action, adventure and religion like Dan Brown. An intellectual thriller, once you start be prepared to read until you are finished. Not only is his description of Rome better than any travelog, you will get a whopper of a Renaissance education in both art history and the church. Basic a book about the war between science and blind religious belief, Brown is able to keep your attention without preaching or judging. A great entertaining read all the way around.
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  D.A. Fellows

  3/5 stars. Hmm...the Robert Langdon series. Like many other readers, I read 'The Da Vinci Code' first, then 'Angels and Demons'. I enjoyed them both, actually thinking there was little to choose between them in terms of plot and excitement. I remember thinking though, "He's written these to be made into movies", rather than, "Whoa, what wonderful novels." And I've looked through a few reviews of 'The Lost Symbol'...am I the only one who HATED it? It took me about six weeks to read, I probably fell asleep about six times whilst reading it (and I NEVER fall asleep reading) and it just all felt like build-up to something that I never really believed was going to warrant even a fraction of such a build-up. I've read all five of the Dan Brown books now, and I can honestly say I would think VERY hard about reading another after 'The Lost Symbol'. The others somewhat save him, though, and that's why I gave a three-star overall rating to the Robert Langdon series.
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  RoChe Montoya

  Ok so this is amazing. You get two really good books in one. The fast pace adventures of Robert Langdon are hard to put down. Dan Brown grabs your attention and doesn't let go. I didn't think I could read that fast through a book, but after every chapter I needed to know more, NEEDED! I doubt there isn't a person on this site that hasn't read this book but I still wont give it away, all I will say is the movies are great but it's just the small things that were changed for the viewing audience that make the differences, such as Teabing is chubby in the book and he is played by skinny Sir Ian McKellian, Love Ian but that is what I'm talking about, little things, people don't like a chubby person in their movies. There, I don't think I gave away too much.
• 
  Sabrina Stern

  At this point these books seem horribly antiquated, as much of the cleverness of Robert Langdon can be matched with a smart phone. There is a lot of Langdon going to archives and looking for maps that now would all be accomplished with a smart phone (in fact in the latest book Inferno, Dan Brown has to kill or lose every ones cell phone so that Langdon can do his genius thing). The reason I re-read these books and continue to enjoy the Robert Langdon story is because they make you want to visit the sites lovingly described in these books, so at this point I am using them more as travel guides of interesting sites than I am as actual thrillers.