Da Vinci Code

I have read all 4 Dan Brown books (Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Digital Fortress and Deception Point). Of all the books, I think the Da Vinci Code is his best fiction/ novel. It has become so immensely popular and has sold millions of copies. The movie adaptation is also coming soon (May 2006). From the trailer, Tom Hanks appears to be a good Robert Langdon.

Aside from the appeal of the story and the fast-paced action, Dan Brown's novel has become so controversial as to spike interest and consumption of other books (his so-called research materials), as well as the publishing of books analyzing or debunking the book. Quite a number of documentaries/ TV specials have also been shown. Dan Brown's book is a work of FICTION. The problem is he wrote a statement at the beginning of the book purpoting that certain statements/ descriptions in the book are FACTUAL. This sparked a lot of controversy. Admittedly, after reading the book, there were a lot of questions that went through my mind about the ideas in the book. It is a good thing that books and documetaries came out that really examines the facts and shows what is really fiction in Brown's book.

The book Secrets of The Code (The Unauthorized Guide to The Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code) edited by Dan Burstein is a bestselling book that attemps to "distill" expert views and opinion and combine them to present a more scholarly basis for Brown's allegations.
Dan Burstein writes: "Let me be crystal clear: The Da Vinci Code is a novel. It is an entertainment. It is something to enjoy. Part of the enjoyment, for me anyway, is to follow upon the threads and ideas, to pursue its interconnections. That's what (this book) is all about."

The National Geographic Special Unlocking Da Vinci's Code is a good documentary simply because it shows actual places and artwork. It also separates fact from fiction regarding questions raised by the novel. It was shown last year, I don't know when it will be shown again and I have'nt seen copies of it yet.

If you happen to go to the your favorite record/ video store, you'll see The Da Vinci Code Deception (Fact vs. Fiction: Your Guide to The Truth). It is an even more compelling documentary that shows how POORLY-RESEARCHED Brown's book is. The docu is based on 3 books: The Da Vinci Deception (Erwin Lutzer), Breaking The Da Vinci Code (Darrel Bock), and Cracking Da Vinci's Code (Peter Jones). It says that Brown's facts are so outright wrong that it seems he has a deeper motive in writing the book (discrediting the Church) and not just entertainment.

Check them out for yourself and you decide...