- Audio CD
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio; Abridged edition (Sep 14 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1442338113
- ISBN-13: 978-1442338111
- Product Dimensions: 14.8 x 12.8 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 159 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1,035 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,521,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, a papal conclave, mysterious ambigrams, a plot against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, particles of antimatter, jets that can travel 15,000 miles per hour, crafty assassins, a beautiful Italian physicist, and a Harvard professor of religious iconology. It takes talent to make that novel anything but ridiculous. Kudos to Dan Brown (Digital Fortress) for achieving the nearly impossible. Angels & Demons is a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's The Eight (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (but more accessible).
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out, and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, antimatter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches, and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilization.
Brown seems as much juggler as author--there are lots and lots of balls in the air in this novel, yet Brown manages to hurl the reader headlong into an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. While the reader might wish for a little more sardonic humor from Langdon, and a little less bombastic philosophizing on the eternal conflict between religion and science, these are less fatal flaws than niggling annoyances--readers should have no trouble skimming past them and immersing themselves in a heck of a good read. "Brain candy" it may be, but my! It's tasty. --Kelly Flynn --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Pitting scientific terrorists against the cardinals of Vatican City, this well-plotted if over-the-top thriller is crammed with Vatican intrigue and high-tech drama. Robert Langdon, a Harvard specialist on religious symbolism, is called in by a Swiss research lab when Dr. Vetra, the scientist who discovered antimatter, is found murdered with the cryptic word "Illuminati" branded on his chest. These Iluminati were a group of Renaissance scientists, including Galileo, who met secretly in Rome to discuss new ideas in safety from papal threat; what the long-defunct association has to do with Dr. Vetra's death is far from clear. Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, makes a frightening discovery: a lethal amount of antimatter, sealed in a vacuum flask that will explode in six hours unless its batteries are recharged, is missing. Almost immediately, the Swiss Guard discover that the flask is hidden beneath Vatican City, where the conclave to elect a new pope has just begun. Vittoria and Langdon rush to recover the canister, but they aren't allowed into the Vatican until it is discovered that the four principal papal candidates are missing. The terrorists who are holding the cardinals call in regarding their pending murders, offering clues tied to ancient Illuminati meeting sites and runes. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that a sinister Vatican entity with messianic delusions is in league with the terrorists. Packing the novel with sinister figures worthy of a Medici, Brown (Digital Fortress) sets an explosive pace as Langdon and Vittoria race through a Michelin-perfect Rome to try to save the cardinals and find the antimatter before it explodes. Though its premises strain credulity, Brown's tale is laced with twists and shocks that keep the reader wired right up to the last revelation. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good But,
By Darlene "trojanii" (Alberta) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Angels & Demons (Mass Market Paperback)
Like many people, I discovered Dan Brown through The Da Vinci Code (The Da Vinci Code and "A Tourist in the Yucatan" were my favorite thrillers of the year). As much as I enjoyed the just-one-more-page-before-I-turn-out-the-light qualities of this book I still prefer The Da Vinci Code. Angels & Demons is the prequel for The Da Vinci Code and I could truly see Brown's growth as a writer in his later work. I would consider his plotting skills in Angels & Demons good, but by the time he went on to write The Da Vinci Code I believe they were perfected.Angels & Demons still possesses the page turning, fast paced plotting present in The Da Vinci Code. However, in my opinion, some of the plot twists, while being thoroughly entertaining, were also entirely unbelievable. I don't believe that fiction needs to be exactly like real life, but I can only suspend disbelief so far without falling out of the story. If this was your first Dan Brown, and you enjoyed this one, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of The Da Vinci Code. If you've already read The Da Vinci Code, you'll probably like this one too, just know before you begin that you've already read the best, now you're going back for the rest.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
In a fit of rage I threw it against the wall at page 510,
By A Customer
This review is from: Angels & Demons: A Novel (Hardcover)
After the hero jumps out of a helicopter at 15,000' using only a tarp as a parachute, surviving an anti-matter explosion on the way down, only to land safely in the river where coincidently a doctor sees him land and revives him. (His third or fourth time he has escaped death today). All the while, the "pope", who had a parachute, is pretending a miracle has happened as he has landed atop St. Peter's to the roar of the crowd. JEEEEEEZ Get me outa here!!! Even as a movie, this would get boos.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting, But Not Original,
By "stickboy87" (Québec, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Angels & Demons: A Novel (Hardcover)
Having read "The Da Vinci Code", I was quite exited to dig into "Angels & Demons", Robert Langdon's first adventure. I found out, however, that I was reading the same book. Robert was yet again with a female "sidekick", the ending "twist" had the same elements, and the villian had the same mindset. Only the location and a few plot elements changed.Having that being said, I would like to say that "Angels & Demons" is still an interesting read. Dan Brown seems to do his research while writing his novels, and since the chapters are short, I kept saying "Just one more chapter" as I read the book. I managed to finish it in two days. Robert Langdon is awaken from his home in the United States due to a phone call by Dr. Kohler, the President of CERN, a Swiss science facility. There, Langdon sees the dead body of a CERN scientist with the word "Illuminati" burned onto his chest. Shortly thereafter, they discover one of the deadly projects the scientist was working on has gone missing; anitmatter. Anitmatter has the ability to power the continental United States with just one pound of it, or become the most dealy weapon ever made. Later, they discover that the canister is somewhere in The Vatican, the Illuminati's ultimate enemy. If you already read "The Da Vinci Code", you can see the similarities. However, one of the things about Dan Brown is that he writes in such a way that we already know the outcome, we just want to see how it happens. "Angels & Demons" is well worth a read, but if you are new to Dan Brown, or, more importantly, Robert Langdon's universe, I strongly reccomend that you read "The Da Vinci Code" first, as that is a superiour novel and the ending won't be known before you start the second chapter.
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