The first book by Dan Brown featuring the character of Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist. Like many, I read "The Da Vinci Code", this book's successor, before "Angels & Demons", but that in no way hampered my enjoyment of this fast-paced, suspenseful, and intriguing book. There are many, many similarities with "Angels & Demons" and "The Da Vinci Code", namely concerning plot order (both books start with a mysterious murder which catapults Robert into an adventure involving the Catholic Church), motivations (each book concerns an organization trying to do something against the Catholic Church's wishes and/or knowledge), and certain characters (Langdon, of course, along with a female intellectual sidekick, police officers and chiefs, and mysterious assassins). Don't be fooled, though, into thinking this is merely "The Da Vinci Code 2". This book is in some ways much more suspenseful and urgent in pace than "The Da Vinci Code", and is far less controversial through much of the text. The plot driver concerning the Illumaniti brotherhood and their supposed reemergence to once-and-for-all destroy the Church is very interesting. Readers will also find the same delightful tidbits of history, symbolism, art, and architecture as in "The Da Vinci Code", especially because this edition of the book holds many photographs, drawings, and other such miscellanea of the many locations, people, and symbols it describes. A highly recommended read!

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I loved this book so much more the the Da Vinci Code. I read them as intended start here first. Was completely overwhelmed by the power of this book. I could not put it down. finishing with the DVC just added icing to the cake of a great character I wasn't ready to leave yet.

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Good story, fast pace. Much better than the Da Vinci Code.

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