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Excerpt
Langdon glanced down at his attire. He was wearing his usual charcoal turtleneck, Harris Tweed jacket, khakis, and collegiate cordovan loafers . . . his standard attire for the classroom, lecture circuit, author photos, and social events.
The woman laughed. "Those turtlenecks you wear are so dated. You'd look much sharper in a tie!"
No chance, Langdon thought. Little nooses.
Neckties had been required six days a week when Langdon attended Phillips Exeter Academy, and despite the headmaster's romantic claims that the origin of the cravat went back to the silk fascalia worn by Roman orators to warm their vocal cords, Langdon knew that, etymologically, cravat actually derived from a ruthless band of "Croat" mercenaries who donned knotted neckerchiefs before they stormed into battle. To this day, this ancient battle garb was donned by modern office warriors hoping to intimidate their enemies in daily boardroom battles.
"Thanks for the advice," Langdon said with a chuckle. "I'll consider a tie in the future."
Mercifully, a professional-looking man in a dark suit got out of a sleek Lincoln Town Car parked near the terminal and held up his finger. "Mr. Langdon? I'm Charles with Beltway Limousine." He opened the passenger door. "Good evening, sir. Welcome to Washington."
Langdon tipped Pam for her hospitality and then climbed into the plush interior of the Town Car. The driver showed him the temperature controls, the bottled water, and the basket of hot muffins. Seconds later, Langdon was speeding away on a private access road. So this is how the other half lives.
As the driver gunned the car up Windsock Drive, he consulted his passenger manifest and placed a quick call. "This is Beltway Limousine," the driver said with professional efficiency. "I was asked to confirm once my passenger had landed." He paused. "Yes, sir. Your guest, Mr. Langdon, has arrived, and I will deliver him to the Capitol Building by seven P.M. You're welcome, sir." He hung up.
Langdon had to smile. No stone left unturned. Peter Solomon's attention to detail was one of his most potent assets, allowing him to manage his substantial power with apparent ease. A few billion dollars in the bank doesn't hurt either.
Langdon settled into the plush leather seat and closed his eyes as the noise of the airport faded behind him. The U.S. Capitol was a half hour away, and he appreciated the time alone to gather his thoughts. Everything had happened so quickly today that Langdon only now had begun to think in earnest about the incredible evening that lay ahead.
Arriving under a veil of secrecy, Langdon thought, amused by the prospect.
Ten miles from the Capitol Building, a lone figure was eagerly preparing for Robert Langdon's arrival.
Excerpted from The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown Copyright (c) 2009 by Dan Brown. Excerpted by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
The Lost Symbol
In the publishing phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon went up against the Priory of Sion and unraveled one of the greatest mysteries of all time. In Angels & Demons, he followed a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that led to the lair of the secretive Illuminati. Now, in this hugely anticipated follow-up, he’s back in a high-stakes quest that pits him against an exhilarating new challenge…and tests him in a way he’s never been tested before…. The latest novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol is a frantically paced thriller that weaves together five years’ worth of research and crams them into an edge-of-your-seat adventure that all takes place within a 12-hour timeframe. Showcasing Brown’s prodigious talent for keeping us guessing, it begins with a bang and never lets up as Langdon is drawn into a world of intrigue, racing desperately against time in an effort to crack the mystery of the lost symbol. Packed with secret codes, shadow conspiracies and unexpected twists, this is vintage Dan Brown—a mind-bending tale where danger lurks around every corner and only one thing is certain: Nothing is ever as it seems.
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Doubleday & Co, Inc./Div. Random House ( September 15, 2009 )
Item #: 04-5125
ISBN: 9780385504225
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.25 x 1.26 inches
Product Weight: 28.0 ounces
Very exciting USA mystery
February 08, 2010
Hard to put down, great race across DC. Readers will find themselves looking at our nations monuments in a different way.
Reviewer: Cherri R
third time's not the charm...
February 03, 2010
Robert Langdon was an interesting character when Brown introduced him to us in "Angels & Demons." He was still slightly amusing in "The DaVinci Code." He is no longer amusing.
There are two major strikes against this book: 1. It could never live up to the hype. "DaVinci Code" was a run-away success. It spawned a myriad of knock-off clones, which have since almost taken over pop-fiction. My suspicion 100 pages into the book was that Brown was trying too hard, and the rest of the book confirmed that hypothesis. Second, regardless of whether you love or hate him, Dan Brown is simply not an eloquent writer. Yes, his plots are intriguing, the puzzles are fun (and at times, way too obvious), but his prose is, to be polite, below average.
It's not that "The Lost Symbol" is a terrible read. It's just a bit generic. The plot feels contrived, and the end reveal is a little too obvious. Is it a total pass? Not necessarily, especially if you were a fan of the first two (if so, you've already learned how to wade through Brown's lackluster prose), but it's probably not worth the purchase of a hardcover, either.
Reviewer: Mark
More of the same
February 02, 2010
I loved both the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons so was looking forward to this new book from Dan Brown. It isn't as compelling, it follows the same outline as the other two (ie Langdon called to help with attractive female sidekick, Langdon cracks code with nice little moral thought provoking end). It did have me surprised with the outcome and I'm glad that I read it but seriously Dan Brown needs to switch up the story outline for me to buy another of his books. The history is interesting but for me it lacked character depth and bordered on being too unrealistic.
Reviewer: amandapt2003
Melanie S Said It Best
January 30, 2010
It's great until the last few chapters. Then it's definitely not worth the money. Hard to believe anybody would take the video talked of in the book seriously. Had the book been written 50 years ago, then it might have made sense. But certainly not in the 21st century. Not worth the money or the hype.
Reviewer: Debbie
Why couldn't my history professors have been this compelling?
January 27, 2010
I read the book in a day and loved every minute of it. It makes me excruciatingly aware that we know so little of our nation's true history and "raison d'etre". Makes me think my elementary school history text was more fantasy than fact. It also brings home how often information is hijacked and adapted as a means to an end. Highly recommmended read!
Reviewer: Kate T
Dan Brown
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