Dan Brown has become a world-renown author through capitalizing on history’s mysteries. With recurring protagonist Robert Langdon leading the way, the Vatican was spared in Angels & Demons and the offspring of Mary Magdelane saved in The DaVinci Code.
In The Lost Symbol, Brown takes readers to Washington, D.C., to focus on the myths of the Freemasons. Langdon again plays the reluctant “chosen one,” enlisted to solve the mystery and save the entire world from impending doom.
Sound familiar? The name of Brown’s game is adhering to a precise pattern. Although this method has proven successful in the past, after two other Langdon books, it has begun to feel extremely formulaic.
Consider, for example, The Lost Symbol’s characters. As always, there is Langdon — the intelligent-yet-apprehensive Harvard professor proficient in the study of symbology and famous world folklore, including ancient bloodlines and secret societies. One would think that by now, Langdon and his Mickey Mouse watch would know better than to keep ending up in precarious situations.
As always, joining Langdon in the fight against whichever vile villain he is trying to thwart are a number of predictable characters. This time, the cast includes noetic scientist Katherine Solomon and her brother Peter, a millionaire and member of the highest Masonic order. Also present is CIA Director Sato, the obligatory power-abusing character who subjectively follows the law of the land.
Though the topic of Freesmasonry and its profound effect on the United States from everything from currency to architecture is certainly intriguing, it’s been done before (ever seen National Treasure?). It’s possible that in choosing the next Langdon adventure, Brown sat down at his TV, turned on the History Channel, and decided to write his next bestseller based on whatever program the father from Ri¢hie Ri¢h happened to be narrating. At this rate, readers can expect a thriller about Nostradomous and Armageddon in the next five years.
Brown is a talented writer with a gift for describing situations and expressing his character’s emotions with eloquence and wit, but he tends to get bogged down in details. It’s sometimes even necessary to skip whole sentences to avoid the extreme amount of scene description. A good narrative tactic, however, is his use of italics used to narrate Langdon’s thoughts, which serve as a nice insight into the mind’s eye of the blazer-clad professor.
If this novel were to receive a grade, it would be a B-plus. Even though the writing is enjoyable, for the most part the topic and the episodic nature of the novel (combined with the overused plot line) is tedious and predictable. For those interested in reading the book, check it out from the library. It’s not worth a trip to the bookstore — or the hardcover price tag.
