"The Lost Symbol"

by Dan Brown

Earlier I said I would add to the several reviews of this book after I finished it . Here ‘tis.

My verdict is sideways on this one – neither an enthusiastic upwards gesture nor a nose-holding downward one.

High points:

· Fast pace.
· Suspenseful.
· Lots of occult references and spookiness (for those who like those sorts of things).
· Good plot continuity despite MANY sudden scene changes.

Low points:

· One dimensional characterization.
· Implausible situations and constructs requiring enormous suspension of disbelief.
· Questionable factual grasp (e.g., one of the “ancient mystical texts” cited is actually a fairly recent popularization of quantum physics that I have reviewed in this blog).
· Reads a lot like the screen play for which it is obviously destined (I found myself fantasy casting – Hanks, of course, as the protagonist, that diminutive actress who looks like Mother Theresa (I can’t think of her name, doggone it) as Sato, the CIA director, Anthony Hopkins as one of the old wise ones, and some very buff, but very weird wresting type as the super villain).

All in all, it was a kind of fun read, but, in my opinion, simplistic and adolescent in its overall literary quality. It has features reminiscent of “Star Wars” with its dark force, the arcane references that those of us familiar with H.P. Lovecraft might remember, a “find-the-treasure” puzzle novel, James Bond-like adventure, a lot of the conspirational innuendos common to tracts from both the lunatic fringes of the far right and the far left, and even some touches of Odysseus’ trials and tribulations.

As far as Brown’s reputation as a heretical anti-catholic and here as an uncoverer of Masonic secrets, I think that folks get bent way out of shape in looking at his fiction. I know enough about the Catholic Church, for example, to recognize his having fun with it (the pope as a helicopter pilot and parachutist in “Angels and Demons”??) or being abjectly ignorant of some of the institution’s framework. I don’t know anything at all about the Masons beyond their local shrine having a nice country club golf course with a monochrome grey statue in front portraying a shriner leading some crippled kids somewhere – that statue with the flat-topped fez always reminds me of Karloff’s Frankenstein monster taking those poor kids off into the woods.

In any event, I think Brown and similar writers in this genre (Steve Berry, being one, or even Ian Fleming) deliberately try to give an impression that there are insidious, super-powerful institutional forces in the world with well-planned scenarios for social domination. Having some experience with the usually chaotic way institutions work, I simply can’t see organizational leadership in government, the church, secret societies, or anything else having the simple wisdom and coherence to carry it off. My cynical view is that, even if there were organizations with mission statements to provide a “New World Order”, the leaders, being as idiotic and disorganized as the rest of us, go around with one thumb in their mouths and the other in their nether parts, waiting for someone to holler, “Switch ‘em!” (the favorite taunt of our old football coach).

So read “The Lost Symbol” for fun if you want, or wait for the movie, but Great Literature – no.

Reviewed by Ken West