Book Review: Dan Brown - All of 'em!

You might think it's a bit odd (and perhaps unfair) reviewing all of Dan Brown's books in one hit, but there's a reason for it. I read the Da Vinci Code towards the end of last year, and I confess I enjoyed it. What made it so interesting was not the fact that it was a mesmerising thriller, as some have said, although there is no doubt that he does understand how to keep the reader fascinated with a pacey style.

What made it interesting was all the information in it - this book purports to shatter accepted views of worldwide religions, and not only that, the author clearly did lots of research, which only lends weight to his postulations. Regardless of whether these views are valid (and there was a British documentary which manages to challenge each of the 'facts' Dan Brown offers), they make really interesting reading, and he also informs on many of the famous buildings visited in the book (Westminster Abbey, The Louvre etc).

This is what held me, the informative style. Yes, the plot is involved, and has a pace about it that makes it a page-turner. But some of his techniques underestimate his reader, so it's not a wholly rewarding read. I followed the Da Vinci Code with Angels and Demons, which again, while exhibiting some clumsy suspense mechanisms, was really informative. It was interesting to read about the Illuminati, and the great churches of Rome, but he includes some interesting passages about the apparent conflicts between science and religion that read quite well.

So far, so good. But when he doesn't furnish his books with interesting information, or consistent levels of research, the text reads very flat indeed. Digital Fortress goes that way. It covers the subject of cryptology, but instead of loading the reader with complex information, chooses to cop out, no doubt assuming his readers won't cope. So he hand-holds you through the whole book, and the thriller content isn't thrilling enough to sustain it.

So it was with a resigned sigh that I started Deception Point (you see, having read Da Vinci code, I bought all the others on a 3 for 2 deal at Waterstones!). Deception Point doesn't shy away from the information, but annoyed me because he kept repeating the same facts, no doubt convinced that we couldn't possibly remember them without his help.

It sounds like I'm pretty down on Dan Brown, but once you've read one, you've read them all. He uses the same techniques to inject the thriller 'thrill', but it's tiresome and pedestrian in reality. His plots all contain a twist, but not a cleverly worked one; in all the books the person you think is the good guy (and unquestioningly so) always turns out to be bad. Not a stretch of the imagination, is it? Secondly, something that a lead character assumes to be true will be slowly unpicked throughout the plot, until the story becomes secondary to the things that you learn throughout.

If you want unchallenging, hand-holding, Learn with Mother pulp, all these books should line your suitcase on your next trip abroad. If not, read the Da Vinci code, maybe Angels and Demons (just for the passages on Roman landmarks alone), then move on.

In order: Da Vinci Code 7/10, Angels and Demons 6/10, Digital Fortress 4/10, Deception Point 5/10.