Dan Brown said the following regarding the Da Vinci code:

"99 percent of it is true. All of the architecture, the art, the secret rituals, the history, all of that is true, the Gnostic gospels. The only fiction, of course, is that there's a Harvard symbologist named Robert Langdon, and all of his action is fictionalized. But the background is all true"

and

Robert Langdon is fictional, but all of the art, architecture, secret rituals, secret societies, all of that is historical fact.

I saw his new book on display today - The Lost Symbol - and as someone fascinated by occult symbolism and its use today, I was wondering just how connected to this field Dan Brown is and whether his books are worth reading to gain more insight.

For those who have read his work and take an interest in the explored concepts, is he merely a writer of fiction or does his work have an intellectual underpinning?

His books are overrated rubbish that have been hyped out of all proportion.

Dan Brown said the following regarding the Da Vinci code:

"99 percent of it is true. All of the architecture, the art, the secret rituals, the history, all of that is true, the Gnostic gospels. The only fiction, of course, is that there's a Harvard symbologist named Robert Langdon, and all of his action is fictionalized. But the background is all true"

and

Robert Langdon is fictional, but all of the art, architecture, secret rituals, secret societies, all of that is historical fact.

I saw his new book on display today - The Lost Symbol - and as someone fascinated by occult symbolism and its use today, I was wondering just how connected to this field Dan Brown is and whether his books are worth reading to gain more insight.

For those who have read his work and take an interest in the explored concepts, is he merely a writer of fiction or does his work have an intellectual underpinning?

To be honest I dont know the answers to your questions but I do know that I am about a quarter of the way through The Da Vinci Code and I cannot put the thing down its fantastic plus its 2 for £7 at tescos along with Angels and Demons and on top of that The Lost Sympol is only £7.

I was actually thinking earlier should I read Angels & Demons before renting the film or vise versa?

To be honest I dont know the answers to your questions but I do know that I am about a quarter of the way through The Da Vinci Code and I cannot put the thing down its fantastic plus its 2 for £7 at tescos along with Angels and Demons and on top of that The Lost Sympol is only £7.

I was actually thinking earlier should I read Angels & Demons before renting the film or vise versa?

Thanks. Out of interest, have you felt a desire to investigate any occult references made in the book?

Thanks. Out of interest, have you felt a desire to investigate any occult references made in the book?

I have looked up the number PHI (1.618,) which as a bit of a maths fan myself is very interesting, almost hair raising reading about it and then trying a few experiments and realising it is actually true its quite strange to be honest and seems to me to be much more than just coincidence.

I have had to add the comma at the end of "one point six one eight" as for some reason the forum changed the 8 and the closed bracket to a face with sunglasses on 8)

Of Dan Brown's books I've only read the Da Vinci Code and frankly I thought it was dreadful. The occult stuff in it was the sort of thing that I assumed most people knew any way, and the writing made my skin itch.

If you want to learn a bit more about the occult, I'd recommend, as a starting point, the Book Of Results by Ray Sherwin. That should give you a bit to go at :)

no and i do not know how he as sold so many,i read them all now and they make indiana jones seem reel.

He seems better as a researcher than he does as a writer of fiction. I'm sure a lot of the background information is true and some of it is interesting, but that doesn't make them good books. I made it through Angels and Demons (even though the last quarter was awful) but I couldn't make it through The Da Vinci Code because I just found it so badly written and boring. I also watched the film and found that boring.

To be honest they teach us nothig about story telling, suspense or how to use the English Language successfully so the fact it teaches us bugger all about the occult is the least of his worries.

"All of the architecture, the art, the secret rituals, the history, all of that is true, the Gnostic gospels. "



99% of this is false.

He writes like an internet conspiracy theorist. See 'Foucault's Pendulum' for an earlier, better take on the occult.

His books are rubbish but I was impressed when he correctly predicted the lottery numbers last week!

I know I am going against the grain of the thread but I really enjoyed all of Dan Browns books, especially Angels and Demons.

I did, after reading them, research the occult some what as it piqued my interest.

99% of this is false.

He writes like an internet conspiracy theorist. See 'Foucault's Pendulum' for an earlier, better take on the occult.

I'm afraid anyone who enjoyed Dan Brown wouldn't be able to understand most of Foucault's Pendulum.

I'm afraid anyone who enjoyed Dan Brown wouldn't be able to understand most of Foucault's Pendulum.

I find that post quite insulting. I read many diffeant book on many differant subjects, some fiction, some non fiction. Sometimes I like a little 'light relief' and enjoy a good, out there novel like a Dan Brown or a Stephen King, but I also enjoy reading more serious academic works on history, science and philosiphy (sp?).

I pitty people with such a closed mind as you, who don't seem to have the ability to enjoy all aspects of life from the trivial to the serious.