Editorial Product Review:Item Description: An ancient secret brotherhood.
A devastating new weapon of destruction.
An unthinkable target.
World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization -- the Illuminati. Desperate to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra. Together they embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and the most secretive vault on earth...the long-forgotten Illuminati lair.
Amazon.com Review:It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss
Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, a papal conclave, mysterious ambigrams, a plot against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, particles of antimatter, jets that can travel 15,000 miles per hour, crafty assassins, a beautiful Italian physicist, and a Harvard professor of religious iconology. It takes talent to make that novel anything but ridiculous. Kudos to Dan Brown (
Digital Fortress) for achieving the nearly impossible.
Angels & Demons is a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's
The Eight (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's
Foucault's Pendulum (but more accessible).
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out, and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, antimatter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches, and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilization.
Brown seems as much juggler as author--there are lots and
lots of balls in the air in this novel, yet Brown manages to hurl the reader headlong into an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. While the reader might wish for a little more sardonic humor from Langdon, and a little less bombastic philosophizing on the eternal conflict between religion and science, these are less fatal flaws than niggling annoyances--readers should have no trouble skimming past them and immersing themselves in a heck of a good read. 'Brain candy' it may be, but my! It's tasty.
--Kelly Flynn
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Buyer Reviews
Average Buyer Rating:
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Good exposition but a lazy finish
I read this book after already reading The Da Vinci Code by the same author. It seemed to me that both books started off strong, with good exposition and a compelling story line. Unfortunately, both felt rushed and clumsy in the end. It was as though the author were a student up against a midnight deadline and just whipped off a few last chapters to close. Lousy endings, but a fun read for 80% of the book.
Customer Rating: 
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Great Book
This was a used book but still in excellent condition. Love the story line!!!!
Customer Rating: -
angels and demons / used
Fantastic book, could not put it down. Conditon was not as described but that is the chance you take buying used books.
Customer Rating: -
Fast-Paced Conspiracy Action
Robert Langdon is a Harvard symbologist summoned out of bed to Vatican City, where terrorists claiming to be the fabled Illuminati have hidden a stolen bomb capable of wiping out the Holy City along with a chunk of Rome. As Robert attempts to find the bomb's location while simultaneously tracking down the four likely selections for the Papacy before they are all sacrificed to the altars of science, he must evade an assassin and a possible threat from inside the Vatican itself.
Angels & Demons is a non-stop thriller from the very get-go, and a very enjoyable read for history and religion fans. The book does have some factual flaws, but just remember: on the back, it says "fiction." This is by no means a history textbook and it isn't meant to be treated as such.
One issue with the book is Brown's style of writing. The oft-used italics to emphasize certain words become annoying and ill-placed, and the very plain description of the surroundings and actions can be cumbersome. The characters are not very interesting or hugely developed, which detracts from the adventure of the story. But these flaws shouldn't have any significant bearing on the story for someone looking for a quick thrill.
Angels & Demons is widely considered to be Dan Brown's best work to date, and for good reason: it improves leaps and bounds over Brown's previous novels despite mechanical issues and is a genuinely adventurous read. Would definitely recommend.
