Thread: What do you think of the Da Vinci Code?

I'm supposing most of America has read it by now, myself having read it just Thanksgiving last year, and I have to say:

It disappointed me. I sort of wanted a little more atmosphere out of the book. Granted, it was an OK book, but, in my humble opinion, I think I could take a whack at rewriting it (Don't kill me, fans)

I would have made the entire story about the entire person of Jesus being faked, by Leonardo Da Vinci. Instead of a troubled albino as the main villain, I would have a secret organization that lives under the protection of the Vatican to keep the secret. Someone would have left clues to the mystery throughout all of Europe, in the Churches and religious sites.

As for the organization itself, it would be a monastic cult, cold and ruthless, their normal garb being the hooded cloak and boots that Silas wore, though. It might be an interesting twist to have them kill with swords, too, instead of guns, if they were very skilled at using them.

Anyway, the Knights Templar and Mary Magdalene would be left out of the story, and the whole book would take up an ancient, mysterious, candlelit, secret-passage under a Church theme. Not to say a "Gothic" theme, per se, but more a very mysterious candlelight discovery, in old, forgotten libraries under churches and through the marble halls of The Vatican, with a very dark religious undertone.

If you listen to the soundtrack for the movie, you'll find it fits the description like a glove.


Your thoughts on the book, what you would change and what you think of mine?

Coincedentally, I'm reading "The Da Vinci Code" right now for the second time. So far I think it's okay. I'm not particularly a fan of Dan Brown's style of writing, but it serves the purpose of getting the story across in a somewhat engaging manner. The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter are annoying in my opinion and it's a rather cheap way of keeping tension and the reader wanting to read more.

The story is interesting but slightly cliched. An albino monk who likes to cause himself pain and was previously a murderer? Slightly hard to swallow and too one-dimensional. Overall though, I liked the book.

I thought it was a pretty good thriller, but not nearly deserving of the credit it's got.

I'm not sure what I'd change really. The only thing I can think of that I didn't like was the improbability of it all, but the plot kind of hinges on that improbability.

You said you'd remove Mary Magdelene, but surely she is rather key to the plot If I remember rightly the whole thing revolves around her and her connection with Jesus.

I'm not a big fan of the treasure hunt kind of story that Dan Brown seems to like. It's the same in Angels and Demons; the main character has to go around finding clues that will tell him where to go next, etc. I just can't think that anyone would bother in real life

I really enjoyed the book, but the movie was terrible.

Hopefully Angels and Demons translates better onto film that Da Vinci Code did.

Originally Posted by Lord Toaster

You said you'd remove Mary Magdelene, but surely she is rather key to the plot If I remember rightly the whole thing revolves around her and her connection with Jesus.

The plot would be that Jesus was fake, period. That's what I thought the book was, before I read it. I would remove a lot of the modernization and put it in a more down-to-earth, candelit tunnels in convents and corrupt religious leaders. You know, the whole sealed wax, torch, huge underground complex to a church thing.

Originally Posted by Vance

The plot would be that Jesus was fake, period. That's what I thought the book was, before I read it. I would remove a lot of the modernization and put it in a more down-to-earth, candelit tunnels in convents and corrupt religious leaders. You know, the whole sealed wax, torch, huge underground complex to a church thing.

Hum, that would certainly make for a very different read. I think one of the things that made the Da Vinci Code sell so well is that people like the idea of long-buried, ancient secrets and treasures being discovered by normal, modern people. Your version sounds like more of a fantasy novel. Would it still be set in modern times, but with less of the modern world involved? Or would it be set some time in that past?

Sounds interesting at any rate.

Originally Posted by Lord Toaster

Hum, that would certainly make for a very different read. I think one of the things that made the Da Vinci Code sell so well is that people like the idea of long-buried, ancient secrets and treasures being discovered by normal, modern people. Your version sounds like more of a fantasy novel. Would it still be set in modern times, but with less of the modern world involved? Or would it be set some time in that past?

Sounds interesting at any rate.

The modern world is involved, but not to the extent of neon lights, swill banks, stealing armored cars and the like. I mean too much of it takes place in "urbanized" society with tourists and stuff, and learjets. Sure, I would definitely include these things if I had to, but not so much as half the book is solving puzzles inside a vehicle.

So yes, they would be modern people, with a car, but when the book gets delicious is when they are in the countryside church, finding hidden passageways and corridors, if you get my meaning. They could have cell phones, call on them, or whatever, but the whole point is that they are modern people in an ancient, timeless, atmospheric place of mystery and awe.