I’ve been debating whether I really had to write a review on The Da Vinci Code, but what the hell! Here goes.
I bought it impulsively at a book exhibition I recently visited, more out of curiosity than the hype that surrounded it. And finished it in one sitting; never mind that it cost me a good night’s sleep. For those who already either haven’t read it or don’t know the story, here goes (no, I haven’t included any spoiler here): a renowned curator of Louvre Museum is murdered. He leaves behind strange clues during the final moments before his death. Among others, the clue contains a call for a Harvard Symbologist, Robert Langdon who is brought to the museum by the cops. The curator’s granddaughter, a cryptologist arrives there, too after she has read the clues, given to her for deciphering. The cops suspect nay, are sure that Robert is the murderer. The cat-and-mouse game begins then.
What is interesting is that each clue leads them to another clue which in its turn leads them to yet another clue (all clues are enciphered using historical and mythological symbols) and so on.
While this book is like any other thriller–suspense, chase, tense moments, the rest–it differs in its presentation, drawing from a range of sources. Dan Brown, the author’s research shows great depth both in scope and like I said, presentation. He exposes several myths about our commonly-accepted understanding of historical “truths,” the life and events of Jesus Christ for one. If you set aside the thriller aspect of this book, it serves a valuable cause of educating the reader. It explains symbology, concepts and terms used in the art world, in a layman’s language. To me, it opened a whole new world by exposing me to the Priory of Sion (now I’m hunting for information about this all over the Web), and Mary Magdalene (whom the Church has painted as a whore who tempted Jesus).
Aside: Any pointers to resources are welcome and appreciated.
However, the biggest disappointment is the suspense. By the end of about 300 pages, it is pretty easy to find out who the killer is–rather, who is responsible for the curator’s murder.
Overall, a good read. A recommended buy.
PS: Also read JK’s review on this book.
Tags: Books
A lot of the ‘theory’ in DVC about Mary Magdalene and missing manuscripts of the Bible is inspired by archeological discoveries written about in ‘The Gnostic Gospels’ by Elaine Pagels.
Hey Suresh,
Thanks for the info. I’ll look it up.
sandeep is great!
I like this book .
The Mary Magdalene of the Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown’s Mary Magdalene theories may seem shocking to the layman, but I believe that they do not go nearly far enough. For the answer to the true history of Mary Magdalene, we need to look at the origins of Judaeo/Chistianity, which was Egypt. (Yes, as the holy books tell us, Joseph was prime minister of Egypt and a chief priest of Heliopolis, while Moses was a prince of Egypt and an Egyptian army commander.)
Bearing all of this in mind, yes, Mary Magdalene was the Holy Grail, the Sang Real or the Holy Blood. But the cup imagery was real too, for the San Greal or Holy Cup was actually a reference to her womb - the vessel that held the Royal Blood.
More importantly, Mary Magdalene means Mary of the Tower. But, when looking at the Egyptian history of this title, it is apparent that Mary got her title not from any old ‘tower’, but from the Benben tower of Heliopolis (the temple where Joseph was a chief priest), which was a phallic symbol. Hence Mary Mag was actually known as Mary of the Penis. So why this peculiar title? It may seem shocking to us, but Egyptian ritual was overtly sexual, and the cosmos was said to have been formed from an ejaculation from the god Atum.
So, in Egyptian tradition, the elder princess of the king became God’s Wife, otherwise known as the Handmaiden of God. This was a very prestigious position, and the God’s Wife served the Egyptian god Atum by masterbating him (and thus ensuring the creation and regeneration of the world). This was the phallic ‘tower’ after which Mary was named. It is for this reason that the Hand-Maiden title was derived, and this is sometimes more directly translated as God’s Hand. But, because no sex was involved in this ritual (as President Clinton claimed), the princess was also called a Virgin. This tradition was maintained, and so this was was the position of both New Testament Marys. Mary (mother) was called the Handmaiden and Virgin because she was Gods Wife. Similarly, Mary Magdalene was called the Tower (penis) and the prostitute (a term I will translate in a minute).
This is further confirmed by the Old Testament accounts of Maachah Tamar III, the daughter of Absalom (son of King David) who is said to have worshipped an ‘idol’. Further reading showed that this idol was an ‘instar membri virilis’. Confused by this, I then found that the idol was a ‘priapus’. Knowing my Greek mythology rather better than my Latin, I then discovered that the ‘idol’ she venerated was actually a penis. This demonstrated that phallic worship was current even in King Solomon’s time. So Maachah Tamar III was also a Magdalene, a Maachah of the Tower (penis).
This is also why Mary Magdalene was called a prostitute (pro-stitute) in later traditions. The term comes from the Latin pro statuere, meaning ‘before the statue’. This describes her function precisely, because she stood before the statue of Atum and masturbated it to ensure the regeneration of the world. Thus the ‘tower’ in her title did indeed refer to the penis of Atum. You can imagine that the Jewish / Christian priesthood were appalled by all these ‘pagan’ rites, and sought to bury them in any way they could. By the way, Magdalen is actually an Egyptian name - Maktal, meaning ‘tower’.
As an aside, Magdalene was not only Jesus’ wife, she was also his sister. It was obligatory for pharaohs (even in exile) to marry their sister. Jesus was a pharaoh in exile, hence the title of ‘carpenter’ which was derived from the Egyptian Setepenre, or God’s Carpenter, a common pharaonic title.
I hope this is not too shocking….
Regards
Ralph Ellis
Edfu Books
Regarding the Da Vinci Code, I went pretty far trying to research the background of the book. I am dissapointed to say that although it comes across as having been based on solid research, deeper investigation shows that it gathers its material from sources which themselves might have doubtful origins.
It mainly bases itself off the famous book “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” published in early 80’s. The authors of this book again rely for a lot of their stuff on a now deceased frenchman called Pierre Plantard (Thats how the surname Plantard shows up in DVC) . Dissapointingly enough :-(, There is a huge doubt regarding all the claims made by Perre Plantard. Go to http://priory-of-sion.com/
to see what Paul Smith has to say:
Pierre Plantard made the priory of Zion himself and declared himself as its grandmaster, and it is said that he later admitted that he wrote up the list of Grand Masters under the effect of LSD (what a shame).
So the real background on which Dan Brown bases DVC has got to do with Pierre Plantard and a french priest called Berenger Sauniere ( yup thats where the Sauniere comes from). Very shaky grounds according to some!
So while I myself dont take sides, It is defintely worth looking at the counter-evidences people have provided instead of getting all excited with DVC fiction and taking it to be more accurate than it actually is, simply because its going into details of things makes it come across as historically accurate.
i am half way through the da vinci code , i had better things on mind hence the interlude…but dan’s efforts must be commended for although he had in mind a fiction. .this book has fired the imagination of christian europe , the current generation has taken an infectious fascination for Dan’s creation.
Belately there is a realization that a historical & cultural destruction had taken place when the ardents of the jeolous semitic diety Jehovah pounced upon hapless
” Pagan ” , similar in many respects to our own hinduism , and wiped out any last vestiges of this ancient way of life . Through Dan’s fictional creation , after centuries western youngsters are realizing the folly of christianity & the jesus cult.
Sandeep keep up the good work.We have a long struggle , and fight we must on the intellectual cyberstage.
glg
Sandeep,
If you like this book you must IMMEDIATLY go and read “Foucault’s Pendulum” by Umberto Eco. In comparison “The Da Vinci Code” is kids stuff.
This is a interesting website. I am trying to start my own blog on business continuity enterprise solution.How long does it take to install a blog?. Virgin Blogger, FRITZ
While I cant say I agree 100% I pretty much like how you say it.
I am glad to find your site - now I know what a good one looks like.
off, Dan. Hell lot of information properly inserted into an Indiana johns kind of story. Thats justified anyway. He couldnt have done it so nail biting sequence unless making it a fiction, than a thesis. Had lot to tell about the book, butsandeep told everything. I had nothing to add after i read him. And about the other books. Angels and demons is good, goes better narration in couple of chapters. Again great information stuffed in a same old kind of fiction. That made me to pick up the
off, Dan. lot of information properly inserted into an Indiana john’s kind of story. That’s justified anyway. He couldn’t have done it so nail biting sequence unless making it a fiction, than a thesis. Had lot to tell about the book, but sandeep told everything i wanted to tell. I have nothing to add after i read him. About the other books. “Angels and demons” is good, goes better narration in couple of chapters. Again great information stuffed in a same old kind of fiction. That made
Vietnam Property Finder
Du Lich Thien Thai
I spent two hours on the web, after reading this book, going through the things listed on the facts page. I was disappointed. Not one claim stands up. There were no christian documents found amongst the dead sea scrolls. As for the no one thought of Jesus as God before the Council of Nicea how about Justyn Martyr writing in 107c.e. constantly referring to our Lord and God Jesus Christ.
As for the Gnostics they didn’t have a problem with Jesus’s divinty, what bothered them was the idea of Jesus also being human.
It would take hours to go through all the errors of fact and history that the book makes.
That this book is taken so seriously proves that those that argue that our culture is on the verge of a new dark age are correct. I am reminded of an old saying, ” When small men cast long shadows, the night is near. “
I am curious to find if anyone spotted an error to do with the mobile telephone. My wife has read the book, and says that one of the characters calls his private jet on his mobile whist in a car on the way to the airport. Meanwhile his room or a room is being search, and that a person trying to find out where they have gone and checks the last number dialed on the mobile telephone. Is it the same phone, and how can it be, or has my wife missed something? I haven’t read the book. I get bored with long stories.
I am curious to find if anyone spotted an error to do with the mobile telephone. My wife has read the book, and says that one of the characters calls his private jet on his mobile whilst in a car on the way to the airport. Meanwhile his room or a room is being search, and that a person trying to find out where they have gone and checks the last number dialed on the mobile telephone. Is it the same phone, and how can it be, or has my wife missed something? I haven’t read the book. I get bored with long stories.
http://www.IndochinaQuest.com/home.asp
Forget about my question. I have read the passage myself, and my wife got it wrong. There is no continuity issue.
Wassup?
So pity,…
http://HanoiStay.com
[quote]I am curious to find if anyone spotted an error to do with the mobile telephone. My wife has read the book, and says that one of the characters calls his private jet on his mobile whilst in a car on the way to the airport. Meanwhile his room or a room is being search, and that a person trying to find out where they have gone and checks the last number dialed on the mobile telephone. Is it the same phone, and how can it be, or has my wife missed something? I haven’t read the book. I get bored with long stories.[/quote]
[quote]I am curious to find if anyone spotted an error to do with the mobile telephone. My wife has read the book, and says that one of the characters calls his private jet on his mobile whilst in a car on the way to the airport. Meanwhile his room or a room is being search, and that a person trying to find out where they have gone and checks the last number dialed on the mobile telephone. Is it the same phone, and how can it be, or has my wife missed something? I haven’t read the book. I get bored with long stories.[/quote]
I agree with this idea
[quote]I am curious to find if anyone spotted an error to do with the mobile telephone.[/quote]
I agree with this idea
I loved the movie though didn’t get the time to read the book. Good piece of imagination/creative thinking must say!
[...] All in line with similar references in Da Vinci Code. The ado goes much deeper: [...]
Hi Sandeep,
Here’s a new and different exposition of all these topics that you might enjoy…don’t miss the four links for background:
http://divertimentodavinci.blogspot.com/
Karen