This is Dan Brown’s first book since “Origin” was released in 2017, a gap of 8 years (And you thought I was slow at writing!)
This time, we find our protagonist, Robert Langdon and his amour, Katherine Solomon, in a race against time to solve the “Secret of Secrets”
Set against the storied backdrop of Prague, the novel unveils a wealth of curious and fascinating details drawn from over two millennia of the city’s rich and complex history as we follow Robert and Katherine in their race to solve the puzzle and save their lives in the process.
As expected, the writing and editing are polished and professional — Dan Brown’s prose is consistently readable. However, the plot left me more puzzled than intrigued. There’s little narrative justification for Robert Langdon’s involvement; his signature symbology skills feel largely irrelevant to the central mystery. The characters often felt one-dimensional or implausible, and the premise stretches believability to its limits. The entire story hinges on the existence of an enormous, CIA-funded subterranean facility — inexplicably located in a foreign country — and never quite earns that suspension of disbelief.
If you have never been to Prague (I haven’t) you can pick up some really interesting facts. But if you want a chair gripping adventure, well… hmm.