The Last Brown
I recently got my hands on Dan Brown's Latest installment: The Lost Symbol. I have read the Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Digital Fortress, and have made certain assumptions about Dan's writing.
Just like Sidney Sheldon's works have a plethora of past attributes, man-hunts, crime scenes and pathetic action sequences, Dan sticks to the more docile form of Monotony: Some famous guy dies, he has a hot chick as a relative/associate, and Robert Langdon is somehow dragged into the picture with his turtleneck Harris-Tweed Jacket and mickey mouse wrist-watch; instead of letting the police officials peacefully solve the mysteries.
This was particularly the reason why I did not continue with Deception Point. That too droned along the same lines.
But this time, the scene is different. I believe that Brown has come a long way from Digital Fortress. New found fame has definitely helped him mature as an author. So I finally convinced myself to borrow the book from a harrowed, Dan Brown-fanatic neighbour.
Currently, I am 50 odd pages down into the 16h Chapter, and he has already built an elaborate world in my mind's eye. Some things I like about Brown's work inspite of the cliched plots: Elaborate descriptions of exotic locations: be it the Vatican, Paris, or in this case, NYC; a decent attempt to introduce a mystery element at the end of each chapter - keeping the reader in a fix, drooling to know more; and last but not the least: bashing up atleast one powerful (secret) organisation to bring them out in the open.
As far as the current iteration of Brown's work goes, the story is moving along at a very brisk pace, and as Mayur, the mama puts it: it is pretty "unputdownable"!
In conclusion: I quote the Telegraph:
"So: every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. Every character operates at an emotional extreme. We are always told the impression that something created, rather than being encouraged to imagine it ourselves (“The room created an impression of grandeur.” “Victoria was amazed at Kohler’s ability.”) And Brown is gifted with a self-belief that borders on the cynical: if he needs an effect, he starts a new chapter, and if he needs a word, he makes it up." !!!
Just like Sidney Sheldon's works have a plethora of past attributes, man-hunts, crime scenes and pathetic action sequences, Dan sticks to the more docile form of Monotony: Some famous guy dies, he has a hot chick as a relative/associate, and Robert Langdon is somehow dragged into the picture with his turtleneck Harris-Tweed Jacket and mickey mouse wrist-watch; instead of letting the police officials peacefully solve the mysteries.
This was particularly the reason why I did not continue with Deception Point. That too droned along the same lines.
But this time, the scene is different. I believe that Brown has come a long way from Digital Fortress. New found fame has definitely helped him mature as an author. So I finally convinced myself to borrow the book from a harrowed, Dan Brown-fanatic neighbour.
Currently, I am 50 odd pages down into the 16h Chapter, and he has already built an elaborate world in my mind's eye. Some things I like about Brown's work inspite of the cliched plots: Elaborate descriptions of exotic locations: be it the Vatican, Paris, or in this case, NYC; a decent attempt to introduce a mystery element at the end of each chapter - keeping the reader in a fix, drooling to know more; and last but not the least: bashing up atleast one powerful (secret) organisation to bring them out in the open.
As far as the current iteration of Brown's work goes, the story is moving along at a very brisk pace, and as Mayur, the mama puts it: it is pretty "unputdownable"!
In conclusion: I quote the Telegraph:
"So: every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. Every character operates at an emotional extreme. We are always told the impression that something created, rather than being encouraged to imagine it ourselves (“The room created an impression of grandeur.” “Victoria was amazed at Kohler’s ability.”) And Brown is gifted with a self-belief that borders on the cynical: if he needs an effect, he starts a new chapter, and if he needs a word, he makes it up." !!!
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