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Author Topic:   Dan Brown - The DaVinci Code
Kaos
Inactive Member


Message 1 of 39 (114510)
06-11-2004 4:11 PM


Anyone read this little chestnut?
Absolutely great, take it as fact, fiction or whatever, but in true Dan Brown fashion he claims it all to be true, researched to death and accurate with all the zest of an author who truly cares what people think of him personally.
IMO, the theories about the nature of the Grail made as much sense as any other I've read, and I really dug the book except for his dumbassed style of writing.
He dumbs everything down and over-explains everything to death, and this is fairly frustrating as I'm not the most patient reader in the universe. For example - a Harvard trained professional top notch super human codebreaker becoming stumped by what 'orb' could be missing from Isaac Newtons grave. Damn, I miss what's in front of me all the time, and I got that before codeboy extrordinairre, and it was all because of Brown's lame assed efforts at creating suspense and then a surprise. He writes like he's talking to retards, and this is my only gripe.
I'm interested to see what others think tho!

Who decided to put an S in Lisp?

Replies to this message:
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RAZD
Member (Idle past 1405 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 2 of 39 (114576)
06-11-2004 11:18 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Kaos
06-11-2004 4:11 PM


fast read, fluff, predictable end. very.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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custard
Inactive Member


Message 3 of 39 (115626)
06-16-2004 4:56 AM
Reply to: Message 2 by RAZD
06-11-2004 11:18 PM


I agree with RAZD, although it is a page turner. Good for an airport or hotel read.
The information about Christianity that is 'revealed' is not much of a revelation to anyone who has taken a few history classes or studied comparative religion. I also found some of the 'puzzles,' particularly the old man stripping naked and positioning himself to mimic a particular Da Vinci drawing, pretty contrived.
I also read Daughter of God, by Perdue, who wants to sue Dan Brown for plagiarism. Perdue's book is a slower read, not paced as well, and not nearly as clever (which, isn't saying much); but it has a lot of shooting and quite a few people die.
If you read both books, they seem different enough, but a synopsis of each juxtaposed would make you think Perdue might have a good case for plagiarism.

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Geidriech
Inactive Member


Message 4 of 39 (155549)
11-03-2004 5:07 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Kaos
06-11-2004 4:11 PM


A good read if you do not want anything too heavy and are happy with the grail type snippets and codes - I preffered Angels and Demons, his previous book, similar in style with the same breathless speed. Does nobody sleep in these books?

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ohnhai
Member (Idle past 5162 days)
Posts: 649
From: Melbourne, Australia
Joined: 11-17-2004


Message 5 of 39 (183046)
02-04-2005 8:46 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Kaos
06-11-2004 4:11 PM


Fun book. Whether you take it as fact, and attack on the church or just a novel, sit back and enjoy.
This book was actually responsible for kicking off my current interest in learning more about religions in general. The thought was
Interesting stuff, is any of it true? so I started buying books to read up on the things mentioned in the Code. I have read several books coming out on each side regarding the code. Several books on morality, several books on the origins of religion and so on.
In this light then the Da Vinci Code is a very good book ‘cause it has ignited much debate. Now if only the majority of people who hold an opinion on the book either way would actually do some reading on the subject then the quality of the debates would be improved..
On a related subject C4 showed a good program last night entitled The Real Da Vinci Code hosted by Tony Robinson. Was a good program.

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Replies to this message:
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Asgara
Member (Idle past 2303 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 6 of 39 (183103)
02-04-2005 1:34 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by ohnhai
02-04-2005 8:46 AM


Holy Blood, Holy Grail
I haven't read Brown yet, but am currently reading Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. This is purportedly the research material behind Brown's work of fiction.
I am about half way through and haven't gotten to JC, MM, the grail or the Merovingians yet. So far it has been going through the traditions behind the Knights Templar and their connections to the Freemasons and supposedly the Prieure de Sion behind it all.
I have no way of verifying anything or of accessing the obscure French documents it references, but it is an interesting read.

Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"
select * from USERS where CLUE > 0
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

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Replies to this message:
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 Message 9 by Brian, posted 02-04-2005 5:22 PM Asgara has replied

  
Trixie
Member (Idle past 3706 days)
Posts: 1011
From: Edinburgh
Joined: 01-03-2004


Message 7 of 39 (183146)
02-04-2005 4:58 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by Asgara
02-04-2005 1:34 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
I first came across this theory playing Gabriel Knight, the puter game and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed playing it. Last night, there was a programme on TV about the story behind the Da Vinci Codes and it totally debunked the entire thing. The bottom line was that the Priory of Sion never existed and the whole thing was a hoax. Unfortunately the writers of Holy Blood, Holy Grail didn't believe it was a hoax and published anyway. Apparently the hoax was revealed about a year before Holy Blood, Holy Grail was published.
Having said all that, I find the subject fascinating and I'm still kicking myself that, on a visit to Roslin Chapel, I was too mean to pay the extortionate entrance fee. I'm gonna have to go back, since it's just about on my doorstep.

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Asgara
Member (Idle past 2303 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 8 of 39 (183151)
02-04-2005 5:14 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by Trixie
02-04-2005 4:58 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
ahhh That's what "they" want you to believe.

Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"
select * from USERS where CLUE > 0
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

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Brian
Member (Idle past 4960 days)
Posts: 4659
From: Scotland
Joined: 10-22-2002


Message 9 of 39 (183153)
02-04-2005 5:22 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by Asgara
02-04-2005 1:34 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
If you are halfway through then you don't want to know that the Priory of Sion never existed.
OOPS

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Asgara
Member (Idle past 2303 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 10 of 39 (183155)
02-04-2005 5:32 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Brian
02-04-2005 5:22 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
Ah don't worry,I'm perfectly capable of deluding myself until I finish the book

Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"
select * from USERS where CLUE > 0
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

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Trixie
Member (Idle past 3706 days)
Posts: 1011
From: Edinburgh
Joined: 01-03-2004


Message 11 of 39 (183157)
02-04-2005 5:33 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Brian
02-04-2005 5:22 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
Yeah, but have you considered that the story of the Priory of Sion being a myth was put about by the Priory themselves because the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail were getting too close to the truth? The whole Grail legend is like a hall of mirrors and nothing is as it seems.........I think! I could be wrong, maybe I'm looking in the wrong mirror.

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Replies to this message:
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Brian
Member (Idle past 4960 days)
Posts: 4659
From: Scotland
Joined: 10-22-2002


Message 12 of 39 (183161)
02-04-2005 5:39 PM
Reply to: Message 11 by Trixie
02-04-2005 5:33 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
But, that's like thinking that Hovind started the rumour about having a fake Ph.d.
AHHHHHHHH don't get me thinking too much I will be up all night.
Wee jobi.
Brian

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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Asgara
Member (Idle past 2303 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 13 of 39 (183162)
02-04-2005 5:40 PM
Reply to: Message 11 by Trixie
02-04-2005 5:33 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
EXACTLY!
If the Priory actually exists then it is expected that they would want everyone to believe that the book is wrong.

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Trixie
Member (Idle past 3706 days)
Posts: 1011
From: Edinburgh
Joined: 01-03-2004


Message 14 of 39 (183163)
02-04-2005 5:54 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by Brian
02-04-2005 5:39 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
Got it in one, Brian, attack is the best form of defence. It's a bit like using a strawman argument to "debunk" evolution. Set up a definition of evolution that is preposterous then proceed to knock that definition down. Truthfulness just doesn't come into it.
The Priory could easily hide by setting up a mythical, parallel Priory that could be easily disproved if the so-called evidence is followed to its conclusion, then trumpet the disproval. Next time someone brings up the Priory everyone says "but that was debunked ages ago", not realisingthat this time they may have hit on the real Priory. Does this make sense or am I just indulging in late night ramblings?
And jobby is spellt with a "Y" or an "ie". So there, nananananaaa

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Asgara
Member (Idle past 2303 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 15 of 39 (183165)
02-04-2005 6:01 PM
Reply to: Message 14 by Trixie
02-04-2005 5:54 PM


Re: Holy Blood, Holy Grail
And supposedly they did just this in the past.
Hid within the Catholic church by posing as a group searching for heretical secret societies.
What better place for a heretical secret society to hide?

Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"
select * from USERS where CLUE > 0
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

This message is a reply to:
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