the lost clue

[mayhap]

As a person who has bought or looked at or even thought about books ever, Amazon.com believes that I will be interested in the new opus by Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol, and I am, oh, I am! But not, perhaps, in the way that they were hoping.

First of all, what in the name of Jesus's sparkly Mary Sue great-great-great (SPOILERSOMG) is a lost symbol? Is it a symbol that you don't understand, in which case, how do you know that it's a symbol? Or is it a symbol that you can't find, in which case, how do you know that there is a symbol?

Second of all, Dan Brown is still writing books? Really? I had thought we were safe from him, with a whopping six years since the publication of The Da Vinci Code. It turns out that it took him all of that time to come up with The Lost Symbol?

I was totally willing to believe that that was the real jacket. In fact, I'm still not totally convinced that that isn't the real jacket, and the text "THIS IS NOT THE FINAL JACKET" running across the bottom is Dan Brown's idea of some kind of a modern-day Magritte-style exploration of symbologism. What can the hold-up possibly be on designing the jacket? Slam the lost symbol in the middle of it and you're done. Unless, of course, not even Dan Brown has figured out what the lost symbol looks like (it's lost, y'see).

Yes, I was really enjoying the new Dan Brown novel until I realized that our library is going buy a million copies of it, and I'm going to end up responsible for processing 500,000 of them, because my team handles titles that begin with the letter L.

Damn you, Dan Brown.

Comments

[coercedbynutmeg.livejournal.com]

Evidently he doesn't want anyone to scoop him, thus the meaningless title and blank book jacket. Otherwise there'd be a National Treasure movie with the same plot coming out two weeks before his lame book, which would make Ron Howard tres sad.

[mayhap]

The lost symbol will turn out to be the American flag!

[chairman-wow.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the symbol is actually a person, artist-formerly-known-as style, and got lost on the way to the grocery store.


...Shit. That actually sounds really plausible, considering the author. o_o

[mayhap]

Then Robert Langdon will attempt to find the deep hidden meanings encoded in his shopping list! Boy, will his wife be pissed when he finally gets home with a bunch of religious artifacts and deadly assassins on his tail instead of the milk, bread and eggs she asked for.

[anbyrobanby.livejournal.com]

I think he should have actually written a book called The Lost Cymbal. Highjinks as a band try to uncover their missing drum kit components, only to be drawn into an ancient global conspiracy involving the Catholic Church and a forgotten coded message that Jesus was, in fact, indie.

A highly controversial bestseller in the making. It would make millions.

[mayhap]

I like how all of these suggestions are far more entertaining than the Amazon blurb!

[zana16.livejournal.com]

I acquired some Dan Brown paperbacks on the recommendation of a friend (yeah, I know, with friends like these...) At my senior banquet, during bequests, I was quite drunk and giving away all my crap to underclasswomen. I said to one of them (complete with slurred drunk voice), "I'm giving you these books. They're absolutely awful. You'll love them."

Fortunately I graduated soon after. I don't think she's ever forgiven me.

[mayhap]

Heeeeeeeeeee!

Actually, I think the title is brilliant...

[sevenstarhand.livejournal.com]

He has got tongues wagging and both religious followers and Freemasons are curious and concerned about what is coming. Since I focus heavily on the topic of symbology and was also already in the process of writing a new book (non-fiction) and updating earlier ones, on the very same subject, the timing of this new controversy is perfect for me.

Until we see the story-line, it is anybody's guess what a "lost symbol" will refer to. Either way, it'll be the missing link of a puzzle that is sure to rankle powerful people who have long-profited by imposing ignorance, keeping secrets, and duping billions.

Don't you wish you were the one poking a stick (or a lost symbol) into the eye of "the man"...

A certain point within a circle has many degrees of mystery associated with it. The meaning of this and other pivotal symbols have long been lost to humanity, thanks to the errors imposed through religion and mysticism. Some greatly fear the light, which itself is another "lost symbol."

Peace and Wisdom...

[chilango.livejournal.com]

I was going to say angels & demons had come out after, but it was, Wikipedia tells me (and wikipedia is THE TRUTH), published before The Davinci Code, alas. It seems to only be retroactively famous now because of that later work, which is why, I guess, they released a movie and an accompyning hardback in bookstores.

And yes, if Dan Brown is good at two things, it's fear and surprise, no I mean, wrong skit, er.. it's two things.. taking himself too seriously, and getting certain kinds of people to give him free publicity by yelling loudly about the HORRIBLE LIES contained in this work of fiction. (of course, the author likes to pretend his works exist in some unique sphere of 'fiction which is nonetheless FOR REALZ, but yeah.)

[mayhap]

Yeah, Angels & Demons didn't even get a hardcover in its first edition! It only got promoted to a hardcover on the back of Da Vinci Code, which they kept in hardcover for like three years because stupid people were buying so many copies that they had no incentive to come out with a paperback. (Incidentally, the first edition cover I found on wikipedia is pretty cool, and deserves to have been attached to a better book.)

I think you're right and it was the 'disclaimer' (more of a 'claimer') that elevated Da Vinci Code from a mediocre-to-lame thriller to a terrifying perfect storm of publishing. The people who enjoyed it and believe it implicitly because they don't know any better get to feel superior about themselves for knowing TEH TRUTH, and then all the people who know better and/or have better taste say how much it sucks, and then the first group of people feel persecuted and even more smug, and then more people read it because of the publicity over the 'controversy' and some of them enjoy it and believe it implicitly because they don't know any better, and so on.

[belmanoir.livejournal.com]

i am laughing really hard because the da vinci code is maybe my least favorite book EVER.

[mayhap]

Seriously, I think it is my favorite least favorite book! I dislike it so much and yet it keeps amusing me in so many ways!