Robert Langdon is a busy man. Maybe too busy.
Dan Brown, writer of the popular “The DaVinci Code” and “Angels and Demons,” brings us his newest edition to the Robert Langdon saga, “The Lost Symbol.” The novel takes Langdon to Washington D.C., but after that, it seems to follow an all too familiar structure.
Langdon’s fame has grown since his adventures in Europe, and he has been asked by his mentor to deliver a speech at the U.S. Capitol building. But when he arrives, Langdon realizes he has been tricked and is not there to give a speech, but once again, to embark on a journey unraveling the mysteries bound to shock and awe. His tale weaves through Washington D.C. as he encounters clues, dead ends, dangerous characters and a final huge revelation.
Langdon’s mission is to uncover what are called the Ancient Mysteries to save his mentor, who has been kidnapped by a madman. These mysteries are known by members of the Freemasons, an organization dating back to the 16th century.
Brown wants to use Washington D.C. as an attempt to refresh his Langdon adventures, but he needs more than a change of location to make this story seem different. The format is nearly identical to his two previous novels: Langdon is contacted because a dear friend is in trouble and winds up solving the world-ending crisis, but not without the help of a trusty female sidekick.
The villain of the novel takes the form of a mentally and emotionally tortured man who has deformed his body because of his beliefs and is bent on destruction. Sound familiar? Brown’s villains all follow this same “tortured soul” motif, which once again feels like a story regurgitated.
Langdon as a character does not seem to progress any more than in his last novels. Brown constantly reminds us of Langdon’s claustrophobia because of an event as a child, but Langdon as a man seems to gain no depth.
His sidekick, Katherine Solomon, is a strong female character with more depth than Langdon’s previous girls. She is a scientist researching top-secret, groundbreaking science known as Noetic Science, which connects a person’s thoughts with power. Solomon endures a lot through the story as Brown reveals her past, but her relationship with Langdon never turns romantic, which is refreshing.
Although the book promises big twists, the end is anti-climatic and doesn’t reach the shocking twists his other books did. Instead, the things threatening to destroy the order of the world end up appearing trivial, and the worst part is that it’s not until around page 450 that this less devastating doom is revealed — leaving readers feeling like they wasted their time.
Brown’s book, though, is not a complete rehashing of his old novels. “The Lost Symbol” does not encompass itself in Christianity, but instead, uses the unique and varied beliefs of the Freemasons. Christianity is involved, but so are the commonalities between all religions to portray the ultimate secret revealed in the end.
Brown has a knack for creating supporting characters with immense and captivating backgrounds that compel the story’s plot. Also, his scenes are intense and described in a manner that keeps the reader’s hands glued to the book.
Without its predecessors, “The Lost Symbol,” could stand on its own. But because it is part of a series, the story just seems like “Angels and Demons” and “The DaVinci Code” hopped on a boat to the United States and made a baby. This baby won’t reach the notoriety its parents did, though.
The adventure and mystery that caravan Langdon around D.C. does create a page-turner book, but Langdon has to be tired by now. Maybe it’s time for a break.
2 1/2 stars out of 5.
