Comments on: Booked Up: Dan Brown's 'The Lost Symbol' http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol Seriously, this could not be more beta Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:36:35 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: el fay http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25155 el fay Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:33:13 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-25155 Have any of you read a recent European import called <i>The Rose Labyrinth</i> by Titania Hardie? (Or, as I like to call it: <i>Mary Sue and the Super Friends v. the Ugly Americans</i>.) It's been compared to <i>The Da Vinci Code</i> for marketing purposes, since they're both a part of that "religious conspiracy" genre. Here is a sample passage; "Simon, and Grace, and Calvin, I now realize, [that] you and I, and everyone like us, should shout from the rooftops about these people's terrifying influence on politics, and laws, and the freedom of our choices. No single religion has a monopoly on bigoted fundamentalism. In Revelation, Jesus is the hero with a 'sword in his mouth' - and I hope we can mount a very effective counteroffensive with our own words." The best part is when the main villain, an American ultra-conservative clearly based on Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (I guess no one told Hardie that one is dead and the other largely irrelevant), is standing somewhere in the Middle East, making a grandiose speech about valleys being three-feet deep in blood when Armageddon comes and Jesus returns to wreak havoc on non-believers. This "rich Texan" stereotype then makes a really awkward, tacked-on comment about not having to worry about global warming then! Christ Almighty, it's like the most hyperbolic satire of the Republican party ever written. And it's a shame, really, because <i>The Rose Labyrinth</i> had the potential to be so much better than anything Dan Brown could ever come out with. Hardie's dialogue and characterization need some work (the protagonist in particular was way too perfect) but she's great at setting the scene and evoking mood and atmosphere. There's also an extremely well-done death scene towards the beginning. Publishing companies have editors, folks. USE THEM. Have any of you read a recent European import called The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie? (Or, as I like to call it: Mary Sue and the Super Friends v. the Ugly Americans.) It's been compared to The Da Vinci Code for marketing purposes, since they're both a part of that "religious conspiracy" genre. Here is a sample passage;

"Simon, and Grace, and Calvin, I now realize, [that] you and I, and everyone like us, should shout from the rooftops about these people's terrifying influence on politics, and laws, and the freedom of our choices. No single religion has a monopoly on bigoted fundamentalism. In Revelation, Jesus is the hero with a 'sword in his mouth' – and I hope we can mount a very effective counteroffensive with our own words."

The best part is when the main villain, an American ultra-conservative clearly based on Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (I guess no one told Hardie that one is dead and the other largely irrelevant), is standing somewhere in the Middle East, making a grandiose speech about valleys being three-feet deep in blood when Armageddon comes and Jesus returns to wreak havoc on non-believers. This "rich Texan" stereotype then makes a really awkward, tacked-on comment about not having to worry about global warming then! Christ Almighty, it's like the most hyperbolic satire of the Republican party ever written.

And it's a shame, really, because The Rose Labyrinth had the potential to be so much better than anything Dan Brown could ever come out with. Hardie's dialogue and characterization need some work (the protagonist in particular was way too perfect) but she's great at setting the scene and evoking mood and atmosphere. There's also an extremely well-done death scene towards the beginning. Publishing companies have editors, folks. USE THEM.

]]> By: DorothyMantooth http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25038 DorothyMantooth Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:54:56 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-25038 STRONGLY AGREE STRONGLY AGREE

]]> By: Kataphraktos http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24817 Kataphraktos Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:29:44 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24817 These books are very poorly written. The story lines are laughable. The few pages of Harry Potter I've consumed show vastly superior storytelling and writing abilities - and that's FUCKING HARRY POTTER. That someone employed by the New York Times would get past the fifth page without throwing it against a wall is shameful. Navel-gazing as journalism, a.k.a. if the 50-year-old heroine can get herself a Tom Hanks, maybe I can, too. So, you know, journalistic fiat by twat. I hope Cronkite rises from his grave as a well-spoken zombie and eats all their brains (a light lunch, as it were). Yes, this makes me angry. These books are very poorly written. The story lines are laughable. The few pages of Harry Potter I've consumed show vastly superior storytelling and writing abilities – and that's FUCKING HARRY POTTER.

That someone employed by the New York Times would get past the fifth page without throwing it against a wall is shameful. Navel-gazing as journalism, a.k.a. if the 50-year-old heroine can get herself a Tom Hanks, maybe I can, too. So, you know, journalistic fiat by twat. I hope Cronkite rises from his grave as a well-spoken zombie and eats all their brains (a light lunch, as it were).

Yes, this makes me angry.

]]> By: sfauthor http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24785 sfauthor Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:34:11 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24785 Nice posting. Do you know about this edition of the Gita? http://www.YogaVidya.com/gita.html Nice posting. Do you know about this edition of the Gita?

http://www.YogaVidya.com/gita.html

]]> By: Rw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24778 Rw Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:40:08 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24778 I've an ex who makes a very solid case for Chrichton being a misogynist, at least from the standpoint of his early and not so early Novels. I've an ex who makes a very solid case for Chrichton being a misogynist, at least from the standpoint of his early and not so early Novels.

]]> By: Lionel Mandrake http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24764 Lionel Mandrake Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:14:50 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24764 Dan Brown's undisguised hostility to religion is the ONLY redeeming factor of his writing. I suspect he does view himself as subversive in a way, and successfully so, but it's a subversiveness that's about as sophisticated as putting elephant dung on a painting of the "Madonna". Dan Brown's undisguised hostility to religion is the ONLY redeeming factor of his writing.

I suspect he does view himself as subversive in a way, and successfully so, but it's a subversiveness that's about as sophisticated as putting elephant dung on a painting of the "Madonna".

]]> By: Abe Sauer http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24755 Abe Sauer Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:44:38 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24755 Choire, great review. I would say the incongruity between the millions who will buy (if not read) Brown and his message is really kin to the red-hot testosteroned love of war films that are really supposed to be anti-war films. Choire, great review. I would say the incongruity between the millions who will buy (if not read) Brown and his message is really kin to the red-hot testosteroned love of war films that are really supposed to be anti-war films.

]]> By: Abe Sauer http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24754 Abe Sauer Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:40:49 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24754 Damnit. I was going to speak to "how warriors march into battle believing God favors their cause" too. So wrong. But yes. I mean, sure, if by "the ancients" he means the first however many guys laid down the respective religions, then, maybe. But within 10 minutes all those religions were being used for war. From Europe to the Chinese Tai Pings. And yeah, seems to be a feel-superior-to-dan-brown-and-his-readers kid of day. Damnit. I was going to speak to "how warriors march into battle believing God favors their cause" too. So wrong. But yes. I mean, sure, if by "the ancients" he means the first however many guys laid down the respective religions, then, maybe. But within 10 minutes all those religions were being used for war. From Europe to the Chinese Tai Pings.

And yeah, seems to be a feel-superior-to-dan-brown-and-his-readers kid of day.

]]> By: Abe Sauer http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24749 Abe Sauer Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:33:06 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24749 Christ, awfully dismissive of people who read, no? What is it, Harvard Classics or you might as well be watching Two and Half Men? I mean, I certainly don't spend my summer curled up with Finnegan's Wake or anything. Christ, awfully dismissive of people who read, no? What is it, Harvard Classics or you might as well be watching Two and Half Men? I mean, I certainly don't spend my summer curled up with Finnegan's Wake or anything.

]]> By: Meeg http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24745 Meeg Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:26:18 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24745 And doesn't this book mention the Nousphere and Durer's woodprints? Stop taking things I'm interested in and putting them in your books, Brown! And doesn't this book mention the Nousphere and Durer's woodprints?

Stop taking things I'm interested in and putting them in your books, Brown!

]]> By: KenWheaton http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24737 KenWheaton Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:04:06 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24737 "the ancients would be horrified if they saw how their teachings had been perverted… how religion has established itself as a tollbooth to heaven… how warriors march into battle believing God favors their cause." Someone doesn't know much about how the ancients used religion does he? Didn't they ALWAYS march into battle believing God favored their cause? Hell, didn't many of them march into battle because some God told them to? Hahaha. Dan Brown's dumb. I feel smugly superior. "the ancients would be horrified if they saw how their teachings had been perverted… how religion has established itself as a tollbooth to heaven… how warriors march into battle believing God favors their cause."

Someone doesn't know much about how the ancients used religion does he? Didn't they ALWAYS march into battle believing God favored their cause? Hell, didn't many of them march into battle because some God told them to?

Hahaha. Dan Brown's dumb. I feel smugly superior.

]]> By: jagorev http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24710 jagorev Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:01:35 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24710 A shorter review: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/cartoonlounge/2009/09/who-is-dan-brown.html A shorter review:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/cartoonlounge/2009/09/who-is-dan-brown.html

]]> By: Mindpowered http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24703 Mindpowered Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:55:59 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24703 Talk about "draining a gugglet of obvious adamale" Talk about "draining a gugglet of obvious adamale"

]]> By: HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24695 HiredGoons Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:46:40 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24695 but... but Finnegan's Wake is a diff... oh, I see. but… but Finnegan's Wake is a diff… oh, I see.

]]> By: HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24694 HiredGoons Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:46:03 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24694 *Cretin *Cretin

]]> By: ejcsanfran http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24690 ejcsanfran Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:40:33 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24690 Actually, it's spelled D-A-N-I-E-L-L-E S-T-E-E-L. Actually, it's spelled D-A-N-I-E-L-L-E S-T-E-E-L.

]]> By: Mindpowered http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24689 Mindpowered Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:39:52 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24689 Dan Brown is to intellectual as Finnegans Wake is to readable. Dan Brown is to intellectual as Finnegans Wake is to readable.

]]> By: JaguarPaw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24687 JaguarPaw Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:39:16 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24687 Sigh. He doesn't deserve it anyway. Sigh. He doesn't deserve it anyway.

]]> By: LondonLee http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24681 LondonLee Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:30:01 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24681 Still wrong Still wrong

]]> By: JaguarPaw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24676 JaguarPaw Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:26:51 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24676 *Chrichton *Chrichton

]]> By: JaguarPaw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24675 JaguarPaw Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:25:10 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24675 Brown's books are a great stepping stone for readers who feel intellectual enough to graduate from Harry Potter. In between the two rests Michael Creighton. Brown's books are a great stepping stone for readers who feel intellectual enough to graduate from Harry Potter. In between the two rests Michael Creighton.

]]> By: rod_townsend http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24666 rod_townsend Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:13:37 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24666 Looking your comment to mine following, I can tell that it took me 8 minutes to leave my oh-so-important comment. And several minutes to type this because I have been so busy with work. This makes me sad. I want to fully form thoughts!!!!!!!!!!! Looking your comment to mine following, I can tell that it took me 8 minutes to leave my oh-so-important comment. And several minutes to type this because I have been so busy with work. This makes me sad. I want to fully form thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!

]]> By: HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24665 HiredGoons Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:12:09 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24665 It's like The Hardy Boys, except not fun. It's like The Hardy Boys, except not fun.

]]> By: HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24664 HiredGoons Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:10:54 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24664 Robert Anton Wilson is spinning in his grave(?) Robert Anton Wilson is spinning in his grave(?)

]]> By: rod_townsend http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24660 rod_townsend Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:02:11 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=13479#comment-24660 PREDICTION: 50-year old love interest in movie to be played by Mandy Moore. PREDICTION: 50-year old love interest in movie to be played by Mandy Moore.

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