The Lost Symbol (2)

Dan Brown's latest entry, The Lost Symbol, chronicles another adventure in the life of protagonist Robert Langdon, the lovable Harvard professor and symbologist. Much like the earlier entries in the series, Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol follows Langdon as he fights against a dark antagonist bent on destruction while ancient symbols whisk him along on his journey. However, I found this entry a bit lacking.

Instead of the ancient medieval and Renaissance symbology found in the previous books, The Lost Symbol focuses more on the historical significance of the Freemasons in the United States. In fact, aside from a short section in a Harvard swimming pool, the entire novel is set in Washington, D.C. The Freemasons do offer a lot of fodder for Brown's use of symbols to forward the plot, but a lot of the ones he chooses to place as obstacles for Langdon seem a bit contrived.

It's not the symbols and the setting that really put me off on this book, though. The biggest turn off for me was Langdon's female counterpart, Katherine Solomon. Solomon is a pioneer in the field of "Noetic Science," which does mix well with the symbols of the Fremasons and the elements of their history that deal with the alchemical processes. However, the link between religion and science seems to much of a stretch for me, personally.

Despite its flaws, though, I did enjoy the book. Brown has apparently found a formula that works for him. I never found myself wanting to put down the book, and on several occasions I stayed up later than I would normally because I wanted to see what happened next. If you liked Angels and Demons or The Da Vinci Code, you will probably enjoy The Lost Symbol. Just be prepared for a few "Are you kidding me?" moments.

3/5 Stars

--D