This time I come with the most awaited and highly proclaimed Novel by the author of controversy - Dan Brown. I was waiting for this novel since 2 months, when I got to know that the novel will be releasing on 15 th September 2009. I am a great fan of him especially I just love the pace with which he takes his readers into the plot.
The protagonist of the Lost Symbol is none other than the famous Robert Langdon - Harvard Symbologist. He is summoned by his mentor Peter Solomon to deliver a lecture in Washington D.C. To his dismay, when Langdon reaches the great Lecture Hall, he is being fooled by a bad guy Mal’akh. Mal’akh has captivated Peter and wants Langdon to solve a mystery for him.
This mystery is not a ordinary one but it is guarded secretely by a group of intellectuals - The FreeMasons. Peter is one among them guarding the Ancient Mysteries. Robert along with Katherine Solomon, Peter’s younger sister and a few CIA agents starts the race of finding clues which finally lead to the Ancient Mysteries.
Katherine is a very smart and intelligent woman and she performs research on Noetic Science. The Ancient Mysteries and the National Security walk hand in hand. The CIA agent Sato - a short chinese woman irritates Robert Langdon a lot. She doesnot answer for Langdon’s questions. Even I felt so much irritated of that lady. Mal’akh is described as a very huge person with tattoos all over his body. The tattoo is a double headed phoenix. The phoenix reminds me of the Albus Dumbledore’s red Phoenix and Robert Langdon of Tom Hanks.This helped me in visualising the characters of the Novel.
To all out there, the Noetic Science, National Security, Ancient Mystery, Capstone etc etc may sound like greek and latin in the beginening. But Dan Brown successfully helps us in understanding each and every important terminology. The book is more of facts and enriches us with so many scientific and mystic words. It is upto the reader to believe this as facts or enjoy it as a pure fiction.
Did Langdon successfully helped Mal’akh in decrypting all the symbols and unreveal the long time guarded secret? By answering this, I dont want to spoil the thriller.
Dan Brown’s style of writing - narrating the story happening in more than one place at the same time is the key point to increase the effect of thriller story. At the end of every chapter, the reader will get only disappointment because whatever Dan Brown wants to say he will say only after 2 more chapters. He shifts the story to another scene leaving the readers in vain to know more about the plot and the result. This way of writing may be thrilling but to the end of the novel it becomes little tiring.
The Lost Symbol -- more sought after as a Lost Word in the novel is the final word or the final symbol which Mal’akh wants. He believe strongly that this helps him to transform to a superior level above all humans - something like GOD.
There is always discussion and arguments arising between Langdon and Peter regarding whether to believe the mysteries and the legends. Peter says that all the mysteries are not hidden somewhere in the vault but it is right in front of our eyes, which we fail to recognise. I really liked this idea - yes it is true that everything we want is just in front of us. We just need to grasp it by enriching our knowledge. There is nothing out there in the world or in the entire universe much stronger than HUMAN MIND or HUMAN THOUGHT. Human thought is so powerful, which when we guide and practise can do wonders in the world. Let us march in this way and enlighten our minds and thoughts to the very best possible.