Amateur Detective/ Religious Mystery/ Academic Mystery/ Historic Mystery: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Summary


In this third novel featuring symbologist Robert Langdon, Langdon receives a invitation to speak at the Capitol from his friend and mentor Peter Solomon, a Mason.  Solomon asks Langdon to bring the small box he had given Langdon years before. When Langdon arrives, he finds that it was not Peter who sent for him at all; in fact, Peter has been kidnapped and his severed hand left in the Rotunda. Peter's kidnapper, who calls himself Mal'akh, tells Langdon that in order to save Peter he must find the Mason's Pyramid and the Lost Word. Mal'akh, who has entered the Masons under false pretenses, believes that by doing so, Langdon will be able to help him unlock the key to great power. Will Landgon solve the mystery in time to save his friend's life? What and where are the Mason's Pyramid and the Lost Word? Who is Mal'akh and why does he harbor such hatred for Peter?  To find out these answers and more, read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

Review


Having not read Angels and Demons or The Da Vinci Code (I did see the Da Vinci Code movie), I can into the novel with no prior experience with the author.  The novel, in my opinion, is fairly dense; while the  information about the Masons and their place in American history will be interesting to some, the depth of background information might be overwhelming to others.  Also the inclusion of the storyline related to Noetic science is confusing.  The mysteries surrounding the Masons is always intriguing, so that aspect of the novel works well.  Once the stage is set (i.e., the reader has the background knowledge to understand the plot), the book becomes a real page-turner. The ultimate reveal that Mal'akh is actually Peter's son adds a whole new layer to the story, making it not just about power, but also about revenge and regret.  Peter's explanation of the Mason's Pyramid and the Word at the end of the novel is certainly plausible (more plausible, in my opinion, than the explanation in The Da Vinci Code), but it does seem a bit anti-climactic. Overall, I enjoyed the novel, although it was long and could have benefited from some editing, but I think many readers will find it too difficult to really enjoy. American history buffs, however, will probably love it, though.

References


[Cover art for the lost symbol]. (2011). Retrieved

     from http://search.overdrive.com/TitleInfo/39b6f5ef-42eb-

    4d66-8c76-83fb6cbf7b47/425

Brown, D. (2009). The lost symbol. New York: Doubleday.