Buy Used/3rdParty

More product information

Find other editions of Angels & Demons (Softback, Hardback, Audio, E-Book)

Similar Products

Audio CD Description It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire, 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

Customer Reviews High Spirited Fun! Deep in the heart of a Swiss research laboratory, a brilliant physicist is savagely murdered on the brink of a groundbreaking experiment involving the origins of the universe - an experiment that could debunk religion in favor of science once and for all. The scientist's corpse is branded with a single word: "Illuminati," referring to the centuries-old atheist cult that sprang up in opposition to the Catholic Church. Of more immediate concern is the theft of a canister of antimatter, an unspeakably volatile substance that annihilates anything it touches. Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology at Harvard, is brought in to examine the markings, even though he insists that the Illuminati have been dead for many years. Soon, however, it becomes obvious that the brotherhood is alive and well, and mounting an unprecedented attack on its arch nemesis, the Church. Teaming up with the dead man's daughter, Vittoria Vetra (a beautiful and brilliant scientist herself, of course), Robert has only a few hours to solve an ancient puzzle that may lead him to the heart of the Illuminati lair, and help him thwart their diabolical plan to destroy religion. It's important, when reading books like this, to be able to unquestioningly swallow virtually any plot development at all. Superhuman physical prowess and a credulity-stretching range of expertise are the norm, as are a steady stream of unbelievable coincidences. And yet, you must believe them. Dark matter in a high-tech canister of doom? Sure! Secret satanic societies threatening to blow up the Vatican? Why not! Like the intrepid Robert Langdon, you just have to learn to accept these things as normal, and smear each page with a generous dollop of suspension of disbelief before reading it. If you can make yourself believe, though, there's plenty of gadgetry, high-speed fun to be had. When you've got four hours to stop a global disaster, there isn't a whole lot of time for character development, and this is reflected in the story. Robert leads an Indiana-Jones-esque double life, effortlessly switching from mild-mannered religious studies professor to hardcore action hero (though he lacks the bullwhip that really lends credibility). Vittoria is your standard fiery, intelligent, beautiful heroine, basically lacking in any flaw except her inability to find true love, blah blah. Most of the other characters undergo at least one are-they-good-or-are-they-evil switcheroo as the plot develops, but that isn't really the same thing as having a complex and believable personality. No, these characters are painted with broad brushstrokes, and while they're concrete enough to hang a fast-moving thriller on, you wouldn't want to hear them sit down and have meaningful interactions about feelings and such. ANGELS & DEMONS is a fun, high-spirited and not overly serious romp, ideal for distracting yourself from the tribulations of daily life. Another very enjoyable (though quite different) Amazon-pick I recommend is THE LOSERS' CLUB: Complete Restored Edition by Richard Perez. Two wonderful fast reads Harry Potter for grown ups. If you're looking for a book that will let you escape the doldrums of daily life for awhile then read this. Angels and Demons is a fantastic piece of fiction with very short chapters attractive to both busy people and those with short attention spans. The action is nonstop, the background is well researched (twisted, albeit, to fit the plot), the writing is punchy, the characters have appeal, and the work has education value. In short, this book is a lot of fun. I read a considerable amount of theology and I would offer that Brown's speculation on the subject matter is interesting. Theology is generally seen as dry and archaic, and Brown breathes life into it for the average person to consider reading more. Even those critics which have valid objections do nothing but attempt to capitalize on his success. Check your brain and escape to the Vatican to solve an archaic puzzle. A Gimmick I'm finding it hard to realize what the hullabaloo is all about; I mean there's nothing enthralling here at all. But, we're introduced to Dan's clichéd structure as always: The arcane subject matter, the single protagonist with an 'erudite' appeal, the sexually driven assassin, and the damsel in distress-yes, the quintessential ingredients of a typical B-Movie. Yet I can understand why this book has many 'devoted' fans; I mainly assume it to be the MTV fueled minds of youth-the ostensibly intricate book appropriate for the puerile generation, who can then boast about it with friends as if it was some sequel to 'Gravity's Rainbow' (Thomas Pynchon). Yeah, I maybe no better but I can make out good books from bad books and this is so hollow and clichéd. Dan Brown will be an author I will overlook for many years to come, unless he comes up with something philosophically digestible in future, which is highly unlikely as the puerile generation is exponentially burgeoning.