The Da Vinci Code

Sakuya · Post by **Sakuya** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 2:11 am

I heard that this is a best-seller book by Dan Brown. I went to the official website (at least I think it was official) and it had many facts and a synopsis too. It sounds very good and I want to know about the secret. Does anybody recommend this book? Anybody read it?

doodlebuguk · Post by **doodlebuguk** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:14 am

I read it on holiday last year.

I thought it was really interesting and it very easy to read, since it reads a lot like a screenplay (probably so it's easier to adapt into a film

) I'm not sure how much of the book is proven fact (not the plot, but the facts stated in it) but it's a entertaining book nonetheless.

Sakuya · Post by **Sakuya** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 3:43 pm

This was the site I was talking about. Since you've read the book already, the site has lots of real pictures of what was mentioned in the book, a list of facts, as well as an interactive game.

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_ ... views.html

The site layout is a bit creepy though...

crazydiamond · Post by **crazydiamond** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:31 pm

I've also read The Da Vinci Code, and thought it was very good. Like doodlebug said, it's pretty easy to read, it's not tedious or boring in any way. I'm not even really interested in 'the big conspiracy' the book deals with, but I still thought the book was really good. I recommend it!

NekoSun518 · Post by **NekoSun518** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:52 pm

I read a little bit of the Da Vinci code and I really like it so far.I was wondering thou, has anybody read any of his other novels? If so are they any good?

ParaKiss_Groupie · Post by **ParaKiss_Groupie** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 8:06 pm

I have not read the DaVinci Code, but I am reading the book on which it is based. Holy Blood Holy Grail. It's different in that while Dan Brown presents it as a fictional story, HBHG is documentary-esque, and has much more information in it. It's not an easy read, however, and it's taking me a while.

Post by **AnimeGuru0** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:45 am

Sorry, I'm going to throw my two cents in. I know 95% of people wont even know what I'm talking about anyways so I'll try to keep it short...

As far as the factual evidence supporting the Da Vinci code.

Oh, and just don't freaking read ANY of this post if you don't want the Da Vinci code to be spoiled for you.....although most already know what it is about.

Jesus was called Rabbi. Please please please correct me if I'm wrong, but to be considered Rabbi (at least then, I can't comment now), one would have to be married. In fact, Jewish fathers almost ALWAYS had their sons a wife before the age of 16. It was INCREDIBLY rare for this not to happen. To assume Jesus was any different is a bit.....well.....I dunno.....arrogant of religious scholars?

Now, forgive me, but I'm not bashing on Catholics here, I'm just analyzing evidence and making logical points. Of course the catholic church (ESPECIALLY the church of the dark ages) would oppose the notion that Jesus was married as celibacy is a intergral part of their high priesthood (again, correct me if I'm wrong). One of the theories as to why celibacy was so intergral to the catholic church was because if a high priest had no heirs or ties, all his property would revert back to the church, increasing its power.

Back to Jesus being married, I don't think that it's foolish to assume Jesus was married, or even that he had children. The problem is that the scriptures speak nothing of it, so we really have no evidence either way, aside from social customs at the time. Now, as far as a huge cover-up and what not? I dunno about that...I just don't know. Would Jesus' children have inherited divineship from their father? Dunno. Pretty interesting to think about though. My guess and belief is that no, there really would be nothing special about Jesus' children.....but hey, who am I to say?

Really, the bottom line for me is that it's really unimportant from a scriptural standpoint whether Jesus had children or not. I do believe that he was married, but if he was married or not does not make a difference to me, as it does not change the gospel of Jesus Christ at all.

So yeah, I'll stop there, sorry to have bored you. Nya.

Lady of the Light · Post by **Lady of the Light** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 1:12 am

I've read about six chapters of the Da Vinci Code, but that was at a sleepover and at 3:00am, so not much stuck with me. ^^;;

Anyways, there was a rather interesting article in the Canadian news magazine Macleans, where they compared the Da Vinci Code to what really happened. While a lot is true, Dan Brown also tweaked things around, making them more interesting.

Anyways, I still found the book interesting, and hope to read the entire thing when I'm more awake and such. ^^

Post by **Tiff** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 1:18 am

..Thanks, Guru. You've officially broken my brain.

Stupid religios discussion. *grumbles snarls*

DreamEmpress · Post by **DreamEmpress** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 3:40 am

I haven't read the Da Vinci Code. However, a while ago I saw a documentary called Beyond the Da Vinci Code, on the History Channel. That was enough to confuse me. It talked about all kinds of stuff. Even about the stuff in Da Vinci's paintings. It's a bit overwhelming, but a good resource for anyone wanting to get a little information before deciding to read it. History Channel tends to rerun their documentaries every so often so I'm sure it'll be on again soon.

Akarui Kibuno · Post by **Akarui Kibuno** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 3:41 am

I'd love to read the Da Vinci Code myself. Especially because it's fiction, as long as it's fiction and well written, I don't care for the "facts" because, heh, it's fiction XD !

Though the other day, I was in the store and I went to the book section. Hmm. Three books (yeah, three) analyzing the Da Vinci Code, but not the Da Vinci Code itself! I was pissed lol, I wanted to buy that book.

Meep, I'll buy that in English instead.

!

Post by **AnimeGuru0** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 11:34 am

Blah, the Da Vinci Code is way overhyped. I mean, it's a good book, but the fact that everyone is analyzing it so freaking much is just annoying. Like Akarui said, it's FICTION. Oy vey...

Anywho, Ron Howard is making a movie "The Da Vinci Code" as we speak. It'll probably be out by 2006.

ParaKiss_Groupie · Post by **ParaKiss_Groupie** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 2:47 pm

AnimeGuru0 wrote:Blah, the Da Vinci Code is way overhyped. I mean, it's a good book, but the fact that everyone is analyzing it so freaking much is just annoying. Like Akarui said, it's FICTION. Oy vey...

Anywho, Ron Howard is making a movie "The Da Vinci Code" as we speak. It'll probably be out by 2006.

That's why I'm reading Holy Blood Holy Grail. Because it was written over ten years ago, and is nonfiction. It contains everything The DaVinci Code contains, without the fictional exaggerations.

And I agree completely about the religion thing. Whether Jesus was married and had children or not, it doesn't affect his scriptures and his teachings. Sex after marriage is not a carnal sin, so even if he was married and had children, he was still "without sin."

Granted, I don't believe any of it. I'm reading the book because it's interesting, and because I like to be knowledgeable about things, rather than because of faith.

Jed-kun · Post by **Jed-kun** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:35 pm

*Jumps up and down* I love this kind of disscusion.

Anyway, I have a really nice lether bound set of The De Vinci Code and it's little known predecessor Angels and Demons. I am in the middle of Angels and Demons and have yet to start on The De Vinci Code. I also have Holy Blood, Holy Grial, The Gosspel of Mary Magdalene (this is the acctual Gospel, not just some book), Mary, Called Magdalene (another fiction story that, while I would recomend it to read, wouldn't recomend that you take it as fact), and a bunch of books of research on this topic.

Dan Brown is an excelent author, IMO, and I love his stories. Angels and Deamons has a lot to do with science blending and clashing with religion. I love that he blends fact and fiction to make a really interesting story.

Oh, and Anime Guru, you are right. In order to officially be a Rabi you would have to be married. However, there is some gray area about 1)His fallowers calling him it anyway and 2) The fact that he knew the scriptures backwards and forwards and he might have just been called a rabi (teacher) without having the official title. (My Dad's Jewish and a history buff.)

Sakuya · Post by **Sakuya** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 11:27 pm

Could anybody provide more information on the following (secret) fact found on the website I posted above? Even if it might spoil the story, I still want to know the truth about this:

[spoiler]There exists a chapel in Great Britain that contains a ceiling from which hundreds of stone blocks protrude, jutting down to form a bizarre multi-faceted surface. Each block is carved with a symbol, seemingly at random, creating a cipher of unfathomable proportion. Modern cryptographers have never been able to break this code, and a generous reward is offered to anyone who can decipher the baffling message. In recent years, geological ultrasounds have revealed the startling presence of an enormous subterranean vault hidden beneath the chapel. This vault appears to have no entrance and no exit. To this day, the curators of the chapel have permitted no excavation.
[/spoiler]

And also:

[spoiler]What is the inverted pyramid for? In the site's gallery, it shows a tourist attraction (I think) of an inverted pyramid? What is that?[/spoiler]

Sakuya · Post by **Sakuya** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 8:50 pm

I finally managed to borrow it and finished reading it. It's pretty good. Very exciting compared to other books. Now, I really want to put down that The Great Gatsby school book for good.

[spoiler]Does anybody know if the Holy Grail was really in that location? It was a bit disappointing that Sophie wasn't there with him.[/spoiler]

Dan Brown is amazing. So many twists I wouldn't have thought possible.

Sakuya · Post by **Sakuya** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 2:42 am

Wow, almost exactly a year since my last post in this thread.

Anyway, is anyone planning to see the movie? There's a trailer out and it's scheduled to come out in May. Whatever happened to that lawsuit with the novel? It looks promising! One thing, Tom Hanks looks so old now!

Very different. I've been watching too many old films for Sociology class and the Tom Hanks there is so young.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/thedavincicode.html

(Does anybody else think that Mona Lisa portrait on that first picture behind Langdon and the girl is a bit different?

)

Akarui Kibuno · Post by **Akarui Kibuno** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:27 am

I'm SO going to see this.

And dammit, Ian Mckellen is in it! I didn't know! Whoah, Tom Hanks, Jean Reno, and now him ?

I'm happy

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:08 am

I didn't like the book, so I've got little interest in seeing the movie ^^;

Now, my reasons for my dislike of the book are NOT rooted in the fact that I'm Catholic - hell, I bet there would be plenty of people that would say that I'm too liberal to be Catholic; rather, I found the book to be rather bland and none-too-surprising. Dan Brown REALLY has trouble keeping secrets and trying to build suspense; I saw all the "plot twists" coming from at least 10 or 15 chapters beforehand, and the supernatural ending was just a little too convenient for me.

[spoiler]Furthermore, Langdon's sudden "spiritual" revelation at the end seemed too contrived and forced; for years, he was only interested in spiritual art for their symbolism and beauty, but all of a sudden, at the end, he's bowing down in praise to the "Feminine Divine"? And he can't even accept the divinity of Jesus? Give me a break, Mr. Brown; I expect more depth in your characters -_-;[/spoiler]

While Angels and Demons is shipping up to be a much better written thriller than Da Vinci Code, Brown still has an annoying habit of thrusting needless symbologist facts whenever they're not needed; for example, an off-hand remark to the effect of "[Langdon] wondered whether the woman giving him a thumb's up knew that the gesture was derived from a sign indicating male virility." Interesting fact, maybe, but not necessary to the plot, and it comes off therefore as show-offish of Brown's own knowledge of symbology.

Sailorasteroid · Post by **Sailorasteroid** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:20 am

Starscream wrote:"[Langdon] wondered whether the woman giving him a thumb's up knew that the gesture was derived from a sign indicating male virility." Interesting fact, maybe, but not necessary to the plot, and it comes off therefore as show-offish of Brown's own knowledge of symbology.

It's funny, because I always thought thumbs-up came from a symbol of the sword. Wikipedia agrees with me. (scroll down)