The Da Vinci Code

[atomant]

Okay, here's the rub, I read the book and enjoyed it. However I got to thinking, which is a dangerous thing for me to do, and came up with more questions than answers, especially for someone that is not overly religious.

I would like to think that the book is purely a work of fiction, but the symbology aspect of it got me thinking what if it is true (that the holy grail is mary m.)?

What do others think of the book, and more importantly, its contents.

[BeBMan]

Re: The Da Vinci Code

Originally posted by atomant
I would like to think that the book is purely a work of fiction, but the symbology aspect of it got me thinking what if it is true (that the holy grail is mary m.)?

What do others think of the book, and more importantly, its contents.

[DeathByTheSword]

well there is a book out about that are facts and fictions in the da vinci code...maybe first read that one before you continue on your queste

[Bosh]

Also try Foucoult's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. Its kind of Da Vince Code For Smart People

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by Boshko
Also try Foucoult's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. Its kind of Da Vince Code For Smart People

[Saras]

Eco

Name of the rose

The part where Adso describes the first and only time he had sex

[Whaleboy]

It's the kind of book that explores the nature of fiction itself imo... the most potent message is that Christians have no monopoly over the interpretation of Christ's life, and in a wider context, no one group can claim a part of history as their own.

[Dry]

Re: The Da Vinci Code

Originally posted by atomant
I would like to think that the book is purely a work of fiction, but the symbology aspect of it got me thinking what if it is true (that the holy grail is mary m.)?

All legends and mysteries mentioned in this book are true legends and unsolved mysteries.
I do not think he invented any new legend. His great work is to have linked exisiting legends into one, 'coherent' fictional story.
To link the templars and the holy graal is not so difficult, but to link them with DaVinci, Newton and Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, is a true master piece.
For mysteries, he just picked one of the possible interpretations: the one that best fiits the story, not (always) the most likely one.

[Alex]

wait for the movie

[Ben Kenobi]

but the symbology aspect of it got me thinking what if it is true

Symbology is a funny thing.

In order to understand what the builders meant by what they did, you have to understand the mindset of the builders.

I mean, anyone can go and say, this is what I see in these things, but that may be entirely different from what was intended by the folks who designed these things in the first place.

I don't think it makes sense to try an interpret things like cathedrals without the background understanding, and even then, we have to be very careful since we are still seeing with our own eyes, and not with theirs.

[Atahualpa]

I finished the book as well some weeks ago. I think in the world Brown describes everything just fits so perfectly and is connected so wonderfully that it cannot be the truth.
You can call it overfitting.

Anyway, at the point when he writes that they are searching for the holy grail I thought, DIOS MIO what a load of ****. Who in the world does interest the Holy Grail? The truth about Jesus and Mary...
From then on the book was much less interesting, but I finished it nevertheless. The ending was a total dissapointment.

Yeah sure Pagan vs RCC and such, but to me that sounds like... well that's artificially creating a fight to make it interesting and exciting. People fighting against each other with each their metahyperimportantancient backgrounds.

Además, there is this error in the chapel in London when his executive uncovered his true identity even though his great master was present at the scene anyway. In retrorespect he would have needed to handle the situation much much more different.

[Ben Kenobi]

the most potent message is that Christians have no monopoly over the interpretation of Christ's life, and in a wider context, no one group can claim a part of history as their own.

It's the same as saying that the French contemporary accounts of Napoleon are diffierent, but not necessarily more true than the English contemporary accounts of Napoleon.

The same is true with Christ. Contemporaries must be weighed with other contemporaries, and not the moderns with the contemporaries.

I mean, who would take the fellow writing about Napoleon today, over the fellow who saw him in battle?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Whaleboy
It's the kind of book that explores the nature of fiction itself imo... the most potent message is that Christians have no monopoly over the interpretation of Christ's life, and in a wider context, no one group can claim a part of history as their own.

Bull****. It's a crap action book with BS background (which the author claims is all true ) written for people who are too stupid to see through it all.

[grumbler]

I think the book is a triumph of marketing, along the lines of Tom Clancy's books.

The author has, esentially, one good idea and zero charactors, and procedes for maybe 40 pages with that alone. In the end, you know a lot about his idea and nothing about his charactors.

Brown is a fine writer in terms of inanimate things, but he has no ability to make his world "live." I thought the book okay but certainly not worth the slightest bit of controversy. It is far too superficial to be taken seriously.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by grumbler
I think the book is a triumph of marketing, along the lines of Tom Clancy's books.