Dan Brown is the author of best-selling book The DaVinci Code among others and I believe he prides himself on writing fiction that has stirred numerous debates on his premises. His works-while fiction-has an intellectual ideology of science and religion and I think that is what fascinates me most about his work. Or maybe how he portrays his settings and characters? Either way, they do draw people in and I admire that in an author.

However, earlier I did make up my mind not to read anymore of his books. Alas, this latest one and considering Brown’s reputation has sparked my interest yet again in this controversy subject of science and religion. Before I start sounds too repetitive, let me tell you what I think of the prologue and the first chapter I was given by the publishers through NetGalley to read and review.

Brief summary of prologue and first chapter-Edmond Kirsch a man of accomplished science, a former student of Robert Langdon, journeys to Spain to speak with religious scholars about a vital secret of his scientific discovery that will shake the foundations of the religious world-if you will. One of the men he speaks to is Bishop Antonia Valdespino-a formidable figure in Spain. A man-I can already tell-of great wisdom and intellect.

In the prologue, it is not told what the secret is and in the first chapter Langdon goes to meet Kirsch to hear what he has discovered. Of what little interaction I read between the two men, I found to be utterly interesting and I wanted to continue with the story…. Dan Brown has succeeded in capturing my attention in this excerpt and I am anxiously awaiting to read more. One other thing, Brown is great with character development and descriptive language.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

About the book:

A Novel by Dan Brown

Doubleday Books

Doubleday

General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & ThrillersPub Date 03 Oct 2017

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.