The Lost Symbol

Synopsis
Robert Langdon is back in another thriller, this one set in Washington, D.C. A rogue Freemason kidnaps one of Langdon's mentors and it's up to Langdon to save his friend's life.

My take
This is a real page-turner and it kept me entertained—but it's probably my least favorite of the Robert Langdon books I've read. (Angels and Demons ranks first because I read it first and found it utterly captivating. The Da Vinci Code comes in second; the premise was intriguing, it was just as fast-paced as Angels and Demons, and it kept me guessing right to the end.) The Lost Symbol tries to be bigger and better than its predecessors, but ultimately it's just too much. It's like Dan Brown knew he needed to top Langdon's other adventures but couldn't quite pull it off. And that's why I rarely let myself get drawn into series books or books that have a common protagonist—no matter how much I love the characters, the quality invariably deteriorates. (This was why I stopped reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series and I may not finish George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series for the same reason.)

There were many twists and turns, but I was disappointed that I was able to figure out the villain's true identity well before the dramatic reveal. My husband and I read Angels and Demons at the same time and he figured out who the bad guy was long before I did—he even wrote a page-long analysis explaining his logic to convince me. And I didn't see the Da Vinci Code resolution coming either.

Another drawback: there was a lot of tedious long-winded explanation in this book, which is something I don't remember from Angels and Demons or The Da Vinci Code (although it's been a few years since I've read them). Angels and Demons contained both scientific and religious details, but they were woven into the overall narrative more seamlessly. Brown was less successful in doing that with The Lost Symbol. The explanations were easy to follow, but they were distracting and they took me away from the action. It was like watching a movie and having to hit pause every few minutes to have something explained.

But enough negatives—on to the positives. Brown manages to cultivate a sense of suspense despite the fact that the formula of the genre dictates that the good guys live happily ever after. And as an organization, the Freemasons make a compelling focus for Brown's trademark symbolism-driven mystery. They're just as fascinating as the Illuminati or Opus Dei. I also liked that the action was set in Washington, D.C. It's not as glamorous or as historically rich as Rome or Paris, but it makes a strong impression (much like the first National Treasure movie). Brown goes out of his way to stress that D.C. is just as worthy as the grand old European cities, but I don't quite buy it. After all, it did take him this long to focus on D.C. himself.

Finally, a modest cheer for the smart female sidekick, who for once is not a leggy brunette half Langdon's age.

Bottom line
It certainly lives up to its billing as a thriller. It's leagues above most of the rest of the genre, but it's not quite on the same level as Angels and Demons or The Da Vinci Code. Like previous Dan Brown books there's a lot of gore, so it may not be for anyone who is squeamish. And if it's ever adapted for the screen you can probably skip the book and just see the movie.

Fine print
The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown
Genre: Thriller
Photo from Goodreads
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