My review of Angels and Demons: (Robert Langdon Book 1) by Dan Brown

Angels and Demons: (Robert Langdon Book 1)

By Dan Brown

CERN Institute, Switzerland: a world-renowned scientist is found brutally murdered with a mysterious symbol seared onto his chest.

The Vatican, Rome: the College of Cardinals assembles to elect a new pope. Somewhere beneath them, an unstoppable bomb of terrifying power relentlessly counts down to oblivion.

In a breathtaking race against time, Harvard professor Robert Langdon must decipher a labyrinthine trail of ancient symbols if he is to defeat those responsible - the Illuminati, a secret brotherhood presumed extinct for nearly four hundred years, reborn to continue their deadly vendetta against their most hated enemy, the Catholic Church.

Publication Date: 28th August 2009

Publisher: Corgi

Page Length: 624 pages (paperback)

Genre: Thriller

MY THOUGHTS!

When Robert Langdon wakes up early in the morning to his phone ringing, he doesn’t realise just how quickly he would find himself in Rome, much less on an old Illuminati scavenger hunt. Joined by Vittoria Vetra, a scientist partially responsible for the creation of the bomb hidden in Rome, he must use his knowledge of symbols and art to find the Illuminati headquarters before midnight, when the ticking of the bomb would stop.

What an adventure! There is the mystery of the Illuminati, how has such an old and long-forgotten organisation suddenly reappeared? The quest to find the headquarters, to find the explosive hidden somewhere in Vatican City, the media swarming around due to the elections for a new Pope. Robert and Vittoria have to try and solve the mystery, follow the clues, while the Swiss Guard interfere and so many innocent people are unaware of the danger. 

I loved Robert and Vittoria. Working together, they are practically unstoppable with their knowledge of symbols, art and science. While Vittoria feels responsible for the danger, after all, she helped to create the power that was being used as a bomb, Robert is using all he knows of the long lost group and of their symbols to follow a path that few ever had. I thoroughly enjoyed following the path with them and trying to solve the mystery, but I have to admit, I did not figure it out before they did! There were characters that I thought were untrustworthy who turned out to be the good guys and characters who were actually demons posing as angels. 

A story of mystery, intrigue and ambigrams, this book captivated my attention from start to end. It is a work of art in itself.

I Highly Recommend.

 

Amazon

 

Dan Brown

 

Dan Brown is the bestselling author of Digital Fortress, Deception Point, Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol and most recently, Inferno. Three of his Robert Langdon novels have been adapted for the screen by Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks. They have all been international blockbusters.

Dan Brown is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he has taught English and Creative Writing. He lives in New England.