Resumo de The Da Vinci Code

A secret kept under wraps by a zealous (Catholic) Church for over two millenia.

The Illuminati, an elusive organisation of intellectuals - guardians to the 'Holy Grail'.

And a fringe sect of Christianity (Opus Dei) out to fulfill their sacred destiny and stifle the secret once and for all.

Welcome to a war that's been raging behind the scenes of Western society ever since the death of Christ...

Given the setting, and the protagonists to this epic battle; can one be surprised that Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code has the ingredients to stir up quite a storm? This is a novel that has loyal followers of the Catholic Church up in arms, a defensive Opus Dei found defining its' mission to an incredulous public; and once again brings up the shadow of the Illuminati - the favourite whipping boy of every conspiracy junkie on the planet!

In the second of a series of novels involving Robert Langdon (preceded by Angels & Demons, same author), Brown has managed to create an involving and fast-moving work of fiction. He puts together a variety of known (and not so well known) facts. By throwing a different light on historical events, the author has skillfully blended his view of the past with the modern world's paranoia of organised religion.

Brown is adept at fleshing out his characters, and each plays an important role in the progression of the tale. And what a tale it is, the greatest treasure hunt of modern times!

Langdon the symbologist, is faced with the task of overcoming his disbelief in the existence of the Grail - but only his ability to read these symbols can guide him on his path.
Sophie Neveau - granddaughter and only link to the murdered Jacques Sauniere, Illuminati Grandmaster - must serve as the source of a series of clues as the story unravels...
The omnipresent Bezu Fache, Detective par excellence in the Surete (French Secret Police) and an Opus Dei member himself; ready to foil the keen seekers at every turn.
Sir Leigh Teading - friend of Langdon, fanatic seeker of the Grail with dark shades of gray, wheeling and dealing as he too tries to reach this fantastic prize at all costs.

The twists and turns keep the reader at their wit's end; the pages seem to turn themselves as you rush through the breathless narrative. Brown has made you more aware than ever of how you, and the society you live in are linked to an ever irrepressable past.

As the novel winds down to its' awesome conclusion, you wonder - how could such a secret remain hidden from the public eye; in a world that is now - more than ever - searching and seeking answers to questions that have never been asked before?! In the days of the internet and the ever-aware citizen, could this version of the truth have been supressed to such an extent?

It is here that Dan Brown's novel succeeds. To quote Shakespeare's Horatio, as he strains to get through to an estranged Hamlet: "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy". For it is as you follow Langdon on his odyssey, that you ponder on the relevance of our own assumptions - of faith, of society and of the material world we live in.

So there it is! The Da Vinci Code excites and compels you to push forward the frontiers of your own knowledge. What better environment could Dan Brown have expected before the release of his next book, the situation is ripe for Langdon's next challenge. So look forward to The Solomon Key, due in 2007...

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