CasInterest From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 3251 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (6 years 10 months 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 2113 times:
I only read the book, and it was semi interesting. However the end pretty much sucked, and the character development went straight to hell at the end.
Older than I just was ,and younger than I will soo be.
Ctbarnes From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3491 posts, RR: 52 Reply 5, posted (6 years 10 months 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2093 times:
Good page turner, kind of a geeky murder mystery. Just don't believe anything you read about the Church in it.
BTW, saw the film last week and it honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, though the conspiracy theory and the bits about Sion are even less believeable than they were in the book. And I'm disappointed Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou didn't hook up in the end. Is he mad??
I give it 3 stars out of four.
Charles, SJ
The customer isn't a moron, she is your wife -David Ogilvy
Skidmarks From UK - England, joined Dec 2004, 7121 posts, RR: 60 Reply 6, posted (6 years 10 months 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2092 times:
Apart from the usual writers licence with things like air travel , I thought the book was good. Subject matter maybe not everyones taste but well thought out all the same. I enjoyed it.
I doubt I'll watch the film though, they are never as good.
erm , not entirely. More like fictional work based on some real historical facts.
The opus dei exists as does the priory of scion and that the knights of the templar existed is a well known historical fact. www.opusdei.org www.priory-sion.com
[Edited 2006-07-22 15:09:08]
[Edited 2006-07-22 15:10:18]
Never argue with idiots. They will bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12707 posts, RR: 80 Reply 15, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1993 times:
I am as proud of the fact that I have never read the book, seen the film, as I am about never watching Big Brother or non Celeb Island, whatever it's called.
All are crap for the credulous.
I'm afraid all the hype in the world will not tempt me to read what is in effect, a lot of old bollocks about an ancient fairey story.
(Apparently, whatever Dan Brown is banging on about was easily de-bunked decades ago, some blood line conspiracy or whatever it is.
Ugh, Dan Brown, another John Grisham, let the crap film versions commence!
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 16, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1991 times:
Quoting Ctbarnes (Reply 5): Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou didn't hook up in the end. Is he mad??
Hey! That is the Grand14daughter of Jesus you are talking about! Don't go outside during thunderstorms.
Actually they did agree to meet in Paris in a few months.
Decent book, fair/poor movie. Huge flaw in the story I could not overlook, I could not 'suspend my disbelief' after a couple of chapters over it.
SPOILER WARNING
This guy has a normal day, lectures until when? then gets called to the Louvre. From there he does not sleep for a couple of days is being chased by killers and cops and having, in general an extraordinary time and yet he keeps making these fantastic leaps of logic. Tell the truth; how many times was the next twist obvious to you? But still he gets it in his sleep-deprived, adrenalin-buzzed state. If we are going to make him superhuman why don't we just make him able to fly and have xray vision and given Silas some Kryptonite?
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
Ctbarnes From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3491 posts, RR: 52 Reply 17, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 1989 times:
Quoting DIJKKIJK (Reply 14): The opus dei exists as does the priory of scion and that the knights of the templar existed is a well known historical fact.
Yes, all these organizations do or did exist, and yes, Brown is relying partially on history, and partially on legend. And they also have been romanticised throught history. Wagner's opera Parcifal comes to mind as one of the most famous deptiction of the Knights Templar
Conspiracy theories are irresistable in many people's minds, that there are things the Catholic Church are trying to hush up for fear it will bring down the institution. Fact is, we do not know where Mary Magdeline is entombed, and we do not know for sure what precisely happened after Jesus' death. All we have are the Gospel accounts (which are not historically reliable documents in the way we now define history). Nor do we know what precisely happened to Mary after Jesus' death and resurrection. Some place her in Rome, and one byzentine legend where she was trying to convince the empiror about Christ's resurrection. The emperor picked up an egg and said, "a man can no more rise from the dead than this egg can change color." The egg then turned red. As a side note, this is probably where we get the tradition of Easter Eggs.
The film "Stigmata" was another where a document (the Gospel of Thomas) was supposed to be the center of a conspiracy to be hushed up for fear of destroying the Church-and despite the fact these documents have been freely available for decades.
That Opus Dei was culpable in commiting murder, trying to prevent the secret from being reveald is simply far fetched, and is an exaggeration of what the group is. We Jesuits get accused of the same thing, and it's, frankly, laughable.
Charles, SJ
The customer isn't a moron, she is your wife -David Ogilvy
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1980 times:
I like the idea of a bloodline from Jesus/Mary Magdalene - it's a wonderful legend, and ties up so nicely with the other legends about the Templars and their secret/treasure/whatever. Holy Blood/Holy Grail is an interesting theory but the premise is wafer-thin and takes a number of flying leaps from miniscule coincidence to resultant rock-solid "proof". It's a shame that so much historical documentation regarding first the gospels suppressed by the council of Nicaea, and later so-called "heresies" like the Cathars etc has been lost or actively suppressed, that would reveal more about the early days of the church.
The Da Vinci Code was a good book with an appalling plot based on fascinating but unrealistic historical theories.
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 19, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 1975 times:
Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 18): I like the idea of a bloodline from Jesus/Mary Magdalene - it's a wonderful legend
Why?
This question occurred to me in the middle of the book. Who cares if there is a genetic line from Jesus? What difference would it make? The only 'benefit' I can envision from that would be dependent on Christianity becoming a monarchy.
If one accepts monarchy as the best system of leadership (and monarchy was usually presented as ordained by God) then Jesus' own bloodline would be the greatest thing since...
I'm not really proposing argument against the concept, just pressing for some examination of its REAL merit, beyond the Wow! factor. For the masses to be convinced that some real-life Sophie is the rightful heir to the legacy of Jesus Christ, they would have to be conviced first in his literal, historical existence. In other words, I don't think much would be changed by the revelation of ALL the secrets put forward by this book. We would still have believers, non-believers, agnostics, apatheologians like me, and power struggles which DO and ALWAYS DID/WILL exist for the unimaginable wealth commanded by a major religion. Wealth being expanded to include political clout.
So why? Why would the bloodline matter?
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
This question occurred to me in the middle of the book. Who cares if there is a genetic line from Jesus? What difference would it make? The only 'benefit' I can envision from that would be dependent on Christianity becoming a monarchy.
Why not ? Putting aside the religious ramifications, which only of interest to those with religious faith anyway, and whose faith should not be impacted by anything as prosaic as history, it would be a fascinating historical footnote, a link to the distant past, and provide some historical perspective to a poorly documented period of history.
The established Church, with it's suppressions and heresies and secrecy about it's own past, does itself no favours with the more rational among us who are not the least interested in damaging or undermining the faith of believers, but who would very much like to find out more about the early history of one of the most profoundly influential organisations that has ever existed. By (apparently) hiding and distorting so much, the Church only fuels the persistent notion that there is in fact something significant to hide.
Skidmarks From UK - England, joined Dec 2004, 7121 posts, RR: 60 Reply 21, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 1972 times:
Sod the religion, I thought it was a good read. Kept me amused for a few days, and it takes quite a bit to tear me away from Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt!
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1968 times:
Quoting Skidmarks (Reply 21): it takes quite a bit to tear me away from Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt!
Great minds (well in this case, a Great Mind and your mind) think alike ! Terry Pratchett is the best author in the whole world ever, and Tom Holt is damn fine too (I just read his latest, which was better than his other recent output, I must say). Can't wait for the new Pratchett in September.
Searpqx From Netherlands, joined Jun 2000, 4343 posts, RR: 12 Reply 23, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1968 times:
Quoting Skidmarks (Reply 21): Sod the religion, I thought it was a good read. Kept me amused for a few days, and it takes quite a bit to tear me away from Terry Pratchett
Exactly - it was a fun read, an interesting historical what if. There are very few books out there, including most 'non-fiction' books that should ever be read as anything other than entertainment.
"The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity"
TACAA320 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (6 years 10 months 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1959 times:
Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 18): I like the idea of a bloodline from Jesus/Mary Magdalene -
I don't. I simply don't believe that.
Nevertheless, Mary the Magdalene was an example of sanctity for Christianity.
25 JGPH1A: I don't particulary believe it either, it's just a fascinating idea. And I don't see how Jesus' historical importance would be diminished in any way
26 Trekster: Not into religion, but LOVED the book and movie Dan
27 TACAA320: I 100% respect your opinion but, as you know, I don't share it. Mary the Magdalene was a great woman who deeply regrets her sins and followed what Je
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, I thought the book was good. Subject matter maybe not everyones taste but well thought out all the same. I enjoyed it. 
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Exactly - it was a fun read, an interesting historical what if. There are very few books out there, including most 'non-fiction' books that should ever be read as anything other than entertainment.
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